MethSoc exec meeting – 14.6.12 – minutes

  1. Devotions

Victoria led a prayer to start.

  1. Attendance and apologies

Present: Jennifer Radtke, Imogen Rush, Asha Patel, Jonathan Evans, William Drummond, Victoria Harris

Cameron Bourne, Rev. Julie Lunn, Mel Beckerleg and Selina Armitt (though Selina Skyped in for the first 30 minutes) sent apologies.

  1. Reports
  2. Treasurer, finance and stash

The current bank account balance stands at about £300. Asha will check this over the summer to give an exact amount at the next exec meeting.

Imogen has emailed the North Road treasurer asking for any possible monetary contribution for next academic year – we are waiting to hear back.

Newcastle have resent the money they owe MethSoc for conference.

Maureen Whitfield at the DSU encouraged us to apply for some funding from the DSU Societies section – Asha and Victoria are to sort this. [Since the meeting, the application has been filled successfully and we are now just waiting to hear back as to whether they have decided to grant us all, or part of, the application for £300. The application form is attached to these minutes, and available by email on request from Victoria.]

Asha asked Victoria to ask Elvet Church Council for a lump sum of money at their next meeting (to use on the small, day-to-day costs of the society, especially food etc. – as the DSU grant cannot be used for that). [Meeting at Elvet on the 19th June: Victoria asked for a lump sum of money – Elvet Methodist Church agreed to give us £100 for the start of the new academic year, for freshers’ fair and food, with a subsequent £80-£100 from the communion collections taken in March 2013. Elvet Church Council also wanted to say a big thank you for all that MethSoc have done with and for the church, especially in the last few months – they said they enjoy having us around and look forward to seeing the society continue to develop over the coming years.]

Asha concluded that the society’s finances were in relatively good order, especially with the possibility of good sources of income within the rest of 2012 – and although subscriptions in the Michaelmas Term (£5 each) are the usual major income for MethSoc, it looks like this year, income from the DSU and churches will be greater than that. [Vote of thanks to Asha for keeping us afloat and everything financial running smoothly].

Stash: due to mice at 8 Faraday Court destroying residual MethSoc freshers’ T-shirts, the society needs some new ones of those. Asha will, over the summer, send out emails to people in the society asking if they want any stash too (emphasis on those people within MethSoc who don’t have any stash yet). Asha will check their stock levels and prices again (should be cheaper because the logo is already uploaded, but they are still fair-trade and good design, though colour availability may have changed. Everyone was encouraged to reply to any stash emails as quickly as possible. Estimates for pricing stood at £22 for a hoodie and £11 for a T-shirt, but the order becomes cheaper for a greater number of items.[Asha has indeed sent round this email, with accompanying information from Jevans about an actual source of Methodist boxer shorts for those who requested those items through MethSoc stash.]

3.2.President

Victoria reported that the society has been fully ratified with the DSU, and all the paperwork has been completed.

Apologies will have to be sent to North Road Church Council (their next meeting is scheduled for September); Elvet Church Council is 19th June [see notes in finance report and stash.]

There has been no communication from the DSU regarding dates or table availability for freshers’ fair in October – Victoria will email the DSU about this.

3.3.Ecumenical rep

Cameron was absent and unable to report back about the ecumenical rep role.

3.4.Outgoing members and the end of term/year

[Outgoing referred to people who were a) leaving the society this summer and/or b) bubbly, fun and extroverted people. It was pointed out these two things overlapped significantly.]

Imogen’s leaving would be discussed later (when she is no longer present at the meeting).

Selina suggested patting Immy on the head and the back – duly done.

Graduate teddy bear and the Mean Girls box set have been bought (personally) have been bought for Michael; cards will be made/found/signed for Michael, Beth and Immy.

Sunday meal at ASK was suggested as a good time for Michael’s gift to be presented, with cards to follow on the Wednesday. Thursday could be used for anything left over. [Victoria’s exciting end-of-year ideas will also première on Sunday.]

Michael is leading Bible study on the last Wednesday of term, on Jonah chapter 4. Thursday will be a meal at Elvet or Jenn’s house. Lizzie Gawen from Student Christian Movement (SCM) is visiting us on Thursday 21st June, but was happy to join in with whatever plans we have. Thursday was agreed to be at Elvet to disperse residual food in the MethSoc cupboard, starting at 7pm[although change of venue, food was distributed and there was a lot of yummy food. And large bubble wrap :D].

