Minutes of the AGM of Churches Together in Lichfield held on 16th June 2021 by Zoom
Present: Rick Hill, Pat Maguire co-Chairs, Linda Atkin, Warren Bardsley, David Clarke, Nigel Gann, Michele Gerard, Richard Henshaw, Brian Maguire, David Mason (Hon. Sec.), Robert Mountford CLASP, Diana Pearson, Lilas Rawling (Min. Sec.), Liz Ridler (Hon. Treas.), David Shaw, Tony Thompson
Speaker Rev. Dr Gillian Straine
Apologies: Gregory Platten, Rod Clark, Julie Smith
There was an opening act of worship based on Evening Prayer, with music from YouTube, facilitated by Rick Hill. Members were appreciative of this.
Revd Dr Gillian Straine is the director of the Guild of Health and Saint Raphael and spoke to CTiL about the work of the Guild, its aims and what is meant by healing in this context. She encouraged members to look at the Guild’s website https://gohealth.org.uk/ . The three main emphases are Go Health, Forming Healthy Healing Hubs and Chrism.
A report was given by David Shaw from the Methodists on Becoming an Eco Church, encouraging all to become climate aware and for churches to sign up for the A Rocha organisation’s awards.
The minutes of the AGM of 17th June 2020 were agreed as a correct record
There were no matters arising
Treasurer’s Report is available on the website. The acceptance of the report was proposed by Lilas Rawling, seconded by Pat Maguire
Chairs’ Report is available on the website. The report was accepted with thanks to Pat Maguire and Rick Hill
Reports of recent events. Lent House Groups. Pat Maguire who coordinated them said that there had been 5 groups with about 6 in each, which had had to be held by Zoom. She was pleased that CTiL had managed to arrange these. Good Friday evening. The service in the Cathedral, led by Robert Mountford, member of Cathedral Council and the Churches Linked across Staffordshire and the Potteries officer. There were 50 to60 people in the Cathedral, another 200 watched it on Zoom and about another 100 watched it later. Pilgrimage Walks. Pat and Brian Maguire did what CTiL would usually do in the City on Good Friday and the Easter Sunday morning walk coordinated by Rick Hill had about 20 participants, saying a prayer outside each of the churches in the City. Thy Kingdom Come. St. Michael’s had picked this up with a series of talks.
Future events. There has been no Bower this year, but the Bower committee is pleased that CTiL has volunteered to have a presence and to act as stewards in 2022. Robert Mountford encouraged everyone to become informed about COP26 and the pilgrimage being led, walking the 750 miles from Truro to Glasgow. It will be passing through Birmingham. The website is www.yccn.uk
Reports. Reports from organisations are on the Churches Together website. Christian Aid action group, Christmas Day Together – and Gaynor Baldwin was thanked particularly for her work coordinating this, Concern for Palestine, the Schools Work Trust, Places of Welcome. David Clark updated the meeting about the Foodbank, in addition to his report. He said that the Foodbank has 3 priorities in making Lichfield a city without the need for a Foodbank. These 3 are changing minds, changing communities and changing policies. Their change lead is Matt Wilson Nigel Gann updated the meeting about the City of Sanctuary since he wrote the report. They have been accepted as a charity by the Charity Commissioners. They have identified 3 particular issues in the last few weeks a) they had drawn LDC’s attention to the ‘whiteness’ of the Visit Lichfield materials last year and have noted that this year’s material shows more diversity b) they are challenging ideas about the travelling community and pointing out authorities have a legal and moral duty to provide more pitches c) the need for EU citizens to have applied for settled status by the end of June, otherwise they are in the country illegally.
Election of Officers. All the officers had indicated their willingness to stand again. Pat Maguire and Rick Hill as co-chairs, David Mason as Secretary, Liz Ridler as Treasurer, Lilas Rawling as minute secretary, and Diana Pearson and Richard Henshaw on the enabling group with the officers. Brian Maguire proposed, seconded by Tony Thompson that all were elected en bloc. This was agreed by the meeting. Brenda Liptrot was thanked for the service she had given on the enabling group and everyone was asked to try and identify another person to join the enabling group.
Review Group. CTiL’s constitution required the organisation to do a review of its work to check it was fulfilling its aims and objectives. One needed doing for the period 2014 to 2021. A group of Brain Maguire, Liz Ridler, Richard Henshaw and David Mason was formed to carry out this review.
Any Other Business. Rick Hill mentioned that the Enabling Group really had made a difference – it was this group that first mooted the idea of the Night Shelter Rick Hill reported that Support Staffordshire had been commissioned by Wade Street church to do a survey on community needs and how they were being met. He encouraged the churches to complete the survey. Robert Mountford encouraged CTiL to continue on its path of ecumenism in action. He finished by telling the meeting to be bold, be blessed and keep making a difference.
The next Forum would be on Monday October 11th at 7.30pm
The meeting closed with the UK Blessing played via YouTube with Rick Hill sharing it on Zoom and all saying The Grace together.
The meeting finished at 20.55