PPC MINUTES
12 DECEMBER 2007 HOLY SPIRIT SOCIAL CENTRE
The meeting was opened with a prayer.
PRESENT
Fr Gregory Tobin(GT), Jim Harrington(JH)(Chair), Liz Bonner(LB)(Dep Chair),
Veronica Lawrence(VL), Peter Walsh(PeterW), Paul Lyons(PL), Phil Withers(PhilW),
Joyce Madden(JM), Mary Elliott-Smith(MES) Maura Roche(MR)(Secretary),
Anne Turner-Harrod(ATH), Marina Johnson(MJ)
1.APOLOGIES
Fr Peter Vellacott(PV), Ian Murray(IM), Cathy Clark(CC), Mary Crosby(MC),
Maria Simister(MS), Maria Gascoigne(MG), Brian Smith(BS),
2. MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 2007 MEETING
Accepted as a true record.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE NOVEMBER 2007 MINUTES
a) Parish Library
JH will liaise with VL about the best way forward with this. Action JH & VL
b) Traidcraft Sales
JH reported that the Parish Traidcraft Day on 25 November was an outstanding success.
MC hopes to start selling in January. GT offered to fund a storage cupboard similar to the ones already used in the upper room of the Social Centre if one is needed and suggested that the repository may be able to help fund the setting up of stock if required.
c) Youth Worker Progress
VL & LB reported they had an excellent meeting recently with Fr Joe Wheat. Further discussions about the possibility of other local parishes sharing our Youth Worker will take place at the forthcoming Deanery meeting on 31 January 2008. Fr Quentin at The Friary has agreed to join us and it’s hoped that other parishes will also come in.
d) Large print hymn books
There was little enthusiasm reported for projecting words of hymns onto screens or monitors.
It was decided to identify which parishioners are visually impaired. LB will discuss this with MC and will seek advice on good practice from the City Council Visual Impairment Team. Action LB
GT suggested we find a volunteer to produce enlarged print copies of hymns to be sung at weekend Masses. MJ offered to see if the position of the hymn number stand near the organ can be improved. Action MJ
4. PARISH FEEDBACK
Vicky Acklam has suggested having a book available at the back of church in which parishioners can record intentions, petitions, thanks etc and ask parishioners to pray for them. Discussions were held about various ways of doing this – put a book on the old wooden lectern, have a system of cards that are placed in a box, have a prayer board on which intentions are pinned, display photos of people needing our prayers or have a prayer tree where intentions are written on the "leaves." Discussion was also held about whether intentions should be brought up to the sanctuary at the offertory and whether or not they should be read out. LB will explore these ideas further with Vicky and all PPC members are asked to consider the best way forward on this. It will be placed on the January PPC agenda.
A.O.B.
a) VL informed the group of two initiatives
Hope 08 – an ecumenical movement that focuses on mission, prayer and community action.
"Churches together in West Bridgford" are promoting two projects under this title
(i)The Labyrinth – a symbolic journey to think about our relationship with God, each other and the universe.
(ii)The Essence Course – aiming to draw people into the Christian fold and featuring Christian spirituality.
GT suggested we offer some of our rich traditions as part of the Hope 08 movement and hopes we can share our "Stations of the Cross" in Lent. He also suggested looking at Pope Benedict’s recent encyclical.
Inter faith photographic exhibition – an initiative from the inter faith council youth project. GT offered to stage this exhibition in our Social Centre – timing yet to be decided.
b) Incense at Mass – VL reported that a parishioner seems to suffer an adverse reaction to incense. Concern was expressed and the use of incense was discussed but it was felt that its use should be continued as it is rooted in our tradition and promoted in our Parish Pastoral Plan.
c) JH reminded the group that there will be a full discussion about "Education" at the January meeting – as part of the ongoing PPP review process.
The meeting was closed with a prayer.
NEXT MEETING: 8pm Wednesday 9 January 2008 in the Social Centre