## Donaghadee Baptist Church 

## Trustees Report 2025 

During 2025 the church held services on Sunday mornings at 11:30 AM and evening services at 6:30pm. Communion is held during or just after our morning service. On Wednesday evenings we met again at 8:00pm for a time of prayer and bible study. These services are open for all to attend, and we encourage visitors to join with us for worship to God, receive teaching from the bible and fellowship. 

At the morning services we average in attendance 27 and evening services 23. 

The vast majority of the preaching is done by our full time Pastor, Jonathan Burke. We have also enjoyed visiting preachers during holiday times and also visits from missionaries to bring us up to date on Christian work both at home and overseas. 

The services are recorded on video and are available for anyone who is unable to attend in person. Recordings are available via our website: www.donaghadeebaptist.org.uk 

Our pastor is very active with visitation of the sick and elderly. This is an important part of the church ministry and has gone on throughout the year at home or in hospital. 

We regularly have opportunities for fellowship over refreshments after our evening services. 

Special services were held at Harvest & Christmas when our numbers were boosted by friends, family and visitors. The meetings were followed with food and fellowship. 

Meetings catering for primary school children (Dee Bap Kids) were held at Easter, Summer and Christmas. We are blessed to have a number of talented young people who are able to lead and assist with the children. 

Meetings are also held on the first Tuesday of the month at 2:30pm (October to May) catering for those who are retired. This takes the form of afternoon tea followed by various guest speakers. 

The trustees are aware of our responsibilities for safeguarding when working with children and vulnerable adults. To this end we arranged a safeguarding event on 5'" November 2025 which was held by Mr Andrew McAuley who is the youth director at the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland. This was a worthwhile event and was supported by all of our volunteers involved with the children’s work. 

It is pleasing to see that at the end of the 2025 financial year there is a small underspend in the accounts. Despite the rising costs across the full spectrum of the expenses, we are thankful to our members and friends for their generous support of the church work. 

During the year two of our trustees stood down: - 

Allan Thomson - 26" August 2025 / Samuel Thomson - 30" October 2025 

Jonathan Burke was added as a trustee — 23 November 2025 

We were encouraged that we had a small increase in membership numbers with Charlote & Matthew Burke being welcomed into the fellowship on 30" November 2025 

On a sadder note our good friend and one of our founder members Mr Sammy Sedgwick was promoted to glory. Sammy was an active member within the church from its foundation holding many offices and despite being in his 97" year was still committed and in attendance up to a year before God called him home. 

We take this opportunity to thank all who play an active part within the life of the church and we look to the Lord for his guiding hand for the future 

## Andrew Frizelle 

On behalf of the trustees of Donaghadee Baptist Church