Cathedral Council



ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, EDINBURGH

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE CATHEDRAL COUNCIL

on Tuesday 17th September 2019, 7.30pm, at 8 Lansdowne Crescent

Present: Gill Stewart (Lay Representative, Chair), John Conway (Provost), Carole Barclay (PLV Co-ordinator), Duncan Ferguson (Organist and Master of the Music), Christina France (Co-ordinator of Children’s Groups), Helen Hood (Ecumenical Officer), Rosemary Kaye (Cathedral Administrator), Judith Lewis (Minutes), John McLuckie (Vice-Provost), Iain Morrison (Stewards’ Convenor and Hon. Archivist), Andrew Reddish (Alternate Lay Representative), Edith Spencer (Outreach Co-ordinator)

Apologies: Bryony Faraday (Convenor, Faith & Growth)

Alternates not present: James Parsons (Publicity Officer), Andy Philip (Chaplain)

Welcome

Gill Stewart welcomed everyone to the meeting, particularly Christina France who was attending the Council for the first time as the Co-ordinator of Children’s Groups. This was followed by an opening prayer.

1. Minutes of the previous meeting

Minutes of the Council meeting on 2nd July 2019 had been circulated and were approved.

2. Matters arising from the minutes, including action points

3.1. Cathedral building

• Signs for tables at the West Door are now on display.

• Displaying the Vision and Mission Statement: the Provost said that this was still under consideration, but he appreciated its importance. Space also needs to be allocated for the Eco-congregation. Action: JC and JP.

• Broken and uneven floor stones: the Provost said that materials for the repairs had been obtained, and carrying out the repairs had been added to the Vergers’ weekly action list.

3.2. Children’s service booklet: Christina France reported that the Chaplain had downloaded a children’s colour-in booklet from the Internet and this was being used by the children when there were no Sunday groups, and also by visiting children. It provided a good explanation of what happens during the service. Work was still being done to produce a Cathedral version in the longer term. Action: AP.

3.3. Diocesan links: The service sheet notices now include a note indicating when Cathedral clergy are providing cover at other churches. Promoting further links throughout the Diocese will be included in the job description for the new Vice-Provost.

3.4. Art and Exhibitions: Rosemary Kaye reported that she had been in contact with Helen Brown who finds exhibition space for people who can’t afford to pay for it. As a result there are arrangements for various exhibitions in the Cathedral until the end of November. This is another issue that will be included in the new Vice-Provost’s job description.

3.5. National Prayer Initiative: John McLuckie said that he would prepare a new prayer leaflet for use in the Cathedral before he leaves. Action: JMcL

3.6. Joint Vision and Mission Statement with Palmerston Place Church: Helen Hood said that this would have to be deferred until after Colin Sinclair returns in the summer of next year, and no action could be taken in the meantime.

3.7. Dementia-awareness training: Carole Barclay had arranged this for the following Sunday in the Walpole Hall and encouraged members of the Council to attend. John McLuckie agreed to see to setting up the sound system in the hall. Action: JMcL

3.8. Disabled access: Iain Morrison reported that the stewards had all been given the key box code for access to the accessible toilet in the Walpole Hall. However, if anyone asked to use the accessible toilet it meant that a steward had to accompany them, and this was a problem because there were not enough stewards. He was looking at ways of dealing with this, and the Provost said that he would also try to help to recruit more stewards. Action: IM and JC.

It was noted that there was a detailed accessibility statement on the Cathedral website, including information about the accessibility of the Walpole Hall toilet. It was agreed that a printed version should be made available for reference in the Cathedral. Action JP.

3.9. Cashless donations: It was agreed that this was needed as soon as possible. The Provost was about to have a meeting with James Parsons about the text that would be required for the stand. Action: JP and JC

3.10. Specification for longer-term proposals

The Provost and Gill Stewart had met the Cathedral Architect, David Willis, to discuss the proposals in the paper that had been presented to the previous Council meeting. David Willis had suggested that consideration should be given to better use of all the Cathedral buildings. In particular, the Walpole Hall was very under-used at present and might need some re-development to make better use of it, e.g. for offices. He appreciated that the Cathedral would have to obtain formal tenders from architects, and he was keen to be involved if possible.

