LIVERPOOL ROAD METHODIST CHURCH, BIRKDALE
Minutes Church Council Meeting
Held on 26 February 2015
Present, The Rev P Evans (Chair), Mr M A Huddleston (Secretary), Mrs P Christopher, Mrs
M Wright, Mrs K Huddleston, Mr D McCrea, Mr K Revill, Dr A Trimble, Mrs P Alexander,
Mr J Lloyd, Mrs H Revill, Mrs D Iddon, Mr P Oldham, Mr Stan Hagan, Mrs Marjorie
Robinson, Mr J Cass, Mrs G Scott-Taggert, Dr B Barrass, Dr C Broadhurst, Mrs L Cass, Mr
David Taberner, Mrs J Farnorth(visitor)
1. Opening Devotions
The Rev Patrick Evans led our opening devotions with the reading of Psalm 118 followed by a
prayer
2. Ministers Comments
The Minister welcomed everyone to the meeting.
He announced the death of Audrey Molyneux. In the light of this and Tim's sudden death he
read a poem by the Northumbria Community - Walking with grief.
He said that despite Tim's death the work of the church had to go on and he looked forward
with enthusiasm to carry on Tim's work, which is what Tim would have wanted.
At this point Stan Hagan thanked Patrick for the manner in which he had dealt with running
the church at this difficult time. A view echoed by the meeting.
3. Apologies, Mr C Fyles Mrs L Capper, Mrs A Lindsay, Mr G France, Mrs J Wilcox, Mrs
J Murray, Mrs L Halsall, Mrs J Upton, Mr M Taylor, Dr R Patel
4. Ecumenical Questions
 How will what we discuss affect other churches in our neighbourhood?
 What information or requests have we received from them?
 What can we learn from them about the items on our agenda?
In conscience, what can’t we do with them
5. Minutes of the Meetings held on 14 October 2014
The minutes were signed as a true record
6. Matters Arising
Action points from last minutes.
8(b) Weekly Notices and the Link - Action taken by Eric Greaves and Pam Christopher
8(f) Possibility of adding e-mail addresses to membership database - work in progress Action Rev Evans/Linda Halsall
11(c) Removal of some names from membership list - work in progress- Action Rev
Evans/Linda Halsall
11(d) Method of distributing charitable donations - work in progress - paper to be prepared
ready for next Church Council meeting. See Treasurers report below.
11(e) Gift Aid report to be included in weekly news letter - Action taken
11(g) Disposal of surplus Hymns and Psalms books - No takers for books, Andy Trimble to
arrange for recycling - Action Andy Trimble
11(g) Minutes of Worship Consultation to be posted on Church Website - Not on website Action - Secretary/Webmaster Mrs J Upton
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7. Items of any other business for discussion in the meeting – Appeal from Water Aid
8. Correspondence - letter from DesMcCrea tendering his resignation as Treasurer from 31
August 2015. Rev Evans reluctantly accepted the resignation and thanked Des for all the work
he had done in two periods as Treasurer.
He then made an appeal for a replacement.
9 Membership of Representatives for Circuit Meeting
The meeting approved the recommendation that Dr Caroline Broadhurst replace Pamela
Christopher as one of Liverpool Road's representatives to the Circuit meeting
10. Evangelism at Liverpool Road.
Caroline Broadhurst praised the Salvation Army Concert last November both as a fund raiser
and as a means of Evangelism.
Andy Trimble raised the issue of Consultation on Evangelism. Rev Evans said he would touch
on this later in the meeting. (Raised in discussion on way forward for the Church (12f)
11. Safeguarding
Doreen Iddon - Safeguarding Officer - raised two points
a) Following an issue on safety at the last meeting she had found replacements for drawing
pins, namely sticky dots and a magic spray. These were available from her.
b) She raised the issue of ongoing training in Safeguarding and asked members to let her
know of anyone, particularly new to post, who required training. The course on 16 March had
been cancelled
12. Reports
a) Stewards
A written report had been circulated prior to the meeting. There was nothing further to add.
b) Youth and Junior Church
Nothing to report
c) Pastoral Visitors
A written report had been circulated prior to the meeting. There was nothing further to add.
d) Gift Aid
Nothing to report
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e)Treasurer
Des McCrea had issued a written report prior to the meeting. Des gave an update on the
reserve fund.
Rev Evans gave an outline from the Methodist CPD on the priorities for the allocation and
spending of church funds.
He also reported that some specific gifts to fund a PAIS worker at Liverpool Road would end
at the end of the current Financial year.
