PARISHIONERS' MEETINGS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17437, 24 April 1922, Page 4

PARISHIONERS' MEETINGS.

—. t HOLY TRINITY, AVONSIDE. The annual meeting of parishioner* of Holy.Trinity, Avonside, took place on, Thursday evening, the vicar (Rev. O. Fitzgerald) presiding over a good attendance. ■ The annual report and balance-sheet showed that the receipts for the year amounted to £2761 19s 3d, and the expenditure to £2688 18s 9d, leaving a credit balance of £73. The report further 6tated that a new vicarage had been bought at a cost to the parish of £1450. There was a Government mortgage on the property of £398, and the balance required had been borrowed at 6 >per oent. Part of the loan (£231). had been paid off during the year, leaving about £I2OO still owing.on the property. As the interest on the debt entailed a heavy burden on tho parish finances the report urged that some effort should be made to considerably lessen the liability. A sum of £223 had been realised by the sale of the old vicarage, but that amount had,been handed to the Church Property Trustees for investment till the pariah was in a position to prooeed with the building of a. new vicarage on the old site. A very •successful garden fete had been held in February at which £225 had been raised. Contributions to the stipend fund had amounted to £2O more than those of the previous, year, while the general offertories at the parish' church ehowed a gratifying increase of £7l. The offertories at St. Aldan's Mission were praotioally the same as those of the previous year. Church officers -were elected as follows: Vicar's warden, Mr J. W. McGregor; parishioners' warden, Mr P. W. Sowden; vestry, Messrs A. M. Saunders, J. W. Smith, F. G. Page, B. Godfrey, R. R. Wardle, "W\ lanes, J. D. Forster, R. Jcwiss, C. Maddren, and J. W. Piper; auditor, Mr W. H. Cbeesman. . _ , Mr E. Hitchcock moved and -.Mr E. Smith seconded, the following resolution:—"That in view of the present satisfactory position •of the . vicarage and ihe most unsatisfactory condition of the Sunday school building, the motion authorising a loan of £2OOO for the Wilding of a now vicarage be rescinded, with a view to raising a loan for the completion of the Sunday school, when the parish is in a position to do so." The motion, after some discussion, was carried. A Church Council was elected as follows: —Mesdames Hunter, Christian, Black, Peverill, Muff, Reaby, Siunders Russell, 'Marshall, Sprosen, Maddren, and Miss Park. A letter was read from Mr H. B. Sorensen resigning his position as Synodsman "for the parisn on account of ill-health. On 'the motion of Mr J. W. MoGregor the resignation was received with regret, and a further expression of thanks, was passed to Mr-Sorensen for his valued services to the parish. , , , A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the outgoing vestry for their services, and to the various parish organisations for their assistance during the year.

ST. JAMES'S, SOUTHBEIDGE.

The annual meeting of parishioners of St. James's Church, Southbridge, was held on Thursday night, the vicar, the Rev. *. *■ Hawkins, priding. The wardens' report stated thai the attendances at church showed a decided increase, over the previous years figures, and • the number of Commumcants w°as also greater. In June 12 g rle, wid-7 bovs had been confirmed by the Bishop, a. C been purchased for the vicars use and through the loyalty and wholeheartedness of the people of the P«°chial district, sufficient money to pay the aeb6 on it had been raised through a sale of work and produce. • The amount realised was £439 The report referred to the deaths oi Messrs V. Berg, John F. Fell, and K Armstring, and Mrs S. Woods. The Sunday School work was being carried on successfully, the roll number being the highest lor 20 years. The vicar's Bible Class roll number was over 100. *-_.„,+ . The people's warden presented a statement showing a credit balance of £4O 14s 6dm tho general account, while the Church Buildin <r Fund was 6hown to be in credit to the extent of £945 0s 2d, and the Sunday School Fund £ll 13b OJdThe vicar nominated Mr A. Greenwood as bishop's warden, and Mr R. B. B. Willis was elected people's warden. Mr W. Scott was elected treasurer, and Mr A. Weavers auditor. The following were elected a vestry:— Messrs J. C. Free, J. S. McClelland, W. Scott, J. S. Inwood, A. C. Greenwood, E. Fell, J. Griffiths, W. G. Wroot, F. P. Swertsen, S. Woods, A. J. Beamsley, and G. G. Honshaw. . A recommendation to the newly elected church ouicers, that electric light bo installed in the church, was carried. The wardens were also recommended to have the electrio light : installed in the vicarage. In regard to the surplus from the reoeut bazaar, after paying off the debit on the parish cor, a i recommendation to the Parochial Board was carried that the money be used for installing eiectric light in the vicarage.