Core Group Meeting 7.30pm 22nd March 2017 at Vicarage

Present: The Rev’d Louise Grace; The Rev’d Juliet Horwood; The Rev’d Peter Ingerslev; Caryll Ingerslev, Roger Prouse, Maree Day. Apologies: None

The Meeting opened with prayers, for all involved in the attack on Westminster & Westminster Bridge. Thoughts rested with the deceased, bereaved, injured, bystanders and all the support agencies involved.

  1. CMS Partner

Discussed revised date of Helen & Maged’s visit to Topsham. JH. Holiday for the couple, so not too many invites being arranged. Helen to preach 13/08/17 @ St M

PI. St M only as St Luke’s has own CMS associate

LG. suggested possible ‘bring & share’ meal in SA on 12th

LG & JH to liaise re any other gathering

JH to speak to Social Committee & DB (think David Batty) Juliet, please advise if incorrect

  1. Quiet Day

2016 Millhouse. Tiverton

2017 Possibly on Saturday, October or November

LG. to contact (1) Bishop Sarah (2) Andrew Godsall

JH. To contact Millhouse re availability

  1. Visitation

Agreed to go to Kenton

RP. Katie Gray address to Maree Day

  1. Sermon & consequence ‘Season of Invitation’ 19/03

LG. Godly play, pm, 1 attending child had brought another child and parent (invited)

LG. had run invitation cards past retired’ s. in favour with exception of Baked Beans

Priests to incorporate into sermons,

LQ. Q how to get invites out there

A (i) Put in pews

(ii) JH. Han dover at dispersal

CI. Natural handover more pro-active

LG. Cultural change, system of spreading the invite  2018

Expand on children’s leaflets + invites to “enjoy the church”

PI. Queried, on Easter hand out

LG. Requires organised lead time, allagreed 2 weeks lead to events

CI. Suggested 1 line emails very effective

Periods.

a)Harvest St M 1st Sunday October

St L 2nd Sunday October

b)All Soulsc) Adventd) Christingle e) Christmas

LG  Nicky H to align hospitality team

Advertise in notices as well

Christmas Service cards, letterbox & personal handouts to people of interest

CI. Busy time of year, challenge top get them all out

CI & LG. Print ASAP so can be distributed earlier

  1. LG. Asked Nicola Holt before she left for Belgium, honest opinion on PCC

NH. Inefficient use of time, too large an agenda

CI. St L fabric encompassed by K & S Harding, reports tabled and circulated before meeting, then re-read and all reviewed again

MD. Report should have proposed action plan at bottom

PI. Reports too long; St M finance report 19 pages, St L finance 1 page.

  1. LG attended PCC course

MD. Q. who can be co-opted A. only if vacancy in numbers Q. who can speak

LG. recommended reading, new book PCC members essential guide by Mark Tanner,

General discussion on committee principles and actions

LG. Pack of resources. 6 ind cards, 20 mins ea. PCC meeting

CI. Who sets agenda for PCC meeting. Churchwarden, Vicar, Secretary & any other items raised

Time management at PCC meetings

JH. Where is the church going?

LG. Sub committees to sub-manage & provide concise reports to PCC for update

MD. has researched what a Churchwarden should do

  1. Family Worker Document

Amended version of “Church Family Worker” document available

CI. Where does money come from? Expenditure already more than income

(i)Should the church underpay the Diocesan share instead

(ii)What should fixed reserves be?

Both churches risk averse. What if

Costings & Expenses, LG already secured £2.6k funding

JH. Is there an applicant for the position?

LG. suggestions from Katherine Lydon, would suit established person, possibly retiring teacher, or assistant, Jules or Kristinza type person, not dependant on salary, can accept seasonal variations in workload.

Overall View “Future of the Church”

JH. Needs to do something different LG. Training, don’t threaten, must enthuse

MD. 3 churches working in cohort JH. Not 3 churches, 2 communities, payback not immediate

LG. Methodist, no children, however, St N prepared to commit money for community children

JH. Potential merge of benefice finances in long pictureLG. Visual return will take open-ended time

CI. Open book at St L: St L view, all about St M LG. Countess Wear school asking for more Christian inputs

LG. Take to PCC. Breakout idea, + people to look to talents. St L experiencing growth already in children.

Gen. Needs support of PCC stalwarts, otherwise will not carry through without splitting congregation, focus on supportive individuals

LG. 2 years “pilot” Ring fenced spendNot a graduateJob spec and management fixed

LG. Case study examples

JH. Engaging people not exposed to church

LG. What does position bring to church that we cannot?

JH. Time to connect communityLG. Time & capacity we do not have

JH. Mission statement, committed to LG. Incumbent, cannot do all

Vision Group already big agenda at St Margaret’s

Close. 21:35pm LG. Thanks to all input, The Grace

Date of the next meeting – 19:30pm Wednesday 10thMay at Glasshouse Lane. Countess Wear