THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARGARET’S ILKLEY
Minutes of the Meeting of the Parochial Church Council of St. Margaret’s, Ilkley, held on Tuesday 20th April 2021 by ‘Zoom’.
Helen Pilling in the Chair. Meeting immediately followed the Annual Parish Church Meeting. It began in prayer.
- Present: C Beaumont, R Beeson, H Buswell, C Cheater, C Gibson, B Harrison, G Hartley, J McGhee, H Pilling, C Ramage, D Shaw, R Smeaton, J Smith, V Smith, A Stretton, M Still, P Tooke, T Warnes, B Whittaker, S Williams, T Williams
Apologies: None had been received.
2. Minutes of the last meeting: Approved by all who had been present.
3. Matters arising: There were none.
4. Code of Conduct
Helen Pilling had circulated a draft Code of Conduct for PCC members prior to the meeting. There was a discussion as to whether this should be formally adopted or whether it should be a guidance document. As not all PCC members were present the Code of Conduct will be considered in the next PCC meeting.
Alison Stretton said that the Wardens had been discussing whether we should resume face-to-face meetings (with the option for Zoom attendance for those who preferred it). As a business meeting, it would be permissible under Covid restrictions. This will be reviewed in line with Government guidance.
5. Co-options
John McGhee has served three years on the PCC and as Treasurer, and has acted as Hall Manager and Head of the Church Facilities Committee in recent months. He is prepared to continue in these roles for the time being, but is hoping that a volunteer will soon be found to take on the newly combined role of Head of Church Facilities & Hall Committee.
6. Confirmation of Treasurer
John McGhee was unanimously elected.
7. PCC Secretary
Bethany Harrison had volunteered to take on this role (with assistance from Catherine Gibson when required). Bethany was unanimously elected.
8. PCC Committees
Chair of Finance Committee: John McGhee was unanimously re-elected.
Chair of Church Facilities and Hall Committee: No volunteer came forward at the meeting, John McGhee is covering at the moment, but the Standing Committee will need to take this matter forward.
9. Head Sidesman
Janet Kish is willing to continue in this role, and was unanimously elected.
10. ‘Fit & Proper Persons’ Declaration Forms
The new PCC Members will need to complete these if they have not already done so. Naturally, some of the handover of documents between Catherine Webster (as former PCC Secretary) and Bethany Harrison has yet to take place.
11. Safeguarding
Catherine Beaumont proposed the adoption of the Church of England’s Document, Promoting a Safer Church, as our policy. Agreed unanimously.
12. Family Service
In order to re-start Family Services in Church, it would be necessary to revert to the original Sunday morning service-times of 9.15 and 10.45 for the Family Service and High Mass respectively. One hazard of this would be ‘Zoom Coffee’, currently held at 11.30am; the change in service times would push the start of ‘Zoom Coffee’ too late to be practicable. Most of those currently attending the online event had already been to church in any case, so it had become less necessary in maintaining the social aspect of our community life. Steve Betts, who had been acting as ‘host’ from its inception, was intending to give up or hand on this role from mid-May. There was some discussion about the value of ‘Zoom Coffee’: it had given rise to some interesting theological and philosophical conversations, but it was felt that the contributions of Steve and Fr Nicholas Settersfield had been crucial. Would there be some value in holding these meetings at a different time during the week?
The proposed re-starting of Family Services and change in service-times was carried with one abstention. The start-date was left to the Wardens to decide, and has subsequently been set at 9th May.
13. Wardens’ Items
Review of procedures following re-opening of church: It was proposed that we should now discontinue the use of paper sachets for the administration of the sacrament. This was carried unanimously.
Rhyme Time and Choir update: ‘Rhyme Time’ (a Covid-safe reduction of ‘Playtime’) has already begun on Friday mornings. Catherine Cheater reported on plans for the resumption of Cant & Dec and SMS rehearsals on Friday evenings. As from 12th April, government regulations have permitted out-of-school activities including singing indoors. The rehearsals would take place in church, with doors and windows open. For the time-being, the children would not sing during Sunday services. Catherine Cheater thanked Judith Smith and Gerry Whittington for holding SMS together with regular Friday social sessions by Zoom. The proposal for the resumption of Friday rehearsals was carried unanimously.
Delegation of authority to Standing Committee for further changes: No changes were currently in the pipeline, but the PCC were very happy with the proposal.
14. Deanery Synod Report
Gwyneth Hartley reported on the latest meeting, at which delegates divided into groups to discuss topics for future sessions.
15. AOB: There being no other business, the meeting closed with the Grace at 10pm.