COLUMBA CHURCH.

North Otago Times, 1 November 1906, Page 2

COLUMBA CHURCH.

I Hie annual nicotine of the members and adherents of the above Church was held last evening. Owne to the inclement weather the attendance was small, The Rev. W. Wright occunied the chair. The singing of a hymn and prayer by the Rev. Mr Wright openad the proceedings. The minutes of last anmfai meeting hverd read by Mr W, W, Beswicte. The Session's report was reaH by the

RCl ' W 'SL aS J oll °^' alld adoptcil : The wwinn ? u Ro -' ort ' 1!)0( !- report for tlio'Vr 1 ? thc allnUal Wl)«. tlcsiro to record h '" E ,Se|ltcmllCr . God for all his eoX« > ■- titU,ic to With matters pertain J '(T«- inff s tioiial life and work 4il K tcKa " matters relative to the whole cE"" 1 * • % session intimates that itliJ'i Wb a, system of visitation 0 f th e vfriif organisations in connection wtl Th ''" r c". and reporting the same t n ft! Mission as a whole. A hefiinnin<r t,„„ , ten made tut we feel assured tst°" if " visitation s carried out carefulivji «isely, treater interest will hp v„ d tie general work o f,the Church hv th ll

var.oua numbers ot : session and tw gjter K ood.wilM !e achieve in .3. Thc communion roll now stand'! »i«. 2(1 ""Hies on the register. During tl year wo received by certificate 'onrt J 8 profession 33 members • during tu by period the number disjoinj and otherwise totalled 27 Th» i 5 ance at the four communions, n! ft!" U(1 hope m the coming yo a r to mv„ A a T' a f at , t(!,ldail(!e on such occasion® !. The Church attendance has |, C e n fair ly well maintained ; we still need cn some the Apostolc injunction "p n r sake not the assom blin ff ot yoursew ntisvsaeti

,ive na*-c to record the heartv ihmVo the session to the Rev T St i Christchurch. for conductinc OU r anni'ver sary services with so much pro/it and icceptance to the congregation iLThe con K re aa tional pravcr moetin. remains very much as it was last ye a r the attendance meagre considcrine tho si2o of; the membership. Visitation has i con carried on as formerly, consisting; 0 f genera and special visitation. The cldcN generally a round their districts with communion cards. Most of them n»r<l ally attend to this fnr, ° , ".P 0 "'

uu, rtwuuu mi S lorm 01 visihtinn G. Youn R People's Day was &in common .with other churches of our order. Opportunity was taten to impress jiiim parents and- teachers the great importance of the work. Amongst the youni wile it is felt that the oft-rcDeat«i .statement of the late Rev. Dr Guthrie? manifestly true. « Thc time that young people arc in their teens- is Ueir tvnan or winniii' time."

V. The various organisations report tfl" t'l'e session. We civo.their reports in cxtenso to the annual mcetinn. The session 'or to tender grateful thanks to all workers in the ccn?ra>ation who have rendered helpful anil varied service throughout the year, May the Lord increase their number anil establish the work of their hands, aye, more anil iuorc ( -Managers' Report,—

In presenting their annual report the niaiiajers desire to acknowledge with feelinns of tap thaiikluliiess the blcssiinr o! tlo',l which has been with them throughout the year's work.

Church Finances.—The managers are plcaseil to report that these arc i B a much more satisfactory condition than last year. The debit balance of £3B toectlicr w tli £2O of back debts, some as far back as 1903, has been extinguished, lind there remains a credit balance of over £77, a condition of aflairs which cannot lie considered otherwise ttauhißlily encouraging. The ordinary collections have shown a marked improvement, tlio total for the year beimr over £314. as against £267 last year. The seat rciitss amount to £93, an increase of £23 10s on the previous voar. The penny-a-.wcck fund for church debt reduction has real eed £2O.

The Sustentation Fund, liowevcr, shows a decline, but it is to be hoped that, with the increased interest in the funds. causqd ty the late visit ot Rev. R. Wood, orfanisiinr asrt'iit of the iSustcntatiomjFuiiii Committee, the deficiency will to more tlnn made u'p in tlio inrominc year. At a niceLinc of the office-bearers cf the Church, held on September 10th, it was unanimously decided that it be the aim of those interested to raise the amount collected to £220, ami yow; managers trust that the members and adherents of the cm .rogation will do tliclr utmost to curry out this laudable aim. It just refiiiiies 80s per quarter from non-subscrib-ing members and adherents, who arc \\ ace-carncrs. to raise the fund to the amount desired. The managers woul<j ataiii heartily thank tho collectors for their valuable »v' in this connection, Durin?. the year your managers took" over from the Orpin Committee tlio debit balance of £52, and also the sum q! £l7 15s from Lecture Committee's account. These two sums now stand as liabilities in the form of debentures bearing interest at the rate of 4$ per cent per annum, Ladies' Guilt}.—The ladies of tho Guild have be?n very active durine tho year, and the thanks o? the connrefiation arc duo to those who sacrifice so much o.t ther time to raise tunils for church niprovcmcnts and manse pepairs. Tho sum of over £99 has been paid over to tho manawts during tho year, In conclusion, your manaeers are pleased to report that the excavations at the end and side of the church have been splendid improvements, and will prevent the water from the mdjoinitiK sections from injuring the foundations of thoibuililinp\

Twenty-six new members liakl 'loined liv certificate and 7 by confession, while 27 members ho.d received disjunction certificates. the mcmbcrshin thus sliowin? an increase ofj.The Saihlath School report was read by Mr Cottrell, and adopted. The Senior C.E. Society's renoit was read hv Mr Cottrell. and tho Junior by Mr Cron, both bcins adonted, Mr Aldrcd moved a hearty vote of thanks tn all who had workod in the interests" ol the Church duTinsr the year, This -was seconded Ijv Mr R, Brown, irnr., and carried.