an FINTONA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Registered Charity in Northern Ireland 105632 an FINTONA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statement5 for the year ended 31 December 2023 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilitie5 as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Fintona congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 6-8 Craigavon Road Fintona BT78 2BN Registered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC105632) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of thi5 report were Rev J Cowan- Convenor K Boland W Liggett C Crawford PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Convenor Clerk of Session Treasurer Rev Jonathan Cowan Keith Boland Hilary Jobb INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Cathy Clyde 22 Botera Upper Road Omagh Co Tyrone BT78 5DG BANKERS SOLICITORS Danske Bank Po Box 183 Donegal Square West Belfast BT16JS A F Colhoun The Old Library 41 Dublin Road Omagh County Tyrone BT78 IHE an FINTONA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT The Kirk Session The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Session. Under the congregation's governing document, The Code, the book of the constitution and government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Kirk Session seeks to watch over and promote the spiritual interest of the congregation and of persons not connected with any congregation who are within its bounds. It ensures pastoral care is in place in the congregation and seeks to further the contribution of the Church to Christian witness and service in the local community. The Kirk Sessions has delegated to its Congregationa5 Committee the tem poral affairs of the congregation includ ing administering all f unds and property belonging to the congregation. Members of the Kirk Session are ex-officio members of the Congregational Committee. The Kirk Session consists of the ordained minister and the ruling elders of the congregations. All mem bers are entitled to propose, speak and exercise equal votes at meetings, except that the Moderator, the ministers in active duty in the congregation, has no deliberative but only a casting vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk session a re held at least twice in each yea r or as a ppropriate. To be chosen forthe office of the eldership in the congregation a person must be a voting member and a regular attendant on it5 ordinances. The selection of those proposed to be called to the office can be either by the congregation or by the Kirk Session. Members are elected if they obtain two- thirds of those who vote. Presbytery Under the Presbyterian Church in Ireland form of governance the corporate oversight of a congregation is the responsibility of a Presbytery which superintends generally the spiritual and temporal affa irs of the congregations assigned to it by the Genera l Assembly of the Presbyteria n Church in Ireland. Fintona congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Omagh Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the active ministers of congregations assigned to it by the General Assembly, minsters who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of the congregation. an FINTONA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) The General Assembly The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Church, representing in one body the whole Church and acting as its supreme legislative, admi nistration a nd judicial authority, in dealing with all matters brought before it. The General Assembly is normally constituted during the first week in June forworship and to conduct its business. At the end of business it is dissolved. The membership of the General Assembly consists ma inly of the active ministers of each congregation, retired minsters a nd a representative elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE Fintona Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, as a Reformed Church within the wider body of Christ is grounded in the Scriptures, and exists to love and honour God through faith in His Son and by the power of His Spirit, and to enable her members to play their part in fulfi51ing God's mission to our world. ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES The congregation exists to worship God and to draw people into a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The congregation meets for Worship every Sunday and for other activities during the week. These include Sunday School, PW, Choir, Boys, Brigade, Walk and Talk Group and Bible study group. The Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper are celebrated throughout the year. Pasto ral ca re is provided to everyone in the congregation and in the local com munity. The Minister and elders all contribute to providing pastoral care within the congregation. At a local level the congregation has a wide-ranging mi55ion and ministry to the local community. M ission happens in many ways in our congregation. We h05t special mission events such as Ladies nights, family barbeques, family events, summer walk and talks and special church services. We contribute to the following Christia n charities; Christia n Aid, TearFund, Bible Societies, Scripture Union, World Development, Presbyterian Children's Society and other good causes as the need arises. None of this outreach, ministry and service to the community would be possible without the large number of people who volunteer to be involved in the work and witness of Fintona Presbyterian Church. The Trustees recognise their commitment, dedication and their willingness to sha re their time a nd abilities. an The church committee are responsible for the church property and this includes the church building, church hall, graveyard, the Manse and associated lands. The committee also oversee the day to day finances of the church. The Kirk Session as trustees are responsible for all the f inancia I matters. PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefit requirement by providing benefit to its members a nd the general public by making known the Christian Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of religion. The d irect benefits which flow from the purposes of the Church include the gaining of a n understa nding in Christia n beliefs as set out in the Bible a nd in the Church's subordi nate standards (the Westminster Confession of Faith a nd the Shorter and Larger Catechisms) leading to spiritual and moral development and opportunities for response to Bible teaching. In turn, this framework leads to practical expressions of Christia n beliefs and Sta ndards in the local community such a5 through the care of those in need (including the sick, disabled and bereaved). General ly, the above benefits 3 re delivered locally by congregation5 and their members, or are facilitated through presbyteries or are organised and delivered centrally. Local delivery is facilitated by centra I resources in almost all cases. Public access is made l