Methodists Divided On Proposed Newspaper

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30530, 27 August 1964, Page 10

Methodists Divided On Proposed Newspaper

A x oposal to issue a free fortnightly newspaper to all. families connected with the Methodist Church was considered by the North Canterbury Methodist Synod. The synod recommended that the proposal be referred back to the proposing committee for further examination.

The proposal was considered by last year’s conference and given general approval, subject to consideration at the local and district level and subject also to a distribution of at least 30,000 copies an issue being agreed to by local churches, out of an estimated possible total of 50,000.

When the churches were asked what distribution they could undertake, the total was 32,155. On this basis, the national committee considering the proposal recommended synods to approve the publication of the proposed paper as from early 1966. (Nearly half the North Canterbury circuits said they could not distribute the proposed paper).

Speakers at the synod in favour of . the proposal maintained it represented a vital and effective part of the missionary outreach of the Churcli into the homes of 'those who were on the fringe of the Church’s life; but others thought finance and distribution would both be extremely difficult and that in any case the paper might not represent the best way of using the resources available.

The committee’s report was received but not adopted. A motion from St. Aibans suggesting that the synod ask the Methodist Conference to abandon plans for a free newspaper was opposed almost unanimously. Instead, an amendment was passed asking the committee to reexamine its recommendation with a special eye to points brought up in the synod. The synod recommended the conference to consider means of instructing Methodists in writing and editing, with a view to improving church publications.