35Th Annual General Meeting April 2018
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35th Annual General Meeting April 2018 Broken RItes AGM A5 24pp Booklet_v2.indd 1 07/03/2018 16:27 Foreword from the Rt. Hon Frank Field, President It is with great pleasure that I provide a forward for this the 35th Broken Rites Annual Report. I am happy to report that that Broken Rites is in good heart and good shape. The number of members has increased and thanks to generous donations the fi nances are more secure. The committee now has the opportunity to consider additional ways of offering support. These positive trends may be linked to increased use of social media, including Facebook and Twitter, but equally they may conceal more worrying developments. For example the increase in members may be because more clergy marriages and partnerships are breaking down but unless and until such fi gures are made available this cannot be tested. Similarly the increase in members may be as a result of poorer provision for separated spouses/partners. I understand that differences between denominations and differences between the various Dioceses in the Church of England are becoming more obvious, so that whilst some people receive excellent support others receive little and feel that their voices are not heard nor their problems understood. Here I shall work with your Committee so that the Church responds positively, as I’m sure they will. The practical and pastoral care separated spouses/partners receive varies according to where they live and which church their spouse belongs to. I have been concerned to hear that separated spouses/partners of members of the clergy are once again experiencing homelessness or are precariously housed and that fewer are being helped with housing by the churches. Many are in insecure privately-rented accommodation with the fear of rent rises and forced moves for the rest of their lives. That this does not need to be so was demonstrated at the 2017 AGM when members heard how the Church of Scotland provides for its members, including housing support and pastoral care. I support Broken Rites in their call for a UK-wide standard of support for this vulnerable group and I call upon all churches to make such statistics as they have available to the committee of Broken Rites so that they can plan how best to respond to the needs of separated and divorced spouses/partners of the clergy. Broken RItes AGM A5 24pp Booklet_v2.indd 2 07/03/2018 16:27 Notice Of Broken Rites 35th Annual General Meeting to be held at Church House, Westminster (entrance on Great Smith Street) on April 21st 2018 beginning at 10.30 am AGENDA 10.30 am Registration 11.00 am Welcome and Introductions 11.15 am Business meeting 1. Apologies 2. Opening remarks from the chair 3. Approval of minutes of 34th A.G.M. 2017 4. Matters arising from the minutes 5. Presentation of accounts 6. Appointment of Examiners for 2018 7. Annual Report 8. A few words from the Bishop’s Visitors’ Chaplain, Bishop Alastair 9. Appointment of Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and Interdenominational representative 10. Appointment of Area reps and Links 11. Any Other Business 12. Date and venue of 36th A.G.M. Following the business meeting we welcome a few words from our President, the Honourable Frank Field M.P. 1 - 2 pm Lunch at The Abbey Centre (34 Great Smith Street, across the road from the main entrance) 2.15 pm Presentation: Sex and Spirit: Making sense and moving forward The Revd Canon Dr. Carla A. Grosch-Miller will be speaking to us about clergy sexual misconduct and how we make sense of our experience and faith in the aftermath. Carla is a practical theologian who has lived in the UK for the last 15 years. She was ordained in the United Church of Christ (US) and is now lecturing and teaching in the areas of sexual-spiritual integration and congregational trauma around the UK. 3.15 pm Closing remarks 3.30 pm Depart Directions to Church House overleaf: (Note that no Church House parking places are available on Saturdays) Broken RItes AGM A5 24pp Booklet_v2.indd 3 07/03/2018 16:27 Church House, Great Smith Street, Westminster London SW1P 3NZ From St James’s Park Underground Station - Leave the station via the Broadway Exit (straight ahead) and head down Tothill Street. When you reach the end of the street, you will see Westminster Abbey. Cross over the road going towards the Abbey. Walk past the front of the Abbey towards Great Smith Street which is the fi rst road on the left, walk down this towards the main entrance which is set back in an archway. From Westminster Station - Leave the station via exit 4, turn right and walk to the fi rst set of traffi c lights on your left. Cross the road going towards the