8 attendees: OC = Owen Clutton (chairman), DB = Diana Betts, PL = Peter Lowe, BF = Breda Ford, GT = Geraldine Thompson, JA = June Adams, MM = Mary O’Mahony, RW = Roger Wright
Apologies were received from: Fr Bryan, Teresa Wells, Madeleine and Simon Howell
Agreed actions shown in bold red type.
1. Matters arising from previous minutes (27June 2012)
OC said this would be dealt with in the agenda items.
2. CAFOD LiveSimply award
MM reported that the LiveSimply group was ready to launch the scheme on 29/30th September. She noted that the scheme needs to be outward looking to engage others. She hoped it would become embedded into parish life. The J&P group will make a major contribution by coordinating the Connect2 initiative. In the past there has been too much individual working by various parish groups and it was hoped that LiveSimply would bring people together.
RW said that Jim Simmons of CAFOD Southwark would be speaking at all three Masses over the launch weekend. The bidding prayers would be composed for the LiveSimply principles and the banner would be carried by young people of the parish. At the end of Mass, Jim would present the registration certificate to Fr Bryan who will say a few words accepting the LiveSimply challenge.
MM reminded members of the Substantial actions for each LiveSimply Principle and noted that there are at least two supporting actions for each Principle:
Simply: create a wildlife garden and worship space
Sustainably: reduce the parish buildings carbon footprint by 10%
Solidarity: run the Connect2 scheme for Bangladesh
RW asked for volunteers to distribute the CAFOD Harvest Fast Day envelopes after each Mass on 29/30th September. A rota was drawn up and each envelope would be accompanied by a LiveSimply launch flyer. The LiveSimply prayer will be stapled to the Mass sheets that weekend and be said before the final blessing.
The CAFOD theme for this year is: ‘Room for one more – hunger for change’. There will be a CAFOD pilgrimage walk in two weeks time (Saturday 13th at Hartley – details on posters in church and on the website).
3. Connect2
OC thanked RW for circulating the information received from CAFOD about the Connect2 community in Bangladesh. There was some concern about how we would focus on specific projects for the village described. RW explained that we would be communicating with the community as a whole, rather than necessarily being involved in particular projects. However, by telling them about us and reading about them we will build up a rapport which is what this CAFOD scheme is all about. As time goes by, we will spot opportunities to get involved with specific assistance. For example, one member of the community, a lady called Subita, had written about her worries that floods might wreck her small shrimp farm as they had previously done to others in the village. She had sent a recipe for crab curry and CAFOD suggested a fund raising event might be to have a curry night. This would be an excellent way to build up our relationship with the village.
There should also be opportunities to involve the children of our parish. Perhaps the First Holy Communion group, or a particular class at the School could take an interest and send simple reports and photos about life in Petts Wood.
If we made any sort of collection, then this would go to the community via CAFOD. For instance we might pay for a motorbike which had been sought in an earlier communication. However we would have to liaise with the CAFOD coordinator to check that the money went to that cause. We communicate with the village via the coordinator. Some of them only visit the villages once a month. Also we will be one of a group of parishes twinned with that community.
It would be useful to have a special notice board so we could display material to the congregation.
There is now a couple in our parish that have spent some time in Bangladesh.
4. Writing to Prisoners of Conscience
RW had included the web addresses of some organisations which coordinate such action. No decision was made as to how we should proceed.
5. Manna Centre Harvest Collection
PL suggested changing the collection from Sunday 7th October to the following week. This would avoid clashing with the CAFOD Harvest Fast Day collection, and also so that it took place on Parade Mass weekend, which is when it is normally held anyway.
The proposal was agreed and BF would talk to Fr Bryan about moving the date. We still have the crates from last time. The Manna Centre has a list of what they currently require most of. This has been posted on the website and will be available in printed form in the porch. MM noted it is easier to stick to food for this collection as the harvest collection is normally for that sort of donation.
