AGM 2007

The Induction for new CTH president, Rev Canon Lawrie Hulme.

Minutes of the 2006 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 (Bilton; Starbeck & Woodlands; Town Centre; South West; Pannal)

Election of Officers:

* Hon President: Rev Canon Lawrie Hulme, whose theme for the year is to be prayer.

* Hon President elect: Ian Connell, proposed David Henthorne, seconded Paul Tennyson

* Hon Secretary: Humph Baker, proposed David Henthorne, seconded Ian Connell

* Hon Treasurer: Kath Plant, proposed Erica Miller, seconded Brian Hunt, with acclamation

A sad farewell to Rev Brain Hunt as he leaves the Exec team

* Exec Committee: Area Group members: Leeds Road (Mrs Pamela Rich and deputy Roger Elliott ) and the Town Centre (David Henthorne and deputy Shaun Swithenbank ), Bilton, (Beryl Tierney), Pannal & Beckwithshaw (Rev Sue Pearce) and Starbeck & Woodlands (Rev Thomas Yap, Pippa Bonner in circulation). Nominated en block by Canon Lawrie Hulme and seconded by Richard Dean.

* Past President: Richard Dean

Election of Auditor - Bob Sayles

* Church House Trust: AGM (report and grants issued)

* Executive Committee: Meeting dates for 2007: 13 June 2007, St Robert's

* Annual Assembly: to follow

The draft version of these reports is available as a pdf file (340kb)

President's Report Richard Dean, Rock ConneXion, writes: I began my year in office with a time of worship to God at St Peter's Church Harrogate. After an interval for refreshments and a time of fellowship the Annual General Meeting of CTH was held. My first official duty as President of CTH was to attend the Borough Council's Mayor making ceremony. It was a privilege to represent the Church community at this important Civic occasion. On 15 November the CTH Annual Assembly took place at Trinity Methodist Church Hall. We started the evening with a time of worship led by Phoenix a trio from St Aidan's School. The theme of the evening was care for the elderly. Our guest speaker was the Revd Dr Keith Albans, Chaplain to the Methodist Homes for the Elderly who gave a thought provoking address on the needs of elderly people, particularly their spiritual needs as many become isolated from the Church Community either in their own homes or in retirement homes. Following the talk we split into area groups and considered the retirement homes within our own area in particular and possible Church contact with them. The overall conclusion of our discussions was that there is much more that could be done to maintain contact with the elderly. [See also the listing of local Retirement Homes on the CTH website.]

This year it was the turn of CTH to host the annual dinner of the Clerical Medical and Legal Association. The event was held on 16 February at Christ Church Parish Centre. We enjoyed splendid food provided by Dr Barnardo's and an excellent talk from the guest speaker Jonathan Gibson who spoke on Political Correctness. My thanks go to Humph Baker and David Henthorne who undertook the organisation of the evening.

The last event of my Presidency was the service of witness at the cenotaph in the centre of town on Good Friday. Around two hundred people assembled to remember the death of our Lord Jesus as we worshipped together and listened to scriptures being read. It was good to be able to join together outdoors in such a central location and lift the name of Jesus on high.

I would like to thank all the people who have helped me over the last year, particularly Humph Baker our secretary. I hand over to my successor Rev Lawrie Hulme praying that the Lord will lead and bless him in his Presidency.

Treasurer's Report

Kath Plant

As in previous years the account has been drawn up on the simple Receipts and Payments basis.The top part shows what has been received and paid out during the year and the bottom part shows the state of the bank accounts.

Possibly the first thing you will notice is the Excess of receipts over Payments £318.15, which is reflected in the balance on the current bank account. This does not mean that we have made a profit of £318.15. We need to look at where the Receipts come from and how they have been spent.

The receipts have come from four sources: subscriptions, bank interest, Church House Trust and the cheques for the Clerical, Medical and Law Society dinner. This last item can be disposed of first - we just banked £548 cheques on behalf of the organiser of the dinner and paid this amount to the restaurant as is seen on the payments side of the account. It was not part of CTH business.

The sums received from CHT have been applied for by our secretary Humph for specific items and are not income to be disposed of as we wish. At the beginning of the year we had a balance of 200 from last year's grants which was earmarked for the purchase of the portable loop acquired in these accounts.

We therefore had a total of £2,179 + £200 = £2,379 for this year's purchases and of this we have left £446 (£2,379 - £1,932.95) which has to be spent on a reprint of the hotel leaflets.

The bank interest is minimal.

