Minutes of the PCC Meeting
Held on Monday 4th November 2023
Action | |||
1 | The meeting opened at 9.32 am with prayer. | ||
2 | Attendance | ||
Dawn Airey (Chair), Jane Bell (JB1), Fiona Clarke (Secretary), Marion Darker, Heidi Ellson, Melanie Hartung, Elizabeth Holbrook, Sally Quincey, Rob Seaman, and David Wells. Apologies: Helen Cracknell, Ben Haughton-Scales, Livvi Haughton-Scales, Alan Palmer. Pauline Ball (JB3) has stepped down and is no longer a PCC member |
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3 | Previous Minutes | ||
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 25th September 2023 were agreed by all who were present at the meeting. | |||
4 | Matters Arising | ||
None | |||
5 | Update on Key Priorities - See Appendices 1 - 3. | ||
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6 | Finance – See Appendix 4 | ||
Treasurers Report (LW)
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7 | Parish update – see Appendix 5 | ||
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8 | Approving new church groups/activities - See Appendix 8 re Christmas, copied below | ||
These activities were approved by all. |
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9 | Safeguarding Report – See Appendix 6 | ||
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10 | Deanery synod Report – See Appendix 7 | ||
Nothing to add | |||
11 | Church Gazebo | ||
Proposal from DA to purchase a red gazebo with printing on the four roof sides, with the PCC deciding on who will do the printing once any donations have been received, and lead times are known. Seconded by JB. Decision unanimous |
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12 |
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PCC meetings:
APCM Sunday 26th May 2024 |
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13 | The meeting closed with prayer at 10.18 am. | ||
Appendix 1 – update on Key priority 1: Discipleship
Connect Groups:
- Having spent many weeks talking with the various leadership groups, following the APCM in May Connect groups began being slightly re-shaped in line with the vision and with a much greater emphasis on everyone caring for everyone else. With the exception of the new families that have started coming in recent weeks, everyone in the church has been invited to be part of a particular Connect Group in some way.
- Not everyone has taken up the opportunity to be in a Connect group in person, and some don’t want to be part of the support network, but this is all still very much a work in progress. All groups have grown in the sense that more people are now attending the in-person groups.
- Connect groups are still in the process of reshaping their meetings to be in line with the vision.
- Chris Green has decided to step down from facilitating her group but Carol Maycock has decided to take on the role.
- Greg Cracknell continues to be the Connect Group facilitators’ coordinator and is gathering the facilitators on a more regular basis.
- We now have five groups which are all fortnightly:
- Monday afternoon (Carol Maycock)
- Monday evening (Elizabeth Holbrook)
- Thursday morning (Greg and Helen Cracknell)
- Wednesday evening (Rob S)
- Wednesday evening (Ben & Livvi)
Tuesday Teaching:
Rob, Ben, Livvi and I will continue periodically running a group on Tuesday evenings in 4–8-week blocks for extra teaching/discipleship purposes. We have now completed the 8-week course on ‘basic training in the prophetic’. We are offering another ‘newcomer to church’ group in November and will run if there are at least 6 people hoping to attend. Rob, Ben and Livvi are planning to run Alpha on Tuesday evenings after Christmas.
Revd. DA
Appendix 2 – Under 18s
Under 11s
The Children’s work continues as follows:
Children’s ministry:
i)We have had two people join the Sunday morning rota to help with the children’s group, Ruth Wium and Suzy Follows.
ii)Rob S continues to lead Ignite and again two new people have offered to help the team – Alan Palmer and Chris Green. This is still a small team and Ben, Livvi and I will plug gaps (in turn). Rob will be moving to curacy around the beginning of June and Ignite will only be able to continue if there is another leader who feels called and passionate about this ministry. The numbers for Ignite are still a bit lower than they were last year so we’ll keep an eye on this.
There is perhaps a bigger issue at stake which is to consider the purpose of Ignite and its connection to church generally and its capacity to be an outreach and discipling tool. The team will need to think this through over the coming months if it is to continue.
iii)All groups are now using Energize, the new resource.
iv)Redwell School
Livvi and I will be restarting the wellbeing groups at school after half term.
