12 As there were more than 12 names, an election had to take place. The following were elected to the Select Vestry for the coming year: Dorothy Anne Crawford, Stephen MCullough, Heather Pentland, Gary Keenan, Barry Greenaway, Ken Boyd, Florence McAneney, Dorothy McKnight, Helen Parkinson, Jim Love, Kate Murray, Maureen Taggart. 

13 The Rector concluded with the words,” Let all bitterness and evil speaking be put away. Be kind to one another.” This should be the motivation for the coming year. 

## Please note. 

At last year’s General Vestry, the Accounts for the year 1 January – 31 December were adopted.  Shortly after General Vestry, it became clear that the Balance sheet of the accounts was incorrect. Simple human error had led to the wrong figures being presented to the General Vestry. The new Select Vestry was informed at their second Vestry meeting on 4 April and were given the correct figures, which they adopted. 

## Rector’s Remarks 

What a year! This last year has proved as challenging as the last, in some ways more so. We moved away from the harshness of lockdown and virtual services, to a slow, very slow return to normality. We did get back into Church, but not unnaturally, numbers were well down on our precovid congregations. The Select Vestry recognized the need to continue our recorded services to help with those who were reluctant to return to in-person worship. Unfortunately, it was at this time that we lost the services of Stuart Tanner as our organist. Many people have wondered what happened to Stuart. Suffice to say we, both myself and the Select Vestry, had a disagreement with Stuart over working practices. Try as we might, (and we did try very hard), the differences could not be resolved. As was his right as a freelance organist, Stuart decided to leave us. Stuart is a consummate musician and something of a polymath. As we all know, Stuart wasn’t shy in sharing his opinions and knowledge with us! We owe him much and we do, I really do wish him well. 

To close this chapter of our life. We were able to secure the services of John Dallas, the Director of Music at Cregagh Presbyterian Church in the short term, and then for a little longer as he continued to play for our recordings. John brought a different style of playing to our recordings and it was a joy to work with him. Meanwhile, like the Seventh Cavalry, Maurice Drury and Vanessa Smith came galloping over the hill to fill the gap left by Stuart. Maurice is now our principal organist, still employed on a freelance basis, and Vanessa his deputy. We have noticed the gentle change in style. I hope, too, that we have recognized the emergence of Jubilate, a new group of singers who have added to our worship at Christmas last, and at Candlemas a few weeks ago. Jubilate is Vanessa’s brainchild, wonderfully supported by Maurice. Thank you both. I should at this point extend our thanks to Amanda, without whom the recordings of services might never happened. And I think it true to say that Amanda’s flagging our services up on YouTube, has brought us a small, but truly global audience! 

Towards the end of last year, we moved away from recorded services to 



to live streaming our main act of Sunday worship. We have to thank the Select Vestry for grasping this particular nettle, and for finding the funds to make it happen. It has proved to be a big investment in time and money. We can now broadcast directly from Church and also from this building. And finally, the Select Vestry has taken the decision to install a large screen in this Hall so that on those occasions, when it is appropriate, (large funerals for example) we can “beam” services into this Hall. 

None of this has happened by accident. Select Vestry meetings have been hard-working affairs, and many difficult decisions have been made. Two of these decisions will be discussed later in this meeting. Perhaps the most difficult decision was the decision to visit again the differing roles we have as members of the Select Vestry. There are certain tasks, jobs, that have to be done, say by the Glebe Wardens. I am the worst at interfering with their jobs: a chap came to service our fire extinguishers and alarm system. He’d been before and I recognized him and told him to crack on. Not my job and I should have checked with the Glebe Wardens, because what I didn’t know was that we had a contract with a different company to do that job. Perhaps not a great mistake, but it did cost us twice for the same work, and, who knows, in a different context it could have caused huge embarrassment. Undertaken by my Warden, Mae Burke and a small sub-committee, a digest was put with all the roles of the Church examined and detailed. If you would like something done in the Church or the Halls, that digest will tell you exactly who to go to. We are slowly returning to normal. All our services are now held in Church. We are back to our “normal” Schedule of Sunday services, and although there has been a temporary pause in our mid-week evening Service and bible study, that, too, recommenced after Christmas. 

You will see from the accounts that we have been able to be wonderfully generous in our charitable giving. The figure shown is the figure for the remainder of 2020 as well as the donations for 2021. Even so, It is a tribute to your generosity, and the Select Vestry’s thoughtfulness that we have been able to make such disbursements. I can’t thank you enough. Those who know me will know that I hate talking about money 

with it. Fortunately, we have two people on the vestry much more worldly wise than I; Florence Macaneney our Treasurer, who not only keeps a brilliant record of our income and Expenditure, but also makes us aware of our financial limitations when we get ahead of ourselves. We also have Barry Greenaway, who has an ability to conjure up money from who knows where in the form of grant aid. Again, even a cursory glance at our accounts will show that we are in a healthy position, thanks be to God. 

Last year’s minutes record my thanks to so many people. It is a heart felt catalogue of names of people who have made such a huge contribution to my life and the life of our lovely Church and Parish. Those thanks still stand, but I would like to single out in particular this year, six people who have added so much to my life as well as yours. First, of course, are the two Church Wardens, Mae and Gary. Because of covid and its aftermath, they have had to change the way they carry out their Church duties. They have done so with great grace, respect and integrity. As ever, over the last year, I have come to rely upon the help and friendly counsel of the Vestry Secretary. There is now a well worn saying about talking truth to power. Heather has not just been a minute taker at vestry meetings, she has always been a source of great experience, telling me when to stop and take time for myself and Janice; when I proved reluctant to take that advice, she has presented me with a series of fait accompli which makes me take time off, for myself and Janice. Amanda in the office keeps me aware of life in the village, and life in the Parish. She reminds me of jobs I have to do and when I am tardy in getting things done, she never tells me off! And I would like to thank Kenneth Boyd. Ken does so much behind the scenes for us. Maybe you haven’t stopped to consider who it is that stuffs the envelopes with Parish magazines and correspondence or licks the stamps. Ken does so much more than that. And I am particularly grateful to Ken for acting as my personal chauffeur this past couple of weeks. 

Thank you, Mae, Gary, Heather, Amanda, and you Ken. Gary of course stands down as your People’s Warden this year, and I’d like you to show your appreciation of his work amongst us. I said six people. I want 



to publicly thank my wife Janice. Janice keeps a low profile, mainly because of her disability. You would be surprised at her strength, by her encouragement of me in my ministry and the sacrifices she has made to support me in my work. I owe her so much, and because I owe her so much, so do you. Without her, I wouldn’t be me! 

2021/2022 have been great years for this Parish. I believe that to be so because everything we have done this past year, has been done in the name and for the sake of our Lord Jesus. Every project we have undertaken, everyone we have supported, everything, EVERYTHING, has been rooted in prayer. May that life of prayer, and that desire to do everything in the name of our Lord Jesus, carry us through to 2023. 

## _Duncan_