MINUTES OF THE PPC MEETING
Meeting held in St Gregory’s Catholic Church, Sileby
Thursday 25th February 2016 at 7.30pm
Present at meeting:
Father Clement, Peter Fryer, Cath Jackson, Rebecca Jinks, Kathryn Timmons, Marlene Corrall, Emma Bowley, Amy Jarkulisz, Pam Looi, Veronica Brown
Apologies received from:
All attended. Fr. Clement said two members will be joining the next meeting
Action to be taken indicated in red.
1.
No minutes from previous meeting as this was our first PPC meeting.
2.
Opening prayer: The prayer of the Jubilee of Mercy was said. Fr. Clement reminded members that our meeting is a pastoral meeting. In order to avoid a business-style meeting, members were encouraged to prepare a reading or prayer to share in future meetings.
Members to share a reading or prayer
3.
Welcome Note: Fr. Clem thanked everyone for offering to support the Church via the PPC. He gave members a document outlining the Role of the PPC. This document is on our website: www.saintgregorysileby.org
After discussion, it was agreed that the PPC members will be commissioned on Pentecost Sunday (15th May). Would all members please take note and attend this Mass.
Members to read this document
4.
Participation of our young children/youth in the Mass
It was felt that the young people could be involved on a regular, programmed basis: helping with the Readings; the Offertory procession and Welcoming. Father has a list of eight young parishioners (including Emma) who are prepared to read. There are ten experienced readers (not including Emma) who could be paired up on a regular basis. Sheila Breed is a stalwart “welcomer”, but there is nobody manning the entrance through the School Room. A combination of younger and older parishioners could fill this gap. The Children’s Liturgy Group and the Youth Group are already involved once a month on the Offertory Procession rota. A Youth Mass takes a lot of preparation and it was felt that four such masses per year, or maybe one per term should be the target. A monthly Youth Mass was too onerous for those helping to prepare the youngsters.
Fr Clem to speak to Sheila, meet up with youth to draw up calendar for annual youth Masses
5.
Youth-led service of the Passion on Good Friday
The traditional Good Friday Passion service at Holy Trinity in Barrow cannot take place this year as we do not have a Deacon to lead the service. Father is keen that the parish has a Good Friday service in our church and Father Binu from the Rosmini Centre is prepared to come and lead the service for us. It was felt that the younger parishioners could help with the readings, though as these are rather long, they would need some help from the more experienced readers on the rota. It was agreed that a meeting after Mass on Palm Sunday would be a suitable time to sort out the details.
Fr. Clem and Peter invite Fr. Binu re meeting to prepare for this Solemn Service
6.
Crucifix in the Sanctuary
There was some discussion over the desirability of replacing the statue at the back of the sanctuary with the crucifix that currently hangs on the side-wall of the sanctuary. Different views were aired, some in favour of the change while others expressed no strong view. The crucifix is always mounted at the back of the sanctuary during Holy Week. It was thought that perhaps this might be a good time to canvass people’s opinions about the permanent siting of the crucifix in this location. The current crucifix does seem a little small, however. The statue could be mounted at the back of the church with Christ bidding us to go forth and spread the gospel. Aware of all the views, Fr. Clement will speak to parishioners about this matter.
Fr. Clem to talk to people of the parish
7.
Holy Door of Mercy
We do not have a single door that can be decorated and it was felt that any external decoration would not survive. Fr. Clement asked everyone to suggest ways and things we can do as a parish during the Year of Mercy.
In line with the ideas produced by the Justice and Peace Group, it was felt that one Sunday might be designated as the day on which parishioners could bring in clothes and other items that could prove useful to those charities which provide for the homeless or refugees. Cath Jackson has a contact for one such organisation.
All PPC members to help and suggests things we can do
8.
Eucharistic Ministers
There is a shortage of Eucharistic Ministers with some having to double up with other duties at Sunday Mass. Father said that he would call a short meeting of the current Eucharistic Ministers to discuss the best way forward.
Fr. C to Meet EMs before feast of Corpus Christi
9.
Father told us that it is his prayer that this missing element in our parish life might be filled. We must join him in this. Father had met our retired deacons and listened to their experiences and views about our parish. Fr. Clement will make an appeal at an appropriate time.
Everyone to pray for this intention
10.
AOB-1. Fr. Clement mentioned that he had received a letter from the Board of Trustees of our Nottingham Catholic diocese asking him to close the NatWest account for our Hall and transfer all the funds to the main parish account. At this stage, Fr. Clement wanted to make the PPC aware of this matter. Fr. Clement is currently in dialogue with all the concerned. Fr. Clement asked for prayers.
AOB-2 Confessional box to be included in the Agenda in the next PPC meeting.
AOB-3 It was requested that the final Bidding Prayer, which asked the congregation if any of them had an intention for which they wished us to pray, be re-instated as it seemed to have disappeared of late. Fr. Clement responded by saying he will examine carefully the structure of our bidding prayers.
Fr. Clem and Peter
11.
