ANNUAL CHURCH MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8162, 25 January 1890, Page 3

ANNUAL CHURCH MEETINGS.

ST. SEPULCHRE'S. The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Sepulchre's Church was neld yesterday evening at St. Sepulchre's School-room. The Ven. Archdeacon Dudley presided, and was a fair attendance. The report of the" vestry and balance-sheet was submitted, and on the motion of Mr. Garland, seconded by Mr. Batger, it was adopted. The report stated that, in spite of the diminished population and shrunken means on the part of the many, the state of the parish was on the whole encouraging. The growth of the "work in the sub-districts of St. Barnabas and St. Albans was a matter of great thankfulness. The income of the parish from offertories, seat rents, endowments, and annual social gathering, was £714 12s sd, being £86 4s 4d less than in 1888. The receipts for special purposes were £114 83 lOd, and the total receipts £833 lite sd. The expenditure had been £816 16s sd, and by the mostcareful economy it had been found possible to pay off £50 of the bonded debt. The total indebtedness was now £935 6s 4d. The vestry regretted that the offerings for the Home Mission, £59 13s 4d, had been £8 7s lid less than the previous year. In reference to the organ, the report said : —" It is to be regretted that the subscriptions to the organ fund are now so few. This fund stands now at £344 Os 8d in the books of the Building Society. It is somewhat hard that Mr. Rice's extraordinary ability to veil and supplement the defects of the present imperfect instrument should have been allowed by our members to blind them to the necessity of providing a new and more adequate instrument as soon as possible." The attendance at the Symonds-street Sunday-school was 223 scholars and 29 teachers and officers, and at the Somersstreet School 80 scholars and 11 teachers. Four new windows have been presented to the church, and may be shortly expected from Messrs. Westlake and Co., viz., one by Mr. G. and Miss Harker, in memory of the late Mr. Edward Hstffcer, main subject "The Last Supper;" one by Mr. G. P. Pierce, in memory of his father and mother, subject "By the Sea of Galilee, After the Resurrection ;" and two smaller windows for the north nave aisle, in memory of the late Mrs. Mrs. Glover, by her pupils, subject "The Parable of the Sower," in two aspects. During the year 79 persons had been confirmed, and there had been 2157 communicants. The engagement with the Rev. T. H. Sprott, as minister of St. Barnabas', reported last annual meeting, had been kept, and the Church Committee had paid off £100 of the bond debt, leaving £100 only unpaid; and they propose this year to raise the stipend of Mr. Sprott to £300, besides house rent. Early in the year the Rev. P. S. SmaHfield, assistant master of the Grammar School. Parnell, undertook the charge of St. Albans Church, jjiviag his Sundays, and such time as he could spare on Saturdays. The congregation has increased, and the Sunday-school is also larger than formerly. £20 10s Id has I been raised, and is in hand towards enlarge--1 ment of the school-room. The net indebtedness is £142 lis 7d, being £11 17b Id less than last year. The report concluded by urging the parisliioners to supply the church requisites still lacking. There was a debt still to be extinguished a school house with adequate class rooms and conveniences was much required as the site adjoining the church; and the church building itself required the completion of its furniture in organ, pulpit, now seats, etc. These wants WBuldbesoon supplied if they gave the time, thought and means which His Word demanded of them. The chairman announced his choice of Mr. Charles Cooper as clergyman's churchwarden, and expressed his very great thankfulness to the gentlemen wh» had held the office of wardens during the past year. Mr. H. C. Choyce was elected parishioners' warden on the motion of Air. Hammond, seconded by Mr. Batger. The following gentlemen were elected as a vestry: —Messrs. G. P. Pierce, I? tger, Garland, Hammond, Tunks, J. B. GilnQan, Stoney, Wilson, Charter, andCapt. Morrow. Mr. W. A. Ryan and Mr. Ash ton were elected auditors. On the motion of Mr. Bateer, seconded by Mr. Hammond, it was resolved, "That the Church Committees of St. Barnabas and St. Alban's be invited each to appoint two representatives who should act as delegates on behalf of their respective districts at the parish vestry, such delegates to receive notice of the meetings of the vestry." Mr. Haultain, seconded by Major Luak, gave notice of the following resolution for the next parish meeting, " That ■with z. view of bringing the finance of th& diocese into a more efficient state, this parish recommends to the Synod that steps be taken to form a Diocesan Church Fund." On the motion of Mr. Garland, seconded by Mr. Rice, "It was resolved that the incumbent and representatives of the parish be requested to move at the next session of the Diocesan Synod that an address bo presented to tl*e General Synod that body to amend canon 5, title B, by removing the limitation on the numberof vestrymen to 10." On the motion of Archdeacon Dudley, seconded by Rev. T. H. Sprott, " A hearty vote of thanks was passed to those parishioners and friends who oy their faithful services had in their soveral departments strengthened the hands of the olargy, and farthered the work of God in the parish." The meeting concluded with the doxology led by Dr. Purchas, followed by the benediction pronounced by the cliairman.

ST. MARK'S, TE AROHA. The annual meeting of members of St. Mark's Church, Te Aran*, was held on Thursday evening. The Rev. F. G. Evans, incumbent, presiding. The minutes of the previous amwisi meeting were confirmed, and the treasurer's balance-sheet was read and adopted. The report of the vestry showed that satisfactory progress had been made during the past year in all matters pertaining to the church. A discussion took place respecting the necessity for providing increased sitting accommodation, and it was decided that the question of enlarging the building be left to the vestry, to which t>ody tho consideration of the pension fund was also entrusted. It was resolved that the contributions Of St. Murk's congregation towards the minister's stipend be £117 10s per annum, and no allowance for house rant. Mr. .W. H. P. Mapsden was appointed minister's warden, and Mr. 0. Ahier people's warden. The following were elected vestrymen : Messrs. Winstoue, Dohson, Morrison, Lawlof, Pyne, Clough, and Heathcote. Votes of thanks were passed to Mr. Sraales, the superintendent of the Sunday-school, to "the teachers, the organist, and all who had assisted in the work of the church. The treasurer's statement was as follows —General fund : Dr. Offertory account, £123 12s 2d; Cr. Balance 31st December, 18S8, £7 13s sd ; stipend account, ten months, £83 6s 8d; cleaning, £10 4s; lighting, £2 10s 3d; printing and miscellaneous, £2 14s 7d ; rent for parsonage, £8 153 : total, 114 lid balance, £8 12s 3d. Building fund ; Balance Decernlectures, etc., £7 14s Id ; Cr. Organ account, £10; insurauce, £2 7s 3d; Standing Comber 31, 1888, £2 5s sd; Dr. to donations, £11; mittee, interest, £6 8s: total, £21 8s; Dr. balance, £2 6s 7d. Liabilities 31st December, 1889 : Organ, £2 10s; Standing Committee, £80—10s; less balance in Bank of New Zealand, £6 5s 8d ; leaving, £76 4s 4d. Total debt at December 31,1858, £102 8s lOd; total debt at December 31, 1889, £764a4d; reduction during the year, £26 4s 6d.