News - December 2004

The Autumn Fayre raised about £1, 700 in all, which was an excellent total and we are grateful to everyone who worked so hard to arrange it and those who generously supported it.

Fundraising has become a much more challenging task over the past few years and we must develop new ways of drawing in income

The PCCs have both met over the past few weeks, severally and jointly.  Amongst other things, they have decided:

• to implement the Church’s recommendations on the marriage of those with a former partner still living
• to have a Requiem Mass once every month for those who have died

They also discussed:

• the re-launch of the  Nearly New Shop, which should happen in the next couple of months
• the work on the building, particularly the tower and the sacristy roof (the latter is now completed and hopefully the sacristy will be back to its proper use by Christmas)
• the payment of quota (parish contribution to the diocese, which, inter alia and mainly, pays the Vicar’s stipend).  S Philip’s are well ahead with this, but S Matthew’s still have a long way to go, but we are hopeful of paying most if not all by the end of the year
• the development of the Hall.  The licence with the Toy Café should be signed in the next few weeks, again hopefully by Christmas, permitting the development of the room behind the kitchen as an office
• the purchase of a purple frontal for S Augustine’s Altar

Publicity for the Christmas services will be produced in the next couple of weeks: we need folks to volunteer to deliver them around the benefice.

In Memoriam:

Funerals have been conducted for:

• Alan Robert Joseph BELL (25^th October)

• Doris SHORT (1^st November)

• Roland SLATER (23^rd November)

• Patricia Ann GIBSON (23^rd November)

• Mary JORDAN (24^th November)

Please pray for them and their families and friends at this sad time.  A Mass of Requiem will be said for them on Saturday, 18^th December at 10am.

Home page: http://stmatthewsnewcastle.org.uk/