Money Matters
It certainly does! The Parish Fabric & Finance Group has been busy. All the radiators in the church, chapel, sacristy and house have been repaired and fitted with new thermostat valves As I write this Newsletter Fr Smith is taking a few days well earned rest away from the hospital and we are taking the opportunity to decorate and refurbish his quarters which have not seen paint brush or alteration for many a long year.
Soon, with some of the monies raised at the Parish/School Fair, lighting will be placed around the exterior of the church and presbytery and new digital timers will be fitted to the boilers for church and chapel central heating.
If all goes according to plan the new one way system for the car park should begin on January 12th. There is a slight alteration to the previous plan in that the in gate is going to be the one opposite the presbytery, and the out gate opposite the church. The out gate being wider than the in one will allow cars to line up in twos to turn either right or left out of the property. I imagine that it will take a little getting used to but hopefully it will make things a little better. On that same theme: one of the members of the Fabric & Finance Group is to have a meeting with the Hospital Authorities regarding its use of the Car Park.
In the near future we may face quite a bill from United Utilities who want to charge us for the surface water which drains into their system. This is a new departure and because we have quite a large Car Park area, the bill could be substantial. The F & F group are looking into the best way of dealing with this matter.
At their last meeting they agreed to change the designation of some of the collecting boxes at the back of church. These will now be for: Youth Work, CAFOD, SAB, Homeless & International emergencies. The upright metal collection box to be used solely for papers, periodicals, and printed matter.
In the course of the year there are going to be the usual clutch of special appeals: The White Flower Collection will be held soon; the Survive Miva people will talk to us, as will the Missionary Columban Sisters later in the year.