MISSION FUNDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 266, 10 November 1939, Page 9

MISSION FUNDS.

PRESBYTERIAN YEAR.

IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETS. One of the most important matters to be diseased at the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, which opens it<s -sessions in Christchureh next Tuesday, will lie the- unsatisfactory condition of the mission funds. The Moderator, the Rt. Rev. T. E. Kiddle, will preside at the opening service. after which his place will be taken by the moderator-elect, the Rev. J. Lawson Robinson, of .St. Andrew's Church, Christchureh. For a number of years a regular deficit in the mission fund*; has had to be met by drawing on legacy and capital funds; but these are now almost exhausted. Although congregational offerings increased by sonic .£.'5000 ]a>t. year, the total received was about. £8000 short ot what was needed. A special committee, was set up in J n vert-argil I to investigate the matter, and a report will be presented at the meeting. Other matters to be considered will be the attitude of the church toward* war and towards dancing. A committee set up to deal with the latter subject has reported against dancing as a means of fellowship among church people ai'd particularly as a method of raising funds. 'Ilie bu.-iness on the agenda paper irs* expected to take about a week, when the a.-sembly will adjourn to meet again in Wellington for S|>eeia] Centenary celebrations towards the end of February. Oil February 2:i, IS4O, the Rev. • lolm Macfarlane held the first Presbyterian service in New Zealand on Peton? Beach. A memorial cross will be erected on the spot. and in Wellington a memorial plaque will be dedicated on the original site of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. It i* expected that the attendance at the conference will be some SOU. a -mailer number than usual, on account of existing disturbed conditions. About 20 delegates are going from Auckland. 1 he Presbyterian Women's !Mis«ionarv l nion will hold its annual conference simultaneously with the meeting of the assembly.