ANNUAL CHURCH MEETINGS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12854, 1 May 1905, Page 3

ANNUAL CHURCH MEETINGS

ST. MARK'S, • REMUERA.

The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Mark's Anglican Church, Remuera, was held in the Parish Hall on Friday evening last. The meeting was "well attended, the vicar (Rev. Win. Beatjtf, M.A.) presiding. The report of tho vestry stated that the Rev. H. L. Snow, who succeeded the Rev. C. A. Tisdall on August 1, 1904, as curate, had worked chiefly in the eastern part of the parish, hero-his energetio efforts had considerably increased the congregation. The Rev. .J. A. Kcmpjthorno had been .ordained priest in St. Mark's by tho Bishop on March 19, and had been most useful in Sunday-school work and pastoral visitation. The congregations at ; St. Mark's had increased with the growth of population, and the churchwardens were -unable to meet tho demands for sittings. Parishioners were consequently asked to consider the propriety of authorising the incoming vestry to enlargo the church if' this could be done at p. reasonable cost. There had been 1601 receptions of the Holy Communion, including 193 at Lower Remuera and 309 at "the Remuera, Hall, 48 baptisms, and 17 marriages. During the year the balance of £.100 duo on the site in Ascot Avenue had been paid off, and a sum of £126 10s 3d collected towards a new church. The remainder of the cost of a building suitable for present requirements and capable of extension, amounting to £585, had been lent free of interest for a period of five or seven years. A special parishioners' meeting authorised the expenditure for the above purpose of any sum up to £800, provided that such sum was first placed in the hands of the treasurer to tho vestry. The tender of Mr. C. J. Brook, juu., had been, signed by the churchwardens, and the building was now in an advanced state. The Bishop laid the memorial stone on April 15. The church was to be called St. Aidan's. With, regard to the liability for the debt on the new church the vestry passed the following resolution, for which it now sought tho approval of the general meeting of parishioners:—"That this vestry, on behalf of tly* parish, accepts the responsibility for repayment of the amounts which have been advanced for the erection of a church in Ascot Avenue, it being distinctly understood that the committee set up at Upper Remuera, represented by Mr. S. L. Abbott, accepts the moral responsibility for obtaining tho funds necessary for such repayment. This resolution to be subject to confirmation by* the parishioners at the next annual meeting." ■ The, choir under the leadership of Mr. .W. O. Garland had attained a high state of efficiency, and the music, was a real help to devotion. Hearty thanks were due to Mr. Garland, Madame Wig-more, and the members of tho choir for their willing and diligent work. Mr. R. C. Can- at Lower Remuera, Mr. W. J. Crowthcr at the Remuera Hall, had kindly continued their work as voluntary organists. Tho attendanco both at St. Mark's and at Upper Remuera' Sunday-schools had been good, and the behaviour of the children excellent. (Jrent credit was duo to Captain Clarko, Mr. S. L. Abbott, the superintendents, and to the teachers, who were imost earnest in theii .work. The Bible-in-Schools' League had offered to organise the Scripture-teaching in Mount Hobson school, but the school committee desired that there should be no interference with the work already in operation. The vicar had therefore carried on his weekly class as usual.. There has of late been a largo increase in the attendance. The headmaster and other teachers were in cordial sympathy, and give valuable assistance.

The statement of accounts showed the total for general purposes to have been £958 lis 9d, and the expenditure, in; eluding £6 16s 3d overdraft at the Bank ot New South .Wales on April 1 ; 1904, £995 15s Bd. leaving a debit balance of £40 3s lid. _ There had .been ah increase of nearly £20 in the general collections for the year. The report and accounts were adopted. The action of the vestry touching the repayment of the amounts advanced for the erection of the church in Ascot Avenue was endorsed.

. The meeting adopted a resolution authorising the. incoming vestry to enlarge St. Mark's Church at a cost of about £300 should this course be deemed necessary. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. R. K. Barber for his long and faithful service as churchwarden and vestryman, extending over a period of 32 years, and the vicar (Rev. W. Beatty) was congratulated and thanked for the excellent work he had done in teaching the Bible in the district, public school. The following officers were elected for the incoming term:—Vicar's warden, Mr. J. 11. M. Carpenter; parishioners' warden, Mr. C. Ranson; auditor, Mr. H. -Kinder; vestrymen. Messrs. 8. L. Abbott, A. Brown, S. Hesketh. W. S. Cochrane, R. A. Bodle, W. J. Swight, H. Horton. F. J. Sanderson, (J. O'Hailoran. jun., E. Boucher. ST .LUKE'S (MOUNT ALBERT) . The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Luke's (Mount Albert) was held in the Parish Hall last Friday evening, the vicar (the Rev. W. H. Wilson) presiding. The general church account showed a credit balance of £30 17s 3d, and the ladies' guild account a credit of £52 9s lid. During the year tho number of Sunday-school scholars had increased to 139. In the repetition competition, 26 places were gained by the scholars, and several had also obtained. prizes in the bishop's examination. Thanks were expressed, to the ladies of the working guild, to .Miss Kerr-Taylor, and Mr. Webb for their services as organists (Mr. Webb also as choirmaster), to tile choir, to Mr. Grosvenor (lay reader), to the superintendent and teachers of the Sunday-school, to the churchwardens and outgoing vestry, and to Mr. Miller (auditor). The questions of enlarging the church and procuring a new organ were touched upon, and refcrrod to the incoming officers for consideration. The election of officers resulted as under: —Vicar's warden, Mr. J. May; parishioners' warden, Mr. A. 1). Wright: vestrymen, Messrs. Barker, Ferriday, (Jrosvenor, Lainbe, Miller, Page, Keid, and Willis; treasurer, Mr. J. May; auditor, Mr. Miller. ST. PETER'S, ONEIIUNGA. The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Peter's parish, Onehuuga, was held l on Friday evening. The vicar (Canon Haselden) presided. The report, of the vestry, which was road and adopted, stated that the work of the parish had gone on quietly and well during the past year. New parishioners were settling m the parish, and he churchwardens had had some difficulty in allotting seats. The trams still carried a large number of people both in and out of the parish on Sunday, and prevented attendance at the service, but ©specially at the Sunday-school. The baptisms for the year were 40; