PARISH OF NUMURKAH-NATHALIA

MINUTES OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD IN HAMON PARISH CENTRE, NUMURKAH.

THURSDAY 18th APRIL 2013.

1.            Welcome and Opening.

Rev. Sally Boothey opened the meeting with a prayer at 8.05pm

2.            Present

Rev Sally Boothey,  John Stammers, Judy James, Bev Leaf, Rob Elliott, Margaret Mitchell, Mary Muntz, Bev Patrick, Robyn Pendlebury, Carol Lugg, Heather Stammers, Lou Hamon.

3.            Apologies: Win Knight, Wendy Watson, Keith Schier, Ron & Merle Cobbledick.

 4.          Confirmation of Minutes

 MOTION: “That the Minutes of the Parish Council held 21st March 2013 be confirmed as a true and correct record.”

Moved: Heather Stammers.                    Seconded: Carol Lugg.                                        Carried.

 5.        Business Arising from previous minutes.

 5.1   Termite inspections. Rectory inspection on Monday, Holy Trinity inspection detected no          activity. St George’s Church to be included in inspection.

5.2   Telstra reduced pricing – still pending.

5.3.  Palm Cross feedback. Responses to questions: 1. Arrival? – all in plenty of time.

2. Condition on arrival? – Good/excellent/perfect. 3. Storage suggestions helpful? – yes.  4. Condition on Palm Sunday? – Excellent/beautiful/just the same as on arrival/still green/good as new/still fresh and green. 4. Would you order again? – Absolutely, would order more/certainly/most definitely/ more than likely/yes, unless someone here decides to make them/put us on next year’s list/yes. Other comments included impressed with width – often very narrow/ packaged in a professional way.

6.       Correspondence.

Inwards:

6.1.    Powercor: Installation of smart meters. Barmah 16-29th April, Holy Trinity 20 April – 3      May, St George’s 23 April – 6 May.

6.2.    Christmas Bowl thank you.

6.3.    Registrar: Classics @ St John’s 11th May, Delightful Duets 5th May, Festival Choral              Evensong 23rd April.

6.4.    Defence Anglicans/Nungalinya College/Access/Ship to Shore/BCA/CA/ABM.

6.5.    Bishop: Ad Populem. Appeal from Bishop of Horn of Africa.

MOTION: “That Parish donate $500 to Diocesan Appeal”

Moved: Rob Elliott.                     Seconded: Heather Stammers.                                         Carried.

Outwards:

6.6.   Numurkah Secondary College: Acceptance of Anzac Day Ceremony invitation.

6.7.   Registry: Registration with Australian Charities Commission.

MOTION: “That the correspondence inwards be accepted and outwards adopted ”.

Moved: Margaret Mitchell.                     Seconded: Bev Patrick.                                           Carried.

 7.         Rectors Report:

Written Report tabled and discussed.

Since our last meeting, we have celebrated Easter in the parish and, on the whole, the services went well. Some comments, whilst the season is still fresh, and for consideration for the future:

SHROVE TUESDAY: Pancakes are a good focus for gathering and for social interaction.  Teaching opportunity for children at Holy Trinity and a good turn up. Burning palm crosses at St George’s – small attendance. Is a combined event at Holy Trinity better? Would an ecumenical  event at Numurkah be supported?

ASH WEDNESDAY: Some aspects of the liturgy could be re-jigged in the light of smaller numbers present and I will do this for 2014.

LENTEN STUDIES: These were well received at both Holy Trinity and St George’s and it was  good to have some UCA attendees. There were only four studies and yet some couldn’t commit to come each week. ‘Stand alone’ studies provide greatest flexibility, yet there was a desire expressed for more regular ecumenical studies.

PALM SUNDAY: Seemed to go well. Good to have ecumenical interaction in Nathalia.

MAUNDY THURSDAY: I felt the liturgy was quite complex and, for a small number of attendees, I  would ‘re-jig’ it a little for next year. For this, and the Ash Wednesday and Good Friday services, I  need to organise readers in advance, and maybe have the readings printed out.

GOOD FRIDAY: Well received and good attendances. The St George’s cross couldn’t be stood  against the altar – fix for 2014. Maybe say the psalm at St George’s instead of singing it?

EASTER DAY: All services went well, including the Ecumenical Dawn Service at Numurkah.  Paschal candle was lit from the Christ candle of Advent. May need to purchase new Paschal  candles for 2014. There were no children at the Easter Day services (except dawn)

The musicians are worked hard over Easter and, although other parishioners can choose which  services to go to, the musicians are needed at them all.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Easter celebrations and to those who enabled them to happen.

STRATEGIC PLAN: When can a meeting occur to review this?

FOOD FESTIVAL/FETE: This is another new parish experience for me and I understand it is a fundraiser which occurs at Numurkah. I would be pleased to hear the history and get some sense of what will happen this year. I readily and regretfully acknowledge that, unlike Fr Kim Benton, the previous Rector, who was an enthusiastic and capable creator of Asian and other more exotic foods, I have no food making skills to contribute.

BUSINESS CARDS: It would be very useful at times to provide a card with some parish details  and contact information for the Rector and I would like to organise some business cards. Is the parish logo readily available? Does ‘The Leader’ do our printing? Perhaps this can be part of the ‘Promotion’ domain in the Strategic Plan. Yalca Porter Bequest?

