# Straid Congregational Church # Financial Report 2024 ## **FINANCIAL REPORT 2023** **MINISTER** Mr. A Patterson **SERVICES** Sunday morning 11.30am Sunday evening 6.30pm **SUNDAY SCHOOL & BIBLE CLASS** Sunday morning 10.15am **STRAID CHRISTIAN WOMEN FELLOWSHIP** 2[nd] Monday each month **MUMS & TOTS** Each Tuesday 10.30am **PRAYER MEETINGS** Wednesday and Thursday 8.00pm and **(Including Missionary Prayer times)** 10.00am **PATHFINDER GROUPS** Friday evening 7.00pm **STRAID YOUTH** Friday evening 8.15pm **YOUTH FELLOWSHIP** 1[ST] and 3[rd] Sunday each month 8.00pm ## **DEACONS** Mr Thomas Strange Mr Brian McFall Mr Chris Carson Mr John Strange Mr Ralph Gilmour Mr John Haaijer Mr Richard Gilmour Mr Michael Ewart **Interim Secretary:** Mr John Haaijer **Treasurer:** Mr Thomas Strange ## **FINANCIAL SECRETARIES** Mrs Margaret Bailie Mrs Betty Ogilby Mr. Jason Chartres Mr Brian Morton Mr Bill Bailie ## **AUDITOR** Mr Desmond Dunn & Mr Tim Girvan (Book Keeper) **CARETAKERS** Mr & Mrs R Gilmour 1 ## **Straid Congregational Church** ## **Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 December 2023** |**Income**
Offerings (note 1)
Gift Aid
Rental Income
Gifts
Other
**Expenditure**
Salaries and expenses (note 2)
Pulpit supply
Missionary Support (note 3)
Rates & Water
Insurance
Electricity & Fuel
Security
Books, Publications & Stationery
AV ministry
Catering
Repairs and Renewals
Telephone & Broadband
Transport
Other (including prof. fees)
**Surplus/Deficit for the year**|**2024**
**£**
108,851
25,214
15,098
3,680
135
**152,977**
45,043
2,435
25,511
3,076
5,114
10,604
209
2,337
1,530
2,569
15,719
843
460
4,171
**119,622**
**33,355**|**2023**
**£**
102,192
23,966
12,388
9,140
2,229| |---|---|---| |||**149,915**| |||14,933
9,085
48,524
2,811
4,596
9,908
475
2.515
1,803
4,856
11,226
588
3,920
13,751| |||**128,991**| |||**20,924**| 2 **Bank Accounts** |**Current Account**
Opening balance at 1 January
Surplus for the year
Transfer – Ulster Bank Investment a/c
Closing balance at 31 December
**Investment Account (Bank of Ireland)**
Opening balance
Interest
Closing balance at 31 December|**2024**
**£**
29,659
33,355
-50,000
13,014
**2024**
**£**
154,390
1,393
155,783|**2023**
**£**
108,735
20,924
-100,000| |---|---|---| |||29,659| |||**2023**
**£**
154,390
-| |||154,390| _Initial investment matured in March 2024 and rolled over to mature in March 2026._ |**Investment Account (Danske Bank)**
Opening balance (opened June 2015)
Interest
Closing balance at 31 December
_This is a fixed deposit account due to mature_
**Investment Account (Danske Bank)**
Opening balance (opened June 2015)
Interest
Closing balance at 31 December|**2024**
**£**
100,000
-
100,000
_in June 2025._
**2024**
**£**
50,000
-
50,000|**2023**
**£**
100,000
-| |---|---|---| |||100,000| |||**2023**
**£**
-
-| |||-| _This is a fixed deposit account due to mature in August 2025._ 3 |**Investment Account (AIB)**
Opening balance
Interest
Closing balance 31 December|**2024**
**£**
151,553
7,872
159,425|**2023**
**£**
151,251
302| |---|---|---| |||151,553| _Initial investment matured in Aug 2024 and rolled over to mature in Aug 2025._ |**Investment Account (Ulster Bank)**
Opening balance
Interest

Closing balance 31 December|**2024**
**£**
156,522
7,455
163,977|**2023**
**£**
151,083
5,439| |---|---|---| |||156,522| _Initial investment matured in September 2024 and rolled over to mature in September 2025._ 4 ## **Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024** |**1**
**Offerings**
Freewill loose offering
Standing Orders
Other income
**2**
**Salaries**
Minister
Minister's wife
Caretaker

**3**
**Missionary Support**
Support of Church Missionaries
Other missionary gifts|**2024**
**£**
54,179
54,672
-
108,851
36,396
2,000
6,647
45,043
18,606
6,905
25,511|**2023**
**£**
49,714
52,478
-| |---|---|---| |||102,192| |||8,199
1,000
5,734| |||14,933| |||30,885
17,639| |||48,524| 5 ## Sunday School 2024 |Income
Balance Brought Forward
From Church Account
Income
Balance Brought Forward
Money for Christmas Gifts||£
Expenditure
38.71