The Future PPC meetings this year as agreed will be as follows:
Thursday 26th May
Thursday 8th September
Thursday 8th December
TIME- 7.30, and PLACE - in the Social Centre
Peter to send reminders
12
The meeting closed at 9.00pm with a final prayer. Future meetings should include a prayer lead by one of the PPC members (see item 7 on the Role of the PPC sheet distributed by Father at the beginning of the meeting)
Peter re meeting to end 9pm
Meeting held in St Gregory’s Catholic Church, Sileby
Thursday 25th February 2016 at 7.30pm
Present at meeting:
Father Clement, Peter Fryer, Cath Jackson, Rebecca Jinks, Kathryn Timmons, Marlene Corrall, Emma Bowley, Amy Jarkulisz, Pam Looi, Veronica Brown
Apologies received from:
All attended. Fr. Clement said two members will be joining the next meeting
Action to be taken indicated in red.
1.
No minutes from previous meeting as this was our first PPC meeting.
2.
Opening prayer: The prayer of the Jubilee of Mercy was said. Fr. Clement reminded members that our meeting is a pastoral meeting. In order to avoid a business-style meeting, members were encouraged to prepare a reading or prayer to share in future meetings.
Members to share a reading or prayer
3.
Welcome Note: Fr. Clem thanked everyone for offering to support the Church via the PPC. He gave members a document outlining the Role of the PPC. This document is on our website: www.saintgregorysileby.org
After discussion, it was agreed that the PPC members will be commissioned on Pentecost Sunday (15th May). Would all members please take note and attend this Mass.
Members to read this document
4.
Participation of our young children/youth in the Mass
It was felt that the young people could be involved on a regular, programmed basis: helping with the Readings; the Offertory procession and Welcoming. Father has a list of eight young parishioners (including Emma) who are prepared to read. There are ten experienced readers (not including Emma) who could be paired up on a regular basis. Sheila Breed is a stalwart “welcomer”, but there is nobody manning the entrance through the School Room. A combination of younger and older parishioners could fill this gap. The Children’s Liturgy Group and the Youth Group are already involved once a month on the Offertory Procession rota. A Youth Mass takes a lot of preparation and it was felt that four such masses per year, or maybe one per term should be the target. A monthly Youth Mass was too onerous for those helping to prepare the youngsters.
Fr Clem to speak to Sheila, meet up with youth to draw up calendar for annual youth Masses
5.
Youth-led service of the Passion on Good Friday
The traditional Good Friday Passion service at Holy Trinity in Barrow cannot take place this year as we do not have a Deacon to lead the service. Father is keen that the parish has a Good Friday service in our church and Father Binu from the Rosmini Centre is prepared to come and lead the service for us. It was felt that the younger parishioners could help with the readings, though as these are rather long, they would need some help from the more experienced readers on the rota. It was agreed that a meeting after Mass on Palm Sunday would be a suitable time to sort out the details.
Fr. Clem and Peter invite Fr. Binu re meeting to prepare for this Solemn Service
6.
Crucifix in the Sanctuary
There was some discussion over the desirability of replacing the statue at the back of the sanctuary with the crucifix that currently hangs on the side-wall of the sanctuary. Different views were aired, some in favour of the change while others expressed no strong view. The crucifix is always mounted at the back of the sanctuary during Holy Week. It was thought that perhaps this might be a good time to canvass people’s opinions about the permanent siting of the crucifix in this location. The current crucifix does seem a little small, however. The statue could be mounted at the back of the church with Christ bidding us to go forth and spread the gospel. Aware of all the views, Fr. Clement will speak to parishioners about this matter.
Fr. Clem to talk to people of the parish
7.
Holy Door of Mercy
We do not have a single door that can be decorated and it was felt that any external decoration would not survive. Fr. Clement asked everyone to suggest ways and things we can do as a parish during the Year of Mercy.
In line with the ideas produced by the Justice and Peace Group, it was felt that one Sunday might be designated as the day on which parishioners could bring in clothes and other items that could prove useful to those charities which provide for the homeless or refugees. Cath Jackson has a contact for one such organisation.
All PPC members to help and suggests things we can do
8.
Eucharistic Ministers
There is a shortage of Eucharistic Ministers with some having to double up with other duties at Sunday Mass. Father said that he would call a short meeting of the current Eucharistic Ministers to discuss the best way forward.
Fr. C to Meet EMs before feast of Corpus Christi
9.
Father told us that it is his prayer that this missing element in our parish life might be filled. We must join him in this. Father had met our retired deacons and listened to their experiences and views about our parish. Fr. Clement will make an appeal at an appropriate time.
Everyone to pray for this intention
10.
AOB-1. Fr. Clement mentioned that he had received a letter from the Board of Trustees of our Nottingham Catholic diocese asking him to close the NatWest account for our Hall and transfer all the funds to the main parish account. At this stage, Fr. Clement wanted to make the PPC aware of this matter. Fr. Clement is currently in dialogue with all the concerned. Fr. Clement asked for prayers.
AOB-2 Confessional box to be included in the Agenda in the next PPC meeting.
AOB-3 It was requested that the final Bidding Prayer, which asked the congregation if any of them had an intention for which they wished us to pray, be re-instated as it seemed to have disappeared of late. Fr. Clement responded by saying he will examine carefully the structure of our bidding prayers.
Fr. Clem and Peter
11.
The Future PPC meetings this year as agreed will be as follows:
Thursday 26th May
Thursday 8th September
Thursday 8th December
TIME- 7.30, and PLACE - in the Social Centre
Peter to send reminders
12
The meeting closed at 9.00pm with a final prayer. Future meetings should include a prayer lead by one of the PPC members (see item 7 on the Role of the PPC sheet distributed by Father at the beginning of the meeting)
Peter re meeting to end 9pm
