Present: W. Astor, S. Camhi, T. Carrick, H. Davie, C. Klingler, R. Parsonage, T. Whitfield, D. Wotherspoon

The meeting opened with prayer.

1. Church Layout:

   1.1 Number of seats can be increased:

   • Vestment cupboard will be moved into vestry;
   • Pew frontals have "disappeared" (mixed reaction!).
   
   After the vestry has been done, we will organise a working party to spend some time in the church looking at possible changes of layout: imagine we're starting from scratch - what do we want /need (furniture, lighting, decoration etc)

   1.2 We need to think about decorating the sanctuary - at least a coat of paint.

2. Services:

   2.1 Evening services:

   • - Prayer and Praise not going well - cancelled for the time being.
   • Healing service OK.
     Comment: labelling services can put people off!
   • - Ideas: sung evensong; said evensong; quiet time for prayer and meditation; communion.
   
   Nothing to be done at the moment - decide together with question of morning services.

   2.2 One main morning service:
   There was a lot of positive feedback from the Dedication service where we were all together in one service. (To be tried again for Harvest). The question has been asked whether we could/should go back to one main morning service:

   • worship is better with a full church and the support of a music group.
   • except for Easter Sunday, the total number of worshippers (including children) has never exceeded 140 on Sundays where records exist.

   Suggestion: move one morning service to the evening; hold morning services at 9a.m. (said communion) and 10.30.
   Children should sit at the front; general organisation needs to be improved so that late-comers don't feel unwanted and go away (e.g. reserve back row).

   Proposal: this suggestion to be put to the council and, if approved, communicated to the whole congregation with a questionnaire inviting their opinions.

3. Service Book Revision:

   Subcommittee will produce a sample book for approval at the next council meeting on October 18th.

4. Any Other Business:

   4.1 The recording of sermons to be re-started - apparently there is a demand.

   4.2 Wendy to order 200 carol sheets and find out whether a music book is available (we would need at least 3).

   4.3 Hector to order 500 Christmas cards (as last year) - last year we ordered 1000 and had lots left over.

   4.4 Choir may sing advent music on December 18th; but no Christmas music in the services.

   If there is to be no choir on Christmas Eve we should look at other music possibilities - small groups, soloists, instruments.

The meeting closed with prayer at 20.00.

18.9.94/P.Carrick