Houses of Parliament. Go straight ahead past the Houses of Parliament until you reach the next set of pedestrian lights. Turn right and walk past the front of the Abbey towards Great Smith Street which is the fi rst road on the left, walk down this towards the main entrance which is set back in an archway. From Victoria Station - From the mainline station exit and walk up Victoria Street as below. Exit the Underground at Cardinal Walk exit, turning right round the ‘pointy end’ of glass building, and then left to walk along Victoria Street towards Westminster, crossing over to the right hand side at one of the sets of traffi c lights. Walk up Victoria Street (passing Westminster Cathedral, the London Eye is just visible at the end) on right hand side until reach Abbey Orchard Street. Walk down and turn to the left. Turn right at the end into Great Smith Street, cross over and walk towards the main entrance which is set back in an archway. Bus stop for buses to Westminster is to the left of the station entrance across the main road. Broken RItes AGM A5 24pp Booklet_v2.indd 4 07/03/2018 16:27 Broken Rites: Minutes of the 34th Annual General Meeting held on Saturday 29th April beginning at 11 am at Canongate Kirk Hall, 153 Canongate, Edinburgh, EH18 8BN In Attendance were 22 Members and 4 Guests - Mr Alan Maxwell and the Very Reverends Ian Bishop, John Chalmers, David Lunan and John Miller. 11 am WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION Nancy Hutton-Hughes opened the meeting by welcoming all members and guests on behalf of the Broken Rites members in Scotland. She said that the purpose of the meeting was for members to enjoy themselves. Patricia Robertson gave a blessing in Gaelic which she translated as ‘God loves each one of us as if each one of us were an only child.’ Members introduced themselves, during which time Patricia (Patsy) Pitkeathly, was welcomed to her fi rst AGM. 11.15 am BUSINESS MEETING Margaret Wilkinson took the Chair. 1. APOLOGIES Apologies had been received from 25 people. These included the President of Broken Rites, the Rt Honourable Frank Field M.P.; Chaplain of the Bishop’s Visitors, the Rt Reverend Alistair Magowan; Archdeacon of Macclesfi eld, the Venerable Ian Bishop; the present Moderator of the Church of Scotland; the Episcopal Bishop of Edinburgh, the Rt Reverend John Armes, and Penny Applegate, Bishop’s Visitor for Manchester. Because of rail problems, the Co-Chairman, Dilys Stone, had also been unable to attend. Rail problems had affected several others who sent their apologies at the last minute. A further 19 ‘Non-attending’ replies had been returned in addition to the formal Apologies. 2. OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR Margaret Wilkinson thanked the Scottish members who had made newcomers to Edinburgh welcome by marshalling everyone successfully to the Canongate Kirk Hall which is not visible from the road. She reported the sad news that one member, Pat Rycroft, had died in the past year. In response to her request for a report of this meeting from a member who was attending for the fi rst time, Patsy Pitkeathly volunteered. Margaret read the letter from the President, the Right Honourable Frank Field, in which he expressed his appreciation for the work and support offered by Broken Rites during 2016/17. Referring to the Co Chairs’ offi cial Report, Margaret remarked that the organisation is ‘in good heart’ after a busy year. The social media presence has grown through Facebook; membership has increased, and an active search for new Associate Members is ongoing; it would be lovely if they had skills that they could offer to our organisation. Social Media is an effective contact point for younger members who are used to working in this way. Broken RItes AGM A5 24pp Booklet_v2.indd 5 07/03/2018 16:27 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE 33rd BROKEN RITES AGM 2016 Corrections: The numbering of the AGM meetings should read as follows: 2015 - 32nd AGM; 2016 33rd AGM; 2017 - 34th AGM. Item 9: Social Mediator Co-ordinator should read Social Media Co-ordinator Item 9: For Alexander Green read Alexandra Green. Proposal: that the Minutes be Approved by the Meeting. Proposed by Pauline Pearce: Seconded by Vivienne Tillin. Passed by the Meeting nem con. The Minutes were signed by the Chairman. 4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES The meeting was informed of post-AGM 2016 changes in offi cers. Item 8: Election of Chairman: The role of Chairman as shared between Margaret Wilkinson and Veronica Bale. Dilys Stone subsequently became Co-chairman with Margaret, and Veronica Bale became Vice Chairman. Item 9: Website Editor: Subsequent to the AGM 2016, Viv Rowett was not able to be Website Editor.