9 attendees: DB = Diana Betts, PL = Peter Lowe, JA = June Adams, GT = Geraldine Thompson, OC = Owen Clutton (Chair), MM = Mary O’Mahony, BF = Breda Ford.

Apologies were received from: Fr Tom and Roger Wright (RW)

Agreed actions shown in bold red type.

1.       Minutes of last meeting

OC noted that at the last meeting Fr Tom had asked the Group to consider the possibility of collecting toys for a Women’s refuge, possibly one in the Crays, in time for Christmas.  It was subsequently suggested that this venture could be organised in conjunction with the Children’s Liturgy Group.

JA agreed to find out the details of who to contact at a refuge and would advise OC.

[Hannah Harrison is the Children’s Liturgy main contact and can be contacted on childrens.liturgy@stjamespettswood.org.]

DB noted that there would be another J&P Mass intention for Peace on the following Monday.  JA thought that more people would think about J&P issues if the Masses were on a Sunday.  BF noted that Suzanne Horner organised Mass intentions and perhaps she should be asked to consider this.

2.       J&P Chair for 2015

OC reminded the Group that he had been doing this for 4 years.  However discussion was postponed until the November meeting

3.       Zambuko House fund-raising

JA had emailed OC and RW informing them that Terry and Alice Wills had agreed to run the quiz on 7th February 2015.  She had asked Terry to attend part of the January meeting.  Fish and chips are usually served at the St Mary’s, Chislehurst quiz nights and she suggested a ticket price of £12.

BF pointed out that we would need to find out if the bar could be open, or whether people could bring their own drinks.  Certain licensing issues had to be resolved.

DB suggested that Terry Wills should be invited to the November meeting and for the quiz to be the first agenda item.  JA would invite him to that meeting.

JA said that J&P would simply have to organise the food, raffle and general admin of the evening.  Terry would provide all the materials for the quiz itself.

OC said that prior to finalising the quiz evening, the fund-raising committee must be contacted for permission.  The CWL should also be asked if there were any events scheduled for the week before or after 7th February, the day the hall has been booked.

DB enquired what sort of age group the quiz would be aimed at.  She thought there could be a number of young people in the parish who might be interested in attending.

JA said that at St Mary’s they mainly had adults.

OC said the plant sale in June should not be a problem, but we need to check when First Holy Communion Masses are being held.  At the moment there is no parish events list for next year as Fr Tom is waiting for the diocesan list.  We also need to check if he is happy for there to be two second collections (in addition to the plant sale).

DB noted that he plant sale will be on the basis of a donation box rather than a fixed price.

OC will ask Fr Tom to announce a second collection for January.

4.       Bromley Borough Foodbank

OC noted that there will be a parish collection on 16th November.  Items left in the church entrance bins were being taken home alternately by DB and MM and they deliver these about once a month.

OC reported there had been an email sent from Guy Beckingham of the Foodbank asking for volunteers to help with collections at various Tesco stores from 27th – 29th November.  OC will ask Fr Tom to put up a notice about this.

5.       Traidcraft stall

DB reminded members that the next stall will be on 22^nd-23rd November.  Provisional names for the rota were taken and DB will email these to everyone, including absent members, to confirm.  We will not be selling Advent calendars this year as the Repository will be selling these.

6.       Any other business

MM reported that she had attended the Southwark JPIC Autumn Assembly on Saturday 18th October which was held in conjunction with the launch of the CAFOD Climate Change campaign.  She helped RW to run a workshop about the parish Live Simply award to which about 25 people attended and they were all appeared to be very engaged.

The keynote speakers for the Assembly included two young people from Peru talking about the devastating effects that climate change is having on their water supply and crop production.  It was a surprise to learn that Peru is the third most affected country in the world despite only contributing 0.3% of emissions.  There were various other workshops including one on the theology of climate change which focussed on the Good Samaritan and the concept of ‘neighbouring’.  Father Arbo is chairman of the Southwark JPIC Commission and he led the closing liturgy.  It was heartening to see a confirmation class attending and some of the youngsters stayed behind to ask questions.  Apparently as part of the Confirmation programme, they attend five other such events.

GT remarked that children and young people are often very spiritual and their voices are under represented.  As teachers we have to make sure their voices are heard.

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 9pm.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday 26th November 2014 at 7.45pm.