PARISH OF NUMURKAH-NATHALIA

MINUTES OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD IN HOLY TRINITY HALL, NATHALIA.

THURSDAY 18th JULY 2013.

1. 1.            Welcome and Opening:

Rev. Sally Boothey opened the meeting with a prayer at 8pm

 2.            Present:

Rev Sally Boothey, Judy James, Bev Leaf, Rob Elliott, Mary Muntz, Merle Cobbledick, Ron Cobbledick, Keith Schier, Wendy Watson, Lou Hamon.

 3.            Apologies: Margaret Mitchell, Heather & John Stammers, Robyn Pendlebury, Bev Patrick, Carol Lugg, Win Knight.

 4.       Confirmation of Minutes:

           MOTION: “That the Minutes of the Parish Council held 20th June 2013, be confirmed as a                                 true and correct record.”

Moved: Ron Cobbledick.                    Seconded: Rob Elliott.                                  Carried.

 5.        Business Arising from previous minutes:

 5.1. Parish Calendar – Six month calendar distributed.

5.2. Telstra reduced pricing – see correspondence.

5.3. Decanters for St George’s in memory of Fr Ralph Cohen dedicated by Bishop John

5.4. Offertory envelopes ordered.

 6.       Correspondence:

Inwards:

 6.1.    Church Resources: Reduced Telstra pricing agreement has been processed.

6.2.    Registrar: Property Insurance. Information on buildings required, including building      materials, area and date built..

6.3.    Registrar: St Columb’s Hall Seminar/ People smugglers talk.

6.4.    Bishop: Taize Brothers visit/ Evangelical Catholicism.

6.5.    Registrar: Ministry Fund, Assessment & Insurance. Discussion on travel component.

 MOTION: “That the travel allowance be set at 21c/km for 25,000 km per year”

Moved: Wendy Watson.            Seconded: Judith James.                                       Carried.

 6.6.    Dawes & Vary Lawyers: Bequest from Frank Moor. Holy trinity to discuss use of bequest for payment of hall hire for Strawberry Festival or other use.

6.7.    Powercor: Installation of smart meters Holy Trinity, St George’s, Parish Centre: 7             Aug. – 4 Sept. 2013.

6.8.   Nungalinya/L’Arche/Mediacom/Mission to Seafarers.

Outwards:

 6.9.   W.H. & J.S. Gwin: Acceptance of quotation to paint ceiling of Holy Trinity Church.

6.10. Registrar: Updated authorised signatories.

6.11. Invitation to Bishop & Mrs Parkes to receive debutantes 9th May 2014.

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

Moved: Mary Muntz.                   Seconded: Keith Schier.                                         Carried.

 7.         Rectors Report:

      Written Report tabled and discussed.

             In the past month I enjoyed a week of leave during which we visited our daughter and her partner in Brisbane. It was great to catch up with her and to be recognised, and very warmly  welcomed, (as only children can), by our four grandchildren.

            It was pleasing to hear that the services in the parish went well on the Sunday I was away and that Rev’d Thomas Leslie is well received here.

             The study on Thomas Merton, led by Rob Whalley, has commenced and there are regularly 6- 7 attendees. Comments on the studies are positive and certainly the fellowship is warm and the discussion, I believe, is thoughtful and helpful. The studies may go an extra week, as Rob was ill and unable to be with us this Tuesday.

            The ‘Living the Questions’ studies are continuing at Holy Trinity.

            The meditation-type services, which are part of the parish strategic plan, will re-commence  as an opportunity for Lenten observance during the season of Lent in 2014.

             Some items donated by parishioners for Anglicare, to help with housing refugees, has been delivered to Wangaratta and some minor repairs have been made to the mower at the rectory.

             The ‘Pastoral Friendship Network’ has been mapped out for Holy Trinity, St Paul’s and All  Saints and my thanks go to Merle Cobbledick and Mary Muntz for this work.

            The St George’s Network is nearly complete.

             After last meeting’s discussion on a date for the Children’s Service, further thought revealed    that the date chosen was in the middle of football and netball finals. As such, I would like to change the date to Sunday 20 October. This is outside the ‘sport zone’ and has the advantage   of being ‘Food Bowl’ at Numurkah. The congregation at St George’s might see an advantage   in an earlier, 9.00am, service on this day, prior to a ‘High Tea’ in the afternoon.

