Molly's Report

Molly's Report to General Church Meeting, Sunday 30th April 2006

In 2002 Fiona asked me to consider being a Steward as I had been here for some time, knew many in the congregation and could relate to the older members (presumably as I was rapidly becoming one of them - the days of sleeping on floors with the Youth Club at MAYC weekends are a distant memory!).

I agreed, as I felt that the time had come to give back a little of the fellowship, love and support I had received from CAMC over many years.

I served under Paul Chaplin, Eileen Beedle and Alan Hornby, all supportive and helpful and great examples of Christian dedication and service.

By 2005, when my turn came to be Senior Steward, I was on two NHS waiting lists and feeling very inadequate, but David Laycock was very encouraging and I agreed to finish the course!

I am so grateful to Margaret Barnes, our Church Secretary and my fellow Stewards for their support. Alan generously volunteered to stay on an extra year, Angela kept me organised and her great knowledge as co-ordinator at circuit level was invaluable. Margaret was a constant help and ally and the two new Stewards last year, Sandra & Desna, soon learned the general procedures.

Thankfully, at the beginning of 2005, a new Minister had been appointed and we looked forward to the arrival of the Atkins family into the manse in August. Meanwhile we were fortunate to have David Laycock as a lay worker for a year.

Since last May, several babies have been baptised, Patrice Bravo, Annie May Gill and three members of Jack's family from the local hardware shop. Jennifer Bravo was confirmed at Roscoe as a member of our Methodist Church and four of our young people have been married, Helen Taylor, Michael Britton, Andrew Fish and Craig Chaplin in Australia. Sadly we attended two funerals of well loved and faithful members, Jenny Hornby in May and Edith Scrivener in October.

During the summer we had our Family Meal & Church Review, the Circuit Party in the Park and supported Chapel Allerton Arts Festival. In August, Andrew was welcomed officially, as members of the church, community and circuit attended a lovely service here, and we are now getting to know the family and appreciate all the work Andrew is putting into his ministry with us.

I have learned so much, not just about the structure and organisation of the Methodist Church, but more important (to me) the amazing number of wonderful people who work voluntarily in our church and community, and I want to pay tribute to them. First, within the church, the Communion Stewards, Readers, Choir, Choir Mistress and Organists, Banner Makers, Flower Arrangers, Collection Counters and those who maintain and clean our two buildings and gardens.

Then the teachers and carers of our young people in the Star Centre, the teams who organise 'The 3rd Day', the uniformed organisations & various clubs, the Church Focus Groups, the Men's * Thursday Fellowships and the Women's Meeting, the House Groups, Drama Group, Social Group and the folk who produce refreshments whenever required.

Communication is important & there are those who produce the Weekly Bulletins, Newsletters and the new Website. The people who tape services for the housebound. Also we reach out to the community, by pastoral visiting, pushing wheelchairs at the Hospital, help with MENA lunches & the Drop In Sessions and so many are generous in their support of special charities.

I met my husband at a National Ecumenical Youth Conference in 1956. I was then a High Anglican & Colin was a Y.M.C.A. secretary & local preacher. Obviously therefore we were always keen to promote contact with the churches. I am therefore thrilled by our Covenant with St.Matthew's and the continuing & increasing work being acheived here by Churches Together in Chapel Allerton & Meanwood.

I do hope I haven't forgotten anyone but rest assured that all your efforts are seen and appreciated and that God blesses all your work done in His Name in this place.

Finally, I am so pleased to hand over to Angela and I know that she has a good team in Margaret, Sandra, Desna and the two new stewards, Mark Grant & Glenys Williams.

I wish them well and know they will continue to support Andrew, bearing in mind that from September he will also be responsible for Woodhouse Methodist Church. We will have to be mindful also of the important priorities set down for the Methodist Church in Leeds N.E. Circuit for the next few years.

Please support them in all their endeavours, and if you have a complaint, let them know immediately and even better, come forward to help solve the problems. We must work together in fellowship, as Charles Wesley says, "Let us build each other up"

Thank you

God bless you all