ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 180, 14 May 1935, Page 3

ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH

PARISH ANNUAL MEETING.

\ REVIEW OF YEAR'S ACTIVITIES.

The annual meeting of parishioners of the St. Stephen's Anglican Church was held last evening, the Vicar (the Yen. A#ehdeacon A. J. Petrie) presiding oyer a good attendance.

The vicar's seventh annual report stated that the past year had not been one of particular progress (except coward the close, when activities developed in connection with a new parish hall and a new church at Faiiton), .'' bux> rather one of carrying on the existing work. However, during the year Miss Felcie Childs took up work with the Church Army, and Miss A. Samuels went out to Melanesia as a nurse, and the parish was made the head of an Archdeaconry. In addition Mr R. A. Carson acted for a time as assistant in the parish. The outlook for the new year was bright and fuil of promise. The Church organisations were carrying on, and services in the various country centres were being well maintained. One Holy Communion service was held at Greenstreet, and was well attended and much appreciated. Unfortunately, the service at Dromore had to be discontinued. The Scripture classes in the schools were continued. The Sunday school festival and youth rally seemed well established as was also the Mothers' Union festival and the parish tea. One service was held by the vicar at Hakatere during the Christmas holidays. Mr H. Faterson replaced Mr L. A Arnst as superintendent of the Hampstead Sunday School. The Scouts were represented at the Melbourne Jamboree by three members. The flower show and Old Divtch Fair was an outstanding success. Some of the visitors during the year were Bishop West-Watson, Dean J. A. Julius, Archdeacon W. H- Moiiaghan, the Revs. H. F. Ault, D. Rankin, B. Taylor, E. A. Osmers, A, H. Barnett, T. Williams, C. L. Wilson, R De Lambert, \Bishop Kempthorne (of Polynesia), Dr J. M. 'Laird, Captain Pearce (C.A-), Nurse Bargroye (from China), and the Rev. D. Zadok (from Assyria), continued the report. The Foresters' Lodge paraded to the Church on March 10. A memorial tablet to the late Mr Henry Stephenson, for many years a regular worshipper in St. Stephen's Church, was dedicated on December 20. Thanks was extended to ali who had assisted during the year, and sympathy to those'who had suffered bereavement and loss.

Comparative Statistics. Statistics, with last year's figures in parentheses, were: —Confirmees 31 (43), baptisms 57 (37), marriages 21 (25), burials 49 (37), attendances at all services 23,744 (30,527), Holy Communion 3067 (3679), Easter 312 (333), Christmas 335 (337). Last year the congregations and attendances at Holy Communion were increased by the visit of the Church Army, the figures for 1933 being the more n0rma1—23,859 and .2953. The churchwardens (Messrs E. C. Bathurst and L. A. Charles) stated in their report that there was a considerable improvement in the finances of the Church during the year, which opened with a debit balance of £lO7 lis, and closed with a debit of £46, an improvement of £6l lis. The golden offering and donations realised £233 3s 3d, an improvement of £22 14s on the previous year, but there had been a falling off of £3 4s 3d in the general offertories, and of £32 18s 6d in the parochial envelopes. The improvement in the position was due almost entirely to the outstanding success of the flower show. The annual spring flower show was held in October in conjunction with an Old Dutch Fair. It was an outstanding success, and thanks were due to the organisers i (Messrs W. A. Fleming, A, Prentice, and O. Ives) and all helpers. The Home Mission quota (£55) was again paid in full. Of the Maori Mission quota (£ls) the sum of £4 8s 4d was paid, while £92 15s 2d was paid to the Board of Missions out of the quota of £llO. No extensive repairs were carried out, but considerable money would have to be expended on repairs to the kindergarten. New Church at Fairton. "A move has been made to erect a new church at Fairton," continued the report, "the present building which we rent being very unsatisfactory from many points of view, and plans have been prepared. Approximately £IOO more is required to erect and furnish the church. This fund now amounts to £246 18s 4d." Other matters referred to were the formation of the Archdeaconry of Akaroa and Ashburton, and the honour of having the vicar appointed the first Archdeacon, the licensing as lay readers of Messrs Bathurst and Charles, and the appointment of Mr R. A. Carson for three months as student assistant. , , The balance-sheet ofv the Uiurcn showed the chief receipts to be:—General offertories £279 18s 3d, golden offertories £BS 9s 6d, country offertories £26 16s 3d, other general receipts £sll Hs 6d, special offertories and donations £125 13s lOd. Principal payments were moneys forwarded to diocese £lßl 4s 2d, stipend and car allowances £404 12s od, salaries £l7B Bs, assessments £33 10s 9d rates and charges £24 Is lOd, insurances £ll 17s fid, cleaning, heating and lighting £3B 7s. The positions of other funds were shown as follow:—Parish hall building fund £761 18s 3d, (£7Ol 14s lOd last year): parish hall maintenance account, 3s (£1 Is W); new church building fund, £ls 19s 2d (£ls 9s Id); organ renovation fund, £27 9s 3d (£26 10s 4d); parish magazine, 10s 3d (6s 4d)- Fairton Church building fund, £246 18s 4d (£237 0s lOd) ■ Mothers Union, £1 12s lid (14s 6dj j Ladies Guild, £3O 19s (£27 10s 8d); St. Stephen's Sunday School, £6 0s 6d; Hampstead Sunday School, £8 5s fid (£5 13s 3d); Allenton Sunday School, £2 18s 2d (£2 7s 9d)j St. Stephen's

Literary and Social Club, £2 6s lOd (£4 0s lid); St. Stephen's Girls' Club, £3 19s 2d (£4 3s fid). On the motion of Messrs Charles and Bathurst, the churchwardens' report and the balance-sheets were adopted. The vicar, speaking to his report, referred to the unveiling in the Church of the Scroll of Honour bearing the names of those from the parish who were in the full-time service of the Church. He said that, no matter what financial troubles beset the parish or how small the congregations might be, so long as there were young people giving their lives to the service of the Church he felt that the work of the parish was entirely worth while. Mr Petrie made a plea for greater support for missionary activities. He wa.« very glad that a movement had been organised for the raising of money for a new parish hall and thanked the Ladies' Guild and more especially Mrs M. E. Trevor, for efforts in this connection. Speaking of financial matters, Mr Petrie reminded parishioners of the parish's obligation to meet current expenditure and missionary quotas. The King's Jubilee Service in the Church was most satisfactory, and the work of the choir and of Miss L. Acton and Mr S. M. Cassidy (soloists) and Mr J. C. Thompson (organist) was very commendable. Mr Petrie concluded by thanking all office-bear-ers and others who had assisted with the work of the parish. Particular reference was made to the verger (Mr H. S. Harper) and the organist. Mr E. C Bathurst was re-appointed vicar's warden and Mr L. A. Charles people's warden. Election of Vestrymen. The following Vestry was elected:— Messrs W. P. Childs, T. F. Smith, H. G. Paterson, P. H. Biggar, A. Prentice, F. W. Curtis, It, L. Stephenson. W. H. Amos, J. Cook and I>r. N. E. H. Fulton. Mr A. Bushell was reappointed auditor, Messrs J. Cook and J. Hawke parishioners' representatives on the Youth Rally Committee, and the following committee was set up to arrange for a parish social:—Mesdames F. Curtis, Pv. L. Stephenson, M. 0. Knox, F. M. Mahoney, A. M. Meredith, P. H. Biggar and Miss I. Easterbrook. The ladies' committee appointed at the last annual meting to arrange parish gatherings and to confer with the yes try twice yearly on the question of finance was re-elected. Messrs A. M. Meredith and E. M. Gabites were thanked for past services as vestrymen.