ST. MARY’S CHURCH.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 April 1937, Page 8

ST. MARY’S CHURCH.

YEAR’S ACTIVITIES REVIEWED. ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS Another year of stable activity was reviewed in the course of the annual meeting- 0 f the parishioners of the St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Levin, which took place on Monday evening in St, Mary’s Hall. The number of parishioners Avho attended was the largest which the occasion had attracted for several years. The vicar of the parish, Rev. ,J. C. Davies, -who firesided, opened the proceedings with prayer. Apologies for absence were received from Mesdames Duckworth, Kebbell and Spencer. Churchwardens’ Report. The report wdiich was presented by the Churchwardens, Messrs R. J. Foss and H. L. Jenkins, covering the year ended March 31st, 1937, read as follows;

During the year the accounts of the parish went back to the extent of £l9 14s 4d, finishing with a debit balance of £l4 7s. This is most disappointing considering the improvement in conditions generally over the past year, and from which your vestry were led to believe that there would be a corresponding improvement in the chlurch ffpancej. ’had it not been for the rental received for the use of the hall by overflow classes from the public school, the accounts would make very poor reading indeed. The general offertories received during - the year at £326 Is 9d show an improvement of a mere £6 19s lid over the previous year, but this amount in offertories is considered a very poor effort in a parish as large as St. Mary’s. When it is - realised that these offertories are contributed by a mere handful of parishioners, it shows a spirit of apathy on the part of the majority of the parishioners and an entire lack of appreciation of the- ser vices rendered by the church. The vestry is constantly hampered in its operations by a lack of finance, and. for that reason, quite a few very necessary repair jobs in and about church .property have had to be passed over for the present. The item ‘/Subscriptions and Donations’’ shows a drop of £3 Is 3d over the previous' year. In accordance with the decision made at the last annual meeting, the “cut” of £35 per annum made in the vicar’s stipend in 1932, was restored in full as from April Ist, 1936. There is in the Post Office Savings Bank a sum of £BO 13s 5d to meet interest and principal payments on the vicarage for the ensuing nine months. The principal outstanding on this loan is now £1025. Special offertories during the year have been well supported and it is also noted that contributions to both the Board of Missions and the Diocesan Social Service Fund have been quite satisfactory, The New Church Building Fund now stands at £2692 18s lid, a nett increase of £122 14s Id during the year. The Shannon house has been sold at approximately the figure at which it stood in the last statement of accounts, and the money incorporated in the fund. A direct donation of £2O from St. Mary’s Guild has been added to the fund during the year. The members of St. Mary’s Guild have again been of material assistance to the parish. The Guild have contributed to the parish funds a total of £126 12s, including the donation to the New Church Building Fund; and for this assistance the vestry are most thankful. Vicar’s Report. In referring to the activity of the church during the past twelve months, Rev. Mr. Davies expressed regret that no decisive step forward could be recorded. The attendances at the services had remained fairly constantly ranch the same as before, but there was considerable hope for the future in the young people of the church, who seemed to have realised that there was some meaning in life, through faith in the purpose of the Christ ideal. The Bible Classes were proving a fruitful source of discussion, while the regular* attendance of younger members at the services was also most encouraging. Mr. Davies referred to the services at the Weraroa Church Hall which had been commenced during the year, but which had been forced to be discontinued owing to the lack of lay readers. It was to be hoped that when the services of more lay-readers were available, these services could be carried on once more.

Another matter dealt with by the Vicar was the visit of the new Bishop of Wellington, Rt. Rev. H. St. Barbe Holland to Levin for the confirmation service during the year. At this service had been presented quite a number of young people for confirmation, and these had shown continued in terest by a reg'ular attendance at communion services. •

During the year the parish had suffered a loss in the departure of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Bishop and family from the district, but on the other hand there were several new families whom he welcomed to the parish. Rev. Mr. Davies expressed his- appreciation of the services of all those who had fulfilled offices during the year. He mentioned in particular the names of the Churchwardens and vestry, and the lay-readers, the Sunday School teachers at Levin and Weraroa, the Bible Class leaders, the St. Mary's Ladies' Guild, who had continued in their w T onderful work for the cuuich, and those who had looked after the sanctuary and provided flowers. In conclusion, Mr. Davies expressed his own personal thanks for the very generous Easter offering of which he had been made the recipient. Financial. The statement of receipts and

penditure which was presented as covering the operations of the year ending March 31st, 1937, showed that commencing with a credit of £5 7s 4d, the year closed with a debit of £l4 7s. The leceipts included the following- items: General offertories, £326 Is 9d; special offertories, £6O 2s 2d; subscriptions and donations, £B7 7s; ,St. Mary’s Guild. £lO6 12s; N.Z. Anglican Board of Missions, £69 Os od; St. Mary’s Hall,. £66 9s 9d; rent, endowment property, £42 11s. Amongst the expenditure were; General church fund, £400; vicarage, £133 4s Id; salaries, £72. The total expenditure was £IOB3 0s 9d, while the total receipts were £IO6B 13s9d.

The balance-Sheet showed the assets to be £4426 2s 7d, this figure representing an excess of £3323 2s 6d over liabilities. Included in this was the New Church Building- Fund of £2692 18slld. The St. Mary’s Building and Site Fund showed receipts to stand at £914 Is 3d for the year. The statement -,£ receipts and payments covering the activities of St. Mary’s Guild for the year showed that receipts totalled £216 7s lid. The year commenced with a credit of £6 15s Bd. and receipts included: Proceeds of social, £l7 26s 9d; bulb show, £3B 16s; bazaar, £l3l 14s lid. Contributions were made to the Vestry of £lO6 12s, and to the New Church Fund of £2O. A credit balance remained of £43 Bs--Bd. .

Eents received from the . Weraroa Church Eoom totalled £23 10s during the year, while offertories amounted to £ll 9s 7d. On the motion of Mr. Jenkins, seconded by Mr. Poss, the report and balance-sheet were adopted by the meeting. Election of Officers. The appointment of office-bearers for the ensuing year was made as follows: —Vicar’s Churchwarden, Mr. E. J. Poss; Parishioners’ Churchwarden, Mr. H. L. Jenkins; Vestry, Mrs. M. Blenkhorn, Messrs E. G. House, W. Bull, E. E, Hirst, W. Meddlings, P. C. Lemmon, G. D. Bowers, J. C. Mo.xham, C, H. Pyke and D. Small; hon. auditor, Mr. E Kime; St Mary’s Trust Board, Messrs Foss, Jenkins, Pyke and Bull. Gene Val. Mr. E. G. House referred to the fact, that the services at the Weraroa, Ohurch Hall, which had been well attended had had to be discontinued owing to the lack of lay-readers. He expressed the hope that this position would be remedied in the near future Mr. House also expressed the hope that the Vestry would see their waj r to continuing the issue of the monthly church I magazine. Cn the motion of Mr. Kime, seconded by Mrs. Bull, it was decided to ask the Vestry to go into the matter of continuing publication of the magazine. Appreciation. A vote of thanks to the retiringauditor, Mr. E. W. Percy, moved by Mr. P. C. Lemmon, was carried by acclamation. A vote of appreciation to the members of the Ladies’ Guild for their services during the year was also passed by the meeting. Mrs. Davies spoke in appreciation of the work which was being carried ou throughout the parish by Miss H. V. Kenworthy, Maori Mission Worker, and her remarks were endorsed to thefull by the gathering;. Following the passing of a further vote of thanks to the Press, the pronunciation of the Benediction concluded the proceedings. A da|nty supper, served by the ladie»of the Guild',, was- partaken of by thosi'v present before dispersing,.