1,000.00
Sunday School Materials
Straid Sunday School Outing & Food
Carnfunnock
Bouncy Castle
Christmas Selection Boxes
Bank Fees

Balance Carried Forward
**1038.71**
Pathfinders 2024
£
Expenditure
153.75
100.00
Movie Night Snacks
Senior Group Christmas Gifts
Junior Group Christmas Gifts
Balance Carried Forward
**253.75**||£
461.00
108.00
36.75
80.00
63.00
36.60
253.36| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||**1038.71**| |||||£
21.00
78.36
94.00
60.39| |||||**253.75**| |||||| |||||| |Income
Balance Brought Forward
Weekly Income
Bank Interest||Mums & Tots 2024
£
Expenditure
985.76
639.02
Weekly Supplies
24.20
Outreach/Gifts
Balance Carried Forward
**1648.98**||| |||||| 6 ## Straid Youth 2024 |Income
£
Expenditure
Balance Brought Forward
103.28
Tuck Shop
82.55
Balance Carried Forward
**185.83**
Straid Congregational Women 2024
Income
£
Expenditure
Balance Brought Forward
177.91
Collections
217.40
Speakers
Feb Meeting Acre
77.56
Stationary/Biscuits etc.
March – Hope for Youth
131.00
Acre Gospel Mission
Glenarm Castle
560.00
Hope for Youth Ministry
Coffee Morning
174.20
Glenarm Castle
Chittys in Spain (Nov)
120.00
Glenarm Castle Ticket Refund
Coffee Morning
Chittys
The Carrie Restaurant balance

Balance Carried Forward
**1458.07**|£
185.83| |---|---| ||**185.83**| ||£
80.00
93.60
77.56
131.00
632.50
20.00
174.20
120.00
35.00
94.21| ||**1458.07**| 7 ## **Freewill Offerings 2024** |No.|£|No.|£|No.|£| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |**2**|£1,200|**30**|£3,180|**65**|£2,340| |**3**|£2,250|**31**|£235|**66**|£5,400| |**4**|£1,020|**33**|£1,040|**68**|£10,400| |**5**|£1,120|**34**|£1,540|**71**|£675| |**6**|£800|**39**|£12,200|**72**|£850| |**7**|£360|**40**|£1,280|**73**|£3,540| |**8**|£35|**42**|£40|**77**|£1,870| |**9**|£4,080|**44**|£1,440|**79**|£3,230| |**10**|£309|**46**|£1,600|**80**|£2,080| |**11**|£3,650|**48**|£160|**82**|£240| |**12**|£2,400|**50**|£1,500|**86**|£1,040| |**14**|£1,530|**52**|£365|**87**|£1,450| |**15**|£1,200|**53**|£370|**88**|£1,650| |**20**|£1,035|**56**|£1,590|**91**|£870| |**21**|£200|**60**|£960|**92**|£540| |**24**|£1,295|**64**|£2,000|**95**|£170| |||||**96**|£2,400| ## **Minister’s Report 2024** 8 I’ve recently been reading through Psalm 118, and in beginning to write this short Minister’s Report, I thought I would start and finish as Psalm 118 does; ‘O give thanks to the Lord for He is good’. Sharon and I can truly say that throughout this year, in ministering here in Straid Congregational Church, the Lord has been good to us personally, and to us all as a Fellowship. We give thanks to the Lord for His help in the preaching of His Word as we have studied the life of Joseph, the Book of Haggai, the Ten Commandments and most recently, 1 Peter. We give thanks for those who have trusted the Lord as Saviour this year through the witness of the Church, and for the opportunities we each have had to share the Gospel in this Community. We give thanks for answered prayer and grace given, as we, together, have prayed for individuals and families going through bereavement, sickness and very real difficulties. Also, we give thanks for answered prayer regarding the granting of Planning permission for the renovation of the church building, and for those in our Fellowship with expertise and experience to help lead us through this Project. To finish, I want to highlight two things: First, a word of caution… It can so easily happen that we have a new church building, but have a Church Fellowship divided with broken relationships, people hurt, the church’s testimony damaged, and most of all, the Holy Spirit grieved. Please take this seriously, and think carefully about our words and attitudes ‘endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’ (Eph 4:3) Let’s take to heart the teaching of 1 Peter 5 regarding the right personal response to ‘Authority’, ‘Humility’ and ‘Anxiety’. Let us also be aware of the enemy, Satan’s existence, and his subtle attacks and inroads; we need to ‘be vigilant’ and ‘resist him steadfast in the