PCC Minutes: Monday 13th September 2021
St Luke’s Church, Grayshott
Meeting 394 of the PCC via Zoom commencing at 7.30 pm.
Present: Members: Revd Jeremy Haswell, Edward Tobin, Lin Corlett, Clive Loder,
Viv Ward, Christopher Grocock, Floss Mitchell, Allison Sutcliffe, Anna Finey, Clive Purkiss, Ros Balfour, Penny Thomas, Frankie Kelly.
In attendance: Dan Bennett (Youth Worker) and Sheila Austin (Secretary)
1. Welcome and opening prayer
Revd Haswell opened the meeting with a prayer and a reading.
2. Apologies: Revd Elizabeth Knifton, Alice Murphy, Jeremy Hassell,
3. Minutes of the last meeting. The Minutes of meeting 393 were proposed by Ros Balfour, seconded by Floss Mitchell. Floss Mitchell also asked if a letter had been sent to Bishop Jo Bailey-Wells asking if the guidance had been changed to allow individual cups for communion? This had not been sent but would be followed up by the Secretary. The Minutes were then approved unanimously, and signed by Revd Jeremy Haswell.
4.Service Sub-Committee Report
Revd Haswell said the Sub-Committee had discussed a wide range of issues, some of which still needed to be progressed. The intention was to return to live music but that needed to be done with consideration and hopefully working with a number of talented musicians from the congregation and elsewhere.
The report included a schedule of services over a period of five weeks being based on identified priorities, listed in the report. The slight alteration is that we are not limiting ourselves to two, we are staying with two services, which we have had recently,
but alternating from morning to evening service.
Viv Ward asked if there would be music at all services, this wasn’t clear from the schedule. Revd Haswell stated that it was planned to have three services where the organ would feature, and all 10.30 services would have music.
Floss Mitchell, a member of the Sub-Committee, confirmed their discussions sought to reach a balance across the services. While the Sub-Committee had been set up to address the pattern of Sunday Services, it could be used to form a “Worship Team”. Following a lengthy discussion Viv Ward suggested two young people should be invited to join the “Worship” team bringing their perspective to the issue, and this was agreed.
Revd Haswell proposed the programme be endorsed by the PCC but to be reviewed in the New Year. Seconded by Lin Corlett. Approved unanimously.
Revd Haswell thanked the members of the Sub Committee addressing this issue, particularly Ros Balfour for her support to ensure the appropriate balance be maintained.
5.Review of Sharing the Load
Revd Haswell said much of the issue in the Sharing the Load document had been progressed and some would be covered later during the meeting. However the Finance area was a concern because the group tasked with addressing the vital need for fundraising had only met once.
Under the Children & Youth group the Sunday School (JAM) needed to grow. Revd Haswell said he knew of young families wanting to come and a way of accommodating them was needed, which may involve technical solutions.
Viv Ward noted that the document under discussion was dated March 2021 and as a living document needed to be kept up to date. He would coordinate any changes as reported to him. Revd Haswell added that when writing reports for the PCC they should be linked to the relevant section of the Sharing the Load document.
Under Outreach section, Allison Sutcliff advised the Parish Breakfast organisers were looking to restart in the New Year and needed new volunteers.
6a.Vicar’s Report.
Revd Haswell explained that LifeSchool was an umbrella idea that covers everything we are doing in the church. The idea is to grow people to be confident in mission. He would be leading a public meeting on Wednesday 15th September to outline LifeSchool/Life Groups and how this will work.
Allison Sutcliffe had raised the issue of the Website training, and the need to have people looking after it. The PCC Secretary had offered to check the content on the Website and arrange for any out-of-date areas to be updated.
Revd Haswell said the Diocese was promoting Alpha Courses and had resources to help parishes with this. He encouraged attendance to the forthcoming Archbishop’s visit.
He wanted to relaunch the “Welcome Pack” and pick up on some of the good work done by Helen Williams.
Revd Haswell noted that we were moving towards a “living with COVID” culture rather than having got back to how it was before. How we go forward with COVID in mind is important: some is faith, some courage, good planning and good practise.
Allison Sutcliffe asked if the Office Staff are fully trained in the use of IKnow Church and advised there were useful training sessions available. On a wider issue Revd Haswell advised he had produced Training notes for users and to be using this was the best way to learn.
6b.Finance Report.
Viv Ward assumed everyone had read his report which reflected the end of June Accounts. Both the General Fund (GF) and the Youth Fund (YF) were very much on target. We have lost income from regular giving but due to COVID we had reduced our expenditure.