Molly Wright asked if the £4,500 raised for kitchen equipment was still in the funds as it did
not appear specifically in the accounts. Des said that he was sure it was, but that he would
check and come back to her. Action Des McCrea
On the issue of Charitable giving, it was noted that Des and Stan Hagan did not wish to be
involved in future discussions on Charitable giving. The meeting agreed that a small team
would present a paper giving proposals for donations for the next meeting, and the issue
would be made an agenda item. - Action -Team of Caroline Broadhurst, Brian Barrass,
John Cass, and Helen Revill - Agenda item - secretary
f) Property
A written report had been circulated prior to the meeting.
The Monday morning team were thanked for all of their hard work.
Jim Lloyd made a request for church council to give retrospective approval for the installation
of an additional door to the proposed new kitchen area and also authority to spend on future
work in the same area.
Rev Evans asked that the Property Committee provide a written paper giving full
specifications, and costings of future work for approval of the Church Council before any
major spending.
Doreen Iddon asked if the Environmental Health had been consulted regarding our proposed
Kitchen development. Rev Evans said that the matter had been discussed at the last Property
Committee meeting.
Rev Evans supported fund raising for any specific or general items of property.
The following options for the way forward for the Church were submitted by the Property
Committee:1. Invest in existing buildings to bring them up to a standard suitable for the longer term.
Explore the costs which would be involved. We might need to employ a consultancy firm to do
this.
2. Continue discussions and plans with developer(s)
3. Consider pro-actively seeking building solutions with other churches.
After some discussion, in which Rev Evans stated that any solution would have to based on
compromise, it was agreed that a working group comprising [a team drawn from] the
Property Committee and Leadership team be set up to investigate the 3 options and to include
mission/evangelism.
Action - Property Committee and Church Stewards
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g) FACETS
A written report had been circulated prior to the meeting.
Kate Huddleston FACETS Co-ordinator thanked Jim Lloyd for his efforts to keep disruption
to a minimum for FACETS during the recent work on the property.
h) Worship Consultation
A written report, in the form of the minutes of the last Worship Consultation meeting, had
been circulated prior to the meeting.
i) Circuit Steward
A written report had been circulated prior to the meeting.
Rev Evans appealed for a member of Liverpool Road to become a Circuit Steward.
Rev Evans also explained the anticipated role of the new Circuit Superintendent.
13. Any Other Business
a) Projector - Andy Trimble requested funding of about £300 for a new projector, the previous
one being beyond economical repair. Rev Evans reported that he had received a donation of
£250 towards a new projector and an additional £50 from Church funds was agreed.
b) The Circuit Treasurer had asked if we were prepared to have MHA envelopes in the church
for donations.
It was agreed that as funds for MHA were raised through other means, such as our support of
Connell Court coffee mornings etc we would decline to have envelopes. - Action - Caroline
Broadhurst to advise Circuit Treasurer
c) Link Magazine - Mike Huddleston informed the meeting that he and John Gaffney had
agreed to take over the preparation, editing and printing of the Magazine. Mike would collate
articles and John would edit and print it.
Bryan Barrass proposed that the Council send a letter of thanks to Eric for all the work he has
done over the years in producing the Link. This was agreed. Action - Secretary
d) General Church Meeting - The Secretary informed the meeting that the General Church
Meeting would be held on Sunday 31 May after the morning service but preceded by a faith
lunch, organised by the Stewards. Mike reminded members that the reports for the meeting
covered the 12 months ending 31 August 2014, but that events over the ensuing 8 months
could be added.
e) Water Aid Appeal - this was referred to the group discussing charitable giving
f)Rev Evans raised the issue of extended communion. The Council approved Elizabeth
Howarth to carry out extended communion. Cynthia May, who had been involved in the
Ministry of extended Communion at Circuit level, has agreed to explore the issue with those
who had expressed an interest.
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g) Jim Lloyd asked if the Circuit were making a Financial Contribution for the use of the
Circuit Office at Liverpool Road. John Cass confirmed that as far as he was aware Circuit
only contributed to the telephone charges. Rev Evans said that he would check the overall
costing position. Action - Rev Evans
h) Jim Lloyd asked if the minutes of the Property Committee should be signed off by the
Church Council. Both Rev Evans and John Cass did not think this was necessary, but
undertook to investigate and advise the next meeting. Action - John Cass
14. Ecumenical Questions
At the close of the meeting:
 What information should we pass to the other churches in our neighbourhood?
 What help do we need from them?
 What have we planned that we should do together, or could do better together?
We are planned to do joint Easter services with Ainsdale and St Philip and St Pauls with
Wesley.
Other churches will be considered in our discussions on the Way Forward for our property
15. Date of Next Church Council Meeting – Monday 15 June 2015 at 7.30 pm in the
church
16. Closing Devotions – The meeting closed with a prayer from the Methodist prayer hand
book.
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