ALL SAINTS CHURCH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 21 April 1911, Page 2

ALL SAINTS CHURCH.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARISHIONERS. There was a fair attendance at the annunl meeting- of parishioners of All Saints' Church, held in the Sunday Schoolroom last evening. The Vicar, the Rev W. S. Lucas presided. The various re-ports and balance sheet were printed and circulated. The Vicar's report expressed deep sorrow. at the loss which the whole parish had sustain eld by the sudden death of Mr George Chapman, who had been clergyjnan's churchwarden for the past tluv-e years. Mr Chapman had been ever diligent an.d ?afr:i:.st in helping or. to the utmost -Jf his power eveiw good work iu the parish. The Vicar trusted that the good example which-. Mr Chapman had left behind would be a stimulus i<6 many other parishioners to do likewise. Gratitude was expressed to Ven. Archdeacon Baker for taking charge of the parish during -the Vicar's absence. The work of the various parish organisations had been well. maintained; the Girls' Friemdily Society had 50 members on the roll. A branch of the Church of England Men '*> Society had been formed, and l the young men's and young wo-niem's Bible classes had been held every week. During 'his absence a mission had J:>een conducted by the Rev. G. F. ,de Carteret, and hc| hoped that it would be fruitful in all "good l results. The Vicar thanked the church.wardens.and vestry for their hearty co.oepartoin durinp- the past year. .'" '.,.;- The churchwarden (Mr R. Booth, Post Office) in. his report, referred , in, terms of thankfulness to the happy termination of the serious illness of the vicar. Deep regret was expressed at the death of several parishioners, including- Messrs Firth and Chapman, both of whom had taken great interest in the work of the parish. The ordinary offertories had amounted to £3OO 7s Bd_, as compared with £313 8s Id for last year. Special offertories totalleld £4B 4s Sd (including £2l 14s 2di for the.General Mission), against £22- 15s 4d< last year, and £143 14s lOd was received in pew rents, a decrease. of £6 10s 2d. The 'parishioners were thanked for the very /generous response made to the appeal for a special offertory, which- had resulted in the parish being place'di in such a sound financial' position. Thanks were tendered' to the Mite- Society for its good work and substantial assistance, and a legacy of £5 left to the Church by the late Mrs Dcjment was acknowledged. The superintendents and teachers of the three Sunday schools were thanlced for the time and' de-yotion given to this important branch of the church work, also the choir, the C.E.M.S., the bell ringers, and the ladies who'had given their time to altar and church decorations.

The Vicar in the course of an address remarked that, the most important event during the ipasf, eight years had been the Gtfaeral Mission of Help, from which- he was hopeful of very good l results. A branch of the Church of England., Men's So_ eicty had been formed, and had a membership of 16. While at Home he had observed that this Society was a .erreat power for good. The Girln' Fricnd-ly Society, with a membei\shio of 50, had had satisfactory attendances' at meetings. The Vicar stated that the choir and teaching staff of the Sunday School needed strengthening, and that the parish

was .understaffed, a curate or ■& d'rtaconess being required. He would guarantee £sp a jea-r towards • the stipend of a- deaconess. (Applause.) 'lt was announced that Er C. IT. Coote lvad been appointed Vicar's Churchwarden Mr Hedges was, unanimously elected People's Warden, Mr Booth was thanked for ,past services. The following (after a ballot) ward-elected to the Vestry—Messrs A. E. Tasker, W. W. de Castro, E. E. Boyes, C. King, S. H. Strong, W. Andrews, Ramsden, W. York, 'R. Booth, E. Robinson. O.n the motion of Messrs Strong and Ramsden, the Vc&try was authorised to endeavour to secure the engagement of a deaconess for the parish. Votes of thanks were- accorded to the organist and choir, the beOl, ringer, the Mite Society, superintendents and teachers' of the Sunday Sclvools, lay readers, Mr W. S. Hampson (auditor), 'the- ladies who ;ha,d decoratetl the church, and the Vicar and Mrs\Lnicas. The meeting closed with the Benediction. Subsequently the parishioners spent some time in social intercourse.