Churches Together in Poole

Welcome to the Home Page of Churches Together in Poole. 

 Churches Together in Poole has a role in being a reference point for the church, for communication, the sharing of resources and ideas and to hold us together. Members of member churches and othe Christian groups now meet quarterly and network atother times.

 On the Events Page you may find edited notes of the Church Of England Deanery Communications Officer and any other events we have been asked to publicise

 Do visit the web site Links, and especially the Chaplaincy web site, www.chaplaincypoole.info , which at present fulfils much of the role that Churches Together might for information and communication. 

It is our intention to have a "lighter" Churches Together in Poole . We hope that each area group and other interested groups will be represented and come along to share news, build relationship, pray and discover a way forward. Everyone is welcome. We very much hope you will play an active part of God's purposes for his church in Poole.

CHURCHES TOGETHER IN POOLE

Notes / Minutes of the meeting of 1^st July 2010 at Skinner Street URC

Present: Chris Strain ( St Luke’s, Anglican- Chairman), Paul Andrew (St Joseph RC), Brian Bishop (Longfleet Baptist), Vera Brown (Skinner St URC), Pam Churchill (Buckland Rd Baptist), Tricia Creamer (Poole Methodists), John Crowe(All Saints’, Branksome, Anglican), Alison Dalton (Bridging Communities), Jean de Garis ( Anglican Rural Dean), Penny Elliott (St Michael, Hamworthy, Anglican), Jackie Horton (Buckland Rd Baptist), Bob Mason (St James, Anglican), Marian Matthews (Poole Methodists), Tim Meachin (Skinner St URC), Jeff Russell (Longfleet URC),Dennis Pedley (All Saints’, Branksome, Anglican), Val Potter (Churches Together in Dorset), Frazer Smith (Poole Methodists), Sheila Stevens (Buckland Rd Baptists),Markus Zund (Salvation Army), Paul Renyard (Secretary).

1. Introductions:  Thanks were given to the URC team for the supper before the meeting.

Prayers were said for Mark Skelton and his family on the death of his mother

Chris Strain led the meeting with a reading from Romans 1 and a prayer.

2. Bridging Communities  Alison Dalton crcw@faithworkswessex.org.uk

• Alison told us that her post with Bridging Communities had been extended until March 2016. All were delighted at this news.
• Delphis Court, an extra care facility for vulnerable people to continue to live on their own, but with support. It will open hopefully in the autumn.
• Fliers were available for the Poole Literary Festival in October.
• Kids Spots running again on 4^th Aug in the High Street- please publicise.
• Oral Histories is a roving exhibition for churches and other groups to share. To be launched at Hamworthy Community Library on 11^th July from 2-4. Can be booked after that.

3. Publicity.

Questions were raised about publicity. Penny Elliott sends out a monthly newsheet of all she has been sent or heard of. There is a Diocesan sheet (and newspaper), there is a Chaplaincy web-site. These are all kept as up-to-date as possible.

4. Poole Methodists  Fraser Smith

It is hoped that the new application for the buildings would be passed in the third  week of August. The Methodists are looking to use the buildings as fully as possible for the benefit of the community and in co-operation with other churches. Please talk to Fraser if you have any suggestions.

5. Prama Care.  Jeff Russell  www.pramacare.co.uk  Tel: 01202. 207321

Jeff Russell is the new leader of Pramacare.  Pramacare is there to support people in their own homes, supporting over 700 people. It realises it is in danger of losing its Christian roots, so needs to contact churches again to show how support can be given to the people in their area. Please contact Prama for advice, meetings, preachings etc.

6. Food Bank  Jeff Russell

Funding for workers is found, but ideas are needed as to how this facility might develop. Many of those helped live isolated lives and where thought appropriate, a church in the right area is contacted so that they might be of help also.  Ministers may be contacted and asked to be available on occasions.

7. Chaplaincy.

In the present financial climate progress was slow both about plans for  a chaplain to the Borough and for a community chaplain for the town.   A chaplain to the Council as in the past seemed unlikely though the Council might support and fund a work which fulfilled the Community Cohesion agenda and was more interfaith.  With regard to the community there is the hope that a small part-time staff working out of Parkstone Christian Centre may be able to be a base for the recruitment of volunteers, with appropriate training.   It was felt that further conversations needed to take between the Chaplaincy management committee (chair Andrew Wiliams), Bridging Communities (Alison Dalton), which was already committed to community cohesion etc, and Faithworks (especially re ownership / trust status). A strong central CTP would be valuable and have its part to play.

8. County Matters.  Val Potter

• One way for chaplaincy was through the police and each Safer Neighbourhood Team now had a name on which they could call.
• The AGM was a very creative session, with many from ‘alternative ministries’ sharing their good news.  On 5^th October from 10- 1 at Wimborne Methodist Church on how to be a Christian in the modern world.
• IBEX. The URC are to fund a further full-time chaplain, although he/she will be based in Portsmouth. They will train voluntary chaplains with a clear focussed role on how to relate to businesses etc.
• CONNECT at Holton Lee from 14^th-18^th July. (details on www.connect2010.org.uk)

9. A short discussion regarding developing our ministry as Churches Together

 Marcus Zund led a discsussion on how we could communicate better, since many different reps. turned up at these meetings. It was agreed that many things should and could only be done locally, and our task was to have an awareness of what was going on, to connect the networks to one another and to the churches, to publicise good practice, to encourage initiatives and periodically to create town-wide events. We could, and should pray for one another (some areas have rotas drawn up). It is a good idea to attend other churches’ worship from time to time, which would help enrich and also break down prejudices.  Pulpit swops are valuable.

The United Service for January 23^rd 2011would be in Upper Parkstone & it was believed that was in hand.

10. Treasurer. Jeff Russell had volunteered to take this post and this was accepted unanimously by all present.  RBS will be instructed to add Jeff as a signatory to cheques.  We do need some funding and all churches are asked to please give say £20 to CTP.  Thanks to the few who have responded.

11.  Meetings in 2011.

These would be agreed at our 7^th October meeting.   Chris had suggested 3 meetings for 2011 and 3 of a core group meeting in between the open meetings.  The open meetings would be on different days of the week and probably continue to alternate lunchtimes and evenings. Come with diaries!

The next meeting was set for Thursday, 7^th October at St Mary’s RC, Wimborne Road  from 12.30-2.00

                                                                                                Paul Renyard and Chris Strain