People are often mystified when I tell them I work in the Parishes’ Office in Ludlow as they have no idea what goes on there! This series of articles aims to shed some light…!
The Parishes’ Secretary’s job part 2…
Much of my job consists of jobs which I do for the whole Team, such as the admin to do with baptisms, weddings and funerals which I described in the last article. Some other tasks I undertake for the whole team are as follows:
- The Parish Office is open on Mondays and Fridays 10.00am – 12 noon to the general public. The usual requests are for booking baptisms and weddings, requests for wafers or communion wine from churchwardens…..
- Answering the telephone and responding to e-mails takes up a lot of time. I try to answer the phone when it rings, but sometimes I have to let the ansaphone take a message at busy times.
- Each week a notice sheet is prepared to be distributed to churches in the Team. This includes the collect and readings for the day, services taking place in Ludlow, a diary of events and services for the following week, and any special notices I have been asked to include. Some parishes receive the notices by e-mail, and others collect hard copies from St Laurence’s each Friday.
- There are 5 village / parish magazines in the Ludlow Team. I compile a list of baptisms, weddings and funerals that have taken place over the last month to send to editors, together with news from the Hereford Diocese, the clergy letter and any other notices and articles I have received.
- There are several publicity leaflets produced for the whole team over the year – for instance, lists of services during Holy Week & Easter, and Christmas.
- The churchwardens of the village churches contact me from time to time to order communion wine and wafers which are obtained via the Verger at St Laurence’s.
- At various points in the Church calendar I will contact the churchwardens of the parishes to ask if they would like Paschal and Advent candles, palms for Palm Sunday, and resources for Christingle services. It is more efficient and cost-effective to make one order for these than for each parish to order their own.
- I often receive requests from people researching their family history. Unfortunately I am rarely able to help with these requests, as registers are sent to Shropshire Archives when complete. If the request relates to St Laurence’s I may ask a volunteer archivist if they can help.
Julia Hall