May

MINUTES OF NUMURKAH – NATHALIA PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

19th MAY 2016

8.00PM HOLY TRINITY HALL NATHALIA.

Welcome and Opening Prayer – Revd. Sally Boothey

Present – Revd. Sally Boothey Wendy Watson, Rob Elliott, Bev Leaf, Norma Shepherd, Nola Smith, Mary Muntz, Keith Schier, John Stammers, Lou Hamon.

 Apologies – Brian Devenish, Judy James.

Minutes of meeting held 17th March 2016 were confirmed.

Moved  Nola Smith, 2nd Norma Shepherd.

 Business arising from the minutes

  1. Antiques Roadshow – in July, Sally to follow up.
  2. Parish Centre storm damage. Carpet installed.
  3. St George’s altar damage, repairs pending.
  4. Toilets – Barmah no further action at this stage. Wakiti Creek now completed.

Letters of thanks to Denis Boothey & Tony Whittaker.

  1. Palm Crosses. Follow up on three outstanding accounts.
  2. Mission Statement & Vision Statement. Pending.

.Correspondence

         Inwards: 1. Registrar: Insurance claim.

  1. BCA/Christmas Bowl/Mission to Seafarers/NCLS/Anglicare Overseas Aid/Anglicare/SU/CBM/BS..

Outwards: 1. Rev. Geoffrey Poliness – letter of thanks.

  1. Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission – Annual Return.
  2. Peter Cox & Sons – Parish Centre hire charges
  3. Heritage Park Funerals – Parish Centre hire charges.

         Moved Bev Leaf. 2nd Mary Muntz.

 Rector’s Report

 RECTOR’S REPORT TO PARISH COUNCIL – May 2016

 

It has been two months since our last meeting and during that time we have celebrated Easter, observed Anzac Day and begun the season of Pentecost. Our Palm Cross orders this Easter reached an amazing 6,185. My particular thanks go to those who made crosses and to Lou who facilitated the whole order, invoice and dispatch process.

For April and May there were three funerals at St George’s, and we celebrated the lives of Valerie Batten, Clive Neville and Eileen Booth.

Services have continued at the four parish aged care facilities as have home communions and some pastoral visiting.

I have taken 7 days of annual leave, including one Sunday, since our last meeting during which I attended two family weddings.

Synod has just finished and I direct you to the Synod report I have prepared.

The Parish Strategic Plan

We have gathered to look at a Strategic Plan this year and to varying degrees, the recommendations for special services with those on the parish roll invited and changes to the hymn roster have been tried with minimal success.

It is my belief that nothing we have so far seriously engaged with will make much difference to our longer term financial viability and that if we do not confront this reality (which is also true for many parishes, and for the diocese) then we have lost the opportunity to manage our own future.

The thrust of any strategic plan is for the enhancement or enabling of the Mission, expressed in the Vision Statement. Our mission is, as a church, (and as Christians) fairly clearly grounded in the two commandments of love given by Jesus Christ, no matter what words are used to state or describe it. The Diocesan Vision Statement, therefore, seems as good as any to have as our ‘goal’ or purpose. I quote

“Inspired by God’s love, through worship, prayer and scriptural reflection, we seek to live our Christ-centred values by meeting the needs of our communities through serving and accepting others.”

We cannot do any of these things in our communities of Numurkah, Nathalia and beyond if the churches all close and there is neither ministry leadership or worshiping congregations.

Our finances have been such that we have not met our diocesan assessments for the past three months. Although there is little likelihood of an immediate action from the diocese, this money is still owed, with an expectation or hope that it will be paid in the future. It is my belief that to continue as we have, relying largely on offertories and fundraising, will simply increase our diocesan debt.

Broadly speaking, our options are to increase revenue or decrease expenditure. Or both.

Increasing revenue may be an outcome of growing the worshiping church in the parish, or of garnering support from the community or of more or more effective fundraising efforts. These options will remain part of our work together, but they are longer term or unknown possibilities that do not give certainty for the day to day budget.

Some revenue increase and expenditure decrease could be gained by closing, deconsecrating and selling Holy Nativity and All Saints Church at Barmah. With no viable congregation here, and little likelihood of one in the immediate future, this is probably a conversation to have anyway. Currently, one third of any proceeds goes to the diocese and two thirds can be used within the parish for capital works or put into a ‘pool’ administered by Bishop-in-Council. This reserved money is available, upon application, for ministry/mission projects for any parish.

Perhaps a more realistic cost saving is to reduce the stipend payment, which is the greatest parish expense, by considering having a part-time priest.

This would mean giving careful consideration to what, exactly, you require from your priest and what stipend you could realistically meet. There may need to be some changes to how and even what things are done. Some active ministry may need to be taken up by trained and willing lay members of the congregations.

These are all things that need careful thought, discussion and much prayer. Decisions don’t have to be made in the next week, but it would be good to have some sense of how people feel and what is possible for the next Parish Council meeting.

There is the option too, of having a ‘trial run’, as I am entitled to many weeks of Long Service Leave that I am intending soon to take, probably in two blocks. A smaller block later this year and a longer time in 2017.

During this leave, the parish receives credit for my stipend and I’m paid from the LSL fund. If the parish is able to operate without a full time locum, the credit can remain in the parish coffers.

Much to pray, think, and talk about in the coming weeks.

May God’s peace be with us all,

Sally

Motion: That the Parish investigate the closure, deconsecration and sale of assets of Holy Nativity & All Saints, Barmah.

Moved: Rob Elliott, 2nd Nola Smith.                           Carried unanimously.

Rectors Report moved: Revd. Sally, 2nd Keith Schier.

 Financial Report:

Cheque Account                                       7282.80

Investment Account                                       0.79

Holy Trinity Ladies‘ Guild                        799.17

Holy Trinity Strawberry Festival               259.53

Holy Trinity Diocese of Wangaratta          243.82

Betty Daniel Term Deposit                      7133.74

Offertory                                                 11153.45

Accounts payable                                     1262.86

         Moved W Watson, 2nd Nola Smith.

 GST Business – Move that the following fundraising activities be input taxed.

Catering:  M. Jackson funeral 18th May, C. Neville Funeral 15th May, L. Bonazza Funeral 17th May.

Hall Hire: Funeral 4th May, Funeral 17th May.

Funerals:   V. Batten 1st April, C. Neville 15th April, E. Booth 28th April.

Fundraising:  H.T. Ladies Guild Coffee Morning 11th April, Barmah Car Boot Sale 30th April., Film   Night 20th April, Film Night 20th April.

Moved Lou Hamon. 2nd John Stammers.

 St George’s Warden’s Report

  1. Parish Centre carpet installed.
  2. Organ parts installed.
  3. Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – St Georges Tuesday 18th May.
  4. Roof leaks to be monitored.

 Holy Trinity Warden’s Report

  1. White ants no activity.
  2. Wall cracks being monitored.

Holy Trinity Ladies’ Guild.

  1. Tuesday 6th September Barwo.
  2. Blume’s Fashion 8th September.

Mother’s Union Report.

  1. Attended Wodonga M.U. morning coffee.
  2. Quiet Day in May

St George’s Ladies’ Guild.

  1. Street Stall 18th July.

General Business

  1. Holy Trinity require more jars and lids
  2. “Movies at Numurkah” meeting Tuesday 24th to be attended.

          Meeting closed 9.30pm with the Grace.

 NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY 16th JUNE 2016. Numurkah.

 

Minutes confirmed ………………………………………

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