[William remembered how the passing of time worked, and apologised for a lack of concrete plans and rota schedule for the end of term; this was duly noted and sorted :P It was pointed out that Facebook messages and emails to William had covered the gaps – and V promised there was no-one trying to trick him, just letting him do the job his own way ]

  1. Next term (and year?!)
  2. Ratification

Although ratification has been completed at the DSU, it was drawn to attention that a new and up-to-date copy of the constitution is currently missing. It was suggested that MethSoc revert to the previous version, and at the next AGM, any tweaks and changes will be made as quickly as possible and circulated as widely and freely as possible (mailing list/MethSoc hard drive/website etc).

4.2.Freshers’ Fair

Victoria will try and find out as soon as possible the exact dates for Freshers’ Week, and therefore when Freshers’ Fair is; and then book table and sort out rota slots. Problems with livers in accommodation were also raised, but it was hoped that between the balances of in/out of college etc., it would work. It was presumed that, within Freshers’ Week, the fair will be Tuesday and Wednesday or Wednesday and Thursday. Jenn will be in Durham (with space for people to stay); Jevans will be back in Durham for pre-season, staying with Selina (ergo Selina also back in Durham); unsure whether Mel will be back in time, probably in time for freshers’ week. Victoria will find out whether the other members of the exec (and society) are back in Durham, and availability for freshers’ fair. William sent his apologies for freshers’ fair (he will still be away in Burgundy), but would be back in time for freshers’ services.

[OK, these minutes are long, but keep reading... I have some one-liners to keep you going:

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.

To err is human; to blame it on somebody else shows management potential.]

4.2.1.Notice boards

Things to stick on notice boards will be sorted (before freshers’ week) by Mel, Selina and Victoria – Jenn is happy to supply arty materials for a notice board makeover at Elvet before freshers’ fair.Jevans will also supply some printed photos (potentially laminated) for the notice board.

4.2.2.Leaflets

Victoria suggested that last year, too many different pieces of paper were handed out. Immy said she was around in Durham and available for admin work; therefore she is happy to create the leaflets with introduction to MethSoc, church services etc. It was hoped that the leaflets would be ready as early as possible, and with the various sources of income available to MethSoc, we could afford for them to be professionally printed. Victoria suggested just 2 leaflets: general information leaflet and specific termcard. Jenn suggested a 6 panel general leaflet – with information about MethSoc, as well as a little paragraph about Elvet and North Road. Jenn was asked to email the leaflet and term card from Michaelmas 2011 to Immy and Victoria (also, by extension, possibly to Mel and William?); William will collate all themes/topics and people on rotas and send that information to Mel for her to collate it all together with other information (retreats/socials/services etc.) onto one amazing term card of delight. William suggested a whole panel for each church was too much – distinction should be made that MethSoc is separate from a church, though we encourage students to attend church and MethSoc. Victoria seconded this, and with Immy thought it was best to give information about both North Road and Elvet churches, with walk-downs to both, with clear distinctions between MethSoc and “church”.

Jevans does think students come to freshers’ fair seeking information about the churches as well, so Immy offered to make 2 or 3 drafts of leaflets so that we could choose the relevant best bits and layout. Pre-season week and the beginning of freshers’ week give the possibility of printing one leaflet and termcard, then photocopying many. Victoria will coordinate finished product of leaflets and termcards, once ready, to printing. Funds allowing, professional printing– possibly the print shop near Elvet – would be good.

4.2.3.Exciting enticements

Biscuits were suggested as a good enticement – Jenn offered her kitchen, with Elvet’s kitchen as a back-up. Other choices were considered, but biscuits did seem the most practical solution. The biscuits could be decorated with an icing sugar/stencil motif, rather than (much messier) icing.Jenn offered to buy some baking ingredients ready, plenty in advance of freshers’ week, and for the receipt to be given to Asha and potentially reimbursed before term starts.

4.2.4.Welcome service/evening

The various dates for welcome services were discussed. North Road’s initial welcome service was decidedly too early – the Sunday most freshers were still arriving – and instead, the welcome services would ideally be Sunday 7th October, at the end of freshers’ week but before teaching starts. Immy will talk to Julie and organise this, with Elvet having the evening service and then holding freshers’ tea upstairs with MethSoc and members of the congregation on the same day, with Julie hosting the talk after the tea (William to organise this).

We discussed who had been at the freshers’ service and tea, to talk about whether it worked or not. We then talked about how effective the tea was; William suggested that there was a lot of worry about freshers’ welcomes, because they were great; he felt like he slotted right in. Although there are (understandable) worries about numbers, MethSoc as a whole are a lot more welcoming than we seem to think we are!

4.3.Bible study

William discussed how the new rota had moved away from following the lectionary towards looking at a whole book, especially shorter books; it was agreed this was a good system and we liked it. William suggested next term an epistle might be good to study. William said he would send the specific book for Bible study to Immy as soon as possible, for inclusion in the leaflet. 1 John and a selection from Genesis were suggested as a beginning point for the year. 1 John conveys “good” messages about faith and would be a good foundation; Genesis has a good sense of chronology etc.

