PARISH CHURCH STEWARDS

We would like to thank all the stewards who have manned the desk during the past year. The church just couldn’t function properly without them. The building works and worst winter in 30 years certainly haven’t made it easy but everyone stoically carried on. A recent questionnaire proved very interesting – 67 were returned completed. Stewards were asked to tick which age band they belonged to.
No surprises that the majority were senior citizens but the fact that the average age of ¾ of our 105 stewards is 80 years old just goes to show how people enjoy the job. Some stewards are still gallantly doing duty aged 90. The length of time of service varied greatly from 1 to25years. One person has been stewarding for all of those 25 years and 7 have done 20years. Three people couldn’t remember and said ‘ages’!     
    When asked how long they wanted the hours on duty to be twice as many said they preferred it to remain 1½ to those who would happily do 2 hours.    
     Manning the shop or welcoming the public was evenly split with 30 preferring the hop to 35 welcoming. Of course, we know that most people are happy doing both, as they are doing it now with no grumbles, but it was interesting to know. Sometimes it is very difficult to get two people to steward at a certain time and we have many ‘singles’ which is not ideal. Again the response was evenly split with half not minding being on their own and half not liking it. There were lots of very helpful comments which will be considered now that the worst of the disruption
is over and we look forward to lots and lots of visitors coming through the door to enjoy our lovely church welcomed by such nice people!          Sian Defferary,   Stewards Coordinator

PARISH CHURCH TOURS

For most of the year areas of the Church have not been accessible due to the continued restoration work and booked tours have not been possible. Derek Barnard and myself, however, have both continued to talk to visitors on a regular basis in the Church on several days each week.
    2010 will be a challenging year. Hopefully the reordering will be completed and we can start to take visitors around on a regular basis. Much of the literature for tourists will need to be altered and some of it rewritten as well as signing and notice boards brought up to date. As we go to  press a Guides  Training Course has been started  with sixteen members under instruction, which in the long term will increase our ability to provide an enjoyable experience for the many tourists and visitors who come annually, and deserve a high standard of welcome and guiding ability from a Parish Church which over the centuries has been at the centre of the life of the town of Cirencester.
                                                                                                            John Lawrence

PARISH CHURCH FLOWER GROUP

    By Easter 2009, we were back in the Nave and South Aisle but had no access to the North Aisle or Trinity Chapel. We could not make an Easter Garden, but were able to return to several pedestals. By Christmas, we had access to the North Aisle as well and the large tree was opposite the North door, with two smaller trees, kindly donated and delivered by the Bathurst estate.
    We did the flowers for a wedding at the beginning of Lent, with the arrangements in bowls so they could be removed for the reception, and leave the Church bare as is customary for Lent.
    We did create an Easter Garden in the free half of the Trinity Chapel. People lent us potted green plants for  Calvary area and the tomb. On Easter Saturday, we put out vases of bright spring flowers, plus many pots of primulas of all colours.      We are grateful  to  Jan van der Lely`s husband  for enabling us to  have such  a  lovely display of colour.
    On Easter Saturday, we were able to do 7 pedestals, plus arrangements on various stone shelves in the Chapels.
    Owing to the generosity of those who donated money in remembrance of loved ones, and others, the cost of the flowers was covered. The list of names was on the Book of Remembrance table.
    We are most grateful to all those who help us, whether financially, or with practical help. We are so pleased that we now have four new members of the Group, and we welcome them warmly.
    We are also expecting to do the flowers for the organ festival week starting on the 17th April, and this will be a very special occasion for everybody. On behalf of the Group, Teresa Davies      

                                                                                      

MOTHERS’ UNION

   The Mothers’ Union has had a busy year under the leadership of Theresa Vearncombe for the past four years.
   As well as regular monthly meetings both in the afternoons and evenings we have held two fund raising lunches for Mothers’ Union funds and a regular weekday session serving coffee in the Town Hall. We held a cake stall in November for the ‘Away from it all Scheme’ which provides holidays for families who would not otherwise have one.
    Members give support for the ‘Little Angels’, ‘Open the Book’ and help at the Cyber Café all for the youngsters in the town. Older members have knitted blankets for ‘SANDS’ (Stillbirth And Neonatal Death Society) which were very much appreciated.
   A quiet day was jointly held with Tetbury branch at Stratton Church with some former Stratton members plus the Revd Katie McClure, who gave us food for thought on a  beautiful day. We welcomed members from Northleach, Ampney Crucis and Tetbury for an Advent Carol service at Holy Trinity led by the Revd Rosemary Franklin.
   After all their hard work members enjoyed a trip to Mottisfont House and rose garden enjoying a lovely day, culminating with tea in Romsey served by the Romsey MU.
   Some of  us enjoyed the peace and beauty of retreats at Nympsfield in the spring and at Glenfall House in the autumn.
   Theresa has now retired after four years much appreciated hard work and Pat Harris has now taken over the reins.
   Thanks go to all the members for their good will, hard work and prayerful support and for raising over £3000 for Mothers’ Union work both in this country and supporting our workers overseas. This helps us to respond to the dreadful calamities which occur in so many parts of the world.                                                        Pat Dew      

