BIBLE CLASS MOVEMENT

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30803, 15 July 1965, Page 23

BIBLE CLASS MOVEMENT

Presbytery Calls For Report

The situation regarding the Bible class movement in the Christchurch Presbytery was not all that it should be, the Rev. E. A. Brash, the convener of the Christian Education Committee, told the meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery on Tuesday.

Mr Brash said that a subcommittee which had been formed to investigate the situation had suggested that the weakness of leadership was the chief cause of the breakdown. Very few leaders supported the district committee. He said that if a strong executive was elected at the annual meeting in August the district committee would gain some of the strength that it needed. A further recommendation by Mr Brash to hold a day conference to consider Bible class leadership for all leaders and ministers in the Christchurch area was defeated by the Presbytery. It was agreed that the matter should be referred back to the Christian Education Committee for further consideration and a report. In 1906, when 61 per cent of the census Presbyterians were under pastoral care each minister was responsible for 430 oarishioners, the Rev. K. Hadfield, convener of the Home Ministry Committee, told the meeting. By 1964, 98 per cent of census Presbyterians were under pastoral care and each minister was responsible for 1260 parishioners. In spite of these increases the number of communicants remained about 15 per cent of Presbyterians under pastoral care, said Mr Hadfield. The guest speaker, the Rev. A. Scarlet, described his work in Papua, New Guinea.