2009 AGM

Agenda, Wednesday 13 May before the Induction Service

The Induction for new CTH president, Rev Mark Godfrey is to follow the business meetings of Churches Together in Harrogate and Church House Trust.

Minutes of the 2008 Annual General Meeting, also available on the night, and Matters Arising from the minutes

Hon President's report

Hon Treasurer's report

Hon Secretary's report

Area Reports as written (Bilton; Starbeck & Woodlands; Town Centre; South West; Pannal and Lower Dale) - see Area Groups page

Election of Officers:

Ian Connell, St Paul's URCHarrogate Borough Council regards the Church in Harrogate with great importance and one of my first duties was to represent Churches Together at the ‘Mayor Making' which was both an honour and privilege. Equally the Mayor's theme for the year was those serving in the community which was the same as I had chosen. This year has been one of visiting the various congregations within the Harrogate area. The venues and style of services have been varied as well as where they have been held from the traditional Church to school halls, cinema, hotel and outdoor services. All had one thing in common people worshipping and praising God. It is fair to say that no two services were the same either in format or content. The thing that they all had in common was praise, encouragement and a challenge to one's faith. The meeting with all the Leaders at Wydale was another highlight. Two days of fellowship that provided a deeper understanding for all. A big thank you is due to Humph for his organisation, leadership and his attention to detail that made everything go smoothly. Thanks are due those who have served with me on the Executive Committee for their work and commitment. Those from the various churches throughout the area for their support, counseling and prayers during this year it was not only needed but greatly appreciated. As you will be aware Humph is giving up the position of Secretary where he has put his ‘heart and soul' into this task. Developing this role where it is recognised, by all, in promoting the work of the Lord in Harrogate and the wider Church. He has laid a great foundation which to build upon. Our grateful thanks are given and we wish him health and strength for the future wherever the Holy Spirit leads him and his family. I would like to wish Mark in his position as President a very successful and fruitful year. Every blessing Ian

Treasurer's Report

Kath Plant, Our Lady Immaculate and St Robert RC The statement shows, at the top, what has been received and paid out during the year ended 31 March 2009. The bottom part of the sheet shows the state of the bank accounts at the beginning and end of the year.You will note that this year we have an excess of payments over receipts of £82.61. This is because some computer expenses amounting to £167.40 related to the previous year were inadvertently not claimed that year. Taking one year with another this events out.The expenses generally are in the same categories as before - Public Liability Insurance is a large sum as it is group cover for events held by Churches Together and also the Area Councils. (Don't forget to inform the Secretary or Treasurer if you are planning any events as the insurance company [Methodist Insurance] may need to know). Affiliation fees for thirty paid-up churches are another large item. The biggest expense is for administration - photocopying, postage and computer and website. The printing of the Christmas/Easter brochures £395 was paid for by the grant from Church House Trust.

Bank interest is at a very low rate on our relatively small accounts but we cannot do much about that in the present financial climate.

Our current account balance still contains £446 which is the balance of a Church House Trust grant from a previous year ring-fenced for a receipt of hotel brochures. The job is at last I understand nearing completion (if not already done ) and our combined cash and bank balances will then be in the region of £1,000. But the expenses for Good Friday 2009 (sound system etc) are waiting to be paid out of this.

Over all we are maintaining an even keel and I recommend that subscriptions remain at £30 per church and no rebate to Area Councils.

I would again like to thank Mr Bob Sayles who has examined the books for me and has confirmed his willingness to continue as examiner.

To summarise I ask your approval please for

these accounts

a subscription of £30 per church for the year to 31 March 2010, and

no rebate to Area Councils for that year

Kath Plant, Hon Treasurer

Secretary's Report

Humph Baker, Christ Church The constitutional meetings (AGM and the Annual Assembly on 22 January 2009) have been held.Promoting wider church activities: the acclaimed Christmas and Easter brochures have been produced along with a new Google map pinpointing the front doors of every local church. The Secretary was delighted to be invited to run a stand at the Northern Christian Resources Exhibition, illustrating the impact on the community of this advanced way of working.

