CHRIST CHURCH PARISH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 16 April 1907, Page 1

CHRIST CHURCH PARISH.

The annual meeting of ;parishioners of Christ Church- was held; St r the Diocesan Library last evening', £hV -' Vicar (the Rev. J. P. Kempthorne).- presiding. After prayer, the minutes of the previous annual meeting « were read and confirmed. The printed reports and balance-sheet were taken as read. The Vicar, in his -rep&rt, thanked the' Bishop, the Revsr F. W. tgn, and K Allanson, for .assistance rendered him during the year.- He stated that during the twelve - -months, there had been 10 baptisms, 6 churchings, 20 young people confirmed;, .-.78 celebrations of Holy Communion, with 1408 attendances, 8 marriages'; '"arid: 29 burials. The Vicar .thanked J-the Churchwardens and Vestry ior_the attention they had given to the affairs of ;the. parish. The Churchwardens ' An- Vestry,, in their report', regretted^that the ordinary offertories for the^-ppifc. year showed a decrease of £22. Tbfe liability of the parish had been wiped "ont, and in place of a debit balance there now . appeared a credit balance of £24. Not- | withstanding the falling away of tho offertories the parish, bad' managed to pay its way, b»t?' * this -was on account of the' redudtioVrm [stipend, accepted by, the Vicar- . few years back. The Vestry, drew- tHe attention to this unsatisfactory state of affairs, and, hoped. ..^Hat during the coming year the. offertories^ would be , increased and the- income so .Tnnch improved that the V(car .would receive his full stipend, as they- considered the parish should now- be' in, .'a position to pay" it. Special offertories -again _ showed an increase, and £65^had been contributed for special purpose's/ in addition to the special Trinity Sunday offering. During the year the lasfc-of the debt on the Cathedr'l hid been pafid off, and the t thanks -f 'ho parish we're due to the • Ladies' U -jild (which, had made special efforts to raise the money required), and to those who so loyally supported tha Debt Fund since its' inception. A sum of £39 was in bapd..;towards fh& Painting Fund, and it was hoped that by; July sufficient money jwould "be forthcoming to paint'ihe-chufcfi without encroaching on the" ordinary 'funds. Tho late Mrs Towrisoiuhad generously be- 1 queathed to the Ghiircfiwardens the sura of £50 towards a rebuilding fund, and the Vestry regarded- if as; a and trusted that. before long additions would be made to • it.- ! The Vestry also thanked all those ladies, and gentlemen who had arranged Hhe.;. winter evening entertainments, which had realised £29, and expressed the hope that P an y more would send in {neiriiamek as willing: to adopt the envelope s^stent of contributing to the bffertbries; ' In conclusion tho thanks of the Vestry, were tendered &»' tha Ladies' Guild, the Flower Guild, the organist and' choir, '. the Sunday School teachers, and to Mrs Heaps for her careful supetvision' o£ the hangings of the Cathedral - during the various seasons of the church. Mr F. H. Richmond referred to tha fact that the church was absolutely frea of debt, the sum of £800. having been paid off since 1898. ,'. He thanked Miss Mabel Maginnity for her assistance in receiving pew rents, and regretted the illness of his fellow-Churchwarden, Mr R. T. Melhuish. Mr, Richmond also thanked members .61 the. Vestry, who had assisted him irr-his work during the year. ' ■ The report and balance sheet were adopted on the motion of Mr Heaps, seconded by Mr. Henderson. Mr Melhuish having intimated his inability for. heaith /reasons to consent to i nomination as Minister's Churchwarden, it was resolved.jon the motion of tha Chairman, that a letter of sympathy ba sent to Mr Melhuish. -' Mr W. W. Clifford was chosen as Minister's Warden, ' "■;. . .: Mr Richmond was re-elected People's Warden, complimentary reference" being made to Mr Richmond's' energy in tha interests of the .parish. The following, were, after a ballot, elected as ■.Vestrymen :— Messrs G. A. Peene, L. E. Ward/ A. Carter, W. Heaps, S. P. Stevens, J. Henderson, H. Brusewitz, R. t.-Kingsley, H. 0. Ledger, and J. W. 'Frfthr. Messrs I/. W. "Maginnity and H. Milner were re-elected' Auditors. The Vicar referred to the opportunity aorded by the ; Deaconesses' Home in Christchurch to> train young women for the valuable work that a deaconess could do in a parish. .He hoped that some suitable volunteer for the position would come, forward, and that the parish would provide the necessary support. Personally, he would bo vsry thankful for the Assistance of such a worker. Mr Maginnity moved a vote of thanks to the Churchwardens and Vestry, which was carried. Similar votes being passed to the Sunday School Teachers ; the Ladies' Guild ; the Organist (Mr T. Webb) and Choir ; the Flower Guild ; the Auditors ; and to Mrs Heaps for supervision of the hangings of the Cathedral. The meeting closed with the Benedic* tion.