faith’. Secondly, a word of appeal to Members and Adherents … Please consider planning to, or rearranging priorities or life schedule, so you can commit to attending the prayer times in the church. A lot of things in life will come and go, but our own spiritual life and walk, the salvation of our family members and our communities, are of eternal consequence. Prayer times are not always easy; this is a spiritual battle, but of real lasting value. Thank you so much for your prayers, fellowship, support and encouragement to Sharon and myself; we are very grateful! Together, let us ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy endures forever. _Rev Alistair Patterson_ 9 ## **Missionary Report 2024** As we look back into 2024 and have gone into 2025 we praise God for his hand upon our missionary work within the church and for those who answered the call to go to various places to spread the good news of the gospel. At our monthly missionary meeting we always have different speakers who keep us up to date in what is happening in the country they are working in. In January 2024 we had FAITH MISSION, February ASIA LINK, March SGA and also IBI same month. April VISPA, May EMF, June SASRA. Our annual Missionary Weekend began with ASIA LINK on Wed. 28/8/24, SHINING LIGHTS on Friday 30/8/24 and on the Sunday 1/9/24 we had CEF at our am service and GMSA at our pm service, this is always a great weekend. On the Friday evening we always have a 7pm start and we have a special time for the children and we say a big thank you to those who volunteer to help with this. The Sunday morning speaker always takes the Sunday School, which we all love and appreciate so much. In October we had OMS, November REVIVAL MOVEMENT and in December WORLD GOSPEL MISSION. All of the Missionary Society’s receive the complete collection plus £200 from the church. Our total missionary giving for 2024 was £9737.63 which included £400.00 .in pennies for Odessa Orphanage which has been collected and counted by Margaret and Hugh Caldwell for many years. A big thank you to them both. As a fellowship we continue to support our own missionaries: ## **John and Irene Barfoot Immanuel Studios** **Stephen and Joan Singleton IBI Dublin** ## **Nigel and Ruth Wilson and Family Faith Mission** ## **Michael and Julie Chitty and Family Spain** ## **Johnny and Kathryn Gault and Family Frontiers in Mozambique** We continue to pray that the Lord will bless their ministry wherever they are and that they will see much fruit for their labours. ## _Ralph Gilmore_ 10 ## **Secretary Report 2024** When I think of 2024 what comes to mind is the Lord’s prayer and in particular the phrase, “Your kingdom come, your will be done”. This is our prayer as a church and we have seen very evidently in 2024 the Lord doing His will. There is a lot that we can be thankful for as we look back over 2024. It has been great to have Alistair with us for his first full year and we have already greatly benefitted from his preaching, visiting and other work. We can also be very thankful for how God has worked in all the different church groups that have had meetings and outings over the last year. God has provided safety, guidance and has worked in hearts through these groups that cater for the oldest right through to the youngest. We would like to say a big thank-you to all those that lead and help in these groups as well as those that serve the Lord in other practical ways in the church. It is very much appreciated. With so many groups in the church it is hard to mention all that went on over the last year and I’m sure each group have a few highlights that they can think of. In June the Friendship club had their special event called “A Journey Back in Time to Straid” and it was great to have people in from the village that don’t attend the church here. In August we had our first Holiday Bible Club since COVID in the church buildings and this went very well with a good number of children in each evening. This year things ran a bit differently with our first Sunday