1 Constitution
At Linlithgow and within the Kirk Hall of St Michael's Parish Church on Tuesday 16th November 2010, which date and place Kirk Session of St Michael's Parish Church Linlithgow met and was constituted with prayer and a reading from Scripture - Colossians 1.
2 Sederunt and Apologies
As detailed on the attached sheets.
3 Minutes of previous meeting (19 October 2010)
The minute of the meeting of 19 October 2010 was agreed.
4 Matters arising
There were no matters arising from the Minutes.
5 Agreeing of other business to form item 10
Suzi Farrant would like to discuss Bubblegum & Fluff.
Suzi Farrant would like to discuss Visits to the YF.
6 Discussion of Pastoral Care in St Michael's - Sheila Rae
The Moderator welcomed Sheila to her first presentation to Kirk Session as Pastoral Care Team Leader. Sheila along with Derek Henderson showed a training DVD on Pastoral Visiting. Kirk Session sat in District Teams to discuss the following four questions:
What is Pastoral Care?
How do we deliver Pastoral Care at the moment?
What would we like to do in addition or differently?
How do we make it happen?
Feedback was taken from each table. It will be collated and discussed at the District Team Leaders meeting on Monday 29 November 2010. The Moderator thanked Sheila and Derek.
7 Team Reports
7.1 Fellowship Team - No report. A reminder that the Welcome Lunch is on Sunday 21 November at 12 noon. Christmas gifts will be uplifted on Tuesday 14 December to be given to housebound members.
7.2 Worship Team - Elma Birrell has recently taken over the role of Worship Team Leader. The impact of the projector and screen on the congregation was discussed at the recent meeting and Marshall Green has been asked to prepare a questionnaire to issue that will include a question on the height of the screen.
Jon Blundell will assist Tim Brown with the distribution of Easter cards.
Numbers at the Christingle service last year were lower but this could have been due to adverse weather and alternative services at St Ninian's. Amy Donaldson has stepped down from the co-ordinating of the arrangements of this service and Anne Bennie will take on this role.
Amy Donaldson has completed the next Sunday Reader's rota but would be withdrawing from that duty. Alison Murray has undertaken to compile to rota and will contact the readers on a weekly basis.
A visit to a church in Uphall went very well and a warm welcome was received. There was an impressive use of technology and the informal space provided for young children was very good.
Jon Blundell indicated that he would be unavailable on 5 June 2011 for the Fun Day. The Fun Day should be considered by the Education Team at the January meeting of Junior Church.
There will be a trial of a 3pm Sunday service in the Kirk Hall on the last Sunday of each month from 27 February 2011 until June 2011 when the Worship Team will review this. On those Sundays there would be no evening service. The quarterly communion service held at 3pm in the Kirk Hall will continue. Kirk Session agreed.
7.3 Business Team - The income and expenditure for ten months to October 2010 were issued and there were no questions.
Tom Chadwick spoke to his report. Ian Lambie has managed to reduce the increase to Ministries and Mission contribution to the central church by half.
A cheque for £750 was donated in the freewill offering bag in October; it was proposed the cheque be put in to the Fabric Fund. Kirk Session agreed.
Tim Brown advised the current total for the Bells Appeal is £6464.83; this is two thirds towards the target.
Retiring collections at both services on Remembrance Sunday, together with the freewill offering, amounted to over £2000. The Charities were not named at the early service on Remembrance Day but will be named at the services on Sunday 21 November 2010 and the congregation will be provided again with the opportunity to donate.
7.4 Education Team - No report.
7.5 Evangelism Team - No report. A meeting was held with the current team. Stephen Marshall will lead on all the local aspects of evangelism and Bob Ross will continue to be the press officer for St Michael's. There is a meeting this week for the Twinning Group.
7.6 Pastoral Care - No report.
7.7 Safeguarding - This will a standing agenda item. Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (PVG) was supposed to be implemented by the Scottish Government in November 2010; this has been postponed until at least February 2011.
Changes that will affect St Michael's - Pastoral Care visitors that visit vulnerable adults will need to be cleared. Details of what is needed will be available in February 2011.
Implementation of the Act in the first year will see forms completed for new people to be cleared. Over the first three years everyone with a Disclosure check will be transferred to the new scheme. The PVG scheme will now cover everyone, including those who were exempt from the previous Disclosure check as they were in post when it took effect. It will mean the end of having multiple Disclosure checks for every role you are involved in; it will be one form that covers everything.
