TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 18690, 19 July 1924, Page 9

TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH

THE ANNUAL REPORT. Tho sixty-second annual report,' issued on the occasion of tho ’fifty-fourth anniversary of the opening of Trinity Methodist Church states : Onr first word must be one of gratitude to God for tho signs of spiritual vitality in the life of our beloved church. This is undoubtedly due to the faithful Gospel preaching of our pastor, tho Rev. H. E. Bsllhouse, whose untiring zeal in the affairs of the pastorate has won the loyalty and lovo of all members of the church.

Trinity Church nowadays, in common with most central city churches, presents special problems, but it can be truthfully said that its work lias been steadily maintained during the past year. The attendance at the Sunday services has been on tho whole encouraging, and shows a tendency to improvement, both morning and evening, for which we have reason to ho thankful. Tho senior membership of the church stands at 275, as_ compared with 263 a year ago. The junior members number seventy-five,' an increase of twenty-four in the twelve months. Three of our members have passed away during the year—Mrs Rhoda Patton, Mrs W. Spite, and, recently, Mrs Margaret Haynes. Mrs Patton and Mrs Haynes were our two senior members, both haying boon for some sixty years connected with Trinity and its predecessor on Bell Hill. Mrs W. Spite also was associated with Trinity from her earliest days, and had resmnecl her membership some three years ago after a quarter of a century spent in Invercargill. To the relatives of these esteemed departed members we tender our respectful sympathy. Several members have been transferred to other circuits, including Mr L. H. Osborn, for several years trustee, society steward, Mrs Osborn and family, and Mi’ and Mrs V. H. Brown and family. The monthly communion services have been well attended during th<y year. A gratifying feature of these sendees is the goodly number of young people. The week night devotional meetings have been fairly well maintained. Last _ year Mr Bellhouse gave a eorioa of studies in tho Acts of the Apostles, which evoked encouraging interest. This year an effort has been mado to cater for our young people by tho formation of" a Young Peoples’ Guild, which has alternated its meetings fortnightly with the devotional services. Although the best has_ beep done to make the meetings attractive, it is a matter for regret that they have not been better supported by those for whom they were primarily intended. The choir has, as usual, rendered splendid help during the year under the direction of Mr if, Blackwood, _ with Miss Elizabeth Hartley as organist, and tho church is much indebted to its members for their excellent conduct of tho service of praise. They generously gave recently tho cost of installing a hot water heating apparatus in the choir scats, a piece of work long overdue. For this the trustees owe them hearty thanks.

The Ladies’ Guild has held very successful monthly meetings during the year in the homes of various members, an average attendance of twenty-five. This guild serves a valuable purpose in promoting social fellowship amongst _ the ladies of the church, besides materially assisting through tho Parsonage Guild in tho upkeep of the parsonage. The membership of the guild is growing month by month, and the meetings, at which addresses are given by representative ladies, are increasingly attractive. In connection with the guild it may be mentioned that the late Mrs Haynes left a bequest of £2CO to bo invested by the truntees, the interest to be handed over to tho Ladies’ Parsonage Guild to be need for the maintenance of the parsonage.' Mrs Haynes also bequeathed £IOO each to Trinity Homo Mission and Foreign Mission funds.

Last year the Sunday school set out to increase its membership to 120, and this aim has been more than realised, while the average attendance is alao high, the junior department (Mr A. M’Dongall. leader) having just won the attendance banner for June with an attendance of 91 per cent. In membership tho primary department (Mies Hetherington, leader) has made tho largest advance, while the intermediate department (Mr E. Aslin, leader) has at present attained the beat record in contributions to the new Sunday school equipment fund. The home department membership (about thirty), and the cradle roll are not included in tho above total. TheY.M.B.C. (loader, Rev. H. E. Dollhouse) has recently lost several members through removal from Dunedin, but tho Y.W.B.C. (Miss West, leader) has a membership of nearly twenty. Each department is ably led and well staffed. The totpl number of teachers and officers is twenty-six, at least twelve of whom are former scholars. A weekly teachers’ council meeting for preparation and devotional purposes is held each Thursday. A loss was recently sustained by the departure of Mr and Mrs V. H.' Brown for Invercargill. Mr Gordon H. Adams, a former scholar, has succeeded to the secretaryship. Miss Kay, leader of the primary department, resigned on account of'her marriage, and has been succeeded by Miss Hetherington, also an old scholar. Eight members _of tho staff are taking a course of training in tho School of Religious Education. During the year a number of young people were received into church membership. The school maintains a native teacher and an orphan child (Esita) in the Solomons. The school rejoices in the decision of the tiaistces to proceed with the erection of a portion of the new school, when, subject to certain reservations, tho amount of £650 shall have been received, and the school offers grateful thanks to those who have promised the fine total of some £l,lOO. Tho school lias already made a good commencement to gather funds for the equipment of the new build-

