Minutes of the AGM of Lichfield Churches Together held on
20th June 2022 in College Hall, the Close, Lichfield at 19.30
Present: Pat Maguire PM – Chair
David Mason DM – Hon Sec.
Liz Ridler LiRi – Hon. Treasurer
Lesley Bovington LB – speaker
Robert Mountford RM – CLASP
Linda Atkin
Warren Bardsley
Linda Clark
Rod Clark
David Clarke
Phil Davies
Ted Green TG
Roger Hartley
Richard Henshaw RH
Judith Henshaw
Diana Pearson
John Preece
Delphine Preece
David Primrose
Lilas Rawling LR
David Wall
Apologies: Hugh Ashton, Roger Baker, Gaynor Baldwin (CDT), Brian Maguire, Hazel Rendle.
The meeting was opened with prayer by RM.
PM said that a card and a gift had been given to Roger Baker, who would retire in July. She would welcome Wendy Walker the new Methodist minister, on her arrival in September.
Lesley Bovington, who is sponsored both by Transforming Communities Together and in the local area by Lichfield District Council gave a presentation on Places of Welcome. PoW grew out of an initiative by Birmingham Diocese in 2012 – Giving Hope, Changing Lives. Places of Welcome began in 2014. There are 5 guiding principles, known as the 5 Ps
People – PoWs are for everyone, are free and run by volunteers for everyone in the community
Place – PoWs are in the same accessible space and at the same time every week. They are well lit, warm and hospitable
Provision – PoWS provide free tea and coffee and sources of local information and help
Presence – people are encouraged to listen to each other actively
Participation - people are encouraged to participate in their local communities.
Nationally there are about 500, in Lichfield diocese there were about 180, with 140 currently open. There are 10 in the local area. From Sept 2021 to March 2022 in Lichfield District, there were 240 sessions, with 3,243 guest attendances, 651 volunteers representing 1646.75 hours of volunteering.
In answer to the question as to how people can find out about PoWs, LB said word of mouth was best, although there are posters in community spaces and Support Staffordshire also has information. LB was thanked by PM for her presentation.
The minutes of the last AGM on 18th June 2021 was agreed as a correct record and will be on the website.
i) Gillian Straine spoke last year, and as a matter arising a Healthy Healing Hub is coming into existence at the Cathedral.
ii) A further matter arising was that TG reported on behalf of David Shaw from the Methodist church on Eco church. St Michael’s have a bronze award, the Methodists and Christ Church Lichfield have a silver. The Cathedral should reach silver in the next couple of weeks. Transition Lichfield put on a training day and are running another one in September at the Methodist church
Treasurer’s report. LiRi reported that 2021 had been a comparatively quiet year. £1229 in subs were received and she thanked member churches for remitting this year’s subs. The assets were less at the end of 2021 as amounts were remitted back to LDC from LENS, which had to be closed early in 2020 and CDT needed funding by CtiL.
These accounts had been approved by the Enabling Group at its meeting on 4th May 2022 and were presented for acceptance. Proposed by LR and seconded by RH and accepted.
It was proposed by TG and seconded by PM that Jemima Reeve be the inspector of the accounts and agreed by the meeting.
Chair’s report. Available on the website. TG was pleased that PM and Robert Mountford were bringing CTiL into CLASP.
Items of note. Lent. There were 2 Lent groups with 15 people in total. The book under study was John Birch – A way of Living the Beatitudes. RH commented that the subject matter was really stimulating.
The Walk of Witness on Good Friday went well with 40 -50 people walking from Whittington and about 200 joining in the City. The service in the Cathedral led by Canon Gregory and Canon Pat – Clergy Chair of CTiL; there was a good number attending.
The route for the Pilgrimage for Easter Sunday was available, but it was not known how many people undertook it.
There was no specific event for Thy Kingdom Come.
Bower Day saw 7 volunteers from CTiL in the new gilets assisting in the street collection. CTiL would receive their share of the pay-out at an event in September.
Events coming up.
Christmas Day Together. Gaynor Baldwin had agreed to coordinate it again.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 18 -25 January 2023. DP would ask the new Methodist Minister once she had arrived. Action: DP
Reports from affiliated groups.
LNL. David West-Mullen had agreed to take on the coordinator role. The first one would be on 11/6/22, but more volunteers are required. At the moment, it is planned for once a month, but the long-term aim is to be on the streets every Saturday.
Schools Work Trust. Bridgebuilders has restarted and mentoring has continued. The puppets are a popular part of this work.
Foodbank. David Clarke encouraged people to write to the MP Michael Fabricant who had come one Saturday morning for 1hr 20mins. It was suggested that the Chancellor was written to asking what criteria were going to be used for the rise in benefit levels also to the Job Centre , LDC, DWP and Staffordshire County Council. DC continued by saying that currently about 150 families were being fed a week and
food donations were dropping fast, so the Foodbank was spending about £1000 a week. The Government now relies on Foodbanks being in existence and the biggest referral organisation locally is the Job Centre, i.e the Government. Volunteers were being sought for the Tesco collection.
Lichfield Concern for Palestine. Warren Bardsley promoted the Walk to Jerusalem and the Lichfield City of Sanctuary. 26th June would be Sanctuary Sunday; there were excellent resources on the CTBI website.
On 25th June, Inderjit Bhogal would be speaking at Boley Park on Faith Places of Sanctuary, including churches, mosques and temples, using Hospitality and Sanctuary for All. Effectively the InterFaith Group had morphed into the City of Sanctuary group.
The World Day of Prayer had been a successful event this year.
Election of Officers. TG proposed that the current officers and enabling group be elected en bloc seconded by Revd Rod Clark viz. PM clergy Chair, DM Hon. Sec., LiRi Treasurer,
LR minute sec., Diana Pearson and Richard Henshaw, Methodist and Roman Catholic reps respectively, who were all willing to stand again. John Preece from Wade Street and Hugh Ashton from the Cathedral were proposed by LiRi, seconded by DP for the Enabling Group.
Rick Hill having moved away, a new Lay Chair was needed. LR proposed, seconded by RH, that David Mason be the Lay Chair and that he would undertake both roles for a year to see how it goes. PM said that she was now into her 10th year as clergy chair and that this would definitely be her last year in this role. Action: All were asked to pray about this.
Any other Business.
A card and a gift had been given to Revd. Roger Baker who had retired from the Methodist church and who had been a great supporter of CTiL.
Linda Atkins suggested that a prayer diary was prepared, taking each church which is a member of CTiL to be prayed for in turn. There are 20 members of CTiL. Action: PM
RM commented that he deals with about 50 groups in his various roles across the West Midlands and that he was always pleased to come to CTiL. He went on to say that CTiL is in a time of transition with new ministers arriving in the City and new Chairs of CTiL. He finished by blessing those present and the meeting saying The Grace together.
The meeting closed at 20.45