NI Presbyterian mutual society, Short of funds for withdrawal?

Dr._Who_2

General Board Report will be about more than PMS although there will be mention of it in the report. Procedure is - the Report will be presented, then time will be allowed for question on the report. Questions are strictly for further information or explanation of something in the Report or on something for which the General Board carries responsibility. Questions shopuld be notified beforehand - box is available (somewhere) for this purpose.
It might be hard to do it - but there would be a need for everyone to try an remain calm as I could imagine a debate like this could become quite heated!!

Dr._Who_2

Yes there is - just recently material went out to the Clerks of all the Presbyteries about a lobbying campaign at Westminster. People have been working hard at this and it deserves support - this material should be made available to all our Congregations - if you want to know more contact the Clerk of your local Presbytery ( members of your Kirk Session should be able to tell you who this is). It might also be helpful if EVERY PCI Congregational Committee considered picking up on this initiative and wrote to the Treasury themselves - lobbying works!! We have to do something to help ourselves here - there are lots of people with influence working on this but we need to pick up on this latest initiative and do something about it. Also understand that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury may be in Norn Iron soon to discuss this at Stormont.

readyforaction

A dignified presence at the General Assembly would probably be best. Despite all the frustration felt by savers, decorum and control would probably win the day. There is no point being viewed as 'trouble makers' and not getting in at all.

Recap - Please contact Arlene Foster.

brick

Dr._Who wrote: »

just recently material went out to the Clerks of all the Presbyteries about a lobbying campaign at Westminster.

Is this a 5 page document produced by the group alluded to in post 1860:-

MamaMia wrote: »

...exhorting individuals to send letters/emails to same and more contacts as those listed in post 1860?
If so, it has already been distributed in at least one church (not mine though, as yet).

crazymess

Dr._Who wrote: »

Yes there is - just recently material went out to the Clerks of all the Presbyteries about a lobbying campaign at Westminster. People have been working hard at this and it deserves support - this material should be made available to all our Congregations - if you want to know more contact the Clerk of your local Presbytery ( members of your Kirk Session should be able to tell you who this is). It might also be helpful if EVERY PCI Congregational Committee considered picking up on this initiative and wrote to the Treasury themselves - lobbying works!! We have to do something to help ourselves here - there are lots of people with influence working on this but we need to pick up on this latest initiative and do something about it. Also understand that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury may be in Norn Iron soon to discuss this at Stormont.

We have received this communication- however it is important that all Ministers and all congregations sing off the same hymnsheet!

My experience is that those Ministers and those congregations with no financial involvement in PMS don't seem to have the same concerns as those that do have financial involvement. This needs to be sorted out now and all of the PCI work to resolving this serious issue.

Dr._Who_2

Yes it would appear to be the same as in 1860 - the relevant material was supplied to all Presbytery Clerks within the past week or so. This needs to be made available to local Congregations - find out who your Presbytery Clerk is and contact him or, perhaps better, ask your Representative Elder to Presbytery to raise it at the May Presbtyery meeting - all Presbyteries meet on the first Tuesday of May so there is an opportunity there and all Congregations have a Representative Elder. This has to be done at local level - the petition was very good but government people start to listen when the mail bag fills up!! Come to the General Assembly by all means - but get things moving at the local level NOW!! Get it moving through Presbytery and we will all be singing from the same hymnsheet. It's your right to have your concerns aired in Presbytery!! How about approaching the Presbytery Clerk to see if a group of investors could address the Presbytery?

brick

crazymess wrote: »

We have received this communication- however it is important that all Ministers and all congregations sing off the same hymnsheet!

My experience is that those Ministers and those congregations with no financial involvement in PMS don't seem to have the same concerns as those that do have financial involvement. This needs to be sorted out now and all of the PCI work to resolving this serious issue.

Ditto.

Last time round there was only a limited mention of the petition in my church (certainly no evident "ownership" by the local elders/management), and the number of signatories was, frankly, embarrassing (especially given that the Moderator stressed the importance).

Having said that, I can't really blame those with no direct financial interest for being disinterested - and unless they stand to lose/suffer personally I suspect disinterested they will remain.
I'd love to be wrong.

BelfastGran

brick wrote: »

Ditto.

Last time round there was only a limited mention of the petition in my church (certainly no evident "ownership" by the local elders/management), and the number of signatories was, frankly, embarrassing (especially given that the Moderator stressed the importance).

THIS WAS SADLY MY EXPERIENCE

BELFASTGRAN

joylikes2shop

Dr._Who wrote: »

Also understand that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury may be in Norn Iron soon to discuss this at Stormont.

According to media reports, the Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, Chief Secretary Of The Treasury is due to visit Stormont in the near future to meet with the First Minister, the Finance Minister, the Minister of the Department of Enterprise Trade & Industry and others to discuss the PMS.

This will be a very important meeting. Ms Cooper holds a very influential post.

It has been suggest to me that we contact Ms Cooper -ASAP- with any personal stories of hardship, suffering, and anxiety also mentioning the feeling of isolation,abandonment and concern that is being experienced.It is very important to raise the issue of the LACK of Government guarantee and discrimination - PMS savers are the only ones in the UK that have not been asssited by Government. !!

Her email addresses are;
[EMAIL="coopery@parliament.uk"]coopery@parliament.uk[/EMAIL].
and
[EMAIL="yvette.cooper@hm-treasury.gsi.gov.uk"]yvette.cooper@hm-treasury.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL]

Dr._Who_2

It's important to contact as many influential people as possible - take the time to do it!! Also, take the time to help someone else who might feel unsure about how to go about it e.g. elderly people in your Congregation. Get something off to Ms Cooper asap.
Contact your Presbtyery Clerk - letters written to Presbytery should be read at the meeting. Let those in positions of influence/authority know about the strength of feeling - the Minister and Representative Elder of each congregation attends Presbytery. All Presbyteries meet on Tuesday 5th May - this is an opportunity not to be missed!! [A lot of letters to be read would be good!!]
Also - ask your local Kirk Session & Congregational Committee to write to influential people - many of our Congregations have money tied up in PMS which came as bequests from earlier generations. The income from these bequests is often for the benefit of particular things in your Congregation e.g. Sunday School - these things will receive little or nothing this year!! Don't just accept lack of interest in the local situation - this affects all of PCI