ST ANDREW’S CHURCH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 230, 27 August 1938, Page 4

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH

INCREASED MEMBERSHIP. The 62nd annual report of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Palmerston North, records a membership of 672, an increase of 43 over last year. The average attendance at Communion was 508, the highest being 551. During the year Rev. J. Hubbard. to whom the report pays tribute, conducted 57 baptisms, 70 marriages and 73 funerals. The Sunday school had a roll number of 303 and Bible classes a roll of 121. The membership of the P.W.M.U. • was 67, and its collections showed a slight increase over last year. The Ladies’ Guild had had an active year and had filled a necessary phase of church life successfully. A Women’s Club had been formed and was doing good work in interesting business girls and women of the congregation in the church. The drama Circle had been active and the Men’s' Club continued to be popular with old and young. As many as 100 had attended its meetings. ■ Tlie report of the deacons’ court showed receipts from all sources amounting to £2477. The church debt was now £2548 4s lid. A sum of £426 19s lOd had been raised “for others.” Of Rev. J. Hubbard the report says: “In a congregation as large as ours a great responsibility rests upon the minister as its head. In our esteemed minister, Rev. John Hubbard, M.A., 8.D., we have one who spares not himself in his earnest endeavour to advance the cause of Christ in our midst. His genuine love and devotion for the great cause for which he labours, his highly spiritual and evangelical appeal made, in all his sermons, along with the warmth of his friendship have won for him the love and loyalty of the whole congregation. We rejoice in the honour which has been conferred upon him by his re-election to the position o'f Moderator of the Presb3 i tery of Wanganui. In all his labours he has had the wholehearted support of his good wife, and many can testify to the warmth of the welcome extended to them in the Manse.”