FTiH Update 12th October 2016 (eMails with Sacred Heart)

Post date: Oct 30, 2016 6:9:45 PM

Following the Outreach by St. John’s FtiH Team to The Sacred Heart, North Gosforth, the following is correspondence sent and rec’d.

1^st October 2016

Hi Kathryn, Jerry,

I think we all felt it was a successful first meeting and that it gave a promise of being able to move forward together in more hope!

I've attached the Power Point presentation which was used at our parish meeting last week which includes the high level points from our feedback from the FTiH team.

Blessings - Ged Downey – Sacred Heart FTiH Team

5^th October 2016

Hi Ged and thanks for this.

Attached is the electronic copies of what we presented to you last Friday.

We have our Vicariate meeting this Thursday (6^th Oct) at 7pm St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy, Bedlington – this will provide further insight, but I believe we are on the right track in the way we are reaching out and we do feel it was a very positive and successful meeting.

Reading Sacred hearts presentation provides a lot of room and opportunity for us both to explore.

It would be good to meet again to discuss and explore any areas/events that we can get involved in – particularly at parish as opposed to individual level.

Slowly but surely – if you know what I mean.

We were hoping to meet you again next week if that is not too soon or the week after.

Kathryn and Jerry – St. John’s FTiH Team

10^th October 2016

Hi Jerry et al,

This is to update you on the outcomes from our Deanery meeting which was held last Thursday evening - sorry for the delay, but on Friday we had a funeral to attend and then it was our Parish away weekend, followed by Healing on the Streets on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday we learnt that our Sunday Lunch attendance went from 2 to 9, so this is the first opportunity I've had to collect my thoughts!

On Thursday evening, we had very strong representations from St Charles Gosforth and Holy Name Jesmond to partner with them. When I mentioned that we had already had preliminary discussions with Annitsford and Cramlington, they could see the logic, and didn't see that there would be any problem in combining all of these into one partnership (The FTiH documentation suggest 5 or 6 parishes per partnership). Later, the parish rep from St Aidan's Benton asked if their parish would be able to be included in the partnership, since St Theresa's Heaton, with whom they are currently linked, are looking to partner with parishes further down to the River Tyne.

That would give a partnership of :-

Holy Name Jesmond

St Charles Gosforth

Sacred Heart North Gosforth

St Aidan Benton

St John the Baptist Annitsford

St Paul Cramlington

I've attempted to represent this proto-partnership on the attached map - I've used straight lines to represent parish boundaries, although I know in reality they are always a bit wiggly!

On looking at the map, there are two other candidate parishes - St Mary's Forest Hall and St Cuthbert's Kenton. I am not aware of any partnership plans in these two parishes.

Can you let me have your thoughts (positive or negative) so that I can respond to the Holy Name, St Charles and St Aidan reps.

I have include Graham Wilkins from St Paul's Cramlington, but he mentioned that his mail system has difficulty with messages from @yahoo mailbox - if anyone does successfully email him, can they forward this message just in case mine doesn't get through.

Many thanks and blessings - Ged Downey – Sacred Heart FTiH Team