HOLY TRINITY CHURCH

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2141, 25 July 1907, Page 1

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH

ANNUAL REPORT. Following are extracts from the annual reports presented to the meeting of parishioners of Holy Trinity Church, held on Tuesday evening: The annual report and balancesheet of tile parish finance. etc., which it is the duty of the officers of the Church to submit to you will,

tin v are confident, commend itself as being satisfactory in every degree. They as a body disclaim any credit fo" the result, which is mainly due to the untiring energy of our vicar and the curate of the parish, assisted by Dt.e gradually increasing number of Church people who have made their homes in this favored district. The annual custom of drawing comparisons with the previous year between the two items which are the basis of parish finance will be sufficient to prove to you that we are justified in taking every reasonable step to increase them in the future. The receipts under these two heads for the years ending 30th June, 1905-0 and 1906-7. are as follow: Pew rents collected 1900-7 .£253 Is 4d, pew rents collected 1905-0 £2lB 4s 4il, increase £35 ■ pew rents unpaid £l3O 7s 8d; general offertories including subscription £422 10s, general offertories including subscription 1905-G £390 10s 2J increase £32 5s 10(1. This year we have an amount of £l3O 7s 8d uncollected pew rents; last year it was £Ol 4s 4d. Although on paper the latter appeared to he a formidable suit, yet the vestry have pleasure in announcing that they had no difficulty in collecting the arrears, and they anticipate that the same result will

lie. obtained this year. Your officers have seen no reason during the past yea - to re-sort to any questionable means of augmenting the parish finance. With the limited means at tlie disposal of your officers for this important work, they have been unabl> to go as far as their feelings prompted them, .vet the parishioners cannot fail IniiT notice that there is a gradual improvement in this direction. The vestry can only reitern co their remarks of previous years as to the very satisfactory manner in which this essential part of our church service is carried out b.v Mr. Sidebottoni and bis efficient choir, and we cannot allow the gratuitous services of the. ladies and gentlemen forming the choir to be passed over without a cordial vote of thanks from voni' officers on behalf of tho parishioners generally. The aid to missions as in past years lias been liberally responded to by the parishioners. In this commendable part of our Christian life there are some earnest

workers, and through their indefatigable zeal the parish, as a eonnniniitv. has received credit. Church exten-

sion which has engaged the attention of tho vestry for the past two years, is now. they are pleased to announce, in a fair way of consummation ill so far as the initiatory steps are concerned. On .Tulle 16th last, advantage was taken of tho memorable occasion of the jubilee of the constitution of the Church in New Zealand, to solicit aid from the parishioners fir this worthy, and necessary object in tho shape of an offertory. The result reached the most sanguine expectations, being £403 11s 6d in cash, and £6OO in promises, extending oyer a few years. Yoqr officers, in view of—the " liberal response to the call, being satisfied that the parishioners o-ererallv recognised the necessity of church extension, have instructed an architect to prepare plans and specifications for a brick building to cost £3OOO. and have further called for tenders to be opened on the 2nd August, next for file removing of the eastern |jortiqn of the present church and adding it to the present schoolroom. The appointment of the Rev. M- Wright as curate has prove 1 to be a step in the right direction. It has not so much been warranted by tlie increased number of church people in the parish as by the inauguration of services at Mangnpapa and Haiti, at both of which I places our vicar and Mr. Vt right, I uit l other helpers, have been enabled I to attract fair congregations. The

thanks of the vestry are due the Rev. H ’Williams, the Rev. F. \V. Cliattorton, the Rev. CockeriO, and the Rev. Hamilton for their kind assistance oil many occasions. Church of England services were commenced in the Mangapnpa District Schoolroom op Sunday evening, 10th October, LHdi and have been continued each Sunday since, with an average moderate attendance considering the iiuiube- of Church of England families residing in the neighborhood. A strong committee, of adherents was formed on the Kith September, 1900, to further the objects in view. This committee has shown their faith in the future of the church extension at Mangapupa by securing, on satisfactory terms, a half-acre section, well situated on the Gisborne-Ormond mail road at Hirktown. It is proposed to erect when funds are availaide a church hall, which will bo suitable for services and social meeting!. Much remains to he accomplished, but the committee hope those foliowing after will not let the matter rest, until the services are established in a suitable building. Special lnon-tio-i and thanks are due to Mr. J.