He focused on his reforecast – what would be the position at the end of the year? The GF now showed and increased deficit to £24k which would mean a continued draining of our reserves if not addressed. The YF shows a similar picture, an increased deficit to 9k. The Youth Work is so important that any shortfall would normally be topped up from the GF, however the GF doesn’t have the funds. The total predicted loss is £34k which would use almost half of our reserves. This situation indicates how vital it is that we raise money and get the Fundraising Group going with some urgency.
Viv Ward added that at the next PCC meeting he would be presenting the Budget and asked for anything requiring funding to be notified to him for inclusion.
Floss Mitchell stated that the Fundraising Group needed someone to take the lead as the current members didn’t have the necessary time and that it did not need to be someone on the PCC.
6c. Administration
Edward Tobin referred to his published report saying essentially things are beginning to get going. Crossways Counselling (CC) start using the Church Rooms on Tuesday 14th September. He had provided a draft letter of agreement between St Luke’s and CC to be approved by the PCC. Security was a major issue, but care had been taken to ensure our insurance company (Ecclesiastical) were content with the steps taken.
On the general maintenance issues, the Donation Box was almost ready to be returned. Several items in the Quinquennial Report had been completed or were in the process of being done. Clive Loder had replaced the floodlights with LED lights which are more energy efficient.
Edward Tobin stated how well the churchyard team had been working to maintain the churchyard in such good order.
Viv Ward stated that what CC were being charged for using the Church Rooms was way below the normal rate. Comments were made by the members concerning extra use not covered by the charge. It was agreed this was a concern and would be covered in the signed agreement. Anna Finey said how important it was for both sides to be very clear what is and isn’t acceptable. This led to a detailed discussion for the necessary clarification to the agreement before Revd Haswell was ready to sign it. Revd Haswell asked for comments on paras 6&7 of the agreement to be sent to him.
Viv Ward raised the subject of cleaning the church and noted that pre COVID this was achieved by volunteers. In his report Edward Tobin was suggesting that task now be paid for at a time when funds were low. After a detailed discussion Frankie Kelly agreed, in consultation with Ros Balfour, to taken on the role of coordinating a team of “Holy Dusters” to clean the church on a regular basis. Chris Grocock said that while not everyone could increase their monetary giving this was an opportunity to give time. The question of cleaning after Weddings, Funerals etc would be discussed with Barbara Johnston in the office.
The meeting agreed a Health & Safety Officer was needed, and it required someone with previous experience in the job. Revd Haswell will ask members of the congregation for a volunteer in the first instance.
6d. Children and Youth Report
Anna Finey referred to her and Dan’s report, explaining that Susie Millard will be organising a Holiday Club debrief and a report would be presented to the PCC. She had been considering how best to encourage people to join JAM (Sunday School) building on the positive aspects of Holiday Club, i.e. Workshops needing fewer volunteers. Revd Haswell stated that notwithstanding the uncertainty of a venue the outcome for the children and parents was good. Looking to the future Revd Haswell asked Anna Finey to convene a meeting (sub-Committee) to concentrate on how to get JAM going.
6e Prayer and Discipleship
Brenda Schwartz’s report referred to the LifeSchool meeting, also the preachers meeting which had considered the preaching programme up to Christmas. Revd Haswell acknowledged the amazing prayer work going on within the church family, he thanked Brenda for her commitment to Morning Mediation group and to our prayer work generally.
6f. Pastoral Report.
Ros Balfour added to her report that a number of people had asked for Holy Communion during her increasing visits and was it okay to restart this practice? Revd Haswell said he had taken it to some people so go ahead. Ros Balfour confirmed she would be accompanied by Liz Tippett on these occasions.
6g.Outreach Report
In addition to her report Allison Sutcliffe announced she proposed to organise a Tearfund Quiz again this year. She explained the Tearfund project of twinning – toilets, fridges & taps etc and it was suggested that this could be linked to the Quiz event. It was agreed that Allison should proceed with her planning along these lines.
7. Any other business
Revd Haswell had received an application to reserve an ashes plot next to one of the applicants son. Clive Loder asked if there was a shortage of spaces for burial of ashes. Revd Haswell said there was not. The diocese had confirmed that this did not require a faculty. The meeting approved the application unanimously and a space would be marked.
8. Closing Prayer
Revd Haswell closed the meeting with a prayer at 9.40pm
Signed 15/11/21