AGM 2010

AGENDA FOR WOODWORD SPIRITUALIST CHURCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING SUNDAY MARCH 28th 2010 AT 8pm

1. Silence for arisen friends and opening prayer.
2. Apologies for absence and welcome to new members.
3. Appointment of tellers and scrutineers.
4. Reading and adoption of Minutes of last AGM.
5. Matters arising from the minutes.
6. Reports:
(1) President’s Report.
(2) Secretary’s Report.
(3) Treasurer’s Report.
7. Acceptance of Woodford SN Church Accounts.
8. Election of Officers.
9. Election of Ordinary Members of the Committee.
10. Election of Class “A” Members.
11. Election of two Local Wardens.
12. Vote for the 2010 Church Charity.
13. Choice of auditors for next financial year
14. Any Other Business

NOMINATION LIST
ALL MEMBERS OF THE PRESENT COMMITTEE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR NOMINATION FOR CONTINUED SERVICE ON THE COMMITTEE
Retiring but willing to accept nomination:
Sue Bendon President Officer
John Rooney Secretary Officer
Colin Rands Treasurer Officer
Cheryl Baker Ordinary Member
David Cox Ordinary Member
James Langwith Ordinary Member
Sue Griffiths Ordinary Member
Christine Deekes Ordinary Member
Iris Klein Ordinary Member
David Butcher Ordinary Member
Retiring but not willing to accept nomination:
Lyn Bailey
Nominations.
Angela Graham
Connie Shears

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF WOODFORD SPIRITUALIST CHURCH HELD AT THE CHURCH ON 29th MARCH 2009 AT 8pm



1. SILENCE FOR ARISEN FRIENDS AND OPENING PRAYER
John Rooney said a prayer for arisen friends, Mary Hinds and Evelyn Lloyd, and asked for guidance for the meeting.

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
Apologies were received from Sue Bendon and Sue Griffiths. John Rooney welcomed new members.

3. APPOINTMENT OF TELLERS AND SCRUTINEERS
Lyn Bailey and Jim Langwith volunteered as tellers. Angela Graham and Stephanie Barrows volunteered as scrutineers.
The tellers counted the members present and declared the meeting quorate.

4. READING AND ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF THE LAST AGM.
The minutes, having been distributed beforehand, were adopted by a show of hands.

5. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
There were no matters arising from the minutes.

6. REPORTS
(1) PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2009
There was no President’s Report due to the absence of the president.

(2) SECRETARY’S REPORT 2009
(Verbatim)
As with previous years, the church has consciously highlighted education as a priority. However, due to illness I have to report that our Friday open circle is currently closed and one of our closed circles has not been operating. However, a different closed circle has been started so we do still a flourishing network of circles. The church innovated this year with a regular open circle for practising mediums which is possibly the only one operating in the country. I would quickly like to thank publicly the mediums who are part of this process: Sue Griffiths, Cheryl Baker, Joyce Le Vicount, Val Bickerstaff and Leo Bonomo.

Aa with previous years, another aspect of this theme of education is the work done within the church to train the next generation of healers. We still have an apprentice-type scheme run in conjunction with the SNU to train healers. The East London District Council visits the church for Healing Review Days as part of this process. I would like to thank David Cox and Cheryl Baker for their good work in this regard.


Again, we have continued with a broad range of Saturday workshops throughout the year. The participants enjoy and are stimulated by the workshops. The workshops also give the medium workshop leaders an opportunity to extend their own expertise. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the workshop leaders publicly for their efforts.

Church membership has held up during the year probably because we hold a wide range of activities an also because of our weekly adverts in PN and our monthly adverts in Two Worlds and the Spirit Messenger.

As in previous years, the church has supported various charities. A cheque for £2,000 was sent to Sue’s House, a charity in Ilford dedicated to helping those affected by cancer . As always a donation was also made to the Benevolent Fund of the SNU. The Sunday collection on Armistice Day was doubled and sent to the British Legion. Again, a gift of food was taken to the Redbridge Night Shelter in Ilford just before Christmas . As in previous years, the church continued its policy of doubling the amount of money raised for all charities with a donation from its own funds.

I would like to thank members of the church and members of the congregation, for the work they do regarding the Sunday Service, the Monday afternoon Service and the Wednesday Healing Services. I would like to thank all the mediums for serving the church taking just their expenses in exchange. This collectively forms the basis of our work here. I would quickly like to thank fellow officers and members of the committee for their work, work done voluntarily, professionally and with much good humour.

That concludes my report. Thank you for listening.


(3) TEASURER'S REPORT 2008
Colin Rands reported that in general the Church income was up on last year by about £1,000, with Church investment income up a further £1,500. Expenditure was up on last year by £900. The excess of income over expenditure for the year was £1,500. However, the investment income was £1,000 less than last year. Current assets were unchanged largely due to the investment income being added.

The question was raised as to whether the church received dividends on AXA investments. Colin answered that we did not as the AXA investment was an end-of-term investment based on the performance of the stock exchange.

The treasurer commented that the Church remains in a sound financial position.


7 ACCEPTANCE OF WOODFORD SNU CHURCH ACCOUNTS FOR 2008
The accounts were accepted by a show of hands.

8. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The officers were returned unopposed. (Sue Bendon as President; John Rooney as Secretary and Colin Rands as Treasurer)

9. ELECTION OF ORDINARY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
Sue Griffiths, Christine Deekes, Lyn Bailey, James Langwith, David Cox, Cheryl Baker and Iris Klein were elected by a show of hands.

David Butcher was elected as an ordinary member by a show of hands.

10. ELECTION OF CLASS "A" MEMBER
Cheryl Baker was the only person who offered to stand was returned unopposed.

11. ELECTION OF TWO LOCAL WARDENS
James Langwith and David Cox were returned unopposed.

12. VOTE FOR THE 2009 CHURCH CHARITY
The committee presented three charities from those suggested by the membership. These were: Breast Cancer, McMillan Nurses and Cancer Research. From these three, McMillan Nurses was chosen as the Church Charity for 2009.

13. CHOICE OF AUDITORS FOR NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR
Colin stated that the current auditors, Clemence Hoar Cummings, had served the church for many years and had given satisfactory service. He recommended that they be re-appointed. They were re-appointed by a show of hands.

14. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.

The meeting closed in prayer at 8.30.