Held on 18/09/2006 at 7:30 p.m. in the church.
2. Attendance, apologies and welcome
3. Minutes of previous meeting
6 c New member of preaching team: Nikki
Devitt.
Stanley
opened the meeting with a prayer. Tricia Heckbert took the chair.
|
Present David
Cheetham Richard Dingley Sylvia Dingley Chris Green Tricia
Heckbert |
DC
RD SD CG TH |
Stanley Price Victor
Skinner Apologies Colette
Jeff Tricia
Lumley Thea Oliver |
SP VS CJ
TL
TO |
Minutes
of the 18/10/2006 meeting were agreed as accurate subject to minor amendments.
from minutes previous to 18/10/06
7 e. (German War Graves Commission). Tricia Lumley
not here
ACTION: Keep this until the next PCC
8 d (Magazine)
Addresses collected, not given to Heather Robinson
yet (ACTION RD).
6 c. (Heating program) RD has set for every Wednesday
morning (alternate Wednesdays not possible). He has set a cutoff for 10 pm in
case it gets left on accidentally.
from minutes of 18/10/06
6 d. (Healing advisory group) Stanley had not
attended this, but will addend the following one (in Bath).
7 c (memo) not written, now overtaken by events
Christmas
concert- 6d
CG reported back that the Old Deanery would cost us £80, which already included 2 discounts. This was rejected by the meeting as too expensive. Stanley suggested Lympsham Manor Hall, and there were sure to be other possibilities.
ACTION: Investigate Lympsham Manor Hall- cost, availability (SP)
ACTION: Contact Gordon (CG)
SP had just received a letter from the DAC of 18th October, supporting the CCC advice (against sale). We are still entitled to apply for a faculty. NB. the following:
· Precedents (Lincolnshire)- painting, silverware.
· Parish share- this is our only hope of paying for the foreseeable future
· Indicative costs: £63k to bring church up to scratch, without lighting, according to quinquennial (this should perhaps be questioned)
· Disabled access: would need to cut this down to essentials, such as road access.
· Public meetings- outcome unpredictable and may not be required. Public notices should be enough.
· Emphasise improved service to the community
· We have already spent a great deal on the roof, from our own fundraising
· We need an electrical survey, and this will probably recommend re-wiring. The quinquennial does not currently support this.
· Pass to Peter Maurice before he leas us as archdeacon.
Nikki has already been approached by SP, but he sought the opinion of the meeting (NB. as her spouse, CG was absent from the discussion on this topic). RD proposed that Nikki be included in the team, Victor seconded; all were in favour.
ACTION: SP will apply to the Archdeacon.
Only one day possible for Nicola- 15th December. Barry proposed 7:45, and suggested £10 as price- we shall get at least 100. We should suggest seasonal refreshments- NB. if we include wine explicitly in the tickets we will need a TEN (which will cost us). We shall be better off donating the wine. We discussed the issue of which fund proceeds should go into, and decided that it should be the refurbishment fund (VS proposed, SP seconded, all were in favour).
ACTION: We need to allocate the tasks properly (see also 8 g). Wine, mince pies etc. TH, CG will do refreshments (possibly asking for help from Richard Oliver), RD has tickets ready so will print. All to take a hand in sales.
Preachers have been allocated at a meeting of the preaching team. This includes 5th November: pulpit exchange.
For the special themed services (such as Advent 1-3) it would be helpful to the organist if the preacher chose the hymns, or gave some guidance to the organist.
Real bread for HC: this has been discussed in the past, and we must make up our mind as we don't have many wafers left. We agreed that pitta bread is a reasonable compromise (not too many crumbs- keeps in the freezer). We shall try it out until Christmas.
ACTION: RD to get a supply to last until Christmas.
Another planning meeting- 21st November. Bring your own lunch. 9th November- Barry Rose talk 'Theology of Sermons'. The diocese are putting together a 'school of formation' with instruction courses (2 topics a year). This is not yet ready however and Barry will do his own.
Noisy amplifier- could be replaced for £75. We agreed it was not a priority and we would put up with the hum.
i.
Parish
Share
We have £5,200 in the bank. We owe £9,081 parish share (i.e. 100%), and the diocese have written asking us about it. NB. the share next year (i.e. from January) will be £8,954. We discussed the topic and the following points were made:
· The parish share would take our entire income if we met it in full.
· It largely pays for clergy. We have a non-stipendiary part-time clergyman (i.e. Stanley), so at first sight it doesn't seem fair for us to pay. However it is needed to pay for retirements, and we have plenty of ex-vicars.
· The following sums were all suggested for immediate payment- £2,000; £1,500; at least £1000; £1000; none.
The compromise sum of £1000 was proposed by RD, seconded by TH. Six were in favour, one against, so it was agreed by majority vote.
ACTION: DC please to pay £1000 of this year's parish share and write a covering note explaining our situation.
ii.
Sharing
with Rodney Stoke/ Charitable giving
We also discussed the sharing of expenses with Rodney Stoke (60:40, Draycott: RS). In view of other factors (e.g. Newsletter profits come to us) it seems reasonable as Stanley spends more time in Draycott, which has the bigger population. We also discussed whether we should count the hosting of fundraising events on behalf of others as our own charitable giving (going through our books).
ACTION: charitable giving for us to discuss next meeting.
iii.
Counting
of envelope monies
Currently only Victor and David open covenant envelopes, to preserve donor's confidentiality. Should we change instructions to allow the sidesmen to do this when neither Victor or David are there? After discussion we decided to keep things as they were, putting unopened envelopes in the safe.
VS waiting for retention to be paid to builders. This depends on the architect- he must put in his bill and ratify the builder's fee. VS will then get it back from English Heritage. VS is still hoping to get £1500 from Wyvern, but it needs to be before January. We need a bill that is suitable to pass to them.
ACTION: RD will write to George Chedburn.
CG reported the gratitude for Harvest produce delivered from the churches. They have given us their Christmas requirements earlier this year and these are in the current newsletter. NB. Requests include presents as well as food; by start of December.
These items were covered very briefly because of pressure on time. The disability advisory group report is at the back of the church. First precautions, audit of gas and electricity use should be revisited next meeting.
There had not been enough official helpers at the African evening- too much had been left to Thea, and she had been poorly. We need to be better organised. SP suggested a list of duties, each of which should have a named person for a given event. These would include planning (including the financial side), publicising, welcoming performers & customers, MC, catering, thank you-s and evaluations afterwards.
ACTION: we should think more about the list, and put the idea into action for forthcoming events. NB. RD would be in charge of the Barry Rose lecture and LMG event; Trish of the Christmas concert. They need to delegate tasks to the rest of us.
Next PCC meeting: November 20th, 7:30 in the church. VS offered to have the meeting in his house, so save us heating the church; we gratefully accepted.
Deanery Synod: 15th Feb. 2007- NB. we are the hosts.
The meeting was closed with the Grace.