Present:
- Father Kevin
- Anthony Rossiter
- Nick Neale
- Stephen Spooner
- Lyndsay Reynolds
- Clare Byrne
- Richard Webster
- Mike Campbell
Apologies:
- Eva Kaltenthaler
- Anne Shepherd
- Phil Rostant
- Stephen Parker
- Jacquie Stacey
1. Opening prayer
2. Appointment to council responsibilities
- Chair (Nick Neale)
- Liturgy and Spirituality (Stephen Spooner/Stephen Parker/Clare Bryne/Mike Campbell)
- Mission, Evangelisation and Faith Formation (Lindsay Reynolds/Stephen Parker/Clare Bryne)
- Youth Ministry (Lindsay Reynolds/Richard Webster)
- Justice and Peace (Eva Kaltenthaler)
- Pastoral Care and Community (Anne Shepherd)
- Maintenance (David Hughes)
- Communications (Anthony Rossiter/Richard Webster)
- Secretary to parish council (Anthony Rossiter)
- Liaison with St. Williams (Phil Rostant/Mike Campbell)
Nick Neale took over as chair for the remainder of the meeting.
3. Matters arising from minutes of June meeting.
We discussed the need for a parish ICE (In case of emergency) document and indeed the collation of more mundane but essential information. Anthony will email the example from Sacred Heart to Nick Neale who will take this item forward.
The council discussed whether Father would appreciate more support for routine administration tasks, for example a paid parish secretary/administrator. Father Kevin expressed that for now he did not want such help, but he would ask should this change. In the meantime, Mike Campbell will explore the possible definition of equivalent roles in other parishes beginning with his brother-in-law.
4. Liaison with St. Williams
Anthony will email Fr. John and Lesley to hand over to Phil, Mike and Nick and also express the wish for engagement with a wider range of the St. Williams parishioners.
A core precedent is that we feel it is important that we assume and work for an independent parish identity but also we should collaborate, co-operate and develop a sense of shared community.
Father Kevin will decide how, when and if we will use the prayers supplied by the deanery linked to clustering.
Stephen Spooner is happy to invite St. Williams’ parishioners to the CAFÉ series in September, but for now does not want to involve them in the organisation. He will arrange for information to go to their newsletter (and also St. Vincents).
Stephen Spooner is pondering something for Lent in which he may involve St. Williams.
5. Parish social
It was agreed that a good time for this would be on the parish day on Sunday October 7th when there is a shared 10am Mass. We would ask all parishioners to bring some food for a shared lunch.
Richard also proposed another Praise and Pizza (or similar) event led by the music group and this was broadly supported although no time scales or details were discussed.
6. Parish Directory
Details of new parish council members were added and Clare Bryne agreed to arrange printing for the whole parish once the little fishes details were added.
7. Any other business
Clare noted that attendance at children’s liturgy and the number of helpers had been going down recently and so they were considering reducing the number of times this was offered, for example by skipping half term weekends and the like. The council were supportive.
Father Kevin shared information about a ‘walk with me’ booklet. Mike and Stephen Spooner agreed to look at this and decide whether we should acquire some for parishioners to purchase.
Father Kevin noted that a mums and toddlers group that had been coming regularly on Thursdays seems to have folded (and were in debt to us although we are happy to write this off). Also, they still had a number of toys in our cupboard. Clare agreed to follow up and resolve the matter and redistribute toys appropriately in due course.
8. Dates of future meetings
Provisionally agree to do 2nd Wednesday of month, every 2 months, but we will meet more often if there is an obvious need.
September 12th, November 14th, January 9th, March 13th and AGM on May 8th.
9. Closing Prayer
The meeting finished with a prayer.