METHODIST CHURCH

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 50, 22 November 1930, Page 8

METHODIST CHURCH

District Synod REPORTS ON ACTIVITIES Consideration of reports occupied the closing session of the Wellington Methodist Synod. The report on church property was presented, by Mr. C. Martin. He mentioned the gift of a church site at Paraparaumu, and the erection of a new hall at Kurupuni free of debt. Total insurances on district property amounted to £114,482, £72,735 of which is held on the church office. , Satisfactory reports were received from all the circuits in the district regarding “spiritual advance,” the special and ordinary services having been well attended. Home Missions. An effort to promote a fund to provide an educational allowance for the children of home missionaries, was approved. The synod approved of the suggestion that the assistant superintendent of the Maori missions, the Rev. G. I. Laurenson, reside at Te Kuiti with an allowance up to £lOO per annum for travelling expenses. It w’as estimated that the income for the home mission fund for 1931 would be £941. Grants from the Home Mission Fund were recommended for the following circuits: —Upper Hutt £6O, Ngaio £7O, Greytown-Featherston £6O, conditional on an ordained man being' appointed, Eketahuna £5O, Otaki £6O, Thorndon (Northland church) 50, conditional on a third agent being appointed. The Rev. H. Ashworth, secretary for home missions in the district, was thanked for his services, and it was recommended that, he be reappointed. Sunday Schools, A report on Sunday schools was presented by Mr. J. H. Phillips. It showed that there are in the district 41 Sunday schools, 1249 primary scholars, 1750 intermediate scholars, 498 young women and 475 young men in Bible classes, 408 ' Sunday school teachers, and 12 in training classes. It recorded an increase during, the year in scholars, officers, and Bible class leaders,. and in the number of bands of hope. Mr. Philb’ps was thanked and reappointed. Proposed New Hymn Book.

A report was presented concerning the proposed new Methodist hymn book. The report ' stated that assurances of cordial co-operation had been received from Messrs. H. Temple White, S. Lawn, K. J. Dellow, and from Rev. Arthur Mitchell. Communications had been sent to the Rev. A. T. Holden, 8.A., the convenor of the committee set up by the Australasian General Conference and to the Rev. J. Alfred Sharp, D.D., the convenor of the committee of the British Conference.