NORTH-EAST VALLEEY PRESBYTERIANS

Evening Star, Issue 19024, 20 August 1925, Page 3

NORTH-EAST VALLEEY PRESBYTERIANS

ANNUAL CHURCH MEETING. The annual congregational meeting of the North-east Valley Presbyterian Church was well attended on Wednesday. The Rev. George Miller (Moderator) presided. In his opening remarks he said that his duties as Moderator of the Asse fitly had taken him away a great dcai, and ho thanked the congregation, office-bearers, and choir for their attendance at the services and their co-operation in carrying on the work so faithfully during his absence. As his term of office would soon be drawing to a close, he would be able to devote all his time to the interests of the parish. Later on he referred to the great assistance that Sister Lysbeth had given the church in carrying out her duties. All the reports and balancesheets had been printed and distributed to the congregation, and brief statements in support of their reports wore made by those concerned.

A vote of thanks to the auditor, Mr P. Gray, was carried, and Messrs H. S. Manson and C. J. Lloyd were appointed auditors for the ensuing year. Messrs Adamson and Buchan (deacons), whoso term of office had expired, were reappointed for a further term. The position of the church’s missionary fund was discussed, and it was decided to vote £175 to tlie Foreign Mission Committee to pay for one year’s salary of a missionary in the field. The session report showed that a good deal of work had been done during the year. New members joining numbered thirty-two, and against this thirty-two members had removed, while four had died. The communions had been fairly well attended—24o at the Valley, fortyone at Opoho, and forty at Ross Home being the average. The rally month was not a success, but it was hoped to do bettor next year. Mr Stevens spoke briefly to the report, and hoped to see a larger number of young communicants coming forward during the coming year. The financial statement showed a credit balance of £42. There was an increase of £95 from collections and envelopes, while £lB5 for missions and kindred work had been raised by the different societies connected with the church. The church debt had been reduced by £4OO, leaving a balance of £4OO still to pay. The Sunday school reports shewed an attendance of 270 in four departments, with a staff of forty-three teachers, with Mr D. S. Beath as superintendent and Sister Lysbeth as leader of the infants’ and primary departments. Sister Lysbeth, in presenting the report, referred to the work performed by the teachers, who gave up a great deal of their time in teaching the youth, and who were deserving of great praise for their whole-hearteduess in this portion of the church work. The Young Worshippers’ League showed ninety-seven on the roll, with an average attendance of eighty-five. There were five Bible classes, thirty-one men and twenty women in all, who met regularly and did a deal of useful work. The young men were accumulating funds to provide suitable classrooms, and had £B3 laid by for that purpose.

The P.W.M.U. report showed a membership of seventy-three, doing very good work, and £B3 raised by them for missions and other claims.

The Deacons’ Court report showed everything in good order. Electric light had been installed in the upper Sunday school and some rooms behind the church. The report stressed the importance of reducing the church debt and endeavoring to increase the envelope contributors. The church choir of forty-seven members, under the leadership of Mr Macfie, continued its faithful work in leading the services of praise as well as on special occasions.