Methodists Challenged To Swell Membership

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30530, 27 August 1964, Page 9

Methodists Challenged To Swell Membership

Methodists in North Canterbury were challenged by their synod chairman ( the Rev. H. C. Matthews) to increase their membership by 5 per cent in the coming year. The net increase in membership of the Church in the district for the last year was 52—about 1 per cent, said Mr Matthews. “Brethren, this won’t do,” he said. “We must call on the education committees of our churches to make church membership a matter of prayerful concern. It should be the primary concern of every congregation. “I ask you for 5 per cent. It should be 10 per cent. Five per cent is the bare minimum.” The membership at June 30 was 4888, he said. “Over the last year we.

brought 547 more families, comprising 1268 persons, into our pastoral care. Here is the field in which to seek additional members.” Mr Matthews was giving the sermon in the Communion service which opened the an nual district synod. Church Union; On church union, .Mi Matthews said the request o; the ■ Anglican General Synoc to join negotiations for union with the Presbyterian, Con’ gregational, and . Methodist Churches and the Churches of' Christ was a request “for which we had earnestly prayed for many long years.” The synod should support the request with enthusiasm, he said. He hoped there would be no long delay to intercommunion and, finally, organic union.