MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL, ST. BARNABAS CHURCH, LINSLADE, HELD ON TUESDAY,

26th FEBRUARY 2008, AT 8.00PM IN THE CHOIR VESTRY

 

 

 

Present:                        John Deighton                Jo Thomson

                                    Maureen Gadsby          Carolyn Birch

                                    Nick Moore                             Wyn Jones

                                    Miranda Soper                         Janet Miller                                                                  Carol Oakman                                   Marlene Richardson    

                                    Bruce Benedickter                    Vicki Faiers

Russell Stannard                        Dave Darvill

Pat Faulkner                            

 

Apologies:                                          

Simon Soper                            David Throssell

 

 

Nick chaired the meeting. The minutes of the meeting of 22nd January 2008 were approved. Proposed by Russell, seconded by John. All agreed.

 

                                                                                   

Matters arising:

 

 

41/07   Dates – The Antiques evening was confirmed as being on 18th April. Also, the meeting to approve the annual reports will be held after the 10 o’clock service on Sunday, 13th April, not Tuesday 15th April at 8 pm as on the “Dates” list.

 

42/07   Transfer to St Alban’s – This is now in operation. Vicki said, that from the Mother’s Union point of view, the transfer has been wonderful. Everyone has been so helpful and welcoming. This sentiment was echoed from those who have phoned the office in St Albans and locally. Nick has just received a suggested order of service for the inauguration of the Team Ministry and the Licensing of Bernard. The churchwardens and Wyn will discuss this with Grant. Nick remarked that he would now have to reclaim the vicarage phone bill from Jo instead of being reimbursed from Oxford!

 

43/07   a) Hall cleaning – Dave, Jo and Wyn had a constructive meeting with Mark and came to an agreement about what is needed. There will be no increase in his hourly rate at present. Jo has organised a window cleaner for the Link.

 

 

 

 

                                               

 

New items for this meeting:

 

 

45/07   Hall progress report

 

            The work on the windows is now complete apart from the decoration. The installation of the heating and the rewiring is due to start next Wednesday, 5th April. The work will take about a month and the hall will be out of use during the daytime during that time. It should be available in the evenings. There are implications for hall bookings. It was decided it was sensible to postpone the lent lunch planned for 16th March.       

 

46/07   APCM – arrangements, elections, reports

 

            This will take place on Sunday 27th April, following the 10 o’clock service. We shall need to elect 2 churchwardens, 3 Deanery synod reps, 4 members of the PCC to serve for 3 years and 1 for 1 year. Several groups have already submitted their reports.

                                                                                            

47/07   Fundraising

 

            The Hall Fund committee had “lapsed” and has been reformed as the Hall Project Team. Dave, Jo and Kevin Pughe had an initial meeting on Monday to discuss the way forward, in particular the fundraising issue. More members are needed on the team and Janet expressed a wish to join.

            Dave proposed that PCC approve the 4 members to be a team on behalf of the PCC and to have the authority to co-opt more members as necessary.

            Russell seconded this and the proposal was accepted by all present.

            Jo said we had received a grant of £10,000 for the cost of the heating but with the additional costs incurred with the link and the rewiring, we need about £15,000 to cover outstanding work. There are other grants we can apply for but we have to be seen to be doing “our bit” by providing a percentage of the funding from our sources.. We need to support events in order to get the project underway and have sufficient funds to complete the present phase that included the refurbishment of the kitchen and toilets. Phase 3 can then wait until more funds have been raised. Last year we managed to raise over £100,000 including tax relief, so it is not an impossible task if we set our minds to it. The Project Team need ideas and more people to organise their own fundraising events.

            As there are insufficient funds to pay for the existing work, Jo proposed that we borrow from funds. This money will be repaid as soon as possible. Dave seconded this and all agreed.

 

                                

48/07   Standing Committee report

 

            Jo has reserved a stall for us at the May fair in the High Street on 5th May. It has not yet been decided what it will entail.

49/07   Any other business

 

a)      Churches Together- Carol Dixon had passed a letter to the secretary about LLCT Town development meeting. We do not have an active representative on LLTC at the moment. Wyn feels it is important that we support LLTC and has offered to represent us until Bernard comes, or until we can get another rep from the congregation.

 

b)      Fair committee – The Summer fair is on 14th June and arrangements are well underway. A sound system is needed and several suggestions were made that will be followed up. The “Busy Bees” are knitting garments for premature babies and are hoping for community exposure for this project. The Autumn/Christmas fair will be 15th or 22nd November, depending on when All Saint’s are holding theirs.

 

c)      Wyn has received information from All Saints about their approach to Communion before Confirmation

 

d)      Nick has a letter from Ron Wilson requesting that his name as Hon assistant priest be removed from the Parish magazine. Nick will write an article for the magazine about Ron’s many years of active service in the parish.

 

 

The meeting concluded with The Grace at 9.10 pm.