Subscriptions were received from 27 churches, £675 and this has to cover all the remaining payments: Good Friday £101.38 + £39.12, Public Liability Insurance annual premium £131.25 (probably £180 next year), speakers' expenses £25, affiliation fees to WYEC £81 this year.(There will also be CVS next year) and admin expenses £226.87.

I would add that Admin expenses should be approx £112 than shown but the vouchers have been lost and I understand that no claim is being made for this year. When all these sums are deducted from the subscriptions received we are left with a small surplus of £72 only. If we keep the subscriptions at £25 for the coming year to 31 March 2008 they will clearly be insufficient to cover the increased expenses. I am therefore recommending an increase in subscription to £30 per church for the year to 31 March 2008 and no rebate to Area Councils.

I would again like to record a word of thanks to Mr Bob Sayles who has examined the books for me and who has confirmed his willingness to continue as Examiner.

Finally I ask for your approval of these accounts, a subscription of £30 per church for year end 31 March 2008, no rebate for the year to 31 March 2008.

Secretary's Report

The constitutional meetings (AGM and the Annual Assembly) have been held under the new constitution. Dates are listed on the website. It has been a joy to welcome the new Exec members from Area groups – the secretary's presence at Area Meetings should become superfluous in this coming year! It has been an exciting and demanding year supporting our president and the growing work of CTH, sprinkled with much delight, especially with new clergy and worshippers; we say a sad farewell to Brian Hunt on the Exec and pray God's grace on those who have moved on from the congregations of the town, and for those whose places of worship are being closed. (See News Archive for clergy moves)

Promoting wider church activities: the Christmas and Easter brochures (chronological list of services and map), were distributed with help from Keith Gough to most hotels, TIC and other locations.

The CTH website continues to grow and is now used for the entries to the Church Diary in the Harrogate Advertiser newspaper. Postal Mailing dates continue to be published within the website Communications page. The website now includes listings of church postal codes to assist the emergency services, with a downloadable poster for churches, halls and offices. Other new pages include a page on languages spoken at various churches, responding to the need to welcome all ethnic and national groups.

Our president started his CTH year with a series of issues for consideration by the wider church. Thorough research was made over the lap dancing club on Oxford Street – and especially its foundation stones, noting wise views that either the stones should remain as a proclamation , and also that they could be replaced if the stones cause the concern.

On other issues, Harrogate was unsuccessful in applying for the Casino licence, the CTH website carries various links and materials in response to the Da Vinci Code film; along with USDAW, Morrisons and many others, the move to 24 hour 7 day opening was defeated in the House of Commons, our MP also supporting other related causes.

Several churches are in communication with Tesco over their planned return to HG1, exploring the possibility of a community quiet or prayer room (other towns have even seen such a room be used for blood donations and registering births); there is the possibility here of an ecumenical project to run a ‘shop front', open ‘all hours' and providing a welcoming, loving meeting point with our community.

Church House Trust has supported many ecumenical projects, especially providing funding for a Poly Canvas Labyrinth which has already been requested by schools and churches. The fund has also funded a replacement HP Pavilion dual core tower system. New websites and webpages created this year include www.YouthCells.net for Rev Peter Askew, a rapidly rebuilt www.HYPeR.org.uk following the loss of server facilities and various webpages for local churches and Berwick Grange.

The two banner stands have been on show at various events including the CVS ‘Meet the Funder' day supporting the voluntary sector across the district; also at the Conference Centre for the New Wine leadership event and various other Ecumenical meetings and Lent groups. They provide a professional approach in promoting how the Lord is moving across this area; they're always available for your Area Group.

The changes to the ‘Church Diary' in The Advertiser now provide the opportunity for anyone to proof-read the planned entries for the coming week – up to six weeks in advance – via the CTH website. The secretary has contracted to add/amend entries up to midnight on Tuesdays, but would prefer all additions, changes, alterations and corrections to be emailed earlier! The administration work within CTH continues to grow.

