• The Chaplain, Stephen Coffin,
• Elected members: Elizabeth Cherhal-Cleverly and David Bailey (Churchwardens), Alison Coulavin and Valerie Golton (Synod representatives), Richard Sheppard (Treasurer), Fanny Bélanger, Neil Brownrigg, Shona Gillespie, Bill Paul, Lilan Peng, Penny Vincent-Sweet
• Co-opted members: Alan Golton (Assistant Chaplain), Howard Diehl
• Alison Coulavin was elected child protection officer. and Elizabeth Cherhal-Cleverly secretary

The council has met eight times this year. 78 items have been on its agenda (some of them recurrent, see below). Attendance at meetings is generally good. The agenda and minutes are sent to members a week before meetings, and published on the church website. In addition to the council, there are 4 committees, which all provide items for discussion in nearly all meetings ! :

• Evangelism and outreach, lead by Alan Golton
• Events, lead by John Stinton
• Catering, lead by Val Golton
• Finance, lead by Richard Sheppard

The council. has discussed, and dealt with, many topics this year:

Church finances:

• Richard has kept us regularly informed of the situation. Presentations have been made in church. The Lord has continued to bless us, but we have been lead to take out some money from our deposit account to meet some of our needs. Our membership has changed, (more young people), which naturally has repercussions on the finances.

Spiritual Topics :

• Teaching: we have discussed the general teaching in the church : the series of sermons, the bilingual powerpoint presentations to adapt to our changing membership, new preachers and the Lent studies.
• Small (home) groups were updated. The necessity to continue the group started by Dante and Connie with our « round 20's » was especially adressed. Thanks to Shona (and Moray) for holding this up so well !
• Sunday school, crèche and other topics related to our children. This has been widely discussed, with reports from parent teacher meetings, and the re-setting up of a youth (teenagers) group ! We are thankfull to all those who played a part in this !
• Prayer meeting and prayer chain.
• Away weekend at Champfleuri lead by Mark and Carine on their return from Burkina Fasso. The weekend was very much appreciated by all attending.
• Church’s vision and future : It is vital to keep this in mind at all times. The pastoral care team set up last year was updated after the departure of some very active perople, and we have tried to continue this work. Items on our changing membership have often been discussed. We are eager both to welcome and help grow our new young members and not let the older ones feel they are being left out.

Outreach Topics

• A «comeasyou are» (back to church) sunday was held, to which many friends were invited. This went well.
• The Church participated in a common (catholic & réformé) first alpha course meeting, but in the end we did not do our own alpha course this year.
• The carol service and children's play was well attended and appreciated by all.
• Our leading of/participation in the JMP (journée mondiale de prière) was a good occasion of fellowship with other christian women.
• All through the year, Lilan, aided by Howard and Dona, has been reaching out to asian students via various activities in the FEU (foyer évangélique universitaire). A huge highlight of the year was the baptism of Lilan's parents in a very full church. This was a very encouraging and uplifting moment for us all.
• During Christmas, members of St. Marc's provided and packaged goody bags for L'échoppe.

Church Fellowship

• Continues to be a recognized and strong mark of St. Marc's. This continued with fellowship meals, a birthday, social committee activities, with a special mention for the Car rallye and the Bush dance.

Ordination Candidates

• This year we are privileged to support Fanny Bélanger in her training for ordination. The council nominated a small team to discuss her vocation with her and make recommendations to her. Regularly we are kept aware of the different stages this is going through and endeavour to give her the support she needs.
• The council has also discussed the possibility of Mark Lewis's  candidature for ordained ministry in the Church of England, following his meeting with Sonia Taylor, Diocesan Vocation Advisor, in Paris. A small group of church councillors had met with him, and finally he has decided that this is probably not the path for him at the current time. We will be glad to reopen the possibility of Anglican ordained ministry for Mark in due course if he wishes.

Missions

• The council continued to pray and monitor the progress of Mark and Carine Lewis in Burkina-Fasso and their repatriation in France.
• This year we also prayed for and supported Stephanie Vincent-Sweet as she served in Rwanda for 3 months.
• The council also decides which charities to support (includingTearfund, ACT, Compassion International, Banque Alimentaire, Circle of Silence, Barnabas Fund, ICS).

The council is blessed in having the input of committed Christians. It is important to us that our younger members may have their full say in all church matters.

Elizabeth Cherhal-Cleverly , 13th April 2010