Recent Minutes of The Friends Committee
Friends of St Mary’s Meeting
Thursday October 24th 2024
Attendees: Nick, Philip, Tonia, Rosie, Ann, Eric, Geoff, Corinna, Nicola, Steve
Apologies: Glenn, S.
1. Church Plan
Nick summarized the church Plan. This is a document outlining where we as a group want to go and our strategic aims. It can be summed up in a short 3 page version. The idea is that all sites become self sufficient in terms of the costs of running a church. The liability of the building is the responsibility of the CCT. So what is our plan?
NW will put together the 3 page plan and we can all contribute our ideas.
In order to be self sufficient we would need to raise about £1,500-2,000 a year.
There are many places to get funding from.
Tonia pointed out that we could try to attract more people to hire the church for their own events as “This is my Theatre” do. For weddings, in particular. We could maybe make a poster advertising that the church is available to hire, with details and links to CCT
We could contact groups like the British Pilgrimage trust to visit our church. https://www.britishpilgrimage.org/
Also Ride and Stride have not visited our church for a few years, we should look into doing it next year. https://www.kentrideandstride.co.uk/
During the meeting we did decide that we could, as part of our church plan, contribute £500 from our funds to the CCT every year.
2. New Priest-in-Charge was inaugurated at Wouldham church. Her name is Revd Nicky Rawlins. (replacement for Mike Hayes)
They are allowed to do 6 public services a year in a CCT church.
PB will meet her in his role as governor at Wouldham School. He will talk to her about St Mary’s and the friends and add her to the email group. (if she is happy with that.)
3. Website
PB has nearly completed the website. With a few adjustments needed. RJ did not want private phone numbers on there. NW suggested we use the CCT contact details. PB would like more photos if anyone has any they can email them to him. We can add interesting stories especially once we get started on the various projects. NW will share the pdf file of the walk round leaflet we have in the church, and we can add this to the website.
4. Church structural issues
There is architectural wear along the W side with totally worn out masonry. NW has been monitoring falling masonry. John Bayley the surveyor has quoted at least £80,000 to fix the problems. This could be a project that the church community could get behind, in terms of fundraising, holding events, etc. We decided that we would like to go ahead with this.
We could link this project to creating access to the Tower, we’ll have scaffolding up so we might as well make the most of it.
5. AOB
Pathway from the gate to the church door. We felt that this would help people approaching the church. Currently there are gravestones in the way, some half buried, as well as rabbit holes etc. Perhaps some wooden edges with wood chip or gravel? NW said the first thing to do is to email him with a request to create a path and he would forward it to the CCT. (RJ to do this)
Altar Cloth. This is starting to suffer from wear and tear. It needs cleaning and repairing but needs to be done professionally. This is not CCT responsibility, so we can look into it independently.
NW will forward the CCT cleaning guidance, to make clear how to clean the pews etc.
6. Carols by Candlelight
PB has already got lots of candles. Ann will get all the wine and mince pies. Tonia will contact Robin and organize the music etc. RJ will sort the projector and do a poster. We will have mulled wine as they come in. Start at 6pm Saturday December 14th
Christmas: discuss with Paul and Corinna if they still want to do Santa, if so what did they have in mind?
7. Other events coming up.
December 14th 6pm Carols by Candlelight
January 10th-11th Filaments Light Art event
February 1st-2nd Nicola Flower Art Installation.