Present: Ann Adams (Chair and Churchwarden), Jenny Hayward (Churchwarden), Sally Cripsey, Nick Cullum, Jan Diffey, Amy Johnston, Julie Longbottom, Valerie Oertel, Carol Watts, Liz White
AA opened the meeting with a prayer for guidance for the meeting and for all future changes in the benefice.
Apologies: Warren Foot
The Minutes of the meeting of Tuesday 13th January 2021 were accepted as a correct record and signed by EW owing to the circumstances of the pandemic.
Matters arising: all covered under separate agenda items
Churchwardens’ Report:
AA spoke to her report which had been circulated
AA explained the idea behind the proposal to increase fees for baptisms, marriages and funerals. It was agreed to implement the changes from July 2021.
AA said that Julie was prepared to continue as treasurer if she could be relieved of the burden of the Church Magazine finances. NC kindly volunteered to help with this.SC asked for our thanks to JL for all she does to be formally minuted.
AA asked for the Giving Page to be put on the website. This was agreed but EW asked that this should either be the same as or not detract from the Parish Giving Scheme to the Diocese.
AA said she was currently carrying out a risk assessment for Zoom services
Reorganisation update: AA said there was not a lot to report. The Archdeacon has said that we will not officially become part of the new benefice until the autumn but Caren would like Clifton, Southill and Haynes to start working together from April if possible. AA said that Caren is looking for volunteers to work with the new parishes on a Mission Action Plan for the new benefice.
Treasurer’s Report: JL spoke to the accounts which had been circulated and to the revised figures just circulated. Present benefice finances still to be finalised. JL was thanked for sending out details of all those who have already paid magazine subscriptions online.
It was resolved and agreed by all to continue paying half Parish Share and this to be reviewed at each PCC meeting. Accounts to be adopted when audited and PCC meeting to be called for this purpose. JL thanked by all for all her hard work and comprehensive accounts.
Deanery Synod Report: CW said there was nothing to report as the next Deanery Synod report is next week when Anne Barker will speak about prison chaplaincy
Website: CW had asked members to look at the History section – whether accurate, and if this was a suitable place for the work that Lynda Parsons had undertaken on burials in the churchyard. CW thanked EW for the information given to her and both Carol and Lynda were thanked for their excellent work on the website. CW said that Dean’s name is still on some of the legal documents on the website – these to be amended. Action: CW
Repair and Care of Church Textiles
VO said that the purple and red palls had fallen into a state of disrepair. VO has now repaired these but she said that the material is now very fragile and should be handled as little as possible. They are used rarely- mainly Pentecost, Palm Sunday and Saints Days.
She has placed them in the bottom of the trunk and asked that they be handled with great care and especially not to be folded across the middle.
VO thanked for this intricate work.
Magazine – resuming production and delivery and subscriptions
AA asked opinions about restarting magazine production and delivery. AA said that Sarah has quite a lot of material to put into the magazine and all agreed that the magazine should start to be delivered again from April; from March 29th there is no longer a ‘stay at home’ message.
JD said the magazine should be restarted
NC suggested he would look again at subscriptions – EW said she thought the amount of £11 should remain unchanged – it had been publicised in the last magazine and many people have already paid online – the date the subscriptions are applicable from could then alter appropriately.
NC to look into this and AA to action with Sarah Lomax. Action: NC
Church services at St Mary’s – review of reopening
AA suggested restarting services from Easter Day – Patsy Critchley has offered to take a Communion service that day and all agreed that it would be an excellent day to restart.
JD and SC said that they miss Communion – JD said that in a friend’s church each person brings their own little glass for the wine and wondered whether this could be an option
EW said that we should restart at Easter and, subject to Covid cases, continue with a weekly service at 9.30 and we should pay for vicars if necessary. Very important for congregation members who either can’t or don’t want to access Zoom to feel part of the church again and be able to take Communion and enjoy fellowship and regularity of services is important. She has been to both Campton and Clophill services both with the organ and found both to be Covid secure, friendly and welcoming. It is a lot of work for the Churchwardens to offer the services and she was sure a small group would be willing to help them.
AJ said that she hoped to attend church again as soon as possible and VO said they had attended Clophill on several occasions and found it very good and will be pleased when our church services resume. EW asked if we could please have the organ and music in the services.
JD asked if the heating was on in the church and AA said that it would not be possible to have the heating on during the church service because of air circulation but it would be on beforehand.
AA said that Caren Topley (Vicar of Southill and Clifton) is hoping to be able to offer 2 Communion services a week to St Mary’s under the new Benefice but the service times will obviously have to change.
Zoom Services AA said these had been going very well and that it is a different congregation to a St Mary’s congregation. SC said the next one is an all age Mothering Sunday service on Sunday and NC said that for the next 3 weeks there will be recordings of Easter music by the Music Group in church – thanks to George Welham for filming. AA and SC said they had attended excellent online courses from the Diocese. AA said that Caren is very keen that these should continue as we move forward. AA , SC and the musicians were thanked for the excellent and well attended services that they give each week.
Church Lighting: AA said this problem has been raised before but the two recent funerals had highlighted the lack of light from the two missing ceiling lights and reminded members that the work (involving a new lighting system for this circuit) was to be done some time ago. All agreed that the work should proceed –AA said she would start applying for a Faculty - JD said that the earlier Faculty should still apply. AA to enquire Action: AA
Information for baptisms, weddings, funerals: AA said she had some cards on which information could be put about what St Mary’s offers in the way of baptisms, weddings and funerals and these could be given to anyone enquiring about these services. All agreed it was an excellent idea and would show us to be a welcoming church. Action: AA
Youth Stars: SC said this has been very successful and she and AA have been running sessions every two weeks. They average 8 children plus parents and the activities form the basis for the all age Zoom services
Safeguarding: SC said that Claire Dan, or whoever our new Safeguarding Officer may be, will e-mail detail about what Safeguarding training is necessary. Nearly all of this can now be done online. SC said that ‘Safeguarding’ should be on every PCC agenda. EW had sent our information about Safeguarding and said that as a PCC we are individually and collectively responsible for any Safeguarding issues that may arise. CW said that we have an out of date Safeguarding poster on our website and AA said she will produce a new one. Action: AA
Churchyard Burials/ Churchyard Extension: NC spoke to this item. The existing churchyard will soon, within several years, be filled and it will be necessary to then use the extension. Mike White has been advised that to fully utilise this space the slope between the two areas should ideally be made more acute. Mike has drafted a letter to the Parish Council (all members now have this and copy attached) from the Churchwardens to make them aware and seek their views on the way forward Action: EW/AA
Arrangements for APCM: EW said that we have provisionally booked our APCM for May 18th (it must be held no later than May 31st) but details on format, elections and means of holding it will need to be discussed as at present we are limited to 40 minutes on Zoom and people without internet access should also be included. JH and EW had attended a Zoom meeting about holding the APCM.
JH suggested, that as we have to have a PCC to approve the accounts, this should be a full PCC meeting to include discussing this. This was agreed and a date for the next PCC was fixed for 12th April. NC said that it would only cost approximately £11 per month to have a church Zoom account without time limits which could then be used to hold any meeting of church business. This was agreed and AA will action Action: AA
AOB: SC told members of the church events (Rowan Williams?) to be held on 23rd March to mark the anniversary of the pandemic and the first lockdown. AJ said that Brian Oertel would ring the bell for one minute.
The meeting closed with The Grace at 8.50pm
Next PCC meeting as above 12th April at 7.30pm