Apologies, Ann N, Anne-Marie Carroll. Mary
Main reflection
The true meaning of Christmas and living it in our daily lives.
Advent is the season of hope and light.
Remembering the holy family were refugees, escaping the tyranny of Herod and there are many in the world in a similar situation
Shauna has made baubles with a message from the parish to give out to others. Please give out to elderly neighbours and children.
Rather than writing Christmas cards. Please write a message on a single card for the tree in the church. There will be a donation box nearby. Donations to go from Dinnington to Mary’s Meals from Kiveton to SAT7
Crib for outside the church.
Glenn has created figures and Mary has painted them. These will be raised upon pallets and straw and lit so people can see them from the road
Visiting Speakers
Thank you to Monica and Chris for their great sermons.
John has created a plan and has local speakers booked until May.
Christmas services.
15th. Carols by candlelight 7:30 pm (may be cancelled)
21st. Penitential service. 7 pm
24th. Christmas Eve. 6 pm at St Josephs with live stream on zoom.
25th. Christmas Day. 9:30 am. St josephs with live stream on zoom
Social after mass with a shared table on the 20th of December 7pm
Finance.
Maintenance.
St Joseph’s Church has some plaster blown that needs repair; outside light needs replacing; the outside light sensor has gone on the house; and the kitchen in the church hall has a leak. The bathroom in the Presbytery has been completed £5350. More insulation in the roof is still needed.
Kiveton. Heating at the back of the church still to do.
The group would like to thank Tony for bringing up-to-date, the online health and safety system.
Fuel costs – as yet, these do not seem to have been affected by the recent price changes.
Warm space.
No one has attended this yet so we will continue until Christmas and then review.
Currently the Dinnington resource centre is open all the time and is offering food so if we choose to close the warm space at church, the volunteers could help at other venues
Live Simply
Pledges have been a success. Saint Leonards and Saint Vincent are also going to do pledges.
Chris is to send a letter for us to the MP using the Greenpeace template to encourage the reduction in the use of plastics.
Water saving devices have been put in the church toilets.
We have signed up to the Live Simply award. Saint Vincent is also signing up for this award.
The Bishops are encouraging us to refresh the Friday abstinence. Maybe this is something we can look into in the New Year
Carols by candlelight – Mark will supply mince pies and mulled wine.
There is a possibility that this may have to be cancelled as the musicians may not be able to start until 8 pm, and this means it finishes too late for most people who would attend
Remembrance
The group agreed that we should put the wedding pictures in the back of the church in a photo album. They will be replaced with an area of remembrance, including the remembrance book and three frames that Maria has created listing those that died in World War I, World War II and at Dinnington Pit.
Maria is also creating a database of deaths. It’s going back as far as she can but there is still some missing information.
AOB
It was agreed that as well as weddings and funerals, we should also put all baptisms on the bulletins in future.
Next meeting 11th of January 2023.