THE CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1111, 26 April 1911, Page 10

THE CHURCHES.

PARISH OF ST. PAUL'S THORNDON. ANNUAL REPORT OP THE VESTRY. Tho following is the annual report of tho vestry of tho palish of St. Paul's, Vhorndon, for tho year 1910-11: —Tho year began with a credit balance of £3G !)s. The special. offertories received amount to £179 Is. Bd., an increase of 17s. od. as compared with tlioso for tho year 1900-10. Tho ordinary offertories show a large increase, namely, £107 13s. lid., partly attributable to the larger congregations during and after the mission. The ordinary offertories in tho earlier part of the year also arc larger than in tho corresponding period in tho previous year.

The amount of seat rents and arrears of seat rents collected during tho year compare very favourably with the previous year. On March 31, 1911, tho arrears of seat rents then owing amounted to £23 7s. 3d., of which £7 7s. has been paid since tho accounts were closed.

Tho balance to credit of the churchwardens' accounts on March 31, 1911, was £158 17s. lid.

A very successful sale of work by the ladies of tho Church Guild realised £20D Gs. Gd., of which £25 was allocated to the Sunday Schools and £180 ss. 9d. to tho rebuilding fund, which now amounts to £436 11s. 4d., placed on fixed deposit.

The fund for the purposo of securing an adequate stipend for a curate amounts to £120 promised yearly for three years. There are. in addition some donations for one year, which make up, with subscriptions, tho sum of £134 for tho first year. Tho amount actually received at March 31 was £67 35., which has Iron placed on fixed deposit. The vestry desire to express their sincere thanks to Mrs. Arthur I'earce for the part she took in establishing this fund. Tho vestry has paid the sum of £30 Bs. for tho passage for a curate from England, under an arrangement by which tho amount is to bo refunded if not made use of.

Tho vestry expresses its thanks to tho members of the choir of St. Paul's Church, to the Sunday School teachers, lay readers, district visitors, to tho organists, choir, and committee of tho chiirchrooin, to the members of the Churc.li and Melanesinn Guilds, and of the Dorcas and Relief Society. They also thank tho committees of the Kindergarten School and Maori Mission Fund. Tho vestry also thank Messrs. D. Anderson and Sons for the use of their office for the receipt of seat rents, and for tho. time they devoto to this master. T. H. SPROTT. Vicar. T. F. MARTIN, "W. F. BARRAUD, Churchwardens. ST. PETER'S CHURCH. ANNUAL MEETING. The animal meeting of .St. Peter's Church was held last night. Archdeacon Harper presided. In tho course of his addres, Archder.con Harper said that he wished to thank the parishioners for the welcome accorded him when he was appointed to tho parish. He desired to express his appreciation of tho responso nirido to his efforts on behalf of the church. Tho Easter devotions were very encouraging. On Easter Sunday there wero 470 communicants, a record for tho parifY This was attributed to tho general mission. Tho liev.- W. Raine would take up duties hero on July 1. At the same time Mr. Walton had decided to tako up work which would not occupy so much of his time, because ho wished to shudy for holy orders. As to tho Kelburno branch, they owed a groat deal to the Rev. A. W. H. Compton. In regard to finance, he was far from satisfied, and ho would suggest the advisability of setting aside ono Sunday to give an opportunity .of supporting tho Sunday School and tho choir. The loyal and devoted work of the organist (Dr. Fyffe) was referred to,- and a compliment was paid to tho choir. The Church .of ..England-Men's Society and the Missionary Guild were also referred to in terms of praise. He hoped to see a revival in the work of the Missionary Guild. The receipts of the guild were £100 in 1904, in 1905 £77, in 1906 £114, in 1907 £90, in 1908 £86, in 1909 £01, and in 3910 £59. • He proposed shortly to open a Sunday School in Polhill Gully. The report (which has already appeared in The Dominion) and the bal-ance-sheet were adopted.

Officers elected as follow:— Vicar's warden, Mr. T. Ballingcr; parishioners' warden, Mi. H. W. Lloyd' auditors, Messrs. G. W. Wilton and J. M. Butt; vestry, MessrsH. I'\ Allen, E/Anderson, W. B. Botlrane, D. Tripe, Robert Wilberfoss, G. Lawrence, R. Maudsley, J. T. Rash, D. Hall, and Dr. : Pollen.

