© Isle LMG
2008
Ashill, Barrington, Broadway,Chillington, Cudworth, Curry Rivel, Donyatt, Dowlish Wake, Fivehead, Horton, Ilminster, Ilton, Isle Abbotts, Isle Brewers, Kingstone, Puckington, Shepton Beauchamp, Stocklinch, Swell, Whitelackington
ILMG MEETING
MONDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER 2007
IN THE MINSTER ROOMS ILMINSTER
The Chairman, Rev’d Nigel Whinney, opened the meeting with a prayer and told us that the Minster Rooms were now fitted with a Loop System. His hope was that all of us in the LMG can now work closer together, share our gifts and with other denominations too.
Apologies were received from Liz Richardson, Sam Jackson, Martin Rawstorne, Lynne Johnson, Jan Allen, Dick Thomas, Meg Tyler, Joan Kennedy and the representative from St. Josephs and Rev’d Alastair Wallace.
There were 21 people attending.
Notes of the last meeting on 12th March 2007 were approved and there were no matters arising.
Ecumenical partnerships (how do we work closer together?)
Nigel asked us if we would like to work more closely with other denominations within the Local Ministry Group and if so, how do we go about it? Rev’d Jenny Langdown of Curry Rivel told the meeting that all the churches in her benefice were involved with Langport Churches Together already and they didn’t feel that they could spread themselves any further. There are several benefices that have no other denominations and many churches are already working on an ecumenical basis. As the Methodist Church in Ilminster is about to be sold, the congregation are sharing services in the Minster and could share a building with the Catholics.
Nigel suggested an ecumenical Lent Course but this happens already. There was some discussion as to what we might do altogether. No one was very keen to hold a ‘social’ as it was felt that we were all quite busy enough supporting the churches in our own benefices. Perhaps an interesting debate one Saturday morning or a talk in the form of teaching (the speakers would have to be good to encourage people to attend) A possible subject for debate might be Science v Faith.
Job sharing
There was discussion on how we could all ease the load of parish officers. It is becoming harder to find these good people to take on the jobs – treasurers and secretaries in particular. Rev’d Geoff Wade thought that soon it might be possible (and necessary) for a group of parishes to share their officers. Perhaps a bookkeeper would look after, say, anything up to 15 parishes (and would be paid) As it is, some parishes now have treasurers that are not churchgoers but we are all immensely grateful that they do take this work on for the Church. Michael Hawkins (Shepton Beauchamp) thought that four PCC meetings each year were too much for a vicar who has eight parishes so perhaps we should be thinking of benefice councils. The three parishes in the Curry Rivel benefice hold three meetings a year: the first half of the meeting is spent on general topics altogether, and in the second half each parish holds its own meeting with the vicar moving from one to another. Some of the clergy were against benefice councils as each of their parishes were so different and proceedings with seven or eight parishes would be unmanageable. They thought they could lose something by holding meetings altogether and there would be a danger that the largest church would dominate proceedings (and choice of services etc.) As for job sharing – the Reader Ministry always starts at parish level but they travel to any parish to help out even though they are actually from one single parish.
Book Reading Group
Much discussion took place on this topic. Reading Groups are very popular at the moment. The LMG could organise either a reading group or a discussion group but whatever it was, and there was agreement that we could do something like this, we must advertise it extremely well and make it abundantly clear as to what was to be discussed/read/where and when. There might also be LMG Prayer and Painting Days. On these subjects everyone was positive but we would need someone, or people, to lead these days and organise them and to take things on from here.
Steve Annandale was preparing an audit through his connection with the School of Formation which we would discuss at the next meeting: What we have in the LMG: where we are: what we want to do. Topics to be discussed would be sent to the parishes first.
The Tone North Local Ministry Group Development Fund have persuaded the Diocese to give them a part time administrator. Nigel asked the meeting if this was thought necessary in the Isle LMG. The Diocese would fund this post for four years. Is a central point of contact a good thing? Geoff Wade said that he had been here for exactly three years and he is still learning. To be seen around the villages and to be accessible is important. To have someone else as first place of call would mean losing opportunities of knowing those under his care. We should hear more of this though and how it is working in Tone.
Elizabeth Beattie from the Methodist Church told the meeting that there are regular meetings held in Wells between Anglican Readers and Methodist Preachers to explore what they like to share together and that ecumenical things are happening all through the Diocese.
Rev’d Jenny Langdown told us that the Curry Rivel Benefice is showing the Changing
Lives video for six Sunday evenings from 14th October at 6.00-
Forthcoming events – Palm Sunday LMG Service 6.00pm in The Minster Ilminster (Preacher Rev’d Stephen Lynas Bishop’s Chaplain)
Next Isle LMG meeting to be held at Ilton Village Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 11th March 2008