LEITHFIELD-CUM-AMBERLEY.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4290, 30 April 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

LEITHFIELD-CUM-AMBERLEY.

A meeting of tbe parishioners was held at Amberley on Friday, 25th inst., for the purpose of electing church officers for the ensuing year. The Bey. H. G. Gould, the incumbent, occupied the chair, and opened the meeting with prayer. Mr Harper, secretary, read the minutes of the hut annual meeting, whioh were adopted. The Chairman then said that the first business of the meeting was* to receive the report from tho vestry, and then proceed to the election of church officers for the ensuing year. He remarked that he did not consider the attendance at the church was so good aa it should be in a populous district like Amberley. He had been among them now about six months, and he did not think the church was so well attended as when he first came. According to the population of the district the church should be now filled every Sunday to overflowing, but it was only fairly attended, and he would like to see a few fresh faces among the regular oomers. He thought it was generally the way in new places. Perhaps the people required time to realize the importance of attending the church regularly. He would call npon Mr Harper to read the vestry's report. Mr Harper read the Vestry's report, whioh was as follows:—

The Amberley church officers, in presenting their first report, think that they may fairly congratulate the district on the progress made during the past year. The church is now quite completed, and they are thankful to say, is quite clear of debt. The churchyard has been well fenced and laid down in English grass, and planted with choice trees, which have not flourished quite so well aa might have been hoped for, in consequence of the unusual drought. The parsonage at Leithfieid has just been put in thorough repair, at a cost of £60 10s, of which the Amberley district has contributed one-half. The church officers hare also agreed to contribute one-half of the cost of a new fence at the Glebe at Leithfieid.

There have been twenty-three baptisms, ore marriage, and two burials during the year. The Sunday services have been very fairly attended, the offertory averaging about .£1 8s each 'Sunday. The week-day services have not been well attended. The Sunday school, they regret to inform you, has not made so much progress.' There are about ninety children on the books, but the average attendance does not exceed forty. Religious instruction classes were started on Saturdays a few months ago, but as the curate did not meet with much encouragement they were discontinued, only about thirty attending. A further effort will be made to induce the children to attend on Tuesdays, after the ordinary school hour.. In conclusion, the Church officers consider that a cordial vote of thanks ia due to Mrs Bolder for her very kind and invaluable services as organist, and also to Mr B. Foster for hia efforts in organising and assisting in the choir, and at the entertainments in aid of the church, without which the church would not be in so good a position. Mr T. Douglas then, aa treasurer, presented the balance-sheet, showing total receipts £204 3s 3d, and the {expenditure £202 2s lid, leaving a balance in hand of £2 0s 4d_, but he aaid he had recently collected over £5 more, making a total balance in hand of between £7 and £8; the total offertories in the church amounted to £72 lis 6d. They had paid all liabilities, including the cost of new fence, £42 8s 5d j balance due on building church, £25$ share of expenses re repairing parsonage at Leithfieid, £36 13s j clergyman's stipend, six months, £55; expenses incurred while without a curate, £13 Ss lid; Sunday-school prizes, £3 Is 2d; sundry expenses, £16 10s 6d; mission, £7 ll»»4a- , , . , The report and bolonce-sheetwere adopted. The Chairman said the next business was to elect church officers for the year ensuing. He asked them if it would not be preferable to appoint two churchwarden* and a requisite number of vestrymen instead of _a* before, all being upon the same footing. He I thought then the work could be better defined, and each officer would know exactly what portion of the duties appertained to him, and probably the churoh management would be better divided, instead of falling npon the shoulders of just one or two. Mr Douglas asked if they, being a parochial district, were allowed such officers. The Chairman, said certainly, if they chose to appoint them, they were quite as much entitled to them as any pariah. The foUowing officers were then elected:— Bishop's churchwarden, Mr Holder (nominated by the curate) ; parishioners' churchwarden, Mr Douglas; vestrymen, Messrs. Coleman, Harper, Courage, Foster, Grampian, Spurr, Higgins, Ferrar, and Major. Mr Coleman asked the chairman if he had considered the matter of appointing trustee* on behalf of the Church of England portion of the public cemetery, aa, if tbe Church required a portion set apart for their especial use, they mult appoint such officers to look

after their funds, as the Board would not spend any money or be responsible for anything after giving the ground over to the Church.

the Chairman said nothing had yet been done in the matter.

Mr Douglas then proposed "That very cordial votes of thanks be forwarded in writing from that meeting to Mrs Holder and to Mr B. Foster for their invaluable services in aid of the Amberley church and choir."

Seconded by Mr Grampton, and carried unanimously. Mr Harper agreed to act as secretary to the vestry, and, after a vote of thanks to the chair, the meeting closed.

A vestry meeting was then held, and the churchwardens were requested to ascertain the cost of a bell of about one hundred weight for the church. Mr Spurr was requested to see the churchyard properly laid off, and submit a plan to the vestry next Tuesday afternoon.