William asked whether the rota system for Bible study worked – it was agreed that the rota did indeed work and there was the right amount of freedom. Jevans apologised that Ultimate Frisbee training would clash with leading Bible study.

4.4.Discussion night

Thursday night was agreed as the best evening for discussions to continue for Michaelmas Term – if many new members express the feeling that Thursday is not the best night, this could be changed for Epiphany Term 2013. This would need to work on a majority basis; if only a few are inconvenienced by the Thursday meeting, we may have to work on a principle of egalitarianism.

William suggested that having something less Bible-based might work well for a discussion series; leaving Biblical themes for Bible study and moving towards something like the creeds, for example, as a discussion topic/series. However, while it is possible to divide them up to make a sensible plan for a term, placing emphasis on the wrong parts of it could put people off. Victoria suggested that the creeds might work better as an epiphany term series, when people are perhaps more settled; Jevans pointed out discussing really serious issues with people you’ve only just met is difficult – seconding doing creeds/more serious topics into 2013.Asha suggested a passage from Ecclesiastes; “a time for this, a time for that...” [A Time for Everything] etc. – William and Asha both explained this as a good starting point for the Michaelmas Term. As there are more parts than there are weeks in the term, they could be divided/grouped into sections; and William promised to credit Asha for this idea – he will incorporate/organise the rota for this.

4.5.Speakers

William said he was starting to think about arranging speakers for Sunday nights of Michaelmas Term; remembering Julie Lunn will be asked to lead an introductory session after freshers’ tea. Jenn suggested to William that sending out a bunch of emails early on, even before going on holiday etc., might garner replies, which can then be addressed upon return to internet access etc. She also stressed that it’s best to invite people in an open-ended way, otherwise you end up with 10 speakers for 1 Sunday and none for any of the others. Jenn offered to send William the email she used as secretary last year as a template to use, especially for speakers who do not know MethSoc or haven’t been for a while, explaining how the session works and what to expect. It was briefly mentioned that ministers like the Revs. Julie Lunn, Calvin Samuel and Shaun Swithenbank tend to have “regular slots” and are often invited back on an annual basis at least. People from the theology department and Wesley Study Centre would also be a source of speakers; Martin Clarke in particular was mentioned, as someone with a Methodist and musical base (previous president of MethSoc in fact; and sat on the committee for Singing the Faith). It was countered that, as he and his wife have just had a baby, an invitation to him might wait until Epiphany Term, perhaps later. Rev. Dr. David Wilkinson was suggested; although on study leave over the summer, he also used to be in MethSoc so might accept an invitation to speak – perhaps another Epiphany Term. [If William were to have any problems with rotas etc. he could get in touch with other people, specifically Jenn or Victoria, to help him out; but Victoria gently suggested panicking before the first week of October was infinitely preferable to panicky into freshers’ week etc. ].

William was thanked by the exec for his work so far; offered support should he need it, and everyone said they were more than happy with how the rotas and various meetings were running.

4.6.Socials and pastoral life

Jevans re-iterated his invitation to talk to him about anything – he is “dubiously contactable” for most of July; Victoria offered to cover the first part of July. [The exact rota for covering the pastoral care and weekly email was covered later in the meeting/afterwards – see “summer holidays” and emails regarding this.]

Jevans hoped he could be reasonably sure that should he not be contactable, he hoped most people would know someone else in MethSoc they could talk to, though formalising this would be helpful. Jevans’ weekly email of general encouragement/psalms etc. would be on-hold until Michaelmas Term; any pastoral snippets might be included in his part of the weekly email, if need be.

In terms of socials, the MethSoc model of being more in people’s houses/more intimate (rather than bar crawls etc.) and this can, especially in first term, appear less accessible. William said that of all university societies, MethSoc’s normal meetings are really quite sociable anyway; having some time to settle down can also be helpful. Victoria suggested having a “light” but formal social calendar, but having a system where there are possibilities to ad-hoc get to know freshers individually might work. Jevans did agree that an end-of-term social (meal out at the Court Inn/Christmas party have been previous examples – wait and see) would be a good idea. Victoria pointed out there are 3 “natural” socials in the term anyway – one at Thanksgiving if Jenn is happy to host that again; one at Julie’s house after retreat in November, and one at the end of term – which is already 3 in a 9-week term. Film nights etc. were suggested as easily accessible, but big time commitments, with the possibility that people can leave without having really spoken to anyone. Jevans thought this might be a better plan for Epiphany Term, with the social calendar for Michaelmas Term not being too full of formal social plans – Epiphany Term can be full of “more exciting things”...