The trip to Lambeth Palace on May 16^th had been very enjoyable

Sacred Music: Elisabeth Everitt , Ian de Massini and the Vicar would hold a meeting to plan venues and material.

Church Finance: this was moved to Item 2 (Treasurers Reports)

The Parish Mission Statement had been completed by Alasdair Coles and was approved by the PCC. It would be sent to the Diocesan Office by the end of May.

The lists of Parish Working Groups and Stewardship had been updated and were given to the members of the PCC for reference.

The next Deanery Synod would be on June 14^th at Swaffham Prior Village Hall. Matthew Lavis, the Diocesan Secretary, would be speaking. PCC members were invited to attend, and perhaps to help with refreshments.

The Emmaus course was to be launched at Swaffham Bulbeck, but Swaffham Prior and Reach parishioners could also attend. A Working Group would be meeting at Swaffham Bulbeck Church on Tuesday 20^th June, with a view to starting in the Autumn.

The idea of a Millennium Scrapbook recording Parish life in 2000 was discussed briefly. There was general approval, but a volunteer co-ordinator is needed

2. Treasurers’ Reports

In Norah Smith’s absence the Vicar presented a summary of the Reach Accounts. There was £2,000 in the Deposit a/c and £2407 in the Current a/c. Some expenses and receipts from Cream Teas at the Fair had still to come.

Swaffham Prior

Receipts and Payments accounts were presented by the Treasurer, Michael Cazenove (copy enclosed).

The Treasurer insisted that security must be improved, following a recent theft. He proposed that a new safe be installed at a cost of £300. The keys to this safe should only be held by J.T. Norris and M. Cazenove. This was seconded by J.T. Norris and carried nem.con.

The Restoration Appeal had been launched, and money promised so far stands at £6000.

The whole process would be discussed after the Deanery Synod of June 14^th.

3. Social Working Groups’ Reports

Swaffham Prior:

The Millennium Sculpture Event in St Cyriac’s had raised £77.67 for the Church.

Future Events:

Fete (now to be called Church Garden Party) ,Village Hall, Saturday 24^th June. There would be some stalls.

Carl Rutti Concert Tuesday 18^th July

Marquee Event, Sunday 3^rd September

Gift Day, Saturday 9^th September

Art/Craft/Flower Festival, Saturday 23^rd/Sunday 24^th September

Grand Draw and Harvest Supper 7^th October. (Prizes needed)

Winter Quiz Saturday 18^th November

Advent by Candlelight, Sunday 3^rd December.

Reach

Next meeting of the Social Working Group: 8^th June

Barbecue at Spring Hall Farm, 1^st July

Harvest Supper Friday 29^th September

Gift Day & St Etheldreda’s Fair, Saturday 14^th October

The Recipe Book was still in progress. Thanks were extended to all who had helped at the Church events at Reach Fair. The Moveable Feast had been very successful.

Fabric Reports

Reach

The Draft Appeal leaflet was circulated . Total estimated cost would be £10,000.

Doreen Robinson reported that quotes were now coming in for jobs, after which the leaflet will be reprinted and distributed to every house in the village. The moving of the font would be the first job, followed by the re-modelling of the entrance lobby, to allow dignified entry of coffins and brides, and to create an entrance lobby, with notice board and hymn-book stacks; also a concealed sink-unit. Water would have to come from the road to the church, instead of from the Village Hall.

The garden is coming on well, and an “adopt a flowerbed” scheme has been introduced.

Swaffham Prior

John Norris reported that a weeping ash tree had been chopped down by the back gate of the churchyard, by the Tree Officer of E.C.D.C., with complete lack of consultation and they had not agreed to pollard the lime trees which were obscuring the clock face.

The installation of a light on the buttress of St Cyriac’s had been approved by the Churches’ Conservation Trust. The PCC would pay for the lamp bracket.

Henry Hardiment would be starting the lining of the vestry chimney on June 15^th. It would also be necessary to put a plastic (concealed) pipe from the roof to assist water egress from the north clerestory.

Patrick Hansberry had agreed to do the maintenance 6 monthly on the gutters of St. Mary’s as well as those of St Cyriac’s, which might obviate the need for re-plumbing the poor guttering lay-out.

Worship Working Group Report

The Vicar drew the attention of the PCC to the arrangements for the introduction of Common Worship. There was some discussion about which books to purchase. It was proposed by John Norris, seconded by Ros Woods that we should buy at a cost of £10 each, enough copies of the ‘Standard Edition’ which includes provision, amongst others, for Communion Services which are not BCP (‘Order One Traditional’ in place of ASB Rite B, and ‘Order One’ for Village Communion). 8 were in favour, 1 against. Parishioners were to be encouraged to buy personal copies and/or to donate one to the Church. The question of larger congregations (e.g. on 5^th Sundays @ 10.00 a.m.) and the need for the separate service books @ £1.65 each, was left unresolved. It was felt that BCP services would be likely to use existing BCP books, rather than the BCP provision which has been included in the new ‘Standard Edition’, though they could be so used.

It was lamented that some events in Lent, Holy Week and Easter had been very poorly attended. 2001 needs to be planned with this in mind, and ideas will be welcomed, in conjunction with Swaffham Bulbeck.

Date of next meeting: Monday 24^th July at Swaffham Prior Village Hall 7.30 p.m.