Parish Pastoral Council

MINUTES - PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL

NEWTON STEWART

THURSDAY May 20 2.30p.m – 4.30p.m.

1.Fr. Ben began with the OPENING PRAYER

2.Attendance representing Whithorn: Margerie Clark, Diana Edwards, Connie Scanlon; From Wigtown: Anne Sharp, David Lever; From N.S. Peter Marks; Anna Alexander. And Fr. Ben

Also: Andrea Hayward, Bridie Jones, Kathie Roberts.

3. APOLOGIES: Margaret Flanagan, Bob Simpson.

4. Visit to Sara Maitland’s on 15th. August. Sara invited parishioners. Closer to the day a list will be left at the back of each church to indicate a) how many are likely to go; b) what food they will provide; c) who can give lifts to whom. Fr. Ben will provide instructions how to get there.

5. Membership: Catherine Roddie had stepped down from the PPC and so David Lever had been asked to replace her.

6.Minutes of meeting of 11th. February 2010 were accepted.

7.Matters arising – none

8.Family Day 20 June. Anna explained what had been done at the last one; she will liaise with Bridie and Anrea about the food. The idea is to use the main room in Whithorn house for food, and the bedrooms, and church for meetings.

The structure: after Mass (i.e. 1.00) tea/coffee and allocation into groups. 1.30 First session; 2.30 break; 3.00 Second Session. 4.00 Feedback/sharing. 4.30 meal. People will be invited to help.

The questions used at the last Day were examined and a number were rejected; Connie is going to collate the others and make them more accessible and relevant.

9.Whithorn Pilgrimage 29 August. The origin of the meal for the Bishop and clergy was explained. It was agreed that the three churches would do the catering rather than contract it out.

10.Papal Visit Details of travel: Need to be in Bellahouston Park by 3.00. Minimum walk of 1 hour before that. Do we want a bus? A list will be left at the back of the church to assess the interest. There is a proposal to present the Pope with a piece of turf from Whithorn; also a carved statue of St. Ninian. Also all 14 schools in Scotland dedicated to St. Ninian are to be invited – probably to Edinburgh. N.B. Only Proposed.

11.29 Sept. 50TH. ANNIVERSARY OF WHITHORN CHURCH Mass will be at 7.00p.m. The two Bishops and all past P.P.s will be invited, along with the Scout leaders from Kilmarnock, local Church of Scotland ministers, and other dignitaries. Arrangements for “nibbles” have been made; because of the change of date the Town Hall has been booked for refreshments. The parish will have to provide people to help serve the food. The possibility of producing a commemorative booklet has been investigated, and Margerie has amassed a lot of information already.

12.Report on Wigtown: Repair to walls, roof, electrics and provision of a toilet. Hope to start work on 1st. June. Mass only on Saturday night. So Tuesday Mass will be in Whithorn for 12 weeks.

13.Justice & Peace Group. There are now more than 20 members in this group. Connie explained the thinking behind it and explained how it works. In the first month the prayer was concerned with the General Election; this month: wind farms; next month: child soldiers.

14.Children’s liturgy, Whithorn. Nothing has developed in this, but the two ladies concerned have to go through Disclosure Scotland. However, it looks as if the only members of the group would be their own children, so there is no reason for the group not starting now.

15.Review of Easter Liturgy After a discussion: PROPOSAL 2011:

MAUNDY THURSDAY NEWTON STEWART LITURGY 7.30P.M.

GOOD FRIDAY 22ND.WIGTOWN 3.00 SOLEMN LITURGY;

NEWTON STEWART STATIONS OF CROSS 7.00P.M.

HOLY SATURDAY 3RD.WHITHORN EASTER VIGIL 9.00P.M.

SUNDAY 4TH.N S 10.00A.M. MASS WIGTOWN 12.00A.M.

16.A. O. C. B.

A)Diana asked that Eucharistic Ministers ensured that they rotated the purificator each time they wiped the chalice. Also that they are careful with the way they put the purificator away for the laundry.

B)David raised the question of collecting postage stamps. Fr. Ben did not believe there was enough money in it, and there is a lot of work for small returns.

17.Date and place of next meeting. Whithorn 2.30 Thursday 23rd. September.