PARISH OF THE SACRED HEART – PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on TUESDAY 29 JANUARY 2019 at 7.30pm
PRESENT: Fr James Walsh, Richard McGreevy (Chair), Antonia Martinez, John Bolger, Rebecca Walker, Grazyna Skawinska, Elaine Haughton, Catherine Watkins (Secretary)
- APOLOGIES: Deacon Ron O’Toole, Peter Rylands, Carol Shippey, Ginny Keane, Keith Copperwheat.
Fr James opened the meeting with a prayer.
- It was agreed to try and finish the meeting by 8.30pm.
- MINUTES OF THE MEETING: of 30 October 2018 were approved and signed. Grazyna Skawinska, the new Sacred Heart representative, was welcomed.
- MATTERS ARISING:
Adoremus Congress in Liverpool. Fr James had decided that, rather than give a talk, he would allow the themes of the Congress to colour his homilies.
Action – Fr James
Day of Development for Readers and Eucharistic Ministers. Because so few of the readers had been able to attend, it was agreed that copies of a “do’s and don’t’s” sheet would be made available with the next rota, so that readings could be approached in a uniform manner. Antonia agreed to arrange production.
Action – Antonia
Parish Directory. This has been copied and distributed.
Lent Preparation. This was following on from a suggestion raised at the St Helen’s Forum. It was decided that sessions (including a DVD) would be held after the 9.30am Mass on Saturday mornings during Lent in the Sacred Heart parish hall. Fr James would produce a Lent leaflet. Fr James agreed to book the hall.
Action – Fr James
Request from a Local Choir. With reference to the request from a North Walsham choir to use the church for choir practices (discussed at the previous Committee meeting), Fr James had decided to turn down the request.
Action – Fr James
North Walsham Covenant Service. Due to a lack of time, it had not been possible to circulate the suggested amendments around the other churches. The service on 20 January when the Covenant was signed, had been well attended by members of all 9 churches with a photographer in attendance and followed by refreshments in the hall. Unfortunately, geographical circumstances in Hoveton and Aylsham mean that similar covenants would not be possible there.
Sacristy Ceiling. Fr James said that a couple of rooms in the Presbytery were to be redecorated and that he would ask the decorator to re-paint the Sacristy ceiling.
Action – Fr James
- LIVE SIMPLY STEERING GROUP: Rob and Clare Hardie had circulated an email regarding the next meeting (February). The Live Simply Prayer is included in the Prayers of the Faithful once a month.
- 6. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING: Monday 20 May. To follow the usual format, with North Walsham providing the main course and Aylsham the desserts. Fr James would talk on future plans and past experiences, there would be a financial report and a Chairman’s report. The event is usually well attended, and 60 or so are catered for.
Action – Fr James, Richard
- PARISH PASTORAL COUNCILLORS REPORTS:
St John’s forum had nothing to report.
St Helen’s. The crib festival had raised £355.80 and thanks were given to Liz Smith who had organised the event and to other helpers. The sum raised was originally going to be earmarked for the purchase of new church crib figures, but Carol and David Shippey had generously offered to donate the large crib figures which they had originally loaned and which had been the centre piece of the display. The offer had been welcomed and accepted with thanks. Elaine said that she would email Antonia asking for thanks to Liz to be recorded in the newsletter. Funds raised would now go to the general fund. St Helen’s 60th anniversary celebrations had been discussed and Fr James suggested a late afternoon Mass on Friday 3 May followed by a reception, possibly in a marquee. Past priests to be invited. The working party would meet again on 4 February. The finance report showed surplus income for the current year of £139, but expenditure is up from last year due to various repairs. The current balance is £4922.54.
Action – Elaine
Sacred Heart. Up until now the Sacred Heart Eucharistic Community has not had a Forum. However, it was felt that each community had a different dynamic and that there would be activities and matters of concern to Sacred Heart parishioners which they could be given the opportunity to discuss. The forum meetings would be held every two months about 2 weeks prior to each PCC meeting, after Sunday morning Mass. The first Sacred Heart Forum meeting would be held on Sunday 31 March in the parish hall.
Action – Antonia, John, Cathy, Becky, Grazyna
- ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
Icy surfaces. A parishioner had slipped and injured herself while walking between the Sacred Heart church and the parish hall and this had raised concerns regarding our legal position should the same thing happen to an outside hall user, for example. There is salt grit available and John is usually good at spreading this. Fr James has also in the past spread ash from his fire onto icy patches. However, it should be borne in mind that John was awaiting surgery in the near future and that he would not be fit. The meeting was reminded that John also played a role in the setting up of tables in the hall for coffee, purchase of supplies for coffee after Mass and assisting generally with the use of the dishwasher. Coffee rota volunteers should bear this in mind and take appropriate action.
Liturgy meetings. Antonia suggested that Father James could hold these about 3 times a year to discuss the liturgical programme within the parish.
- DATE OF NEXT MEETING:
Tuesday 9 April 2019 at 19.15 for 19.30 at St John’s. Aylsham. Cathy to email absentees with date.
Action – Cathy
Fr James then concluded the meeting with a prayer.
