NEW ZEALAND METHODIST CHURCH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 24 November 1926, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND METHODIST CHURCH

DISTRICT CONFERENCE IN NELSON

•The annual district conference of . the 1 N.Z. Methodist Church is hi session l ■at Nelson. Delegates arc present from alii .parts of the province. The'Key. P. N.; 'Knight', president of r.mvlNiZ. Motbo- 5 (list'.Conference, presided, and delivered! his address.

A good deal of business relating to church matters is to be discussed.

DELEGATES ENTERTAINED

Last evening in the schoolroom the visiting delegates were entertained at a social by the congregation of St. John’s. The Rett. P. N. Knight presided and extended a welcome to the delegates ; while Mr M. Smith, on behalf ui the congregation, added a few words of welcome. The Bov. Mr Martin (Greymouth) and the Rev. Mr Marr (Granity) replied. During the evening several musical items were given by Hie choir under the comlucLorslup of Mr F. \V. Mitcheil, while the programme was also contributed to by Miss Dee, Mr Bishop, upd tiie Rev. 11. L. Richards.

TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS The Nelson District Synod opened in St. John's Church this morning at 9.30, with a Communion service conducted by the President of the Conference (Rev. P. N. Knight, 8.A.), Revs. \V. Grigg (Blenheim), J. F. Martin (Greymouth), and 0. Burnett (Westport). There was a go6d attendance of Synod representatives and also members of St. John’s Church.

The Rev. Oswald Burnett gave the pre-Communion address, which was listened to with close attention. It was a splendid utterance, and ail felt that it was good to ho there. The Synod opened the business session at 10.30 a.m. The Rev. P. N. Knight, 8.A., President of the Conference and Chairman of the District, presided, and announced the time-honoured hymn “And are we. yet alive.’’ The chairman remarked that two years ago he was unable to attend Synod at all, last year lie attended but had to be very careful, this year, he was back in his old place and * reverently acknowledged his thanks to Almighty God for His goodness, in which the synod very sincerely joined. The opening prayers were offered by Rev. W. Grigg and Mr D. McCallum, both of Blenheim.

The Secretary of the Synod (Rev. J. Featherston) nominated Revs. J. F. Martin and D. J. Stallarcl as assistant secretaries.

The Rev. H, Benny and Mr L. A. White were appointed reporters to the “New Zealand Methodist Times’’ and to the local press. The chairman in an appropriate address made mention of the passing of Mr E. H. Penny, of Blenheim, and of Mrs A. A. Lucas, of Nelson. . Several members spoke in appreciative and affectionate terms of the life of the departed members of our Church, and it was resolved that a suitable entry of Mr Penny’s life be made in the records of the Synod and reported to Conference. Mention was also made to the recent serious illness of the Rev. F. Bateup, who, happily, is much improved, though granted a dispensation of absence. Reference was also made to the disastrous floods and to those who suffered so acutely as a result of them. It was reported that the Conference appointments have been observed in the district.

The synod directed that a letter of affectionate greeting be sent to the Rev. J. H. White, of Mapua, who- for many years served the church faithfully and efficiently as a home missionary.