PCC Meeting Minutes

 

 

 

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

 
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.
 
1.     Discipleship (DA) – No comments

2.     Under 18s (DA-under 11s/ BHS-youth)

  • Gen2 project –
    • The model of funding for Deanery Youth workers is changing.
    • The Steering Group is meeting in January.
    • Sarah will come to the church to address the congregation in the New Year.
    • The PCC will discuss supporting Sarah when they meet in January, after the Steering Group Meeting.
  •  Energize –
    • has been spread to all sections of Under 18s.
    • There are issues with downloading videos so anyone needing to do so can:
      • Subscribe to YouTube at £11.99 per month or
      • Speak to LHS for instructions.

3.     Wholeness in Jesus/ Wellbeing (DA); Prayer (JBC); Pastoral Care (HD)

  •  No comments
 
6 Finance – See Appendix 4
  Treasurers Report (LW)

  • The gift aid money needs to be transferred from the Building Fund to the normal account. DA to advise LW.
  • As LW was not present, PCC members will need to email her if they have any questions regarding the report.
  •  LHS has preached on giving
  • Giving is down on last year.
  • Need to establish if the amount going into the Parish Giving scheme has increased since new people have joined the church. DA to ask LW or Jem Cox.
     
7 Parish update – see Appendix 5
  • No positive or negative feedback has been received regarding the email advising that the church is no longer pursuing the option for taking on All Saints Great Harrowden church building.
  • Plans have been removed from the noticeboard.
  • For the next PCC meeting there are several things for consideration:
    • Where do we go from here?
    • What to do with the money in the Building Fund?
    • What to do with the land by the Och N Dough?
      • MH has found someone who would level the land for free if required but there are many issues if levelling it:
        • any plans would need a project manager.
        • The land is co-owned with the Diocese so they would need to agree to any proposals.
        • If the land was levelled, would we use it?
        • Is having our own church building still necessary? Would we be able to use the new Glenvale School for additional Services?
        • MH to bring full proposal to next PCC meeting.
  • On 17/11/23 there should be a decision regarding who will run Glenvale school.
    • Once a decision has been made, there may be opportunities for the church
    • DA is having discussions with PDET.
    • DA has viewed the school and is awaiting measurements of the hall to determine its suitability as an additional venue for church use.
 
   
8 Approving new church groups/activities - See Appendix 8 re Christmas, copied below
 
  • 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

These activities were approved by all.

   
9 Safeguarding Report – See Appendix 6
  • Churchwardens need to do the Leaders training, previously known as C2
  • Several PCC members still need to do the two courses formerly known as C0 and C1
  • Most PCC members need to do the DBS.
  • The Domestic Abuse Course is not mandatory but is recommended
   
10 Deanery synod Report – See Appendix 7 
Nothing to add
   
11 Church Gazebo
 
  • The colour was discussed, and it was decided that Red is the best colour as it draws the eye, and the church already has a red banner.
  • DA/ LHS to present the plan for a gazebo to the church and ask them for contributions towards funding it.
  • DA emailed Five Wells for lead time re printing.
  • Both printers use Heat Pressed Vinyl printing.
  • Rock give a one year guarantee, but Five Wells don’t.
  • Discussion followed re:
    • How often it would be used.
    • Whether to just use banners.
    • Printing on all four sides, on the roof.
    • If we have one it provides more possibilities re use, e.g., carnival, Party in the Park.

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

 
12
Dates of next meetings:
  PCC meetings:

  • Monday 29th Jan 2024
  • Monday 18th March 2024
  • Monday 29th April 2024

APCM Sunday 26th May 2024

 
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

  1. Reading Group
    Rob S continues to run the Reading Group and their current book is ’The Quest for Mary Magdalene’.
  2. Social Activities:
    Heidi, Sally Q and Helen C have planned the next social event for our church Christmas meal on the 19th December.
  3. 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.

  1. 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

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