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 106747901 Page 1 of 5 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 106747901 Page 2 of 5 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 106747901 Page 3 of 5 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. 106747901 Page 4 of 5 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. 106747901 Page 5 of 5