Area Reports

Bilton: Bar, Bilton Grange, Grove Road, St John's, St Joseph's and St Luke's churches

Bilton youth cells continue to thrive, with services at Bar and St John's as well as another Greenbelt visit. Ecumenical Lent groups followed the course on the Abolition of Slavery. St John's hosted an ecumenical Theos service – complete with a sit-down meal – as part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Leeds Road: All Saints, Harlow Hill, Oatlands, St Mark's, St Mary's, and Trinity churches. St Mary's continue to worship at Harrogate Grammar school and are seeking a new incumbent. All Saints meet at Harlow Hill at 9am with monthly joint communion services; the possibility of renovation of All Saints church continues to be investigated. A combined and augmented choir will lead the worship for Charles Wesley at Trinitynext week

Starbeck & Woodlands: Christ Church, St. Aelred's, St. Andrew's, Starbeck and Woodlands Methodist Churches

Woodlands Methodist welcomed Rev Christine Gillespie as its new minister, and Starbeck Methodist welcomed Colin Emerson and completed its refurbishment works – complete with electronically raised sanctuary cross, full multimedia and new sound systems, improved lighting and a more accommodating entrance porch. The Good Friday Walk of Witness headed from Christ Church to Starbeck this year; St Aelred's and Woodlands led DVDs teachings by Jean Vanier . Christ Church and Woodlands have united quarterly evening services

Town Centre: Baptist, Elim, Life Destiny, Mayfield Community, New Life, St Paul's, St Peter's, St Robert's Wesley, West Park

The town centre group continues to thrive, with individual churches linking up with others for shared morning or evening services throughout the year. Mayfield Community Church has appointed Sam O'Brien as youth worker; the first youth service there drew a large crowd. St Peter's are hosting quarterly Songs of Praise Plus services with contributions from the Christian community in Harrogate . St Paul 's refurbishment works have been completed with concealed multimedia works and dimmable lighting in the church

Youth for Christ Report

Harrogate & District Youth for Christ has continued to pray for and support youth evangelism in the area over the last year. With much welcome and continued support, we have sought a new staff member to rebuild the ministry and hope to be able to reveal the new work in the coming weeks.

We have been involved in supporting United Gigs in bringing Christian rock bands to Pannal and Harrogate , notably during the week of the Christian Resources Exhibition in October 2006. We continue to help schools' Christian Unions by offering modest termly grants for materials.

Colleen Scruton continues as our valued administrator, also supporting HYPeR and we're glad to be able to base our office there as well. Some of our equipment resources have helped the wider church in its mission and worship activities – notably at the World Cup Final big screen event at Christ Church. Call Colleen for more info and availability for events (507527).

Many continue to download our Partners Newsletters from our website. With the help of local youth workers and ministries, the website now provides a clear grid illustrating the schools, church and youth works across this area. Your support in prayer and finance is now all the more needed as we move the YfC work forward.

Richard Marjoribanks

chair of the YfC Trustees.

HYPeR Report 2007I can't believe that my signing off as temporary manager last year sees me still here! I can report another positive and well attended year at Hyper with around 70 on non-band nights and up to 140 on band nights which happen fortnightly. The bands are still made up of Harrogate teenagers who are an amazingly talented, if sometimes unintelligible, bunch when it comes to singing! We managed to open again during the 06-07 winter months for the after school sessions and served countless rounds of toast and jam to hungry teenagers with their mug of tea or hot chocolate when they arrived straight from school. Just like having a very large family really! Last year's summer holiday openings were especially well attended as lots of youngsters spent the nights camping out in the good weather and turned up looking for breakfasts when we opened! I doubt if most of their parents knew where they had been overnight.

We continue to pray both together as volunteers, and I am sure individually, for the well being and safe care of the teenagers we meet - and the ones we don't. We have small successes, but sometimes I feel we are losing the battle against the lure of the drugs and alcohol so readily available in Harrogate We can only pray fervently that they all come out the other end of these testing teenage years as unscathed and unharmed as possible.

I mentioned last year that we would need to secure a generous amount of funding to cover our rent increase this year and we have! God has certainly been with us in our form filling this year and we are very grateful for grants or donations from Church House Trust, The Charles and Elsie Sykes Trust and West Park which will enable us to fund a manager's post for next year. We have also been promised funding towards rent and much needed repairs and improvements from the North Yorkshire 4 Youth fund, which we await with excitement and look forward to spending! Candis magazine awarded us £1,000 thanks to Ken Selkirk and Nancy Stuart of Wesley and we have recently spent this on drums and guitars for the young people to use. Thank you to all of the above.

Once again, we at Hyper send an enormous 'thank you for your support' to all the members of Churches Together and individual supporters. We still have our 'thank you board' in the centre so that the young people are aware of just who is providing their 'shelter'. The same big thank you goes to all the volunteers - and we have added one or two new ones this year - who do a fantastic, sterling job for these youngsters; also to the steering and executive committees for all time spent overseeing the management of Hyper - but always and mostly to God for blessing our work at Hyper when we are most in need

Jo Nevett, Still Temporary Volunteer Manager, HYPeR - note new web address

A further note from David Henthorne expresses the thanks of all to Jo for her work for HYPeR over this last year.

