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Stoke St. Mary with
Thurlbear |
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Stoke St. Mary with
Thurlbear |
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| A Church Committee Meeting was held on 30th January, when the Rector reported on the
planned changes to the United Benefice. It is intended that Stoke St Mary and Thurlbear
should become a single ecclesistical parish within the group. Stoke will take over
the responsibility for Thurlbear churchyard. The Treasurer, John Vile, reported that the Parish Share was due to go up by 25%, and that we are in danger of running an annual deficit of about £5000 unless the giving increases. We need to do some hard thinking about how we are going to balance the books. A letter is being sent to church members to alert them to the problems St. Mary's is facing. A group of committee members met the new church architect on 9 January to discuss th damp problems in the church and to make plans for redecorating the interior. We hope the work can be done this spring by volunteer labour to save costs. Anyone who would like to help should contact Doug Gillanders or Tom Mayberry. It is also intended that we should make urgent progress on fitting a handrail up the chancel steps and a ramp at the church gate, and should review plans for providing a kitchen and toilet. After discussion, the committee agreed that two further windows by Patrick Reyntiens should be added to the south aisle if the money can be found. The Rector and Churchwardens had already met informally with the Stoke Jubilee Committee and there was real enthusiasm to make the project succeed.
The AGM is on Tuesday 12 March at 7.30 pm in the church. |
