Monday 22 March 2010

Hidden Treasures

I have just completed the first of my 11 AGM's, and had the opportunity to take a look in the deep dark recesses of that particular church's safe. I thought that I had gone through all our church safes and sorted them out, but this was clearly one I'd missed.

Inside, and going slightly mouldy, were four small painted linen shields that had fallen from the roof bosses at some time in the past. They need storing and conserving. There was a very nice silver-plated paten - bigger than the one usually used for the communion services, so that will now be put out on a Sunday. There was also a small Charles Farris cream-coloured tin, and inside it a single mouldering communion wafer. There was a pew copy of Common Worship - something I knew this church had but could never find. And there was also a rather superb wooden collection plate. Now I've sen a lot of these, but never one with a detachable cover to stop people taking coins out as it was passed around. That also is going to come back into use - purely for aesthetic reasons, rather than not trusting the congregation!

All in all, a rather good end to the evening.


8 comments:

  1. Lovely! Does the lid have to be twisted to remove it?

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  2. No, it just sits there - a perfect fit. We walked all round the church looking at the pulpit, reredos and choir stalls to see if it had dropped off any of those before I found the dish lurking in the back of the safe!

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  3. Don't trust the congregation anyway.

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  4. You might like to say that, DP - I couldn't possibly comment.

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  5. Oh then it must be true!

    I loved that show. I even bought the complete set one year. I get it out and watch it occasionally.

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  6. 11 AGMs!! How do you keep sane. 4 are enough to send me to the loony bin.

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  7. Ah, gloriousthings, I keep them short. My record last year was 22.5 minutes from start to finish. Since no members of the general public (village residents) ever attend, it's only the PCC meeting to revie its own year. We receive written reports and take them home to read. Elections are usually the same people - just an occasional newbie - and done without contest, so no voting neccessary. This first one took 34 minutes, and that was with a short PCC following to elect the officers.

    Rural ministry does have some compensations. The urban ones I used to attend usually took about an hour and a half, sometimes two!

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  8. PS: gloriousthings - I also "cut my teeth" or large numbers of rural parishes in my second post as a Team Vicar - in the Beaminster Team in Dorset - 14 parishes there! Though there we had 3 stipendiary clergy and a gaggle of retired, as well as several NSM's and Lay readers. Here I have myself, 3 active Readers and 2 Lay leaders between 11 parishes. Still, it keeps me occupied!

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