Dear friends at All Saints,
You will be aware, as I am, that lots of people are commenting at the moment about the future of Hoole Community Centre. The PCC believes that much of it is based on a mistaken view that we don’t really own the buildings and a false impression that we are seeking to double the rent payable by Hoole Community Development Trust. We are trying to correct these, both on social media and especially in my reply to individual emails, but you may be hearing them from friends and neighbours.
As a PCC we want to see the important community services continue and we are seeking to find a way in which that can happen. We are meeting with representatives of the Council this coming week in order to explore how that might be possible and we have stated that the door is not closed on further negotiation with HCDT once those discussions with the Council have taken place. Please do keep praying!
As we are now in lockdown 2, we have once again had to place some of our staff on furlough, at least for part of their time. Sarah Fletcher, our church cleaner, is being furloughed for all her hours and Andy Warren is working half his hours doing cleaning, opening and locking up and verging for funerals. With the Heart and Soul Café closed for the time being, Rhiannon is working one-third of her weekly hours, and she is spending those phoning people and offering pastoral support to those who are elderly, vulnerable or who otherwise lack support. If you are aware of people who would value a call, or if you would like to have a chat and pray with Rhiannon yourself, please do let the office know and we’ll pass that on to her.
Finally, I want to express my thanks, and the thanks of us all at All Saints, to Roy Greenwood who has been the church treasurer for the last 23 years. Together with Bill Morgan, who has been treasurer and then honorary accountant for nearly 50 years, we are immensely grateful to Roy. Both Bill and Roy have set a wonderful example of faith when it comes to the church’s finances. Without being profligate with the church’s money, both have demonstrated a positive attitude to requests for money for new projects – something which I gather isn’t universally true of church treasurers – and they are men who are confident that, if it is the Lord’s will, he will provide, which has been proved true time and time again. Thank you to Roy as you step down from this role and may the Lord go on blessing you and Sheila!
With love and prayers in Christ,
John