A PROSPEROUS CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 274, 12 August 1908, Page 3

A PROSPEROUS CHURCH.

KENT TERRACE PRESBYTERIAN

PROPOSED NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Tho 21st annual report of the Kent Terrace Presbyterian .Church, to bo presented at tho annual meeting to-night, embraces tho year and a half ending on June 30. The reason, for extending the usual period is that the .General Assembly decided that the ccclesi-' astical year should end on the last day of June. The church membership .shows a slight increase, despito.two causes which; have been unusually active of late —the shifting character of city population, and the inroads of death. The total'receipts from all sources, including the Sabbath School, have been £1753 17s. Id., and the expenditure £1749 15s. 9d., leaving a balance in hand of £4 Is. 4d. Tho ordinary church collections, £939 3s. Gd., show a steady increase compared with past years. Ono notable and satisfactory feature of the church revenue is tho amount raised for missions, £196 Is. Id.; of which amount the Kent Terraco branch of the P.W.M.A. collected £155 9s. 2d. During the eighteen months £210 was paid in reduction of the church debt. A bequest of £50 by the late JJr. John M'Lean, and a special donation of a similar amount from a member of the congregation, together with the proceeds of the annual social, greatly assisted in this satisfactory achievement. Tho necessary expenditure for the upkeep of the church property has been incurred, but tho time has come, states the report, when it is necessary to face a much larger expenditure upon tho manse buildings. ; This work is to be proceeded with at once, and it is 'confidently expected that this outlay will ensure the present ' building lasting for at least ten or twelve years longer. At a meeting of the deacon's court it was unanimously decided that the minister was to' havo a month's holiday annually, and that the expense of . supply should bo met. Mr. Elliott has not yet taken advantage of the offer, but there is a general feeling that he is to. some , interval of rest, and that it is unreasonable to bear continuously and without interruption for years tho wear and strain of a city pulpit. It has been decided by the deacons to make some alterations_ in tho' front- of the pulpit, so as to provide more convenient accommodation for the celebration oftho Communion and of marriages. The school house, and .lccture hall;are in,such a.state of decay that something needs ' imperatively to be- done. Tho deacons are of opinion'that the proper plan would be to remove the present building and erect a two-storied brick structure with appropriate class-rooms. This would probably involve-an outlay of £3000, but the matter will noiv be submitted to tho deliberation and decision of. a congregational meeting. Temporary ( class-rooija' lvn-o been formed by means of' hinged foldtlig partitions.