CHURCH'S PROGRESS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 302, 19 November 1935, Page 11

CHURCH'S PROGRESS

ST. ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN

A NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL.

The congregation of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, who a short time ago authorised alterations and renovations to the main church building to cost up to £IOOO, at a meeting last evening endorsed a proposal by the office-bearers to extend the building programme to include, among other items, the provision of a new Sunday school and the subdivision of . the present Memorial Hall, the new works being estimated to cost an additional £3500. Keen interest was shown in the affairs of the Church by the large gathering, who assembled in the Empire Hall. The minister (Rev. J. Hubbard) presided, and a number of apologies for unavoidable absence were received.

The motion around which the business portion of the gathering centred was moved by the session clerk (Mr W. B. Tennent) and was as follows: “That this congregation be asked to authorise the expenditure of £3500 for the erection of a new Sunday school and the furnishing thereof, subdivision of the Memorial Hall, and the shifting of the gymnasium. This amount is in addition to the £IOOO authorised for church alterations, and approximately £1250 overdraft.”

Mr Tennent described the proposed scheme under three headings—the removal of the gymnasium to a site facing Ashley Street; the erection of the Sunday school on the site thus vacated ; and the subdivision of the Memorial Hall with, among other amenities, accommodation in it for six Bible class rooms. The subdivision was designed so that every inch of space available could be utilised. He thought the latter phase would answer the criticism of those who had contended that the hall was not being utilised to the best of their ability. Regarding the new Sunday school, as against the erection of a new church, he recalled the reasons that had been advanced earlier against the building of a new church and the utilisation of the present church for a Sunday school. To'make the church building suitable for Sunday school purposes would still be costily, and he doubted whether authority could be obtained. to remove the present church building to another site. Further, they could not erect a new church to meet their requirements for less than £IO,OOO, and they could not obtain mortgage finance unless they had £SOOO in hand, which would take perhaps 10 years to raise. The officebearers were agreed that .a new Sunday school and congregational hall were necessary. They , had gone , to pains, to obtain information regarding a building that would be in keeping with the church and meet all their requirements. The accommodation of the proposed building would provide seating for 400 persons. The congregation had to decide whether or not there was need for this extra equipment and whether they as a- congregation, and as individuals, were prepared to make the necessary pecuniary sacrifices to enable the religious education of their children to be carried out efficiently. As to the question whether a congregational hall was necessary, the fact that they were that night holding a meeting away from the church was an

argument in favour of it. More accommodation was needed.

In stressing the need for a new Sunday school again, Mr Tennent pointed, out that whereas two years ago the . average attendance was about 60 —this year on several occasions it had exceeded 100. Eighteen classes in the various departments met in the present Sunday school, and in all there were 47 teachers. As Sunday school superintendent he felt a tinge of shame that there was not better accommodation for this most important work of the Church. Mr Tennent laid great stress on the value of religious education, which, lie said, was being assailed by world-wide propaganda. They had to meet the challenge and lie asked every member of the congregation to make a personal sacrifice so that the work could be carried out efficiently. The step was the most statesmanlike they had been asked to take. MEETING THE COST.

Mr J. C. Young, who seconded the motion, analysed closely the financial obligations of the proposal which, he stressed, was a matter for the congregation to decide. Not only must they put up their hands to vote for it —they must be prepared to put their hands in their pockets to pay for it. There was already a debt on St. Andrew’s Church itself of £1250. Renovations costing up to £IOOO had been authorised, and with the present proposal the whole amount to be faced would be in the vicinity of £6OOO. Could the congregation undertake such a liability? It was for them to says. The debt per member of the New Zealand Presbyterian Church, lie understood from a report of the recent General Assembly, was £4. If the new obligation were undertaken, in the case of St. Andrew’s the debt would be £lO per memlier, based, sav, on 600 members. Interest on the £6OOO at 44 per cent, would be £270 a year. The present ordinary expenditure of the church was £ll3O a year. Regarding the proposed loan, it was suggested that it be considered practicable to get aside the annual golden offering—which during the past three years had been quite good—to meet this debt of £6OOO. After further analysing the finances, Mr Young reiterated that it was a question of what the congregation were prepared to give toward “this very desirable and . progressive object.” If the congregation were prepared to accept the responsibility the office-bear-ers would be delighted and would go ahead toward having the new hall erected immediately, as finance had been ‘arranged. Mr A. Grigor supported the motion. From his observations of the lack of accommodation a new Sunday school was wanted. The present was a favourable time for building and the terms on which the money could be obtained were also very favourable. He thought the sacrifice entailed would be willingly made. Mr Muir opposed the motion, considering that there were already enough buildings on the church property and that the accommodation could "Be better utilised by spreading over the times of holding classes. Strong advocacy of the proposal was expressed by Air A. M. Lascelles, who said the church had to face either a successful programme or a bankrupt one. He criticised the inadequacy of the present buildings and said the opportunity afforded in the proposal before the meeting was one they should not let pass. Airs Alouat endorsed the opinion of Air Lascelles, and support for the motion also came from Air A. D. Camp-

bell and others present. Air Hubbard said that if they went ahead with the scheme he, too, was prepared to make sacrifices, feeling it his duty as minister to do so.

The motion was overwhelmingly carried and subsequently arrangements were made for the collection from the congregation of the additional contribution to lie made which, as Air A’oung stated, on the average would work out at threepence per contributor per week. An entertaining programme of vocal music was presented before and after the business portion of the meeting, the contributors being the Wanganui Lyric Quartette (Alessrs L. T. Whelan. G. T. Williams, W. Healey and J. Healey), Air C. Frankly.n Browne, of AVanganui (winner of the recent Dominion aria contest), and Alisses Doris Aloore and AI. Day. Supper was served at the conclusion of the meeting.