BI-MONTHLY MEETING OF PRESBYTERY OF WESTLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1947, Page 10

BI-MONTHLY MEETING OF PRESBYTERY OF WESTLAND

The Rev. T. G .Campbell (moderator) presided at the bi-monthly meeting of the Westland Presbytery yesterday. The moderator reported that Mr'J. Tennent had represented the presbytery at a laymen’s conference at Lower Hutt on IVfarch 20 and 21. The conference had been called to consider the urgent needs of new housing areas in the Dominion for the ministrations of the church. In a report on the conference Mr Tennent gave instances of the rapidity with which some North Island new housing areas were being filled, of measures already taken by the Presbyterian Church to establish churches and halls in these areas, and Of the commission’s campaign to raise .C'25,000 as soon as possible to facilitate this work in other cities. A welcome was given to Sister E. Campbell of the Assembly youth staff who is visiting the West Coast. M’ss Camobell spoke of the work being done amongst the 35,000 Sunday School children and the 12,000 Bible class members of the church in New Zealand. The most pressing problem at the moment, she said, was that ol leadership. The Assembly youth committee,' through leadership training courses and schools, was -doing all in its power to encourage young people to equip themselves as leaders for the future. The Rev. W. S. Brettell reported on the Easter camp at Ross. He said

that 125 young people attended the camp, which was in every way a really worthwhile effort. The presbytery approved an application from the session of St. John’s Church for a long-service diploma for Miss C. Brown, who for many years has given valuable service to ihe Sunday school department of the church. «■ The Rev. C .W. Madill, of Westport, missions convener of the presbytery, reported that during May two missionaries on furlough, Sister Elliott, and the Rev. W. M. Ryburn, both from India, would visit the various charges in the presbytery. Service of Recognition In the evening, the presbytery met in the Cobden Hall, where in the presence of parishioners from the Greymouth-Cobden and Central Westland charges, Miss Mary Jacobs was welcomed to her work as a pro r bationer-deaconess in Cobden and Brunnerton. The moderator of the presbytery I conducted the service. The Rev. K. T. F. Larsen, of Hokitika, spoke about the.work of the church, emphasising that the appointment of another fulltime worker in the area was not an excuse for anyone to ease up on what . had been done in the past, but rather ‘ a call to more intensive Christian work on the part of all concerned., I After the service of recognition, Mi- Campbell introduced Miss Jacobs with Sister Agnes Lochpre, of Auckland,. and Sister Elizabeth Campbell of the assembly youth staff, both of whom addressed the gathering. A welcome was addressed to Miss Jacobs by the moderator, on behalf

of the session of St. John’s and Cobden, and Rev. W. S. Brettell (session of Central Westland), Mrs O’Hara (Cobden women), Mr P. East (Cobden managers and congregation), Miss M. Marshall, Brunnerton Presbyterian Sunday School) and Mr D. Walker (Brunnerton Bible classes). Miss Jacobs thanked all speakers tor their welcome, asked for the cooperation of parishioners in her work, and promised her prayerful and whole-hearted service to the congregations. Musical items were given by Mesdames. P. Daniels and E. McCarrigan, with Mrs R. White at the piano. Mr E. Law was at the organ during the service.