**CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER NIC 109438** ## **ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH** **ACCOUNTS** ## **31 DECEMBER 2024** ## **GM[c] G PORTADOWN** Chartered Accountants 17 Mandeville Street Portadown Craigavon Co Armagh BT62 3PB **ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH** ## **ACCOUNTS** ## **Year ended 31 December 2024** |**CONTENTS**|**PAGES**| |---|---| |General Information|**1**| |Trustees’ Annual Report|**2 to 5**| |Independent Examiner’s Report|**6 to 7**| |Statement of Receipts and Payments|**8**| |Statement of Assets and Liabilities|**9**| |Notes to the Accounts|**10**| ## **ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH** ## **GENERAL INFORMATION** ## **Year ended 31 December 2024** |**Charity Name**|Armagh Free Presbyterian Church| |---|---| |**Contact Address**|21a Grove Terrace| ||Armagh| ||BT60 1BX| |**Charity Registration Number**|109438| |**HMRC Charity Reference**|XN48466| |**Trustees**|Rev D McMillan| ||Mr J Irwin| ||Mr W Creane| ||Mr W Hill| ||Mr K McMurray| ||Mr D Bell| ||Mr W Sergeant| ||Mr F West| ||Mr A Stewart| ||Mr W McCrum| |**Independent Examiner**|GMcG PORTADOWN| ||Chartered Accountants| ||17 Mandeville Street| ||Portadown| ||Craigavon| ||Co Armagh| ||BT62 3PB| |**Bankers**|Danske Bank| ||74-76 Scotch Street| ||Armagh| ||BT61 7DJ| **- 1 -** **ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **Year ended 31 December 2024** ## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2024** The trustees present the Annual Report and Statement of Receipts and Payments and Assets and Liabilities for Armagh Free Presbyterian Church for the year ended 31 December 2024. ## **Introduction** The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster came into being on 17th March 1951 as a testimony to the historic faith of Presbyterians that emphasised the inspiration and authority of Scripture against the liberal, rationalist infidelity that had made serious inroads into Presbyterianism in Ireland as well as the other main Protestant denominations. The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster is a worldwide Protestant Reformed denomination consisting of congregations which accept and uphold the Articles of Faith. It is Protestant in its basis, Presbyterian in its government, Reformed in its doctrine, Evangelistic in its ministry, Fundamentalist in its stand and defence of the Historic Christian Faith, and subject only to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Great King and only Head of The Church. The Word of God, as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is its only rule of faith and practice. ## **Articles of Faith** - The Absolute Authority and Verbal Divine Inspiration of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God; - There is but one living and true God, and in the Godhead there are Three Persons, equal in power and glory, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost; - The Eternal Sonship, Virgin Birth and Deity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; - The personality of God the Holy Spirit, and the absolute necessity of His work in Regeneration and Sanctification, and His infilling of the indwelt Believer for power to live and witness for Christ; - The Substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Resurrection as the only way of Salvation from sin through Faith; - God has appointed besides the Word and Prayer the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; - Baptism - The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, under Christ the great King and Head of the Church, realises that bitter controversy raging around the ordinance of Christian Baptism has divided the Body of Christ, when that Body should have been united in Christian love and Holy Ghost power to stem the onslaughts and hell-inspired assaults of modernism, hereby affirms that each member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster shall have liberty to decide for themselves which course to adopt, each member giving due honour in love to the views held by differing brethren, but none espousing the error of baptismal regeneration; **- 2 -** **ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 December 2024** ## **Articles of Faith (continued)** - The Lord’s Supper - The Lord’s Supper has been appointed by our Lord for Remembrance of Him in His work as Saviour. Its purpose to the child of God is for strengthening, and the putting of a visible difference between the redeemed and the unregenerate. This Sacrament will be observed once each month in every Free Presbyterian Congregation, or more, or less frequently as each local congregation shall decide; and - The visible and personal return of Our Lord Jesus Christ. These Articles of Faith, together with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, and the Westminster Standards form the Subordinate Standards of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. ## **Purpose** The Objective of the Church is to promote the advancement of religion in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, the subordinate standards of the Articles of Faith, the Westminster Standards, and the Book of Church Order. ## **Public Benefit** The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. This congregation of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster meets the public benefit requirement. The Church is established to benefit its members