Opening
 
PDG Tom Tate helped open the meeting by leading the members in grace.
 
President Tom welcomed our one visitor for the evening - Ms Karen Paull.
 
Announcements
 
Ann Smith:
  • Jim Holmes is feeling better and will be attending in future, particularly given the lack of any stairs at our new venue.
  • Called for volunteers to act as club welfare officer.
John Palmer:
  • Cakes & Puddings are back "on"  (Good packaging; Rotary labeling; holding 180 - 200 cartons; need support from members.)
Lindsay May:
  • Asked members to ensure they respond to the weekly booking email regarding attendance at the following week's meeting (Accept or Decline.)
  • Explained that the advertised speaker for tonight has been "diverted" but that luckily tonight's visitor (Karen Paull) has kindly agreed to speak instead.
Tom Grozier:
  • ​Reminded members of the working bee at Blackman Park this Sunday (23 Nov.)

Sergeant's Session
 
Ian Jagelman was successful in extracting fines from Paul Benetez (for a longish absence) Tania (for wearing South African Cricket colours) Robyn (for her 5th wedding anniverary) Chris Curtis (for encouraging John Cronly) Bob (for Frankie's birthday).
 
Speaker (Karen Paull)
 
Karen is the newly appointed Community Chaplain for the Uniting Church in Lane Cove.  She was appointed 5 months ago having lived all her life in Adelaide.  She will be ordained in the church soon, following 5 years of study.  Given that the Uniting Church recently sold its church building, Karen works from the St Columbus Retirement Home premises in Figtree St.
 
Her role is largely "experimental" as there has not been a Community Chaplain appointed before.  Most of her time currently is focused on helping isolated people she meets at the "meeting house" in North Lane Cove.  She has found that Lane Cove is well resourced and is keen to ensure that she doesn't duplicate services provided by other agencies.  She has been appointed on the 3 year contract.
 
Her role is modelled on similar roles in the UK and USA, but these are typically in lower socio-economic communities.  Some of these focus on workers at large retail complexes.
 
She was previously a netball chaplain in Adelaide.  She has been married for 30 years, her husband is a science and biology teacher, and she has 3 young adult children.
 
Vote of Thanks
 
Paul Benetez proposed a vote of thanks, wishing Karen well in her new role, and thanking her for "stepping into the breach."
 
Attendance
 
19 members, 2 apologies, and 1 guest.