6. Orpington Foodbank
OC noted that he had bought a bin which is now in church for parishioners to make ad hoc donation for the Foodbank.
RW said there was some food in the bin last Saturday. There may have be some confusion between the Foodbank and the Autumn Festival, so he sorted those items which looked more appropriate for the Foodbank and delivered them. The Foodbank has moved temporarily to the Temple Church, in St Mary Cray High Street, due to a fire.
OC suggested we should ask Fr Bryan to re-announce the presence of the bin.
7. Traidcraft stall
DB reported that she and GT were well on their way to getting the stall re-established. The dates of the next sales will be 20/21 October and 08/09 December (but see addendum).
There are still issues about guarding the stall between Masses. PL volunteered to help with this assuming he was available.
GT said that for the next sale we would just stick to food. We can check on the Traidcraft website before any future sales. They will initially order rice, pasta, marmalade, honey, mixed fruit, Geobars, raisins, etc.
We will give out the link to parishioners, so they can make recommendations for future purchases. GT was happy to produce leaflets as well, but there is a stipulation that you have to include the Traidcraft Logo.
DB said she has a fast printer at home, but thought it would be better to use posters for the church.
RW suggested we should advertise the stall a week before each time.
JA suggested that the announcement should be made in Briefly.
GT thought there might be demand for individual leaflets. Traidcraft may supply a few. We will hand these to people who show a special interest at the stall.
DB reported that the Traidcraft account was in deficit, due to food spoiling caused by water damage in the store cupboard. Geoff Ford has suggested in future, hanging on to the profits and this can then be given to Connect2. There is a £74 deficit, which has to be repaid. The invoices will go to DB who will check them and take to the parish office for payment.
BF explained that the repository works on this basis and we should not need to use our own money to pay bills.
GT noted that the parish which has just been given the first LiveSimply award has a Traidcraft stall every weekend and their profits go to CAFOD.
BF suggested there will be others outside of J&P who could assist with the stall.
Fr Bryan could be asked make an announcement for extra helpers. We should also welcome anyone who takes a special interest, or buys regularly from the stall, as they may like to volunteer their assistance. DB suggested we should appeal to absent J&P members to see if they can help, for example Angela Martin and Jim Callinan.
BF noted that the more people we have, the lower the frequency that each person has to help. She also thought that the deficit may exist in part due to the coffee bought for the hall by David (value around £100) and this may not have been repaid.
Stall minders for 20/21 October volunteered as follows:
6pm DB + MM
9.15am GT + RW
11.00am OC + ?
DB and GT would have to set up before and store stock afterwards.
RW noted that Fairtrade Fortnight is in January. Perhaps we can then have a stall for two or three consecutive weekends.
Addendum
This note was emailed to Fr Bryan on 05 Oct:
A couple of us have just realised that there is a Traidcraft stall scheduled on the calendar for 9th December. This clashes with a Maintenance Fund collection on that weekend. We should therefore like to move the Traidcraft stall week to 2nd December if that's OK with you.
Fr Bryan was happy to do this.
8. Southwark JPIC newsletter
It was agreed to contribute £1 each so that a donation could be sent to Southwark JPIC in acknowledgement for the preparation and distribution of their newsletter. £8 was duly collected and would be sent by RW.
9. Any other business
RW announced that the CAFOD Pope Paul VI memorial lecture will be on Friday 9th November. Speakers include the Rt Hon John Battle (a former Labour Minister and Catholic). The subject will be “Challenges of bringing about truly human society, through politics media and the church”. It will be a panel discussion rather than a lecture. The location will be the Emmanuel Centre at Marsham Street, Westminster and tickets are £6 each.
DB suggested we should arrange for a Mass to be said on the International Day of Peace, (also known as "Peace Day"). [This is actually held on 21 September every year so has been missed this time but we could still have a Mass said. The CWL arranged a Mass for World Peace on 27 August this year. See the World Peace website for further details]
There being no other business, the meeting closed at approximately 9.10pm.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 24th October at 7.45pm (in the Hall).