The ‘Church Diary' in The Advertiser has been available for proof-reading up to three months in advance on the CTH website. Following the AGM of CT Knaresborough, the CTH Hon Sec has integrated CTK events in the listing – the inside pages of The Advertiser have usually been copied to the Knaresborough Post (historically without any mention of their churches). Our gratitude is to be noted to the good staff at The Advertiser, BBC Radio York and the CRE Team for their uplifting, professional and caring welcome. Our prayers go with them.

We are grateful to the Trustees of Church House Trust for their continued support of many ecumenical projects, especially the Church Leaders' Fraternal 'Wydale II', as well as the contribution of Archdeacon Janet Henderson and Peter Barnes for their wisdom, prayer and leadership.

Due to declining health and excessive demands on time and finances, the Honorary Secretary is stepping down at this AGM. For many years, the office work has grown along with speaking engagements, research and communications and corresponding costs in time and finance. As requests for help over the years have gone unanswered, and aware that after some 6½ years he has only arranged two residential conferences for church leaders, he prefers not to hinder God's work and knows that it is time for others to take up the mantle.

He remains grateful to have had the opportunity to rebuild sour relationships between the churches and the local press, include all churches for the sake of those outside our congregations and promote what God has been doing across the area.

His prayer continues for all he has been delighted to serve and work with, following first the Lord's command to love as the raison d'être to life and faith before responding to the call of the commission to share the good news. He has often been heard to say that everything flows smoothly if we learn how to love first.

Whilst not invited to help the Working Group explore how best to develop and improve the Executive and Secretarial work of CTH, the Secretary has summarised the Working Group's reported Developments for 2009 on a page on this website.

Personally … Cormac Murphy O'Connor said that we're called to be faithful rather than be successful; I hope and pray that my time has been marked by a faithful devotion to the Lord, the community we humbly serve and to every one of the Christian congregations in this area, not just those who pay their subs or who are of like mind. The strap-line “Loving God and neighbour – Together” was welcomed by leaders six years ago as a strong and wise direction; as has been since said, “Lead on, Harrogate”.

Thanks I wish to record my deep gratitude to all who have appreciated this depth of ministry and work, notably external agencies such as HBC, TIC, the BBC, my colleagues in the CTH Exec and many others; for some this work was, perhaps, beyond their experience, yet some welcomed the work in the spirit of Gamaliel (Acts 5 34 ). To all, it has been a humble privilege to have had the opportunity to serve the community and the wider church.

Area Reports

No reports were submitted by 30 April for inclusion (requested at the Exec, 26 March 2009; these summaries collated by the retiring Hon Secretary).

Bilton: Bar, Bilton Grange, Grove Road, St John's, St Joseph's and St Luke's churches; Bar & Grove Road chapels continue with plans for the major redevelopment of Bar chapel. St John's hosted an ecumenical Theos service as part of the WPCU and the Area Group took a stand at Bilton Gala

Leeds Road: All Saints, Harlow Hill, St Mark's, St Mary's, and Trinity churches; Organised joint services included an extended and ecumenical Palm Sunday procession to Trinity. The All Saints and St Mary's congregations worship in the church halls with a 9am traditional communion service and a cycle of cell groups meeting in home and together. All Saints church has now been closed

Starbeck & Woodlands: Christ Church, St Aelred's, St Andrew's, Starbeck and Woodlands Methodist Churches; Starbeck Methodist have started sports events, Christ Church welcomed Rev Nicholas Henshall as vicar

Town Centre: Baptist, Elim, Harrogate New Life, Life Destiny, Mayfield Community, St Paul's, St Peter's, St Robert's, Wesley and West Park; sadly, West Park and the Baptist congregations have decided against closer ties. The joint activities during the year varied from distribution of Easter and Christmas Posters of the various services during those periods round the shops and hotels. The WPCU was organised along with three Celebration Praise services

Hampsthwaite and Killinghall: the retiring Hon Secretary is delighted to report the rejoining of the churches in the lower dale villages to Churches Together in Harrogate

Future meeting dates within the Area Groups page of the CTH website.