Mr. Wilberfoss moved: "That this meeting hears with satisfaction that another assistant curate is to bo added to'the staff in July, and requests the Diocesan Synod to increase the assessment of tho parish by tho amount of £180 in order that that sum may be added to the appropriation for the stipend for the clergy." The proposal was carried. A special vote of thanks was accorded the ladies' working party. Mr. Edward Anderson (and his sons in his absence) was thanked for collecting the seat rents. It was resolved on the motion of Mr. Ballinger that electric light should be. adopted for the church, and that the vestry should he authorised to incur the necessary expenditure. ST. HILDA'S, ISLAND BAY. Tho annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Hilda's Anglican Church, Island Bay, was held in the schoolroom last evening, tho .Vicar (tho Rev. W. Fancourt) presiding over gathering of about 40 parishioners. Tho adoption of. the report and balance-sheet (a precis of which has already been published) was agreed to. Tho Vicar,. speaking to the report, said tho past year had. been the best of all years, and lie gave an outline of the work aceopiplished. The parish had never been in a better position, and tho prospects- wero brighter than ever they had'been in the past. The report of tho Sunday School stated that the staff numbered 12, and the total "number of children on the roll was 13S, 47 having joined during tho year. ~ Tho accommodation of the Sunday School is cramped, and but for the help given by St. Hilda's Club in allowing the use of tho clubroom, it would have been impossible to carry on tho children's work. Reports of the choir, the C.E.M.S., tho Mothers' Union, and St. Hilda's Club were also read. Tho election of officers resulted as under:—Vicar's churchwarden, Mr. J. E. Hull; people's churchwarden, Mr: J. W. Griffiths; vestry, Messrs. T. M'fiwan, C. R. Fenton, M. G. Fisher, A. B. Johnston, AV. Murrell, S. J. Gibbons, and J. 11. Cornish; auditor, Mr. C. G. Richardson. Votes of thanks wore passed to the retiring officers and to the Vicar. ST. MATTHEW'S, BROOKLYN. The annual meeting of tho parishioners of St. Matthew's Anglican Church, Brooklyn, >as held last evening. Tho annual report stated that, in spite of the tacts that the year was

begun with a deficit, that lof.s financial help was received from St. Peter's parish, and that many extra calls had to bo met with in connection with the. vicarage building hind and tho mission, nevertheless the churchwarden:! were ablo to show a credit balance of about £S. The spiritual event of thfi year was llifc general mission held in the Town Hall, Wellington, and in tho various city churches. Brooklyn had been visited by one of the missioners, tho Rev. C. t. Horan.

A committee, consisting of Mesdamos Furniss, Smith, Hobday, Bell, Galbraith, Ilopkinson, Kerseos;, Evans, Fortune, Strangermiir, Williams, Miss Wright, the Hcv. R. H. Hobday, Messrs. 8011, Nash, and Jones, was sot up with a view of airangiug an exhibition of arts, crafts, etc., in aid of the vicarage fund. Tho following officers were elected for tho ensuing year:—Vicar's churchwarden, Mr. J. W. Bell; people's churchwarden, Mr. W. J. Wrstwood; vestry, Messrs. Xorgrove, W. Nash, J. fToi>kiuson, G. N. Evans. H. .T. Jones, P. A. 1 ,, . Watson, E. T. Simpkiss; synodsman, Mr. H. .1. Johns; auditor, Mr. W. Copeland. ST. MARY'S, KARORI. Tho vestry of St. Mary's Church, Earori, in their annual report, congratulate parishioners upon the satisfactory state of the finances. In the more important items of revenue there has been a marked increase. General offertories are £23 12s. 9d. in excess of last year, subscriptions and donations £16 14s. in excess, and special offertories £21 4s. in excess. Tho financial year closes with a credit balance of £13 Is. Id. The, new church funds have increased by £397 16s. 6d.,' and the pipe organ fund stands at £41 10s. od. Notable events during the year have been the holding of mission services in October by the Rev. C. De Carteret, when overflowing congregations attended.

At the special general meeting of parishioners in November last, it was decided that seat rents in the church be abolished. On March 23, the Bishop held a confirmation service, at which 32 candidates were presented. Following up a resolution of tho special general meeting of tho congregation that the new church be-begun at once, the foundation-stone- was laid by the Bishop on Easter Tuesday. This was tho last official act of tho Bishop in the diocese. '

On February 22 and February 23, the annual flower'show was held, with distinct beneficial results from an educational standpoint. The St. Mary's branch of the Church of England Men's Society is making steady progress. Tho report concluJ.es with an expression of thanks to all' Church workers for services rendered during tho year. The annual meeting of parishioners will be held on THursday, April 27. ST. AUGUSTINE'S, PETONE. The annual meeting of parishioners of St. Augustine's Church, Petonc, was held last' night. The vicar (Rev. J. D. Russell) presided over a large gathering. The reports and financial statement wore adopted. Officers wero elected as follow: — Vicar's churchwarden, Mr. D. Keir; parishioners' churchwarden, Mr. J. G. Castle; auditor, Mr. J. Baxter; vestry, Messrs. Foster, Manson, Brook, Fowler, Rodgers, Andrews, and Hill; synodsman, Mr. J. G. Castle. On behalf of tho Bible Class and C.E.M.S., Mr. Lee, who is leaving tho district, was' presented with a marble clock.