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Report of the English Martyrs' Parish Pastoral Council, April 2008
The PPC met on 1 April to discuss a varied agenda. We started by congratulating Jeff and all concerned on the success of the pantomime. Over 500 people came along and enjoyed it, and it has given the stage-struck among us a taste for more (see below)!
The Organ
A group of cantors and musicians has listened to two candidates for a replacement instrument and the Phoenix digital organ has been ordered. In addition to Andrew Dunsire’s very generous offer to cover the cost, one other person has contributed. If anyone else would like to help defray the cost it is not too late to speak to Fr Dominique about it.
Adult Formation
Two courses have been booked for the parish in June – Liturgy with Young People in Schools and Parishes (6 June) and Praying with Clay (28 June). More details will be available soon.
Repairs and refurbishment
We have obtained a grant from Yorventure for 60% of the original tender towards the provision of disabled toilets in the hall, and 50% of the cost of lining the drains to protect them from tree roots will be refunded by insurance. The question of simply removing the trees was discussed, but there are problems with this in that we are in a conservation area and many of the trees are the subject of preservation orders.
Your suggestions
Heating in church to be on longer during Mass: this has already been implemented.
A liturgy group: we were not sure what the person making the suggestion had in mind, over and above the monthly meetings of the musicians to plan hymns etc. Perhaps he/she could enlarge on the suggestion before the next PPC meeting in July?
The parish to be notified of deaths and funerals: This was agreed on and could be extended to births, baptisms and marriages (with permission). Good news as well as bad!
Provision of missalettes as before: As the Mass readings are now provided on the newsletter, it was felt that making available some copies of the Simple Prayer Book, or equivalent, with the Ordinary of the Mass would serve the purpose best.
Fairtrade sweets and chocolate to be sold at the piety stall: We will look into the feasibility of this. Will Second-hand Sid be returning to the Hall? That depends on whether enough stock is received by his agent, Fr Dominique. ‘You provide it – we sell it!’
Forthcoming events
Some interesting Masses are in the pipeline:
- a Healing Mass
- another Youth Mass
- and a traditional Sung Mass for Corpus Christi or one of the Feasts close to it.
Mary Simpson has written some excellent reflections on Genesis and Exodus with scope for dramatisation. These will be launched in the parish in the autumn – watch out for further information.
Finally, the acting bug has bitten hard and in addition to another pantomime next year, plans are afoot to produce a ‘proper’ (published) play. This will be more expensive than a home-grown pantomime so will not be a fund-raising venture, but will build on the enthusiasm and community spirit engendered by the pantomime.