If Gittos for his valuable assistanci in providing for the musical portioi of the. services, and those clergymei aid laymen who have assisted ii

maintaining the regular services. Permission having been given for the use of the Haiti School to hold cl-uroll service a start was made on Sunday, March 3rd, the Rev. Dawson Thomas officiating, the room ’being well filled. After the first service a" church committee was formed consistin'; of Rev. Dawson Thomas, Messrs D. G. Fraser, .T. Hay, W. Bell, R. Little, H. J. Bendle, and A. J. Fyson, the latter to act as secretary and make all arrangements as to cleaning o-.i; the school, etc., after the services. The services have, been fairly -veil attended, which shows there is a want of a proper building on Haiti for church purposes. Mr. A. H Wallis generously gave a sum of money to procure lamps for the use of the church. An organ was also purchased—two of the vestrymen of Holv Trinity advancing the money, •riiis will he paid off during the year. Mr TV. Fear has kindly given r. kneeling hassock for the minister’.lie The seating accommodation iver.y uncomfortable for adults, bui i'll--* might possibly ’he rectified to a certain extent if some of the mor< prosperous of the residents would make an offer in this direction. It is hoped that during the sumnumonths the congregation will increase and show that these services are appreciated. A hearty vote of thanks must he, accorded to Mrs. Baty, who has kindly presided at the organ, and likewise to Mrs Burdett, who undertook that duty during Mrs. Batv’s absence. On Sunday, June 10th (Jubilee Day) a collection was taken up in aid of the Haiti church building fund, and although there was on-

ly a small congregation the response was very liberal. A Sunday school ha - been belt! pn Sunday afternoons which is greatly appreciated, and is weli attended.

In the great surge of time another year lias rolled by since the last annual report of our Sunday school was written, and i n its track, so far as oar Sunday school is concerned, we fail to see the marks of progress as great as one would wish, at the same time very fair progress has been made, notwithstanding the fact ’that another sehool has been opened at Haiti. The number of children now on the roll is—boys 115, girls 124, total 239: as against 195 for last year. The average attendance has coi responding!)' increased, being now at 1 38, as against 114 for last year. Although it is very satisfactory to

not? the increase, it is on the other hand certainly disappointing to all those who are concerned in the wel--1 a r.“ of the children attending the school, that the average attendance should he less than three-fifths of the number on tbo roll. I have referred to this question in previous reports, where I have pointed out that children atending a Sunday sehool sii irregularly that their average attendance is only about three Sundays out of five, cannot expect to participate in

the beuolits to bo derived from systeii’. si tic and regular teaching. Some eliddren do not oven attend on an average one Sunday out of five, while “Micro a vhe never miss a Sunday. Apart fro.i' the Joss the chihlen sustain by such irregular attendance, it is very discouraging to the teachers, who, it should bo remembered, devote a good deal of time preparing lessons, beside- having to give up the best part of each Sunday afternoon for the pm pose of assisting to carry on this very important work in the service of on • Divine Master. I have therefore again to ask the parents to remember to teach their children at liome, to see that they attend the Sunday school regularly, and thus assist in the bringing up of their children in the Christian faith. The names of the teachers at the beginrmg of the year were: Mrs L. Daw--30.1 Thomas, Misses Beeson, Hawke, Hcbinson, Sberratt, Y. Sherratt, A. DeLautour, and M. Beere, Bev. H. AT Wright,-Messrs E. G. Matthews, T. D. Baker, and myself. Tlie teaching staff at present consists of: Mrs L. Dawson Thomas, Misses Beeson, Bobinson, E. D. Bobinson, Y. Sherratt, M. Beere, Dyke, Kingston, Tosland, Z. Williams, Bees, Hooper, Willcox, Wilson, M. Wilson, Messrs T D. Baker, W. Hicks, and myself, with Mr. C. Cooper as librarian and secretary, the Bev. Dawson Thomas also being continually in attendance. Oe the 20th December last a festival was held at the schoolroom, which proved a great success. A sumptuous tea was provided at 5 o’clock, which was so largely attended that three relays of tables were necessary. After tea a short and bright programme having been carried out tile distribution of toys from a large Christmas tr. i took place, everyone receiving a present. The proceeds of this entartainment wore devoted towards the payment of a large limelight lantern, which had been purchased for the Sunday school. The annual treat was held in February last in Air. G. Phelps’ paddock, facing the Wainui beach, which was as usual thoroughly

enjoved by tile children. Some weeks Inter tlio annual distribution of prizes took place, when a large number of limelight views of Japan were exhibited bv the Rev. Chattel-ton, who gave the children a very interostino and instructive explanation of th\ same, which at the outset Intermed “A Trip to Japan.” As soon as the Kaiti school was opened a Sunday school was formed, and my vicar asked me to take charge of it. h'rom the very first there has hern a steady increase in the attendance, so that now there nr - over eighty scholars on the roll. W . are still in our infancy, so that it is too soon to boast, hut I am sure if we continue to progress as we arc doing, in a year or two our school will compare very favorably with tintown school. "The district is a growing one, and families are. arriving weekly, so that we have no fear of a ik-ti case. I should like to remind some parents of tln-ir promise to me to see that their children attend the school regularly. You cannot expect children to keep up to the mark unless a certain amount of parental control is exercised. Our thanks are due to the Kaiti School Committee for the use of their building. which is excellently adapted for school purposes. I consider myself fortunate in securing the services of the Misses Coleman, Murray, Nolan, and Davis as my helpers, our thanks a.-; due to them for their self-denying work. At the same time our staff is not complete, the classes being far too large, and if there is anyone who will come forward as a teacher, I will provide the class.