We will also be delivering some in person assemblies for the first time at Redwell School in many years! We continue to have a warm relationship with the Head who has asked us to be present at various other events in the school life.
v)Glenvale Park School
We expect a definite decision about the relocation of Wilby School to Glenvale Park mid November. I had a really positive meeting with the CEO of PDET and we will continue discussions when a definite decision is in place.
vi)Wellitots
Wellitots continues to work really well having moved to the Hub at Redwell School. We have many more families now engaging with this group on a more regular basis and new people every week still! Afternoons are not really the best options for little ones but it’s what we can offer at the moment. Livvi and I have started to think about a new morning toddler group at Glenvale Park…. Which would be an addition to Wellitots.
vii)Glenvale Park Community Days
Livvi will take responsibility for planning it this year. The new dates are Thurs-Sat 25-27th July with an outdoor cafe style service on Sunday 28th July, as long as the weather is kind!
Those currently involved in children’s work are:
Sandi, Gayle, Agnes S (Rob’s Mum), Livvi, Ben, Dawn, Ruth G, Michelle, Rob, Sally, Elizabeth, Carol M, Helen, C, Marion, Ruth W, Suzy F, Rob S and Colin.
Pray for:
-New team members
-Decisions around Ignite
-Glenvale Park School and the process of relocating Wilby School, that nothing will hinder this on-going process
Revd DA
Youth:
The poster above highlights our three youth groups – Sunday Youth, Connect Youth, and Ignite Youth.
Sunday Youth occurs on the second and fourth Sunday mornings of the month during the service. During this time there is in-depth bible teaching and discussion. We currently do not have enough leaders to run Sunday youth on third Sundays and are trialing this as a ‘Serving Sunday’, encouraging the young people to help with various aspects of the morning service (such as assisting with children’s groups, playing in the worship band, serving tea and coffee, and helping with the sound and visuals teams). When we consulted the young people, this idea was well-received. The number of young people attending on Sunday mornings varies somewhat from week to week.
Connect Youth is our discipleship group, which meets fortnightly. Ben, Livvi, Sam Carew, and Dawn lead this. There are now around 14 young people who attend the group, with an average attendance of 8 to 10. Most of the young people are connected with church, with some bringing along friends from non-church backgrounds. We are hoping to build more of a bridge between Ignite Youth and Connect Youth over the coming year, to provide a pathway for those we meet at Ignite Youth to further explore the Christian faith. We have consulted the young people about the topics they would like us to cover in Connect Youth sessions and will put together a programme to explore these together. We are also taking those who want to attend from Connect Youth to the Satellites summer youth festival (one of the events that replaced Soul Survivor) at the Bath & West Showground from 2nd-6th August 2024. This is now booked but more young people can continue to book on now the group has a booking. We currently have 5 young people booked to come to this and the adults involved will be Dawn & Chris, Ben & Livvi.
Ignite Youth is our Thursday evening outreach group. During the last school year there were between 15 and 25 young people attending the group each week. The sessions involve games, sports, crafts, and a short time considering the Christian faith. Numbers were a little low at the beginning of the term but have now picked up again into the 20’s. The current team is: the Aireys (Chris every other week), Bruna, Daniela, Livvi, with Ben leading, Sarah Howes having now handed over the leadership to him. There is little flexibility if leaders are unavailable on certain weeks, so additional volunteers would be gratefully welcomed and some weeks we won’t be able to open if we cannot get enough volunteers!
Energize is now being used across all groups and looks to be excellent resource.
The new Glenvale Park estate offers new opportunities for youth work. We have run a couple of youth fire pit evenings by the play park next to the community centre to get to know young people in the area, and these have been well-attended. The youth zone at the Glenvale Park community days was not quite as well attended, but we are continuing to look out for where God is at work and seek opportunities to connect with young people in the area.
Pray for:
- The many young people we are in contact with to come to faith and grow as followers of Jesus.
- The development of leaders with a heart and calling to serve young people.
- The families of our young people – may they also be reached through our ministry.
- Opportunities and ideas for ways to serve young people living at Glenvale Park.
- More young people from Connect Youth would sign up to attend Satellites next summer..
Revd DA pp Revd BHS.