The recruitment process in St Michael's will not change.
We have two adults that have been completed the Child Protection processes. Session were asked to approve Ashley Johnston and Elaine Inglis. Kirk Session agreed.
8 Report from Presbytery
Derek Henderson spoke to his report of the Meeting of Presbytery on 3 November 2010. The Presbytery Safeguarding Advisor, Alistair Marquis, gave a presentation on the implementation of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007.
St Michael's celebration of long service were reported.
St Michael's Annual Ministry Team Report was reported on favourably.
Presbytery are looking for nominations of someone between the ages of 18 and 25 to be the Presbytery Youth Representative at the 2011 General Assembly.
A DVD was shown, "More Than a Number". Addiewell Prison is looking for people willing to visit prisoners, many of whom receive no visits at all from family or friends.
9 Session Clerk's Report
New members that will be welcomed into the Church on Sunday 21 November following the Enquirer's classes are: Jane Van der Westhuizen, Helene Bailey, Colin Brown, Stephanie Johnston, Kay Davidson-Kay, Fiona Stacey, Catherine Smyth and Margaret Leitch.
A letter of resignation has been received from Ian Osborne in District Team 6.
Preparation of elements - help is still needed.
Serving of the communion elements - have received a couple of volunteers.
Enquirer's Conference poster has been received - the Church of Scotland Enquirer's Conference will be on the 4/5 February 2011 in Tuliallen.
Kirk Session Photo - the photo is now available priced at £8 for the small photo and £10 for the large one. Orders need to be in by the end of December and an order form is in the office to place your order. Gordon Young will prepare the order by the New Year.
District Team Leaders will meet on 29 November 2010 and Sheila Rae will attend. Roll keepers will hopefully also attend.
31/10/10 - Thanks were given to Gillian MacPherson, who produced the long service certificates for everyone. October was a very busy month and thanks were given to Sue Ratcliffe and her Duty team for all their efforts. Alison Millar was also thanked for all the teas and coffees the Fellowship Team has prepared throughout October. Thank you cards were received from both Ministers, Rev Dr Stewart Gillan and Rev John Paton, who received long service awards.
17/11/10 - Konevets Quartet are performing a concert at 7.30pm. The entry is free but there will be a retiring collection. David Eaglesham has taken over as the events co-ordinator and has invited the Russian Consul General and Wife to attend along with Provost Tom Kerr and his Wife.
The quarterly Communion retiring collection of £280 was sent to OMF Japan and confirmation has been received from them for the amount.
Stephen Marshall is the Team Leader of local Evangelism.
Anne Law and Jim Hogg are updating the Elders yearbook and a list of e-mail addresses will be left for each Elder to check they are correct and make any necessary changes to them.
Stewardship Campaign - invites have been sent to a small group of people to attend a meeting on 24 November. Anyone wishing to join the leadership team are very welcome. Stephen Blake has agreed to take on the leadership role in the Stewardship Campaign.
10 Any other items as agreed at item 5
Bubblegum & Fluff - Suzi Farrant advised that a notice had been in our intimation sheet on Sunday 14 November 2010. Primary 5 pupils from Lowport and Springfield Primary schools are coming to St Michael's on Thursday 25 November 2010 to learn about the real meaning of Christmas. Still need volunteers to help on the day, all materials are provided. A similar event will take place at Easter for Primary 6 pupils.
Visits to the YF - Suzi Farrant advised the YF have been listening to stories from the YF leaders about their faith journeys. YF have responded very well to these and would like to hear some of your faith stories and get to know you better. If you would like to visit YF let Suzi know, they are on every week of the year apart from Christmas and Easter.
The Moderator advised that the recent Enquirer's classes have just finished, the Ministers take the lead on these but he wanted to thank Derek Henderson for all his part in leading the sections Life and Work of St Michael's and Spiritual Growth.
The Moderator also advised the recent Marriage Preparation Classes are nearly completed and would like to thank Tom Brown for leading these.
Rev Thom Riddell is in India between 11 and 26 November 2010 and the Moderator wants us to keep him in our prayers.
11 Date of Next Meeting
Tuesday 21 December 2010
There being no further business Kirk Session closed with the saying together of the Grace.
|
