Despondency Found

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30901, 6 November 1965, Page 16

Despondency Found

“There seems to be a feeling of despondency among some of our people, mainly among the ordinary folk in our churches,” the retiring vice-president (Mr R. C. A. Marshall) told the annual conference of the Methodist Church, in Christchurch, yesterday. The loyalty and faith of these people were unquestioned, Mr Marshall said. However, he believed they had grown despondent because of declining attendances, especially at evening services, and because of talk that the church was no longer “relevant to the age”—that it had failed. “Maybe this comes about because we have passed from one era and have not adapted ourselves to the new,” he said. In the days of John Wesley, hospitals, education, care of orphans and other fields were the concern of the church. “The church mission of those days has become the government duty of today.” This surely did not imply failure, though people seemed more satisfied when they were working to achieve some project. “It seems that the churches’ opportunity in the future is to have its representatives in all these spheres of activity.” It was true f at in proportion to the population, the church was smaller today, and if success or failure was judged by numbers alone, a case could be made that the church had failed. “I believe the church has not failed," said Mr Marshall. < He acknowledged that the ' church might have to remodel its pattern of worship and < make it more meaningful, i “The church will have to i search diligently till she . finds her mission in the 1 affluent society, in 1965. 1 “In the words of Paul, we <

press on, and the best is yet to be.” Mr Marshall said he considered that a more vital, active church with a sense of mission was gradually being forged.