The work of the Vestry

Summary of the work of the Vestry 

Vestry report, January 2022

This has been another year (September 2020 to September 2021) disrupted by ever-changing Covid regulations. Vestry meetings have all been by Zoom and we have also had Compline on Sunday nights and a Wednesday night service as well as Lent groups all on-line but the church has been open whenever we were allowed to, obeying the changing seating advice and using a disinfecting fogging machine after services. Masks have always been worn except when reading lessons or leading the intercessions and the choir sings mask-less using transparent screens when necessary.

We owe a huge debt to our clergy for keeping services going and to Stuart and Cathy who are developing a very good choir. We are all very appreciative of Alison’s mammoth weekly task of circulating the readings and other information.

The report of the quinquennial review was very good and when we were not allowed in church, James Gordon removed 2 pews from the back of the church and made custom built bookcases at the right side which has enabled us to be much better organised. A small piece of carpet has been laid on the left.         All the dark panelling was repainted and the walls repainted white by Rob Wilkie (who also cleaned out the church gutters for free).                                           Alan Cairns of EazyJetting  cleared a blocked down pipe of the church.            The organ was cleaned and tuned and all the old kneelers were sent to landfill. Alban Thom trimmed the trees in the church grounds and Peter Mackay cleared the hall gutters and mended the fence by the hall.                                  Ian Benson replaced the brackets of the handrail on the steps and Alan Billington painted them. Ian and Janet Benson also made the notice board safe by embedding its legs in concrete.                                                                      When we re-opened on Palm Sunday, there was a burst pipe in the vestry, followed by another later on. This distorted the big chest of drawers there but James Gordon sorted it out for us and Colin Smillie dried out the vestry.      More people have volunteered to help with the coffee and with readings in church.

We are continuing to give 10% of our income (£1860 last year) to charity. This time it went to the Aviemore Food Bank, SECMA, The Scottish Churches Trust, “For the right reason” and The Open Arms Community at Dalraddy. Members of the congregation can suggest charities they would like us to support.   Thanks to Lynda Coles, 16 shoes boxes were filled for people from Eastern Europe.

Perhaps the happiest event of the year was the party in the church grounds in June celebrating 50 years since Richard Gillings was ordained.

                                                                        Sarah Mackay (Vestry Secretary)