CHURCH UNION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22669, 21 June 1948, Page 6

CHURCH UNION

METHODS OF VOTING Details of the method of voting in the coming ballot on church union between the Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches were given in Wellington by union committee members of the respective church union committees.

In the Congregational Church the vote will be taken at individual church meetings, either by a show of hands or by secret ballot, according to the wish of the meeting. The vote will be taken this month in churches throughou t New Zealand, and the results, which will be made known, will be forwarded to the Wellington committee.

The 1947 conference of the Methodist Church almost unanimously approved the basis of union. However, by the direction of the 1948 conference, each member of the church is to be given an opportunity to express his opinion of the basis of union. There is no prescribed form for the vote. It may be taken by postal ballot, by a meeting of church members, or by the issuing of bai'ot papers The opportunity for the vote is to get the feeing of the members of the church. The" official decision of the church will be made at a special circuit quarterly meeting of the leaders in each circuit this month.

The decisions of the circuits and the members will be forwarded to the secretary of the conference. The final decision will be returned at the next conference which will be held in November.

Over 60.000 ballot papers have been printed for the postal ballot to be. held bv the Presbvterians on the basis of union. The papers will ask the voter to replv “ves” or “no.” The ballot paoe v s will be delivered by hand to onlv those members who are on the communicant role who have the vote. , The returning officers for the vote are in Dunedin. The church union committee will prepare a report for the general assembly of the church.