Presidents’ report to the Trustees, Sep 2005

On September 7^th I attended the Provincial Presidents’ Meeting . Elizabeth Brown asked that our next year’s dates be forwarded to her by 30^th November so that we can be included in the Provincial prayer diary.

Sally Orman asked, via the PP, that any members of National Synod who are also members of the MU be notified to her as they are entertained to lunch at MSH.

We have a Provincial residential conference in November at which we will be discussing the ‘Young Members’ report. I have reproduced it and would value comments from trustees to take to the conference.

There was an interesting report on the diocese in Europe which is part of our Province. Members who travel abroad may be interested to know there are branches in Istanbul, Malta , Hamburg and a new one in France(no details of this).

We were asked to put forward ideas for the Annual Meeting in future years. Do we think we could have the facilities to host a meeting?

I asked about the Gordon Brown interview we saw at Ipswich and evidently it can be borrowed from Marketing at MSH but not purchased.

We were asked to bring to the Trustees’ attention the theme for next year which is ‘Answering God’s Call’-in a year when we are thinking of elections for the next three years.

As we have been considering the revision of our constitution I was interested to hear that there was an ‘ideal model’ so have obtained a copy from another diocese which we can compare with our suggestions.

Training has been an issue on our minds in the diocese and it came up both in the PP meeting and in the WWP meeting that followed. Marion Pope, the new national training officer, will soon be a resource and she spoke at WWC on the Thursday.

Oxford Diocese has a paid development worker paid for by a national grant for a limited period. They have found her very useful and their President wondered whether neighbouring dioceses-which we are- would like to consider sharing her. They have used her mostly for parenting issues. We would obviously have to contribute.

Our World wide president opened the Council meeting in the afternoon with prayer. In her address which included a report on her visit to Uganda and Malawi, The Provincial Presidents’ meeting at Wydale after the annual meeting at Ipswich and MU work for the Make Poverty History campaign. She saw the Family Life programme in action in Uganda and I hope you have read the report on it in Home and Family. Trish made a plea for giving to the Overseas fund . Giving to it from the dioceses has declined by 7% over the last five years and we are covering the deficit from reserves at the moment which obviously can’t continue for ever. I suspect we are finding it difficult to match the money given by Comic Relief for the Literacy programme which we have to do if the grant is to continue.

Trish said that what emerged from Wydale was a sense of unity in diversity. The authority of the Christian message out weighed issues of sexuality and Reg Bailey added that we are a part of the Church but apart from the Church as well. The Provincial presidents produced a list of practical actions and I have reproduced these too because I think we all can get some ideas from them.

Under the heading ‘The challenges of membership’ Trish brought up the issue of good communications which we are constantly addressing and she also asked whether we evangelise as much as we should. We are asked to tell her how we organise Diocesan Membership in our diocese and also how we would like to do it!

Jennie Jones and Fleur Dorrell introduced the new MU prayer which I must say I like. I include it here so you will have a copy in the minutes.

A laminated sheet is going to be available soon to cover the back cover of the new MU prayer book with the new prayer.

After the Eucharist the next morning the Unit Co-ordinators were available for questions from the floor. Asked about the branch packs it was confirmed that they would come generally three times a year but not if there was little material to send. One president asked for more eye-catching posters and was assured that more are coming to improve our displays.

There is going to be a new Mary Sumner Day service for 2006 and a Lady Day service for 2007. We were also asked to market the prayer diaries . Lapsed members were discussed and we were asked to find ‘flexible solutions’ to keep them as members especially if their branch closes.

In the next branch packs is material for schools and children to continue interest in the ‘Make Poverty History Campaign.’ Please help to see this reaches schools and Sunday Schools. I have a press release here which came on Monday via the website.

Paddy Wallace told us about the next Annual meeting in Dublin and gave us all a pack which I have here. We must apply for our 15 tickets by the 10^th February after which we can apply for extra tickets.

After lunch Marion Pope gave a paper called ‘Focus for the future’ (training in the Mothers’ Union’).

Marion has a background in marketing and training in the private and public sector and should have a lot to offer. I think it is essential we find a good training officer in the diocese and then link into the training and support scheme she is setting up. I have contacted Derek Chedzey, who is the Diocesan lay training officer to see if he has any ideas. There will be regional days for trainers in 2006 and a residential in 2007.

After Marion, Trish Heywood spoke on ‘actions and plans to equip us for the future’. She outlined plans to streamline the Trustees-17 instead of 22 and 5 meetings instead of 6 but all overseas members would be fully funded for all meetings. Unit committees would also be reduced and there may only be one WWC a year. The representative members would be reduced from 26 to 8 and would only serve for 3 years. One overseas member would be fully funded. I think this streamlining is partly to save money and partly to give overseas members more chances to come to the heart of the MU.

Finally we were encouraged to ‘look for the next generation of leaders’, and were told that one can lobby during the nomination period but not during the elections themselves.

I enjoyed my stay at St. Edward’s, just round the corner from MSH even though breakfast was in silence!

Every blessing,

Rosemary