Parish of Headley with Box Hillpcc updates
Welcome to our PCC Updates page. Here you will find news of what has been discussed at the PCC, ongoing updates and other useful information.
PARISH OF HEADLEY WITH BOX HILL
Notice is hereby given that the Church Electoral Roll of the above parish will be revised by the Parochial Church Council (PCC), beginning on THURSDAY the 1st day of APRIL 2021 and ending on THURSDAY 15th APRIL 2021.
After the revision a copy of the names of the people on the Roll will be published by the PCC on the parish website (www.headleyboxhillxhurxhes.co.uk) for at least 14 days and a copy of the Roll will be available for inspection in each church.
You are entitled to have your name entered on the Roll because:
(a) you are baptised
(b) you are age 16 or over
(c) have made one of the following declarations:
1. You are a member of the Church of England or of a church in communion with it and are resident in the parish.
2. You are a member of the Church of England or of a church in communion with it, are not resident in the parish, but have habitually attended public worship in the parish during the preceding six months
3. You are a member of good standing of a church which is not in communion with the Church of England but subscribes to the to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and are also a member of the church of England and have habitually attended public worship in the parish during the preceding six months.
This entitles you to attend the annual parochial church meeting and take part in its proceedings. This year the APCM will take place in person and via zoom on THURSDAY 29 APRIL 2021 at 7.30 pm.
The previous twelve months have presented many challenges and not everyone has been able to attend church in person, or join our online services, as often as they would like, or may have done in the past. Therefore, I will assume that you wish to remain on the Electoral Roll unless you contact me to ask to have your name removed.
Harry, Christopher and the church families at St Mary's and St Andrew's look forward to welcoming you back once you feel it is safe for you.
Pat Kitley
Church Electoral Roll Officer
19 Oaken Coppice
Ashtead
Surrey
KT21 1DL
THE PARISH OF HEADLEY AND BOX HILL - ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING
at St Mary’s Church, Headley & via Zoom
7.30pm THURSDAY 29th APRIL 2021
Members of the Electoral Roll of the parish, and interested residents of both villages, are invited to attend this important annual event. Members of the church Electoral Roll are entitled to vote in the election of lay members to the Parochial Church Council and may raise any question of parochial or general church interest through the PCC Secretary prior to the meeting.
The meeting will start at 7.30 pm at St Mary’s but will also be available via Zoom. As with current services, numbers will be limited in church due to social distancing requirements so please book your place through the PCC Secretary as soon as you can. Priority will be given to those wishing to attend who don’t have access to the internet. For those who would rather join via Zoom, please let the PCC Secretary know in advance to ensure you receive the appropriate link in advance of the meeting.
This is an ideal opportunity to hear about what is going on in our churches, and how we continue to build our ministry and mission through worship and friendship both within the local community and further afield.
Harry, Christopher and our Churchwardens and the members of the PCC hope that we can welcome as many of you as possible, whether in person or virtually, to this important meeting.
Sue Boswell
PCC Secretary
01372 276053
PCC REPORT - 6TH JANUARY 2021
As the decorations are taken down at Epiphany it is time to reflect on the final months of this very unusual year. Signs that the status quo we had enjoyed in the south of England would not last through the winter became apparent at the beginning of November and the preparations for Remembrance Sunday had to be hastily revised to meet the requirements of a month long lock down.
Gardens of Remembrance were arranged outside St Mary’s and St Andrew’s churches so people could plant small wooden crosses. Christopher Hancock conducted a Service of Remembrance live streamed from St Mary’s on Sunday, and Cllr David Preedy and former servicemen Jim Jobber and Brian Day took part in wreath laying ceremonies outside each church. It was different, but none the less poignant. Jim took part in the D-Day landings, and we are very proud that he made the small wooden stands for the traditional wreaths of poppies.
Planning began in October for a Christmas without the Singalong, Nativity, Carol and Crib services that so many enjoy, and are very difficult to replace with restrictions on singing and gatherings indoors. A huge thank you goes to those who agreed to take part in the Advent Calendar. You didn’t quite know what you were letting yourselves in for, but the end result brought huge pleasure to many people. Robin and Lucy Hunter used their professional expertise to create something very special. I gather people are already pitching for next year’s slots!!!
Another thank you has to go to the Parish of St Giles and St George in Ashtead. Leah Perona-Wright, whose Dad, Nigel, is their choir director put together a digital recording of carols and allowed us to use it in our recorded Carol Service in place of our usual Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. Leah is currently an ordinand in Ashtead and directs their Junior Choir. She will be joining our Benefice as a curate this summer. Readers were recorded in each of the three churches in the Benefice and the end result was enjoyed by many people who could take part online and join in the carols at home.
In spite of all the careful preparations to make sure that people could attend the services that remained in the diary, the move to Tier 4 brought further restrictions on household bubbles and meant the Crib Service on Christmas Eve had to be cancelled. For many plans had to change at the last minute so we are very grateful the combined efforts of Harry, Christopher, their ‘techie’ family members and many other volunteers so that this year was different, but not all bad!
Pat Kitley
THE PCC IN LOCKDOWN - MAY 2020
For those who would like to keep up to date with events, we thought you might like to know that PCC meetings are taking place via ZOOM during this period of isolation.
Luckily, Alan and Pat had completed the annual inventory before churches were closed. This year they checked all the metalwork and woodwork sections of the logbooks. During this process all previously recorded items have to be identified, any new pieces added to the lists and the record books signed by Wardens and Rector. Alan has applied to the Diocese for permission to allow the burial of ashes in the churchyard extension and we hope this will not be delayed by current events.
Servicing of the boilers at both churches has been completed, but servicing of the organ at St Mary’s has been delayed until it is back in use again. Other routine work completed includes the trimming of overhanging branches of trees beside St Andrew’s Church and the removal of debris from the large tree by the entrance to the car park at St Mary’s that was blown down in one of the storms.
Harry and Christopher reported that they were experimenting with YouTube, Facebook live and other virtual means of communications so that they could bring services into our homes. They have achieved a huge amount in a short period of time and should be congratulated on the speed with which they have responded to the demands imposed by COVID-19. We now have a wide choice of prayer and worship opportunities to take part in from home and a lively and growing congregation gathers each Sunday at 10.30 for Eucharist. If you are not already on the email list to receive details of how to join in with these services please click here to email Pat to be added to the list.
One disappointing item was that the Epsom Male Voice Choir concert planned for 20 March had to cancelled because the conductor was ill with the virus. We are glad to report that he has returned to full health but given the uncertainty of the current situation felt it unwise to try a reschedule the event. If you still have tickets for the concert and haven’t had your refund please contact Charlie - click here to email.
While looking at a PCC Meeting report in an old issue of the Magazine (December/January 2013-14) it was interesting to find that the EMV choir had recently performed for us. Other issues that the PCC was working on then included the complete refurbishment of the organ – remember when its innards were covered up at the back of the church? Initial studies for the repair of the Spire had commenced and before a decision could be made on building toilets and a kitchen the PCC thought it prudent to consider adding a meeting room! The rest, as they say, is history!
That report ended with a thank you to all those who came along to dig holes and plant the hedge at the bottom of the churchyard extension – led by Jan and Jon. If any of you are reading this the hedge has grown well and now needs a bit of pruning back before it gets too tall. Any volunteers???
Pat Kitley - Churchwarden