READING SHEETS: Each week, Heather Stammers kindly produces pew sheets and reading  sheets. I would like the parish to free Heather up for a couple of hours and purchase pre-printed  Mass Reading sheets from the Benedictine Abbey at Camperdown. These A4 sheets have the  sentence, the collect and the Gospel Acclamation, as well as the three readings and psalm. For 70 copies, with GST and postage included, it would cost $6.26 per week. They are delivered in 9  week installments. Heather would still (if she is willing!) produce a pewsheet with rosters, prayer  points, notices, etc each week.

MOTION: “That Parish order Reading Sheets”

Moved: Rob Elliott.                          Seconded: Margaret Mitchell.                                              Carried.

PASTORAL SERVICES: We have had the Funeral at Bendigo and the Memorial Thanksgiving Eucharist at St George’s for Kent Trencher.

PERSONAL: It was a joy to have two of our grandchildren come from Avoca to visit with us in the holidays. They had a lovely time. Thank you to everyone who helped them feel welcome. It was also very special to be able to visit Mum for the day on my birthday last Wednesday. She had been ‘poorly’ and the day together was good for us both!

FAITH ENHANCEMENT AND EDUCATION (or Professional Development):

Rob Whalley is running a reading group on the 2nd Saturday morning of each month,  commencing 11 May. Everyone is invited and I have decided to ‘sign up’. It will be good teaching and learning I am sure, and it will also be an opportunity for me to meet others from around the diocese. If anyone else is interested, they are welcome to come with me.

Rob has also spoken briefly to me about the possibility of another ‘Centering Prayer’             workshop/series in June or July. (I assume you had one with Kim) No further news as yet.

ST PAUL’S AND ALL SAINTS: At this stage, it is:-

Week 1, 3.00 pm Holy Communion at St Paul’s,

Week 2, 7.30 am Holy Communion at All Saints

Week 3, 9.00 am Morning Prayer at St Paul’s

Week 4 and if it occurs, Week 5 – As the congregations decide.

OTHER SERVICES: The scheduled services at Pioneer’s Lodge, Karinya, Barwo and Banawah             are continuing. Thanks to Joan Harding who provides music when she can.

8.                     Financial Report:

Cheque Account                                         $    4376.51

Investment. Account                                 $  18957.20

St George’s ladies Guild                           $      992.39

Holy Trinity Ladies Guild                         $    2601.87

Holy Trinity Mother’s Union                   $      334.05

Holy Trinity Strawberry Festiv                $    1498.45

Holy Trinity Diocese Wang.                     $      181.87

Betty Daniel Scholarship Term Deposit   $    8186.56

Offertory                                                         $    5407.10

Accounts Payable                                         $          0.00

MOTION: “That the financial report be received and accounts passed for payment”

Moved: Lou Hamon.                        Seconded: John Stammers.                                   Carried.

 Heather Stammers thanked Wendy for the presentation of the report, which was very informative.

9.       GST BUSINESS:

9.1.      Catering: 6th April Memorial Service C. Shubert, 9th April Funeral K. Trencher.

9.2.     Hall Hire: 9th April Funeral K. Trencher. Orana.

9.3.      Funerals:  9th April K. Trencher.

9.4       Fundraising: 8th April Holy Trinity Coffee Morning.

MOTION: “That the fundraising activities be Input Taxed”.

       Moved: Lou Hamon.                 Seconded: Robyn Pendlebury.                                                      Carried.

 10.       WARDEN’S REPORTS:

                 St. George’s: 10.1. Nil report.

                Holy Trinity:.  10.2. Rector’s board updated.

10.3. Commercial painter required to undertake painting of           ceiling.

10.4. Graham Gemmill to attend to plaster and cementing.

11.    OTHER REPORTS:

             11.1  Holy Trinity Ladies Guild

                                  Bank balance $ 2601.87.

                                  Coffee Morning on 8th April raised $955.05.

Street Stall & Raffle 3rd May.

Antique appraisals & display 18th August.

$1000.00 forwarded to Parish.

             11.2. Mother’s Union.

                                  Lady Day was a good day with an excellent speaker.

75th Birthday to be discussed at next meeting. Financial assistance       from Parish required.

            11.3. St George’s Ladies Guild.

                                  No report.

MOTION: “That the Reports be received”

Moved: Judy James.                        Seconded: Bev Patrick.                                                       Carried.

 12.      GENERAL BUSINESS:

                                   12.1. Mission Dinner.

                                           Parish Council decided on Friday 17th May at 6.30pm. Heather Stammers to coordinate. Proceeds to Bishop’s Appeal for Horn of Africa.

                                  12.2. Strategic Plan.

                                           Planning session on Saturday May 25th, 9am start.

                                   12.3. Gourmet Fiesta/Fete.

                                           Discussion next meeting on format and venue. Date set for Friday 6th September.

                                 12.4. Deb. Ball.

Eleven debs. Going well.

                                12.5. Food Bowl Festival.

                   Decided St George’s to hold a High Tea on the Sunday afternoon.

                              12.6.  Gas Heater in Rectory.

                    Inspection to be arranged.

     NEXT MEETING: Thursday 16th May 2013 – HOLY TRINITY, NATHALIA.

 

Meeting closed with  the grace at 9.45 pm.

Minutes confirmed…………………………………………….         Date………………………………….