- Opening Prayer and Worship.
The meeting was opened in prayer led by the Interim Moderator:
2. Sederunt: Mrs Alison Hay, Interim Moderator; Mr David Logue, Session Clerk; Mrs Louise Logue, Mrs Norma Kelly, Mrs Libby MacDonald, Ms Ealasaid Mackay, Mrs Catherine Paterson.
3. Apologies: Mr Russell Anderson, Property Convenor; Mrs Marjorie Drysdale.
4. Minutes of meetings of the 23rd March 2019 and 18th April 2019.
The minutes of the meeting of the 23rd March were approved: Proposed by Mrs Kelly and seconded by Mrs MacDonald.
The minutes of the meeting of the 18th April were approved: Proposed by Mrs Logue and seconded by MrsPaterson
5. Matters arising from the above minutes.
5.1 Audio Visual Equipment: Mrs Kelly will ask members of the congregation, if they will look into the provision of Audio visual equipment for Tayvallich church.
5.2 Tayvallich Church extension: Mr Logue advised the meeting that Mr Nick Smith was preparing sketches of the proposed extension to Tayvallich Church for submission to the Planning department for an informal assessment. It was agreed that this development be handed over to the Property convenor, Mr Anderson, for taking forward.
6. Session Administration
6.1 Review of Stated Annual Meeting 7.4.19:
The Stated Annual Meeting had taken place on the 7th April 2019 and the reports well received by the congregation. It had been agreed at the S.A.M that the views of the congregation and community be sought on the pattern of the venues for Sunday worship following the closure of Inverlussa Church.
6.2 Service calendar after closure of Inverlussa:
The views of the congregation and community were canvassed between the 7th April 2019 and the 27th April 2019 by questionnaires distributed at church services and Cafe Connect.
49 completed questionnaires were received with 26 in favour of worship services alternating weekly between Bellanoch Church and Tayvallich Church only, and 22 in favour of worship services continuing in the current pattern but meeting in Achnamara Village Hall instead of Inverlussa Church. One return proposed that we meet in Tayvallich Church only.
Other comments received were: Have more frequent joint services with Glassary, Kilmartin and Ford Parish; when there is a fifth Sunday in a month meet on those Sundays only in Achnamara Hall.
Following discussion the session agreed that they would seek permission from Presbytery to commence a regular pattern of Sunday Worship from the 2nd June 2019 as follows:
First and third Sunday each Month: Tayvallich Church
Second and fourth Sunday each month Bellanoch Church
Each fifth Sunday in a month Achnamara Hall.
The times of the Tayvallich and Bellanoch Services will remain at 10.00 am during 2019. The service in Achnamara Hall will be at 4.30 pm. The Achnamara services may be presented in a “cafe style” format with afternoon teas.
6.3 Congregational Office Bearers:
Health and Safety Co-ordinator: Mr Logue reported that Mr Anderson, Property Convenor had been given the position of Health and Safety Co-ordinator.
Mrs Hay will ascertain if there has been a Health and Safety toolkit previously provided to the Parish.
GDPR co-ordinator: Mrs Logue will approach a member of the congregation to ask if they will take on this role.
7. Worship and Mission:
7.1 Messy Church: Mrs Logue provided a brief report on Messy church.
7.2 Alpha Next: Mrs Logue reported on the event “Second Sunday Supper” in Achnamara Hall. This had been well received by all attending and further “Suppers” are planned from June onwards. The format is a meal with conversation starter questions using “TableTalk”. This had been a pilot event and 18 people attended. For future events it is planned to invite members of the congregation and the community, it is planned to invite members of the congregation and the community, and due to the constraints of the hall, limit the places to 32. It was agreed that the “Second Sunday Supper” would have a separate column in the accounts.
8. Presbytery Planning Meeting – discussion.
The Session held an open discussion on the forthcoming meeting with Presbytery on the future planning of Parishes in Mid-Argyll. The meeting will be with members of the Sessions of North Knapdale, Glassary, Kilmartin and Ford, Ardrishaig and Lochgilphead.
9. Reports:
9.1 Interim Moderator: Mrs Hay emphasised the importance of carrying out a Health and safety audit on our buildings. –
9.2 Stewardship : Mrs Kelly confirmed that Christian Aid week commences on the 12th May and volunteers would be delivering envelopes throughout the parish. She also reminded the meeting that World Mission Council were collecting used stamps and asked that this be noted in the weekly service leaflet.
9.3 Safeguarding : Nothing to report
9.4 Notifiable events : Nothing to report
9.5 Treasurer and Finance Committee : Mrs Logue reported that the recent Coffee Morning raised over £750. She asked that the dates of Coffee mornings be set by the individual who was taking responsibility for organising the event. It was noted however, that the events should continue to be on suitable Saturdays during the Easter and summer school holidays to attract the optimum number of visitors.
10 Correspondence
10.1 Inverlussa Church Building:
Mr Logue reported on an e-mail from the Church of Scotland Law department concerning further correspondence from the potential buyer with qualified acceptance to purchase the property but subject to two qualifications relating to the entry date and Clause 15 of the standard clauses.
It was hoped that this would be concluded by the end of May 2109.
10.2 Any other correspondence:
- Possible Worship Leading training with Episcopal Church:
An e-mail had been received from Father Simon MacKenzie of Christ’ Church Episcopal church with information on a possible training course for lay people in leading worship. This could be undertaken by individuals from the Church of Scotland.
This has been sent to Presbytery for consideration.
- Homeless Jesus – post lent reflection on rural homelessness. Information on this will be e-mailed to session members.
- Request for wedding at Bellanoch – May 16th 2020.
A request from Ms Julia Ferguson to use Bellanoch Church building as a wedding venue has been received. As we currently have no minister she has been advised that the church building is available, but she will have to find and appoint a minister from a Christian denomination herself.
- Elder’s conference – 7th to 9th June Tulliallan.
A reminder for this event has been received and details will be circulated to Session members. The costs can be met from the Church Training budget.
- Tearfund: Lent appeal. Information on this appeal had been received but after discussion it was agreed that this clashed with the Christian Aid appeal and so no action would be taken.
- Letter from Rt Rev Susan Brown, Moderator of the General Assembly.
The Moderator has written in relation to the tragedy of the bomb attacks on Christian places of worship and hotels on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka.
Details of an appeal to assist the Church of Scotland congregation of St Andrew’s, Colombo, to provide aid to those affected by the atrocity, will be circulated to the congregation through the Service leaflet on Sunday, 2nd May 2019
11.Other Business: It was agreed that the meal in Achnamara Hall after the closing service at Inverlussa would be a buffet. Mrs MacDonald will co-ordinate the various donations of food. A request for donations of food will be made to the congregation and to the Achnamara Community
12.Date of next meeting: 29th May 7.30pm, Tayvallich Church.
The moderator closed the meeting leading members in saying “The Grace” together.
……………………………………………………………………….. Mrs Alison Hay
Interim Moderator
………………………………………………………………………….. Mr David Logue Session Clerk
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