The PCC met recently to discuss a number of routine matters including the perennial matter of shortage of money. We have been looking at ways of making economies in cleaning and printing, and have recently changed our energy supplier. The charges for use of the church hall have been reviewed. We are keen to pay our parish share to the deanery in full if at all possible, as if we do not do this the diocese will be looking to economize in the number of paid clergy serving the deanery. This has implications for our support of external charities for this year, and the congregation can expect to see suggestions put forward in anticipation of the annual church meeting in April.
Health and safety, and the protection of children and vulnerable adults, continues to occupy us, and we continue to receive advice and recommendations from the diocese on these matters. We are currently looking at the possibility of painting lines on the edges of the front steps to make it safer to enter the church, and at removing any avoidable hazards in the newly instituted Mary and Martha room. Avoiding possible misuse of Facebook and other social networking sites on the internet is also receiving attention.
Fr. John Hodgkinson has revised his account of the early history of the Ermine estate and the church, and this should be available as a booklet in the not too distant future, when funding is secured. Our church is to be included in the 50/50 project of the East Midlands region of the Royal Institute of British Architects. This will feature 50 of the most interesting architectural projects in the region in the past 50 years, but we are not sure yet what form it will take.