The Provost and Gill Stewart had also met a member of the congregation, Clare Cockburn, who is a PR consultant. She had agreed to work for the Cathedral part-time on a month-by-month basis, at a considerably reduced rate, to develop a social media strategy. It is hoped that this will improve our social media presence and raise the Cathedral’s profile generally. A meeting is still to be arranged with Karen Dowcra, as indicated at the previous meeting, and the Provost also intends to start talking to other architects. Action: JC and GS

3.11. Toilet decoration

Madeleine Kaye had completed the murals in the ladies’ toilets in the Cathedral.

4. Update on the financial situation

Andrew Reddish, who is a member of the Finance and Risk Committee, reported that the annual deficit for usual income and expenditure had increased to £147,000. This had been off-set to a certain extent by good investment returns and legacies, but these could not be relied on. The stewardship campaign had increased income by about £20,000, but this was not enough. There are also new costs to be met. There is still work on the Cathedral’s structure to be completed, which would previously have been carried out by the Workshop. An application has been made to Historic Scotland for a grant of £70,000 to pay for this, but the work will have to be done even if no grant is forthcoming. Also, the Cathedral’s other buildings need extensive repairs. The Finance and Risk Committee and the Board had agreed that a strategy should be developed to reduce the deficit, and to eliminate it entirely in the longer term. New stewardship material will go out with the Cathedral’s Annual Report, and the Provost will explain the situation to the congregation at the AGM on 24th November. Salaries and music are the biggest items of expenditure but it is recognised that music plays a vital part in the Cathedral’s life, and in attracting new people to join the congregation. New ways to obtain funding need to be considered, such as attracting sponsorship for choristerships. It was noted that the Friends of Cathedral Music would be holding their annual conference in Edinburgh in October and they were about to give £30,000 to the Lay Clerks’ Fund. When this is added to another grant of £45,000 that they had given some time ago the fund will provide sufficient annual income to support one choral scholar.

5. Vice-Provost appointment process

The Provost noted that this was John McLuckie’s last Council meeting as Vice-Provost, and he was thanked for all that he had done for the Cathedral.

The Cathedral Board had drawn up a job description for a new Vice-Provost and the Provost reported that the post would be advertised in the Church Times during the following two weeks, with a closing date of 9th October. It would also be advertised in Diocesan publications. The Provost will interview candidates together with Gill Stewart and Andrew Reddish from the Council. Council members were invited to send possible questions to them. The Bishop and Duncan Ferguson will also meet the candidates separately. The new Vice-Provost will also be Precentor, recognising the importance of music in this role. The role will also involve the creative arts, social outreach and community engagement, and the importance of the Scottish context will be recognised.

6. AOCB

The Provost was asked about the Cathedral divesting from fossil fuel investments. There had been a complaint on social media that this was hypocritical because of the continued use of gas to heat the Cathedral. The Provost said that divesting from fossil fuel was a national initiative and we needed to be seen to be doing what we could. The Cathedral’s electricity was all from renewable sources.

7. Date of next meeting

It was agreed that the next meeting would take place on Tuesday 12th November at 7.30pm at 8 Lansdowne Crescent. It would include a presentation by Duncan Ferguson on Cathedral music. Action: DF

SUMMARY OF ACTION POINTS

1. Cathedral building: The Provost and James Parsons to organise display of the Cathedral’s Vision and Mission Statement as soon as possible.

2. Children’s service booklet: Andy Philip to continue with preparation of a Cathedral version of a children’s service booklet.

3. National Prayer Initiative: John McLuckie to produce a new prayer leaflet before he leaves.

4. Dementia-awareness training: John McLuckie to organise setting up the sound system for this training session.

5. Disabled access: the Provost and Iain Morrison to look at ways of recruiting more stewards, and/or reorganising them so that someone is available for taking people to use the accessible toilet. James Parsons to make a printout of the accessibility statement for reference in the Cathedral.

6. Cashless donations: the Provost and James Parsons to make the necessary arrangements as soon as possible.

7. Specification for longer-term proposals: the Provost and Gill Stewart to liaise with Clare Cockburn about a social media strategy and arrange a meeting with Karen Dowcra. The Provost to start talking to other architects.

8. Duncan Ferguson to make a presentation on Cathedral music at the next meeting.

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