CHURCH MEETINGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 100, 29 April 1937, Page 20

CHURCH MEETINGS

ST. MARK'S PARISH

'The outstanding event ■of ■ the. past year in the parish of' St. Mark's, Wellington, was the celebration o£ the diamond jubilee, stated the annual report, which was presented to parishioners on Tuesday night. T.he celebrations were considered^ a great success and a happy reunion of present and former parishioners made possible the exchange of many . reminiscences. In connection with the jubilee extensive repairs were made to the church buildings, and, as the cost was met out of the Coffey bequest, parishioners were not asked to contribute.

Reference was made to the inspiring addresses delivered by the Rev. Canon Watson, who conduced a -'Week of Renewal" at the end of April last year. "There is reason to believe that the result was a deepening of the spiritual life of the parish," stated the report. The appointment of the present vicar, the Rev. N. F. E. Robertshawe, as superintendent of the Chinese missions in Wellington was noted in the report, and attention was drawn to the fact that the first Chinese convert was baptised in the church in 1895 and that the Rev. Richard Coffey, a former vicar of St. Mark's, had bean the moving spirit in the establishment of the mission many years ago. Mr. Robertshawe attained the "silver jubilee" of his ordination on December 21 last year. '' Special thanks were offered to the members of the choir, the ladies' sewing guild, Sunday school workers, and the many others who had helped in carrying on the work of the parish. The finances of the church were revealed to be in a satisfactory condition and had improved considerably in the past year. .

The election of officers resulted as follows:—

Churchwardens: Vicar's warden, Mr. G. W. Barltrop; parishioners' warden, Mr. W. Chambers. Vestrymen: Messrs. G. Emery, W. J. Gaudin, E. J. Hampton, A. Hawker, O. H. Ohlsson, C. Richardson, Sharp, H. Siversen, A. J. S. White. J. S. Williams, and Dr. C. Gordon Kemp. Mr. R. E. Rawnsman for life. , ■ .