Reports

What's happened in the recent past in the life of the church

Worship Forum - meeting of 10th June
The discussion of our Sunday morning services continued. A trial of new times and styles of services will begin in January 2009 and the Worship Forum will be coordinating the planning of these changes over the coming months. The meeting drew up a list of broad questions to be asked and areas to investigate and members agreed to visit other local churches to see what works (or doesn't) there. There is to be a notice board in the narthex dedicated to these changes, which will include updates from the Worship Forum and a list of people to contact if you have any questions. There will also be a suggestion box for queries and ideas.______Rachel Stephenson

News and useful information from the Church Council meeting in May 2008

We have four new members: Lizzie Freear, Tom Swinson, Rachel Stephenson and Chris Sparks.
An appeal was made to revisit the vote on the breeze blocks - it will come up again at next April's AGM.
The sound system is now over 30 years old. We are to find out the cost of upgrading it.
The Worship Forum is to look at the times and styles of our Sunday services. As many people as possible will be consulted about this.
The Church Council Away Day was found to be very helpful by all who attended. It gave time to listen to each other and consider God's call to us for the future ministry of the church.
A new venture has become possible for children's work. An anonymous member of the congregation has donated money to finance a children's worker to begin a weekly after school club for 7 - 11 year olds in Badger Hill School. Any interested volunteers are welcome to join in, but please have a word with Nancy.

Greetings from Africa – News from Yuka in Nigeria
The repeated bloody violence in various places of this region has caused great anxiety and mistrust amongst the peoples of the Book who used to live peacefully with each other.
I have seen many people voluntarily committed to peace work here in order to maintain the co-existence of Muslims and Christians. Corruption is one of the biggest challenges especially for African politics, and I suspect religion could be the key for the solution.
The weather here is humid and hot. It is just like summer in Japan and thus I am adjusting quite well. Though light and water supply is not very stable here, as people are always patient and joyful in the Lord, I think developed countries have left something important behind.
I am hoping that God will guide me very well to make something useful for these people and the children.
Hope everyone is well and full of love for each other. In the name of the Lord, Yuka

Annual Meeting 30th April

A goodly number of people (29) attended the meeting which had good news and bad news.

The good news was contained in the annual reports which gave encouraging accounts of work by our church with children (both in church, schools and the uniformed organisations), in the institutions in our parish, in the growth of interest in prayer and Bible study and in the care of one another and our enjoyment of fellowship. Very much good work has also gone into our building and into the preparations for our 2008 celebrations. The cake was up to its usual high standard - thanks to the excellent baking of our social committee. Thanks are due to the many church members who give generously of time and energy. Seven people were elected onto the Church Council. BobCatley was re-elected as Church Steward and Harry Telfer and Bob Cummings as Churchwardens.

The bad news came firstly in the finance. We are getting very badly adrift spending around £8000 more than we gained in 2007. A large part of this is due to the lack of bonfire income, but a more worrying trend is the drop in direct giving. The legacy money (which can only be spent on work in our church) has kept us afloat but it will only be a matter of months before we shall not be able to pay our assessment. Church members were urged to review their giving - significantly if possible.

The other bad news came from the wider church. Clergy numbers continue to fall, making it ever more difficult for other chuches in the Diocese and Circuit. Finance is again at the root of much of this, but also the number of available ministers in the Methodist Church is falling. Both the superintendent Rev Keith Himsworth and Canon Ian Fox from the Archdeaconry Pastoral Committee gave us very sobering statistics from both denominations.

The result of the vote on the breeze blocks is that they will not be plastered and painted.

News and Useful Information from the Church Council in March

The Diocese has indicated that it has no objection to the breeze block walls in the church being plastered and painted. The Church Council is to make a decision on this at the next meeting.
The organ is in need of considerable repair costing in excess of £11,000. The debate is open. There is the possibility of making things electronic.
Dorothy Scott has information about how we can make the entrance to the church easier for wheelchairs and how we can make the side chapel accessible.
2008 celebration preparations are coming on well.
There is to be a working party set up to consider our service times and to see if we can make better use of them by shifting things slightly.
The Annual General Meeting is on 30th April. We shall need to elect a new Steward (Kate Harper is standing down), 3 Deanery Reps as well as 5 members for the Church Council, and also 2 new student reps.

Pancake Party - Shrove Tuesday 5th February
A good number of people thoroughly enjoyed themselves at the pancake party on Shrove Tuesday. After bingeing on traditional fare and without being shriven, those present took part in a Beetle Drive to finish off the festivities. Evidence of their enjoyment is presented in the following pictures. Click on each one to see the enlargement.

News and Useful Information from the Church Council meeting on 23rd January 2008
1. Nancy and Rory have had meetings in the University to explore further the role of the Church as the extension of Heslington East gets underway.
2. The Financial Statements of the Church show that we were running at a considerable loss last year. Although the money raised at the Gift Day helped a lot, we would still have run at a loss without it! The situation will be worse in 2008 as the Diocesan Assessment has risen again and the tax situation is different. We will only be able to claim back 25% instead of 28%. Congregation members need to be aware of the worsening situation.
3. The organ is again in need of mending. The recent estimate for the work was £11,393 plus VAT. It is still playable as bits get moved around inside the organ to help but it will give out someday.
4. The legacy money is to finance new heaters to replace the useless ones in the church; the workmen are coming 29th January. Some money is left over. Nancy is to find out if it is possible to plaster the breeze-blocks in the church (as this was a popular choice by the congregation).
5. The legacy from Cliff Hopwood is to finance a seat in the churchyard positioned on the west side of the church, looking out towards Heslington Hall and also pew runners to improve the warmth and comfort of the pews.
6. There will be a large edition of Outlook in April (funded by advertising) to publicise all the 2008 events.

News from the Vice Chancellor's visit to the Church Council on 21st November 2007
The Vice-Chancellor gave a presentation of his vision for the University. He included the following points:

Car parking at the University will be at each of the three entrance roads (Grimston Bar, Siwards Howe, Heslington Lane) so that there will be minimal University traffic across the site.
Drainage will be strictly monitored and should be helped by the creation of a new lake.
The first college will be occupied October 2009.
The number of staff will rise to about 4,000.
The eventual number of students will be 15,500.
Accommodation for all extra full time students will be on the campus.
There will be an increase in diversity of students which will mean more will be part-time.
The University is very interested in working with the Church (to be at the centre of the extended University) to provide for the spiritual well-being of students.