St Js Group Reports
Reports from the St Js Group
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Christmas 2022
Despite Royal Mail’s failure to deliver, the carol service was a great success. We were all kept on our toes by Matthew throughout the service. So if you missed it, be sure to put it in your diary for this year!
The Midnight and Christmas Day services were well attended as usual. Many thanks to Rich Miles for leading the Midnight service.
Little Ones, Little Lights, Toy Library
These amazingly successful projects are still going strong year after year.
Due to Sarah’s other commitments the Little Treasurers & Toy Library will now be combined onto one project held in the church on a Monday.
Little Lights continues on a Friday in the church.
After School Club
With the start of the new school year it was good that we could offer this wonderful opportunity to the community.
Due to Sarah’s other commitments this outreach project has had to come to an end.
Gas and Electricity prices
With the sky high energy costs we have had to make some difficult decisions. One of these was to move Little Lights/Ones from the Church to the Church Hall.
Sermon Series 2023: The Body
The new sermon series is now well under way. The booklets Matthew and Rob Doble have put together are a superb guide through the year. Many thanks to you both.
The Sunday Supplement
This has now come to an end after nearly two and a half years. We wish to thank Matthew for all his hard work putting this together, initially each week, but latterly each month. Also we would like to give our thanks to all the contributors over this time.
Fun Times
Thanks go to Rob Bubyer and his team of volunteers for all the hard work in organising the Fun Times for children and parents/carers. There were three in the summer holidays and one in both the October and February half terms. These attracted a substantial number of families and childminders and are much appreciated by the village community.
Health & Safety
An asbestos inspection has been done in the Church Hall. The only place that asbestos was found was in the shelf lining of some cupboards in the kitchen and this has all now been professionally removed.
The Fire Safety inspection has been carried out and the Fire Safety Report has been updated.
Following this the installation of Emergency lighting has now been completed throughout the Church and Hall.
Many thanks Rob Bubyer for organising and overseeing this.
Foxcote with Shoscombe
The parish Foxcote with Shoscombe is now a part of this benefice and as such we have entered into a hard federation arrangement with them. This means the Church Wardens at St John's are now also Church Wardens for Foxcote with Shoscombe.
Due to the constantly rising cost of heating, Shoscombe school is unable at present so continue hosting Sunday services. This means Sunday worship will continue at Foxcote for the foreseeable future. The heating bills are being monitored and action will be taken where necessary to keep the bills as low as possible.
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There have been three PCC meetings during 2022. One was held in the Hive and included a tour of the building. The main topics of discussion were:
• Moving from a soft to a hard federation with Foxcote with Shoscombe. This went live on 1 January 2022
• Finances including approval of the budget for 2023 and a review of rising gas and electricity prices.
• Planning for the Platinum Jubilee service and celebrations
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MINUTES OF THE VESTRY MEETING HELD AT ST JOHN’S CHURCH ON SUNDAY 3rd April 2022 DURING THE 4.30PM SOUL FOOD SERVICE
1. Appointment of the Clerk to the Meeting
Jo Vening was appointed as Clerk to the Vestry Meeting and the APCM
2. Minutes of last year’s meeting
The minutes of last year’s meeting were agreed and signed.
3. Nominations and elections of Parish Wardens for 2022/23
Matthew expressed his thanks to Joy Fraser, who has completed five years and Nigel Vening, who has completed his second year for their hard work over the past year. It is not an easy job as they are Matthew’s critical friends and are responsible to the bishop. They do a lot of work behind the scenes.
Joy Fraser is nominated by Mary Warren and seconded by Kathy Pope. Nigel Vening has been nominated by Sue Smith and seconded by Denise Burrows.
Joy and Nigel were elected unanimously as Church Wardens.
4. Date of Next Meeting – Sunday, 26 March 2023
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MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING HELD AT ST JOHN’S CHURCH ON SUNDAY 3rd APRIL 2022 DURING THE 4.30PM SOUL FOOD SERVICE
1. Members of the PCC present were: Matthew Street (Chair), Joy Fraser, Nigel Vening, Jane Street, Jo Vening, Heather Morgan, Sally Cummings and Ed Pope. Apologies were received from Catherine Aherne.
2. Minutes of last year’s meeting
The minutes of last year’s meeting were agreed and signed.
3. The Finance Report & Approval of Accounts including Questions
Matthew thanked Andy for his work as Treasurer and Claire Carr for all her work as Bookkeeper. He also thanked Dick Beath for his work as Auditor. The accounts have been presented to the PCC and approved at their meeting on Thursday, 3 March 2022. There were no questions.
Sally Cummings proposed that we accept the accounts and this was seconded by Mary Warren. They were approved unanimously.
4. Questions about other Reports
A newspaper has been produced which contains all the reports for StJ’s and on the front cover are people’s highlights of 2021. Rob Doble has put it all together and thanks were expressed to him. There were no questions.
5. Elections for Five Representatives to the PCC
For a 3 Year Term serving until 2025:
We have a PCC of nine members seven of whom are remaining: Mary Warren, Ed Pope, Sally Cummings Sarah Bubyer, Ben Attenborough, Ed Pope, and Catherine Aherne. One is due for re-election: Andy Fraser, who has served his three year term. The other is Anna Mayo, who left last year to start Vicar training at Trinity Bristol. Matthew thanked all the PCC members for all that they have done over the last year.
We have therefore two spaces to fill:
Margaret Coles is standing: Proposed by Jane Street and Seconded by Sally Cummings
Bob Goode is standing: Proposed by Sally Cummings and Seconded by Jane Street
Margaret and Bob are duly elected to the PCC for a three year term until 2025.
6. Date of Next Meeting – Sunday, 26 March 2023 (5th Sunday of Lent)
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In 2022 we once again had the privilege of coming alongside many individuals and families at significant moments in their life. Specifically, across the St Js Group we have taken:
• 13 dedications or services of thanksgiving for the birth of a child
• 0 baptisms or renewal of vows by full immersion
• 3 weddings
1 wedding blessing
1 renewal of marriage vows
• 8 Funerals
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I hereby certify that the number of names entered upon the church electoral roll of the St. J’s Group parish, as revised in preparation for the Annual Parochial Church Meeting held in the year 2023, was: 85
Rob Bubyer
Church Electoral Roll Officer
11/03/2023