morning Holiday Bible club service at the end of the week. It was great to see the church well filled with parents, again, some of whom had never been in the church before. In December we had the Christmas Tree Light’s event and it was again great to see the church hall filled with so many from the village. May we continue to pray for all those in the village who don’t know the Lord that the Lord would work in hearts and use us as a witness to this community. May the Lord’s kingdom come to this community. Another thing we can praise God for is getting planning permission for the new sanctuary. We had been praying about this for a long time and it was starting to seem that the process was never going to end with more and more delays. I have to say that given the HED had rejected the plans I didn’t have a lot of hope that the permission would be granted. But then finally in October we were officially granted planning permission. We may have felt that the planning office was in control of this but ultimately the Lord’s will was done. 2024 also had it’s challenges and times of sadness. In August Sam McCrory went home to be with the Lord. Sam finished the race well and he will be sorely missed. There were also those in our fellowship who suffered with poor health and other issues. It’s in these times of sadness and difficulty we again pray, “Your kingdom come” as we think of a day when there will be no more pain or sadness. May we continue to remember in prayer those in our fellowship that are continuing to suffer in these days. As we look ahead to 2025 I’m sure it will bring it’s joys and it’s challenges also. But may our hearts desire and prayer be that “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” _John Haaijer_ 11 ## **Group Leadership/responsibility for 2024** |**Sunday School**|||| |---|---|---|---| |Patricia McLean|Alison Forsythe|Pat Gilmour|| |David Weir|Alison Johnston||| |**Pathfinders**|||| |**_Junior_**|||| |Lisa Darrah|Jennifer Robinson|Brittany Strange|Grace Herron| |Olivia Jenkins|Asha Hilditch|Claire Brown|| |**_Seniors_**|||| |Chris Carson|Aimee Jenkins|Michael Ewart|John Strange| |Cherith Gilmore|Hannah Cahoon|Julie Williams|| |**Straid Congregational Women**|||| |Hannah Cahoon
|Asha Hilditch|Barbara Cathcart|Pauline Weatherup| |Jill Brown|Amanda McFall|Ruth Cathcart|| |**Catering Committee**|||| |Joan Hutchinson|Cherith Gilmore|Hazel Forsythe|Amanda McFall| |Julie Williams|Jill Brown||| |**Straid Youth Leaders**|||| |Claire Brown|Matt Hilditch|Janice Drummond|Aimee Jenkins| |Alex Mairs|Aimee Haaijer|Brian McFall|John Haaijer| |Andrew Vance|Richard Gilmour||| |**Missionary Committee**|||| |Ralph Gilmour|Roy Greer|Hugh Caldwell|Jennifer Evans| |Pat Gilmour|Rosemary Weir|Judy Sempey|| |**Mums & Tots**|||| |Joan Hutchinson|Barbara Cathcart|Jennifer Evans|Grace Herron| |Sharon Patterson|Rosemary McAnally|Joanne Vance|Betty Ogilby| |**Musical Team**|||| |Brenda Strange|Andrew Vance|Betty Greer|John Haaijer| |Hannah Cahoon|Janine Close|Brittany Strange|Joel Patterson| |Sharon Patterson|||| |**Audio Visual Team**|||| |Martin Brown|Claire Brown|Richard Gilmour|Peter Lawson| |John Haaijer|Wesley Johnston|Alex Mairs|Rachel Lawson| |Matt Johnston|Robin Cahoon|Ben Robinson|| |**Junior Church**|||| |Brittany Strange|Chris Carson|Carla Carson|David Cathcart| |Joanne Vance|Chloe Robinson|Brian McFall|Ben Vance| |Aimee Haaijer|Hannah McAllister|Janice Drummond|Joy Ewart| 12 |**Church Attendance**||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Wesley Johnston|Colin Forsythe|||| |**Flowers**||||| |Pat Gilmour|Marleen Strange|Hannah Cahoon||Matt Hilditch| |Jennifer Haaijer||||| |**Youth Fellowship**||||| |Chris Carson|Tim Girvan|David Cathcart||Rachel Lawson| |Aimee Haaijer||||| |**CHOIR**||||| |Brenda Strange|Margaret Caldwell||Chris Haaijer|| |Jason Chartres|Alison Forsythe||Jennifer Robinson|| |Hannah Cahoon|Julie Williams||Tim Girvan|| |Joel Patterson|Andrew Vance||Hugh Caldwell|| |Brittany Strange|John Strange|||| |**Child Protection Co-ordinator**|||Robin Cahoon|| 13