and the general public, both at home and abroad through the advancement of religion. The benefits which flow from its purpose include the holding of public worship and fulfilment of the Great Commission to preach Christ crucified in all the world, the coming of souls to saving faith in Jesus Christ, repentance from sin and the holding to orthodox Bible religion. Adherence to this framework leads to spiritual and moral development and wider society living in accordance with God's moral law. It encourages demonstrable acts in the world such as fervent evangelism, missionary effort, the establishment of new churches, the instruction of students for Christian service, the progress of Christian schooling and the provision of pastoral care, and humanitarian relief. The benefits are further demonstrated through attendance at public worship as well as regular evaluation of activities, informal and ad-hoc feedback from members, their families, and the general public. The purpose does not lead to harm. The charity’s beneficiaries are the Christian Church and the general public within society in Northern Ireland and wherever across the world the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster has an opportunity to minister. The only private benefits flowing from this purpose are to those members who would receive reasonable remuneration paid in respect of employment by the Church; those members who may enter into contracts with the Church and receive reasonable payment for goods and services supplied; where a member may benefit as a student at our Bible Colleges; or where someone from a member’s family may benefit as a pupil at a Christian school. These private benefits are incidental and necessary to ensure the public benefit is provided to our beneficiaries. **- 3 -** **ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 December 2024** ## **Activities and Events** Armagh Free Presbyterian Church carries out the following activities: - The Church conducts public worship through the following regular services – Lord’s Day morning and evening worship, weekly prayer meetings, Bible Class, Sunday School, Youth Fellowship, Children’s Meetings, bi-weekly Parents and Tots group and monthly Ladies Fellowship. - Conducts Public worship through the following special services – Gospel Missions, teaching conferences, special times of prayer, Youth rallies, Summer Holiday Bible clubs, baptism services and other special meetings. - The Elders attend the monthly Presbytery meetings. - Representatives attend the monthly Missionary Council meetings. - The Kirk Session interview and accept new communicant members. - The Kirk Session provide pastoral support for the members and attendees. - The Kirk Session meet regularly to provide spiritual oversight. - The Church Committee meets regularly to oversee the financial and practical matters. - The Church supports the work of Radio and TV broadcasting through Let the Bible Speak and the training activities in the Whitefield College of the Bible. Encourages fervent evangelism in the rest of the UK through the work of the Mainland Commission and the growing missionary work through the Mission Board and The Free Presbyterian Mission Society Africa. Supports the work of Christian Education through the work of the Education Board. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The Trustees meet on a regular basis to discuss the work of the Church, and to make decisions concerning the activities within the Church. The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of signing the financial statements were: Rev D McMillan Mr J Irwin Mr W Creane Mr W Hill Mr K McMurray Mr D Bell Mr W Sergeant Mr F West Mr A Stewart Mr W McCrum **- 4 -** ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TRUSTEES. ANNUAL REPORT (continued) Year ended 31 December 2024 Structure. Governance and Management (continued) The Church Committee meets regularly to take delegated responsibility on behalf of the members of the Kirk Session to assist it in managing the Church's fInan￿S and assets and in making decisions regarding the day to day financial and material affairs of the Church. Financial Review The main source of income is from weekly offerings, and voluntary gifts and donations, supplemented by the use of Gift Aid and the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme. The total amount received during the year amounted to £161,727 from which total payments in the amount of £150,532 were made, leaving a net surplus of £11.195. Cash funds held at the year end amounted to £350,311 {2023 - £339,116). The Church reserves policy is to accumulate sufficient reserves to provide cover for 12 months operating expenses and future capital projects. Going Concern The trustees have reviewed the budgets for the year ahead and are satisfied that there are adequate funds in place to ensure that the Church can continue its activities and the financial statements for the year ended 31 De￿mber 2024 can be signed off as a going concern. Statement of Trustees, Responsibilities The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees, Annual Report and the financial statements in accordan￿ with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally AC￿pted Accounting Practice). The law applicable to charities in Northern Ireland requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that financial year. The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Church's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the assets and liabilities of the Church. