PPC Minutes - December 2017

Minutes of the Parish Pastoral Council Meeting
Thursday 7th December 2017
St. Gregory’s Social Centre
7.30pm
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1. Opening prayer
2. Present: Father Clement, Amy Jarkulisz, Veronica Brown, Bron Coleman, Rebecca Jinks, Kathryn Timmons, Peter Fryer. Apologies were received from Marlene, Terry, Cath and Pam.
3. Matter Arising from last meeting:

• Parish retreat: there was discussion on how best to involve the young people of the parish. Rebecca would take this up with others involved in the Children’s Liturgy Group. It was thought that there should be a chance for discussion after the talks. Rebecca to make enquiry regarding the amount paid on similar occasions. The theme of “Prayer” was accepted as a good one. The date (Saturday 9th June) would be publicised from the beginning of 2018 and regular reference in newsletters made during the time leading up to the day.
• Book of Remembrance: Peter had made a start and showed an example of what was possible. This was thought to be on the right lines and so he would continue in like vein.
• Children’s Mass: the success of the Children’s/Youth Mass on the feast of Christ the King was noted. The welcome used on that occasion would be established as the formula to be used on each first Sunday of the month. A gentle increase in participation by the children would be discussed further after Christmas.
• Mass preparation routine checklist: as Emma was unable to be present, this item would be discussed at the next meeting.

4. Parish sponsored walk / picnic: this was thought to be a good idea and Jon Jarkulisz was to be encouraged to take the role of “leader” of the project. There was some discussion on the best location: Watermeads, Rutland Water, Carsington Water and Bradgate Park were all mentioned without a final decision being made. A date needs to be fixed early in the New Year. The aim would be to raise funds to sponsor a seminarian in a poor country. Syston Parish would be invited to join us.
5. Social Centre report: Bron reported that income in October (£919) and November (£606) was better than last year. Bookings from the Brownies and Zumba had been added. The Adult Learning Group enquiry had necessitated a lot of paperwork. The hire cost had been increased to £15 per hour with an additional £5 for parties using a Bouncy Castle (extra cleaning and electricity implications). Bron asked that an increased bond for damage be raised to £100 for late-night parties as they had resulted in significant additional cleaning and repairs. The Council wished to record formally the parish’s thanks to Monica Hearn for her 5* work in looking after the centre for us.
6. Finance Committee report: Eric De Melo was the new bookkeeper in training and Father was hopeful that he would soon be fully in charge. Father reported that the parish is £1,000 better off this year than last. A twice-yearly Standing Order for £17 had been discovered and stopped. Kathryn offered to pass on her copy of the Tablet to Father when she had finished reading it, which would result in another small saving. Work on the fascias of the Social Centre and the house would need to be completed at a cost of around £6,000.
7. Arrangements for Christmas Services: we were delighted and relieved to learn that Jean will be able to be at the Christmas Eve service to oversee the music.
8. AOB

• Walsingham Pilgrimage: parishioners in Syston had expressed the desire to go to Walsingham again in 2018. Since we had decided that in 2018 a Parish Retreat would be our focus, they would organise the trip and parishioners from Sileby who also wished to go could join them, it was hoped. The date would be publicised as soon as it had been fixed.
• Welcome of new parishioners: there was discussion of how best to welcome new parishioners. This was prompted by Father who told us of two new parishioners who had identified themselves to him recently. It was agreed that members of the PPC were ideally positioned to introduce themselves and, for example, invite them for tea/coffee after Mass.
• Sponsorship of Mass Books: this had been mentioned at the last meeting but nothing done as yet. Father reported that two people had already sponsored a set of books. We could use the wording in the books used in Syston – Father would bring across an example for us to work from. The books could be dedicated to the memory of a deceased friend/relative, to a family or individual in the parish.
• Churches Together in Barrow: Kathryn reported that the traditional evening prayer on the third Sunday of the Month was being suspended until the arrival of a new vicar. Churches Together in Barrow had decided on “The Carpenter’s Arms” as their charity for 2018. They had had an Advent service and the next major event would be the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Kathryn would post full details of this when they became available. The meeting thanked Kathryn for her continued ecumenical efforts and her work in producing yet another imaginative Christmas tree as part of the Barrow Christmas Tree Festival in Holy Trinity Church. There was a picture in the parish website and in the Loughborough Echo.

9. Date of meetings in 2018: Thursday 15th March, Thursday 5th July, Thursday 11th October, Thursday 6th December. These may have to start at 7.40 as a new regular booking had been accepted for Thursday evening and the hall will already be warm. 
10. Closing prayer: the meeting closed with a prayer at 8.57