FROM THE MANAGER
Welcome Back Everyone!!
Can you believe its February already and we are well and truly into another SEM year. I am hoping everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. There have been some unfortunate stories of people being unwell and our prayers are with them during this time.
I have been busy putting in some grant applications as both CBSA and Council grants are open at the moment. I have applied for new fridges/freezers to replace the existing ones in the LWS. Hopefully we at least get one new one if not two.
Some good news is that the Café has been given a grant of $7,700 from Community Benefit SA, which Jane is busily spending at the moment and this will help to update and replace much needed equipment.
The Op Shop has done a fantastic job managing the donations made during the time it was closed. Thank you to all those ladies that put in so much time and effort.
The Council Volunteer Cinema Day is being advertised at the moment and I have sent out the lists to Program Co-ordinators. I would urge the Co-ordinators to get the lists back to me ASAP because we rarely get all the tickets and sessions we want due to the popularity of the day, so getting the lists to Council early would be a great help.
I want to thank you all for what you do and in anticipation of another busy year at SEM, I would like to encourage you to keep doing what you are doing and to just know that it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
Lock Up Procedure
Just a reminder that there is a formal lock up procedure to be followed when you are the last person to be leaving the SEM building. For a copy of the full procedure, please come and see Isabel. However, in general, it is important to check that ALL external doors are locked, all lights are turned off (including toilets), all airconditioners are turned off and that the building is alarmed before exiting and locking the external café door.
VACANCY—Lock up person needed for Thursdays.
If you would like to be walked through the procedure, (or would like to take on the Thursday role) feel free to come and see Isabel in the Admin office.
SEM COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT
Committee of Management meetings are now quarterly at 7.30 pm as follows: 16th Feb, 18th May, 17th Aug, 16th Nov (joint meeting with Advisory Committee). The Annual General Meeting will be held on the19th October at 7.30 pm.
We would like to thank Sharyn Lappins for her time as Minute Secretary and advise that this position is now vacant. If you are interested in this position (it is not an onerous one) then please see Isabel for further details.
We would also like to welcome Joyce Newing to the Committee of Management and look forward to working with her once again.
2010 Ecumenical Services
- 1st April: Maundy Thursday
- 2nd April: Good Friday
- Easter - Pentecost: Ecumenical Studies
- 16th - 23rd May: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
- 1st August: SEM's 14th Birthday; 10.30 am Combined Worship
- 21st September: World Peace Day
- 28th November: Advent Sunday
- December: Seaford Community Carols
SEAFORD COMMUNITY CAROLS
The Carols were held on Sunday 13th December. It was a beautiful evening, weather wise, with a crowd in excess of 1000 people. Amongst them were families, individuals and elderly. The program was led by the Onkaparinga City Band and the Southern Singers and included items by various people as well as community singing.
The evening was sponsored by thje Onkaparinga Council, Land SA and the Seaford Ecumenical Mission. Father Christmas was the highlight of the evening for the children.
Unfortunately we experienced some difficulties with the sound system which meant the evening ended a bit prematurely. The Committee is working hard on securing a suitable sound system for next year.
$800 was raised for the school chaplaincy. Thank you to the Committee and everyone who was involved in making the event possible.
SEM Christmas Day Luncheon
The Christmas Day Luncheon went off extremely well. It was a brilliant atmosphere and every one that attended had a great time. Lots of positive feedback was given on the day and afterwards.
Georgie did a great job ensuring that people interacted by having some wonderful fun games to play. The food was fantastic.
The volunteers on the day did an awesome job as they were on their feet from 8.30 am until 4.30 pm.
What really struck mostly with me was a comment from Georgie in the car on the way home. She said that even though she was exhausted and it was hard work, she was really touched by the thanks, gratitude and even gifts she received from people and how much they enjoyed themselves. She said that she hadn't realized how much pleasure they actually got from attending. I guess this is a real reminder to us all not to take the things we have in our everyday life for granted.
Georgie has grown up in a big family with lots of people around her. For her it was an eye-opener that there were people out there that wouldn't see anybody for Christmas.
I want to thank my volunteers on the day as well as Jane Cuthbert who helped, supported and guided both Georgie and myself in the planning and preparation process. I would like to also thank the SEM Monday Craft Group for their generous donation of $150 towards the project.
MONDAY CRAFT
A couple of ladies from the Monday Craft group used their wonderful skills and talents to make some Christmas items of clothing for the tiny beautiful babies at the Women's and Children's. As a thank you, this beautiful Christmas card picturing one of the babies dressed in the clothing was sent to the Craft Group. Thank you ladies! Keep up the awesome work.
Worship Space Cleaning
At its last meeting, the Committee of Management made a decision to hire cleaners to clean the carpets in the two worship areas, narthex and reception area on a weekly basis. This does not include the altar area or the dusting in the worship spaces. This will be the responsibility of the congregations. The cleaning will commence on the 6th March.
Congregations and groups using the areas are still responsible for keeping them clean and set up in a tidy manner after use. Please do not assume that someone else will clean up your mess. SEM will cover the costs in the budget for this financial year and a review will be conducted during the budgetting process for next financial year.