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Church and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees, annual report was approved by the Board of Trustees. Is I dLdL Rev D Mcmillan Trustee est Trustee Date: ARMAGH FREE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT Year ended 31 December 2024 Independent examiner's report to the charity Trustees of Armagh Free Presbyterian Church I report on the accounts ofArmagh Free Presbyterian Church for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on pages 8 to 10. Respective responsibilities of charity Trustees and examiner As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. It is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 65 of the Charities Act follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Commission under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of independent examinerfs report I have examined your charity accounts as required under section 65 of the Charities Act and my examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act. My examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as charity trustees concerning any such matters. 17 Mande￿11¢ Street PORTADOWN Craigttvon BT62 3PB Alf￿1 House 19 Alfved Street BELF.4SY BT2 8EQ DX3910 NR Belfast 50 Cenlury House 40 CreS￿nt Business Park IJSBURN BT28 2GN Tel: +44 (0)28 3833 2801 Fax:+44 (0)28 3835 0293 Td: +44 (0}28 9031 lik3 Fax". +44 (0)28 9031 07T7 Tel: +M (0}28 9260 7355 Fax". +M {0)28 9260 1656 GM¢GisatT8dingnAmeofGML¢Gtouplimited. RegNo.. N]0596&). lA5t0fDi￿L￿a￿MW* tEC&uedofv www.gmcgea.com ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT (continued) Year ended 31 December 2024 Basis of independent examiner's report (continued) My role is to state whether any material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe- That accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 63 of the Charities Act That the accounts do not accord with those accounting records That the accounts do not comply wtth the accounting requirements of the Charities Act That there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Independent examinerfs statement I have completed my examination and have no concerns in respect of the matters 1 to 4 listed above, and in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention. GILLIAN JOHNSTON ACA GMCG PORTADOWN Chartered Accountants 17 Mandeville Street Portadown Craigavon Co Armagh BT62 3PB Date. IJ oLro¢3£l aoas **ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH** ## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT** ## **Year ended 31 December 2024** |**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**Receipts**
Offerings and gifts
120,898
38,324
Bank interest
1,794
-
Other income
711
-
**Total receipts**
123,403
38,324
**Payments**
Cost of charitable activities
102,935
20,473
Grants and donations
5,049
19,817
Governance costs
2,258
-
**Total payments**
(110,242)
(40,290)
**Net receipts/(payments)**
13,161
(1,966)
**Transfers between funds**
-
-
**Fund surplus/(deficit) for the year**
13,161
(1,966)
**Cash and bank reconciliation**
Balance at start of year
263,335
75,781
Surplus/(deficit) this year
13,161
(1,966)
Cash at bank and in hand at year end
276,496
73,815|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
159,222
1,794
711
161,727
123,408
24,866
2,258
(150,532)
11,195
-
11,195
339,116
11,195
350,311| |---|---| **- 8 -** ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES As at 31 December 2024 2024 Assets retained for Church own use Manse Church and Church hall Fixtures and fittings Motor vehicle 267,000 3,950,000 30,000 4,248,000 Cash funds Current accounts Deposit accounts 175,500 174811 Total cash funds 350311 Net assets Represented by funds Unrestricted funds - General Restricted funds - Mission Building and Maintenance Capital 283,754 4,201 62,356 4 248 000 4598311 Funds at year end Approved by the Trustees on .J..i.. Gotryw. 202>.. and signed on their behalf by.. Rev D Mcmillan Trustee F West Trustee **ARMAGH FREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH** ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** **Year ended 31 December 2024** ## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES** The principal accounting policies adopted in the compilation of the Receipts and Payments Account and the Statement of Assets and Liabilities are as follows: ## **Receipts and Payments** All items of income and expenditure included in the Receipts and Payments Account have been accounted for on a cash basis. ## **Assets and Liabilities** Buildings have been recorded at their insurance value as no reliable information is available for their cost. Motor vehicles and fixtures and fittings are recorded at an estimated value. Cash and deposit balances are stated at their monetary amount. Liabilities are included where there is a constructive or legal obligation falling upon the Church that requires future economic outflow. However, no account is taken of amounts due in respect of the recurring expenses of the Church as these are recognised in the Receipts and Payments Account when paid. ## **2. FUNDS** Unrestricted funds – this fund is used at the discretion of the trustees in fulfilling the objectives of the Church. Restricted funds – these funds are used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Church for specific purposes. **- 10 -**