METHODIST CHURCH

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 January 1912, Page 8

METHODIST CHURCH

QUARTERLY MEETING

The quarterly meeting of the Methoclits Church was held "at St. Paul's, Greymouth, last evening, tlie Rev. T. N; Griffin occupying the chair. There, was a fair attendance of officials, three being from Runanga, The Chairman tendered a very cordial greeting to the Rev. A. H. Scriven who has been appointed to assist in the circuit until the end of March, doing the pastoral work at Runanga, Taylorville and Stillwater. , The chairman wa s requested to tender the sympathy of the meeting to MrAngel, TaylorviUe, on his recent bereavement.

The members'returned as on the roll were 204. The balance sheet was presented by Mr J. 0. Hawkins and showed, outside of special income, a slight decrease of liability notwithstanding unusually heavy expenditure. It was decided tp hold harvest thanksgiving services in March throughout the Circuit, the occasion to bo made one of special effort to liquidate the circuit liability. Arrangements were made for taking up foreign mission collections during the quarter. The reports of the Sunday schools and Christian Endeavour Societies were of the usual nature good work being done in each department. The junior C'.E.S. is to be re.c«nimence its meeting but on Sunday mornings at 10.15' instead of prior to the afternoon school which had been found unsuitable. The chairman expressed hearty appreciation of the services rendered during the year by the several stewards. These were re-elected with the addition of Mr W. J. Petherbridge at St. Paul's, Greymouth.

A special vote of thanks was tendered to Mr J. O. Hawkins on Jiis retirement.

The successful opening of the new church at Greymouth, when the Rev. ■O. H, Laws 8.A., Christchurch, conducted the services was reported. On the motion of Messrs T, Meiriman, and J. Baddeley it was decided to present the Circuit's congratulations to the trustees on the completion of the undertaking. On the motion of the chairman and Mr A. G. Nightingale heartiest appreciation was recorded of the services rendered by the local preachers throughout the Circuit during the year.

The meeting was very unanimous in emphasising the need of special care in the appointment of a home missionary, to Runanga at the close of Mr Scriven's term. The chairman endorsed the need expressed and undertook when attending the Conference to urge it before the appointments committee. A hearty vote of thanks was tendered to Mr and Mrs C, Hansen for kind hospitality extended to thg Rev, A. H. Scriven. The chairman rtported that during ihe veaiv upwards of £25 had been raised for home missions and £lO for foreign missions, v A letter wa s read re the purchase ot land at Epsom, Auckland, on which to erect a 'tluological college and a.sassistance solicited. It was decided t(> reply that no immediate action &ouH\ be taken. Ii was decided to hold the next meeting at. Greymouth on the second Wednesday in April. The benediction brought an interesting meeting to a close.