CHURCH ENDOWMENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 119, 21 April 1936, Page 4

CHURCH ENDOWMENTS

CREATION URGED. POSITION oFALL SAINTS’. “Perhaps many parishioners do not know that All Saints’ has no endowments and subsists entirely on freewill offerings,” stated the report of the vicar (Canon G. Y. Woodward) which was read at the annual meeting of the parishioners of All Saints’ Church' last evening. “I feel quite certain that we ourselves should begin what I might call a ’church fabric and additional clergy fund,’-and this to ho so drawn up that only interest could be used. At first this would provide very little, but we are to think of those who come after and make some provision for them. If such a fund had existed in the past we would have materially benefited from it to-day. I feel absolutely certain that, when this church was built, if such a fund had been in existence, many parishioners who have passed away or left this district would have contributed to it for the upkeep of the beautiful church they had helped to “build 'and to-day we would have had a fund to draw upon. The two-fold purpose of this fund, first for the upkeep of your beautiful and costly church and, secondly, to increase the somewhat small stipends of the assistant curates, is sound in principle. I should like to remind parishioners that we are merely stewards of our worldly possessions and that the consideration of making some endowment is a criterion of heavenworthy righteousness, and gives to the donor the joy of duty worthily done. The need of such a fund has been strikingly brought before me since 1 have been vicar of the parish. In the years of the depression we were forced to reduce the number of clergy in the parish and recently, when the church suffered extensive damage, there was no fund to draw upon for immediate repairs. If only we have the vision, and a persevering patience, I believe that such a fund could become a reality. AVc- may not derive much benefit, but whai a benefit to those who come after us. Those splendid pioneers whose labours we thanked God for at our diamond jubilee celebrations were i mindful of us and we in our turn must lie mindful of those who are to j succeed us.”