Harrogate and Knaresborough Jubilee Debt Campaign

H&KJDC continues to develop its work of raising awareness and running campaigns on the high streets.

Campaigning on “CUT THE STRINGS” (CONDITIONS) attached to lending and cancellation continued through 2006 summer. We put up a display outside St. Peter's before the G8 Summit , with Mayor Geoff Webber and Phil Willis MP ‘Cutting the Strings' symbolically. Using a traveling table-top display, we had stalls at Knbro' Bed Race, Starbeck Gala and Bilton Gala. Valentine Sakala of Malawi and Lindsay Pearson, Christian Aid, both spoke at our very well attended and successful AGM, making reference, not only to CONDITIONS but also to Climate Change and Debt. Linda Wade stood down as treasurer and Phil Noonan took her place. The Working Group have met three times since.

Throughout the year, campaigning cards, news and other literature have been circulated around the churches and to a noticeably increasing mailing list. We could not have existed financially without a very generous grant from The Church House Trust for which our Working Group are very grateful.

We have had more news about the beneficial affects of funds set free by earlier debt cancellation on the Health and Education provision of several poor countries. (Thank you campaigners) We look out with anticipation, as news filters through of the benefits of all the cancellations made after the huge pressure exerted on rich governments by MAKE POVERTY HISTORY and since. This year's campaigning focuses on irresponsible loans made many years in the past, but still being repaid at great cost to the poorest. We are calling on our Government to ‘LIFT the LID' on BAD LOANS and to cancel them. Norway has already led the way. Our Co-ordinator has attended some of the London Working Group meetings. She was present at their excellent ‘DEBT and POWER' conference and AGM in April.

The local group are organising an event at St Peter's church to coincide with the major rally in London calling the government to account on their promises. "From about 10am we focus on cancellation of debts caused through irresponsible lending years ago, to LIFT THE LID on unjust loans. At around 2pm, we too shall tell the G8 ‘THE WORLD CAN'T WAIT. First the church bells will ring out. Later, like those in London, we shall observe a minute's silence, then we shall ‘RING THE ALARM' for three minutes with whatever noise-makers we have. If you are unable to be in London , join us. (Coffee and biscuits will be served inside the church from about 11am. We may be lucky enough to have some African drumming)." Beryl Tierney

Harrogate and District Christian Ecology Link

Two Open Meetings were held during the year at St Paul 's URC. At the AGM in April we welcomed the newly appointed Diocesan Environment Officer (DEO) for Ripon and Leeds , Rev'd Ian White and in November a return visit from Howard Wass, organic farmer from the North York moors, who gave us a fascinating insight into his life's work and philosophy. Both meetings were attended by some 16 people, and proved very helpful and inspiring. By contrast a walk along the Ripon Canal towpath was poorly supported despite the good weather

Highlights of the year came in April and November when members of the group joined Sunday evening congregations at Woodlands and Wesley Methodist Churches respectively. Services with an environmental theme were led by the local Ministers and followed by refreshments and thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion

Communications

Between meetings members have been kept in touch by a regular newsletter, which Pam Shaftoe has produced (in addition to her invaluable work as Treasurer and Membership Secretary) since John Margham had to relinquish editorship. A HDCEL “Members and Friends” e-mailing list has grown steadily and now has 46 names on it

National, Regional and Local Outreach

The Link has continued to support CEL's national campaigns and initiatives. The Operation Noah video has been shown to several groups and the Link was instrumental in helping arrange for CEL's national chairman to speak to Wesley Chapel's “Spotlight” on energy policy

The Link has worked closely with the DEO and ran an information stand at the Diocesan Environment Conference in April 2007 where several Link members led and helped with workshops

Heath Lodge

The website for the Harrogate Neighbours Housing Association has been launched.

Harrogate Homeless Project

HHP have been renewing equipment and facilities - with grant support from Church House Trust and other gifts. More info from the Homeless Project - who also now have their own website: www.harrogate-homeless-project.org.uk

Thursday Evening Meals for the Homeless and Needy

No further report.

Lent Lunches

A wide selection of Lent courses across Harrogate were advertised within the Lent and Easter together leaflet as well as on the CTH website.

Local Strategic Partnership

Churches Together in Harrogate enjoys representation on the local LSP. New reports on the work of the LSP – notably on Ethnic Minorities - are published on the CTH website, accessed via the Reports pages. CTH has two reps (Jeremy Clough and the secretary), one taking the role of deputy should the other be unavailable