             It was good to have Bishop John and his son James visit our parish and to hear him preach. His blessings upon our centre’s and upon our congregations are appreciated, as is his pastoral concern for us all.

            Whilst here, I broached with him the subject of flood relief money given by Anglicans to a Bishop’s Appeal, and held in trust by the Rector. Bp John was very happy with a suggestion that a significant amount be given to the Numurkah Hospital, to help replace equipment lost in the flood. ‘The money was given for the benefit of the community and it must be used in the flood-affected community’ was his expressed wish. A motion to this effect in the Parish Council minutes will help protect the integrity of the Rector in this matter and it will give a welcome transparency to the appropriate use of these most generous donations.

             MOTION: “that the balance of the discretionary account of $6074.85 be donated to Numurkah  Hospital”

            Moved: Ron Cobbledick.               Seconded: Rob Elliott.                                           Carried.

             At the commencement of my ministry here, I was asked to keep a 13 week log of travel to help  determine an appropriate travel allowance component of my stipend. I have done this and now must ‘negotiate’ with Parish Council for a fair figure. As the log was kept during summer months, I believe an extra 94 kms should be factored in to cover the monthly afternoon travel   to St Paul’s during winter. If this were allowed per month for the whole year, it would then also    cover incidental trips to Nathalia, visiting beyond Numurkah township, occasional (ministry –  related) trips to Wangaratta or Shepparton and so forth

            A request has come from the Diocese for me to be a member of the ‘Vocational Discernment’   panel which interviews prospective ordinands at a Selection Conference. I have agreed to do  this. There is a training day on 31 August and the Selection Conference is on 14 September.

 MOTION: “That the Rector’s Report be received”.

Moved: Rev’d. Sally                                    Seconded: Wendy Watson.                                                 Carried.

 8.                     Financial Report:

Cheque Account                                         $    2477.51

Investment. Account                                   $  19037.87

St George’s ladies Guild                             $      926.19

Holy Trinity Ladies Guild                            $    2778.63

Holy Trinity Mother’s Union                                   $      334.05

Holy Trinity Strawberry Festival                 $    1498.45

Holy Trinity Diocese Wang.                       $      181.87

Betty Daniel Scholarship Term Deposit   $    8186.56

Offertory                                                         $    4795.70

Accounts Payable                                       $      222.11

 

Treasurer once again highlighted the dependence on fund raising to cover costs.

Amount of $1,500 to be transferred to Bishop’s appeal for Cape of Horn when details are available.

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

Moved: Wendy Watson.                  Seconded: Ron Cobbledick.                      Carried.

 9.       GST Business:

            9.1.      Catering: A. Leaf funeral 17th July.

            9.2.     Hall Hire: Orana Day Care.

            9.3.      Funerals:

            9.4       Fundraising: 

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

          Moved: Lou Hamon.              Seconded: Mary Muntz.                                          Carried.

   10.       Warden’s Reports:

                 St. George’s: 10.1. Request for rear of Parish Centre to be made suitable for car  parking.

                                          10.2. Organ to be serviced 30th July.

                                          10.3. Thurible and chains and brass bowl and castor to be polished and                                                  tarnished proof.

                Holy Trinity:    10.4. Adjoining tree removed and stump grubbed.

                                           10.5. Inspection prior to painting arranged. Painting of church ceiling, to   commence Monday.

                                           10.6. Bishop’s visit appreciated.

           11.      Other Reports:

                       11.1 Holy Trinity Ladies Guild: Catered for funeral, Blums coming up in September.

                       11.2. Mother’s Union. Invitations prepared, ready to be posted. Quiet day being planned.

                                                             M.U. Australian president will visit Wangaratta on 23rd August.

                       11.3. St George’s Ladies Guild. Street Stall Friday.

                                              

                      MOTION: “That the Reports be received”

                      Moved: Bev Leaf.                 Seconded: Merle Cobbledick                                   Carried.

               12.      General Business:

                                   1. Website updated with rescanned centenary books and Bishop’s dedication of cruet set at St George’s.

                                                                     

  

               Next Meeting: Thursday 15th AUGUST 2013 – St George’s Numurkah.

 

     Meeting closed with the grace at 9.24 pm.

   

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