Appendix 3 – update on Key priority 3: Wholeness in Jesus/ Wellbeing
- Reading Group
Rob S continues to run the Reading Group and their current book is ’The Quest for Mary Magdalene’. - Social Activities:
Heidi, Sally Q and Helen C have planned the next social event for our church Christmas meal on the 19th December. - Outreach to older people:
The midweek Service in the care home continues weekly. Rob S takes responsibility for this (often with Mel H bringing a creative prayer activity) and this coming year Ben & Livvi will also join the rota for this.
- Bereavement Support Group
While the Bereavement Facebook group continues to grow, Valerie B has decided, for now, to stop the in-person Bereavement Support Group due to low numbers attending.
Revd. DA
Appendix 4 – Finance -
Treasurer’s Report Oct 2023
General Account (Restricted and unrestricted money)
BUDGET 2023 Unrestricted
Receipts | Annual Budget 2023 | To 21/10/2023 | |||
Planned | Parish giving scheme | 49,000 | 42,111 | ||
Collections | Online giving | 10,000 | 4,934 | ||
Collections | Loose Plate | 5,000 | 2,591 | ||
Sum Up | 393 | ||||
Tax recovered through PGS and Gift Aid | 14,000 | 7,411 | |||
Other receipts | 3,000 | 374 | |||
Fundraising | 0 | 0 | |||
Church activities | 3,000 | 2,291 | |||
TOTAL | 84,000 | 60,109 | |||
Payments | Annual Budget 2023 | To 21/10/2023 | |||
Parish Share | 69,780 | 41,630 | |||
Missionary Giving | 3,000 | 2,300 | |||
Hall hire | 7,000 | 5,693 | |||
Clergy and staff costs | 3,500 | 2,991 | |||
Church running costs | 4,000 | 3,728 | |||
Cost of fete and events | 660 | ||||
TOTAL | 87,280 | 57,002 | |||
Restricted Money
We have £6,622 in the restricted element of the General Account. The Discretionary fund has £741.00 still available in it.
Unrestricted money
Income to date is £60,109.
Expenditure to date is £57,003. (the church running cost includes the insurance premium of £315.69)
£41,630 of this year’s Parish Share has been paid.
Building Fund Account
The balance in this account is £56,363.
Gift aid of £4,063.24 was paid in July 23 which has now been transferred to the current account.
Appendix 5 – PCC report - Update on Extending the parish
We are now waiting for Gt Harrowden to decide exactly what they want to do and for the legalities around either changing the parish boundaries so that Glenvale Park is part of our parish, or the whole of Gt Harrowden’s parish becomes part of ours, are put in place.
The subsequent PCC discussion via email around keeping All Saints in its current state has been collated and put together with the letter written regarding the PCC decision about reordering All Saints, and it has been attached to the minutes of our PCC meeting in September.
Following the congregation receiving the news about All Saints, I have not had any negative feedback to date.
Revd DA
Appendix 6 - Safeguarding Report:
Report for PCC November 2023
One person has applied for and received the DBS. In processing someone else’s DBS, we have learnt that the diocese doesn’t accept the DBS Update service, so they will need to apply afresh. The PCC and curates have been informed about the ‘Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse’ course. Two members of the PCC have done the two main Safeguarding courses. One of our churchwardens has booked onto the Safeguarding Leadership course in January. At the moment, all the other Safeguarding Leadership courses are full, so we are awaiting further dates for our other churchwarden and PSO to do the course.
JG
Appendix 7 - Deanery Synod Report:
The last meeting was held on Tuesday 12th September at Earls Barton church and the next one is not due until 8th November, so nothing to report at present.
FC pp HE.
Appendix 8 – Christmas 2023:
Saturday 2nd Dec Carols and lights @ Gleneagles, waterworks lane behind Redwell School, 5.30pm
Sunday 3rd Dec Wreath making event, Redwell School, 7pm
Friday 8th Dec Outdoor Carol service @ Glenvale Park, 7pm
Sunday 17th Dec 7 lessons and carols, Redwell School, time and venue to be confirmed
Tuesday 19th Dec Church Christmas meal, The Miller, 7pm
Sunday 24th Dec Christingle and Nativity, Redwell School, 4pm
Revd DA