The Vicar was not well, so Peter Ginnings as church warden, presided at the PCC meeting on 27th November.
We heard that Jim Walters has accepted the post of training curate and will start with us on being made a deacon at Petertide next year.
Philip Underwood was welcomed on to the electoral roll.
John Willmer reported on the diocese’s financial difficulties, caused by increases in the contributions made to clergy pensions and the failure of parishes to increase their common fund contributions sufficiently. The consequence was that clergy salaries in London would fall back towards the bottom of the diocesan league table and
parsonages would remain un-repaired.
There had been little progress in the faculty application for the tower room and the cost of the boiler had increased to £26,000. The Archdeacon would be asked to speed up the preliminary consideration of the proposals to extend and reconfigure the choir vestry.
The children’s group reported that the Sunday School would be testing Godly Play for the younger children in Advent. Godly Play involves telling, usually a story, in a dramatic monologue with props, to engage the children and elicit their reactions.
The Treasurer’s report noted that Choir fees had fallen behind those paid by comparable London churches and so they were increased by about 12.5% as was the Organ scholarship from £1,000 to £1,200. The financial results were more or less in line with the budget and a deficit of about £10,000 was expected for the year. The response to the Parish Development Plan had been disappointing; regular giving had increased by £2,400 and about £20,000 of on-off donations had been received. A strategy group had been appointed and would meet shortly.
Robert Welsford had stepped down as Stewardship Secretary and was thanked for all his work; Chris Cole had taken his place and was co-opted onto the standing committee. There was a lively debate on a proposal to introduce regular collections on Sunday mornings and it was agreed that the strategy group should implement an experiment with collections at the 10.30 service. It would be made clear that those giving regularly, e.g. by standing order, would not be expected to put money in the plate as well. Gift aid envelopes would be readily available.
Judy East was retiring in May 2007 and there was also an increasing need for help in pastoral care. The Parish had engaged (free of charge) a consultant who would review and advise on the its staffing needs in January. The Standing Committee would also be looking at volunteering in the Parish in the New Year.
Sunday evensong would be moved to 4:30pm for an experimental period until March.
Inigo Wolf was appointed as one of the PCC trustees of the music trust; the charities for collections at would be those listed in the charity booklet.
Finally, the PCC approved the raising of a voluntary rate and the holding of lotteries.
PCC Report
Andrew Penny