mg. The Band of Hope is a very vigorous institution, and has a record membership this year of nearly ninety, mulct' tho leadership of Mr R. Mason, aided by an enthusiastic staff.

The missionary interest of the church has been satisfactorily shown during the year, tho sum of £97 19s lid having been raised by the circuit for foreign missions, and £94 6s lOd for home missions. As a consequence of tho recent visit of tho Rev. A. J. Seamcr and his Maori party, and in view of the urgent appeal being made this year by our Foreign Missions Board, it is hoped that these amounts will bo considerably added to this year. For tho benevolent fund Die sum of £sl 9s 10d has been received during Dio year, and £42 18s 3d was also raised for the South Island Orphanage. Mrs Troupe, ono of our members, who passed away in Juno of last year, left her little estate of £52 2s 6d to the church, and tho amount has been equally divided between the circuit and tho trust.

Our church steward, Mr W. Penrose, who has occupied the position since 1910, found it necessary to resign from his office at the beginning of the year, and it was with unwillingness that the trustees accepted same. The trustees recorded their high appreciation of Mr Penrose’s untiring services and evcr-watchful zealous care of the church’s property. The returns for the year disclose a decided improvement, an increase all round, and tho year finished with a small debit of £l3 3s 6d, against a debit at tho beginning of tho year of £25 13s 9d,

QUARTERLY MEETING. At tho quarterly meeting of the church the Rev. H. L. Eicbig, the newly-ap-pointed second minister of the circuit, was warmly welcomed. Mr Liebig suitably replied, and thanked the brethren for their kindness, stating also that he liked his work, and was looking forward to having a successful term among them. Mill. Wilson was also welcomed as a now member of tho board. The financial statement for tho quarter and tho homo missions income were considered satisfactory. The following motion was unanimously carried That w-e express our cordial appreciation of tho recent visit of the Rov. A. J. Seamer and Maori Party, and bespeak similar visits in tie future.” Particulars relating to the foreign missions deputation were left in charge of the ministers and foreign missions’ secretaries.

It ■was resolved—" That the week-night meeting of the Rev. A. A. Bensley he made a special effort to arouse enthusiasm for the foreign missions cause.” Messrs Mason and Iterens_ were appointed representatives to the United -Temperance Reform Council. Reference' was made to the death of one of the oldest church members, Mrs D. Haynes, who was a generous supporter of her church, and one who took a deep interest in all its_ activities. A resolution of sympathy with her family was carried by members standing in silence. It was decided to send a letter of appreciation for his services to Mr R. Armstrong, a young member of the board, who has removed to Wellington. It -was also resolved “to send a letter of sincere appreciation of the splendid services of Captain Gipsy _ Pat Smith during his campaign in Dunedin, and also to express the church’s deep sympathy with him in the unfortunate breakdown of his health.”

Trinity Band of Hope reports' wore highly encouraging, showing a membership of ninety-one, and Mr Mason was complimented- on his good work as superintendent of the society. The membership returns for Trinity number 350. This shows a small increase, but a small decrease had to be chronicled for the northern part of the circuit owing to several families having left the district. w Trinity has a small increase in Sunday School pupils, and a new Bible class and n Gymnastic Club have been started in tile north end of the circuit. The following collections were authorised to bo made during the current quarterßetiring collection at Trinity for Sunday School department, Trinity Church trust fund, Woodhaugh Sunday School anniversary, special collections at opening of new Sunday School at Northeast Valley.