PARISH OFFICE

    Once again we are most grateful to the volunteers who give up their time so freely in the interests of Parish work and who spend a morning with us, proof reading, answering the telephone, preparing and folding pew leaflets and so on. There is never a dull moment and we are really happy to see so many visitors call in to the Parish Centre.

    Towards the end of the year it was felt that it would be helpful if the Administrator had an office of his/her own so we set up the Forum Room at the Parish centre for this purpose. There was no cost involved, all the furniture, door lock, radio network and carpentry work being provided at no cost to the Parish. Our thanks go to Phil Kerton and Peter Cottey.

   We  have  ungraded  one  of  our  network  computers  – the  old one was struggling and took up to twenty minutes to ‘boot up’. Many thanks to Tony Clack for supplying a suitable replacement.

    We also upgraded the Parish photocopier and attached a booklet finisher to it. This means we can provide wedding, funeral and service booklets to those who wish, both as private enterprise and to the churches in the Deanery. The Parish Church now enjoys a weekly service booklet that can be tailor-made for readings, hymns and different orders of service. Again there has been no cost to the Parish, the copier being bought through a donation for the purpose.

    The Parish website is also maintained free of charge and includes many of the sermons, talks and meditations given in our churches. Articles from the Parish Magazine are also available here. If anyone wants a copy of a sermon preached during this last year then it can either be downloaded from the website (www.cirenparish.co.uk) or a hard copy obtained from the Parish office.
    We are again most grateful to Peter and Linda Flaherty who keep the Centre and our office in working order.

                                                        Howard Gray, Katie Bannister, Aileen Anderson

HOLY TRINITY FABRIC REPORT

    Thank you to the teams of volunteers and their leaders who year after year keep Holy Trinity, both inside and out, looking so cared for, especially in a year when the church was in daily use for services whilst St John Baptist ‘had the builders in’. The teams of sacristans ensure we have the right colours for the seasons but again point out that the priests vestments don’t last for ever and years of wear are very evident. The unusually cold weather this winter has shown that the heating in the church could be better, but in any event the gas boiler is almost 30 years old and will not last for ever and a modern replacement would almost certainly be more efficient in an age when energy costs are always increasing. We are exploring the options. New curtains were professionally made and hung to replace those of varying age and colours. 
    The mowing teams have ensured the grounds always look good, not unnoticed by visitors and wedding guests, and a couple of ladies have taken particular care of the garden of remembrance, it is a special place for so many people . Most of the mature specimen trees have ‘Tree Preservation Orders’ so extra care has to be taken of them and it was necessary to seek specialist advice on three to ensure they did not pose a Health and Safety hazard – fortunately not!
   The tower clock required a major repair and a decision was made to have the hands and face re-gilded whilst the experts were on site. Extensive anti-pigeon spiking was undertaken to try and persuade them to roost and nest elsewhere as the ‘Gutterclear’ inspection revealed just how much damage they were causing to the stonework as well as blocking gutter and drainpipes which in turn posed potential and actual rainwater damage. Access to the roof for this also reminded us that the list of medium term works thrown up at the last quinquennial inspection at the end of 2007 has not gone away, particularly the condition of the rainwater goods and dormer windows.
    Finally, vandalism has again become a problem with two cases of serious damage to stained glass windows in the church, three lots of broken windows- despite toughened glass – in the Hall and once at the parsonage. Although most of the £5000 cost has been borne by our insurers, we have still paid out £800 in excesses and bought improved stainless steel guards, but of course our premiums increase. We would ask all our congregations to be vigilant and report anything suspicious, including consumption of alcohol, to the police who have asked to be kept aware so they can justify regular patrols.
    We end with a particular thank you to Terry Hopegood who yet again has put in countless hours of work both with his specialist church architects knowledge as well as electricians mate and site inspector when tradesmen and builders are at work.        Graham Baber and Peter Cottey,  Co-wardens