INCREASE SHOWN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 32, 17 November 1939, Page 2

INCREASE SHOWN

ATTENDANCES AT CHURCH. PRESBYTERIAN STATISTICS. (Per press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, November 16. Although the numbers of Presbyterian charges and stations remained much as they were last year, there were increases in the numbers of other preaching places, in persons under pastoral care and in the attendance at public worship. Decreases in admissions to membership and increased purgings had combined to depreciate the roll slightly. The prayer meetings continued to decline. The financial statistics showed reduced deWt|, while alter, Subtracting the Centenary Thanksgiving Fund offerings, revenue showed some depression throughout.the church. Ordinary missionary and other charitable givings . had shown improvement. The Statistics committee’s report gavo this information to members of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand to-day.

The following figures for the Dominion were given: Charges 250, stations 109, churches' 622, other preaching places 746, pastoral care 212,390, attending worship 80,572, attending prayer meetings 2577, confessions of faith 2303, roll 55,029, baptisms 4352.

On the basis of the 1936 census, there were, however, still more than 148,000 nominal Presbyterians who were not associated with the church, presenting a tremendous field for home missionary endeavour. Last year’s decline of 1763 in attendance at worship had been turned into an increase of 1167. The total roll was 54,890, a decrease of 139 on last year’s record total. Sunday school figures showed the lowest total of scholars (32,861), since before 1910. Baptisms, declined by 284 to 4104. During 1937 Presbyterian ministers officiated at 3809 weddings. Satisfaction was expressed ifi the report at the reduction in debt from £197,382 to £159,494. Mortgage debt had not been so loav since 1922. Revenue totalled £242,659, after Centenary Thanksgiving funds were extracted, compared with £254,817 last year.