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The Congregational Board met in
the Church hall at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday 12th. June, 2002. A number
of members were unable to attend because this was the evening of the
W.R.I. dinner, and Eric was entertaining visitors from the south.
However we had plenty folk to look after the business of the Board:
Marion Anderson, Neil Black, Karen Campbell, Bill Craig, Retta
Deerin, Gill Dunbar, Mary Haggarty, Jim Kelly, Jamie MacTavish, Dane
Sherrard, Dorothy Stewart and Tom Stewart. There was a special
welcome for Neil who was attending his first meeting of the Board.
The meeting was begun with Bible
reading and prayer and then Dorothy read the minutes of our previous
meeting which were approved by everyone present. It was agreed that
the subcommittee of Karen, Jimmy and Retta - considering where to
count the Sunday Offering - would report back at our next meeting.
And so to our finance report, made
by Karen and containing good news for us all. Basically our offerings
this year are up on last years offerings for the same period by just
over £1,500 and we are up on our budgeted income for the year to
date by just over £600. As our expenditure is also within budget
there is much to celebrate - or more properly there is much for which
to thank our congregation - and that is what we resolved to do!
Before leaving Finance we did
discuss the provision of electricity to the Church. The Church of
Scotland has negotiated a new contract for congregations which should
result in lower prices. Karen and Jimmy will take steps to sign us up
for this new deal, ensuring that we have the appropriate meters, and
Eric will continue to work to sort out the earlier contract which led
to us receiving bills which bore little resemblance to the indicative
quotation which was given to us when we were being encouraged to sign
up. We also discussed our financial requirements for the on going
work of restoration. Jimmy confirmed that the work which we were
doing was within budget, but that a further £2,000 would be
required to augment the work on the tower which would be largely
covered by insurance. It was agreed that this £2,000 would come
from the Fabric Fund. Karen reminded us that no more than £10,000
could come from Church funds for the restoration work at this time
but Jimmy assured us that he had everything under control. Neil also
reminded us that the sponsored 'Island Scramble' planned for this
weekend should bring in a significant sum of money; and Karen
indicated that we would also be seeking to reclaim part of the VAT
paid on the installation and repair of windows during the last year.
With the assistance of both of these we should have sufficient funds
to meet all of our refurbishment needs.
Jimmy's property report contained
news of all that was being achieved in the on-going restoration of
our building. The reharling of the Church is almost complete - two
small panels at the front will have to wait for the scaffolding which
will be erected to repair the finials. This will be completed before
the celebrations for the anniversary of the reopening of the Church
in early October. The small room opposite the Vestry has now been
refurbished as has the door in the tower; new mullions will be fitted
tomorrow in the windows which require them; white down-pipes will
also be installed in the next few days. A cover has been manufactured
for the music desk and, thanks to the generosity of George Chappel, a
heater has been fitted above the internal front door. Again there is
so much to celebrate and thanks were offered both to Jimmy and to all
those who had come to take part in the work - the volunteers have
made it possible for us to contemplate the whole work being completed
this summer.
There will, of course, be two
tasks which will remain: the internal window above the front door
which, it has always been intended, would be the final thing to be
tackled - the idea being that this be a commemorative etched window
recording the work of the restoration programme; and the window
immediately to the right as one enters the Church. It is planned that
this eventually be a stained-glass window but at present we do not
have money to commission such a window; the gentleman who had
contemplated making a gift of a such a window having died. We believe
that it will cost around £7,000 for a new window and we shall
have to wait for funds to be raised or for someone who would like to
make us a gift of a window. In the meantime Jimmy had intended just
to replace the window with perspex but there was a view that, as we
might have to wait quite a while until we could commission a new
window, that we should make this window similar to the two central
clear windows. This would cost an additional £500. If funds are
available once the other works have been completed it was suggested
that this is what we ought to do.
The Housekeeping report was given
by Retta. We now have a new table which can remain at the back of the
Church to be used for serving tea and coffee. Soon we shall
investigate getting pew cushions for the Church, the appearance of so
many 'odd' cushions suggests that this would be something which
members would really appreciate. The halls continue to be well used
and will be made available for a Children's Play Scheme for the week
of the 15th. July each day from 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Charges for
weddings were also discussed and it was agreed that an all inclusive
fee of £300 for those from outwith the area who are not members
of Arrochar Church was appropriate. It remains the case that there is
no fee for those from within the parish nor for those who are members
of the Church who live out with the parish. This fee will cover the
cost of heating, lighting, cleaning, the work of the Organist and the
Church Officer and will make a contribution towards the upkeep of the
Church. There is, of course, no charge for the services of the minister.
Retta also introduced a new
welcome leaflet which had been produced in the name of the Church but
which also includes a whole range of useful information about medical
services, transport, schools and recreational facilities as well as
the times of services in our own Church and at the Roman Catholic,
Baptist and Scottish Episcopal Churches. Telephone numbers of elected
representatives are also included. Everyone thought it an excellent
leaflet and thanked Retta for her work in producing it. It is already
being issued to folk who arrive in the village.
The Fund Raising report was given
by Gill. So far £1,233 .86 has been raised. This is very
slightly down on our target so the committee have arranged a special
event for Thursday 29th. August when there will be a three hour
evening sail on Loch Lomond for eighty folk with music provided by
Mark Carmichael and his band. It was suggested that tickets might be
£7 .50. Thanks to the generosity of both Cruise Loch Lomond and
Mark this event should raise a lot of money for us and be a wonderful
evening out as well!
There was no stewardship report at
this meeting but it is planned to have a stewardship drive to
coincide with the completion of the refurbishment programme.
Under other business Tom raised
concerns about the fact that the keep fit class met so soon after the
end of Sunday worship and made use of the Chancel on which to
exercise. We discussed this for quite a while. A number of folk
expressed a bit of unease about the fact that Church ended and then
folk moved in to take part in exercising but as we thought it through
we realised that Keep Fit was a good thing and we would have no
problem if it were on a weekday; nor would we have a problem if the
Keep Fit group met in the hall. It was just the Chancel immediately
following the service. But then we reminded ourselves that we had
deliberately restored our Church in such a way as to enable it to be
used in different ways by different people and that the group met at
this time because there was no other time when they could get
together. We also understood that some of our folk were unhappy at
seeing folk waiting to come into the Church as they left for an
exercise session. It was agreed that as our service ended at 11.30
a.m. and that most people left the Church after tea and coffee
shortly after 12 noon, we should ask the Keep Fit folk if they would
not start before around 12.30 p.m. - and maybe we can keep everyone
both fit and happy!
Our future meetings already agreed
are on Wednesday 11th. September and Wednesday 11th. December. This
was a happy meeting and it came to an end in prayer at 8.55 p.m. |