Youth for Christ Report 2009

Staff Daryll Hackett and several existing members of the Urban Circus Arts team have made a dramatic impact since starting in September 2008

Hours the new YfC/UCA ministry of Holy Kapow! has delivered dozens of performances across the area

Money £28,531 turnover pa for four workers and support with gifts from around 50 individuals and ten churches

Young people Christmas Nativity shows reached over 2,000 young people; the Easter Nativity shows also involved many of them

Partners Newsletters and new website continue to keep you informed of developments. Your prayer and support is much appreciated. Please call Colleen for more info (507527).

HYPeR Report 2009

Staff Jo Nevitt stepped down after 11 months as manager. Rita Lister started 1 May 2009.

Opening hours we're open for just over 9 hours pw – after-school for two hours midweek and Friday evenings

Money £30,000 turnover pa with gifts from some ten local churches, Church House Trust and other grants plus rent from Life Destiny Church, Gateway, Drama group, YfC and others

Young People HYPeR is proud that some 600 young people have visited the café bar and venue in the year

Volunteers We thank all our volunteers for their work and willingness; we need more help though, please

Website HYPeR has created three new websites this year including one it calls their ‘official' website; all are linked from the CTH maintainedwww.HYPeR.org.uk website. Edited from March 2009 newsletter

CTH Office Report 2009

Staff Our Honorary Secretary, Humph Baker, retires after 6½ years service; the position is currently vacant.

Hours The CTH office is usually open during office hours, although the secretary has also contributed outside the office in evenings and weekends; the service was closed for ten days in August 2008 (due to holidays).

Money subs of £930 pa (plus a gift of £55) cover our liability insurance, postage, printing, web hosting and stationery, the open air Good Friday service and subs to WYEC & CVS. Secretarial running costs not reimbursed by subs nor grants have been kept below £3,000 again this year.

Church House Trust has supported the Christmas brochure (£395) and Wydale II church leaders conference (£1,320).

The Advertiser Church Diary column promotes some 50 churches each week with their services and events researched and collated; this now includes our friends in Knaresborough, omitted since November 2006.

The CTH website moved from (free) community hosting to an ISP for £30pa following server failures before Christmas 2008. The 200MB site is regarded highly by TIC, the media and across the region for its accuracy, coverage and the way it is continually updated and maintained. Stats and search reports illustrate the issues and events where the CTH website provides answers to some 100,000 visitors each month.

Comms The secretary has improved and developed our wide links across the country with engagements and input for the BBC, CRE and regional bodies.

Unity CTH relationships have been enhanced through the second residential Church Leader's conference as well as unseen working and mentoring across the area

Harrogate and Knaresborough Jubilee Debt Campaign

Report published on their webpage within this Churches Together website

Harrogate and District Christian Ecology Link

No report received

Heath Lodge

More info on the website for the Harrogate Neighbours Housing Association.

Harrogate Homeless Project

More info from the Homeless Project / www.harrogate-homeless-project.org.uk

Thursday Evening Meals for the Homeless and Needy

The rota is now available on this website on the webpage for the Thursday Meals for the Needy. This work is under review.

Lent Lunches

A wide selection of Lent courses across Harrogate were included within the Church Diary column in The Advertiser newspaper as well as on the CTH website.

Local Strategic Partnership

Churches Together in Harrogate enjoys representation on the local LSP. Reports on the work of the LSP and on Ethnic Minorities are published on the CTH website, accessed via the Reports pages. CTH has two reps (Deacon David Hunt and the secretary - now retired), one taking the role of deputy should the other be unavailable. This CTH website includes reports on the LSP page.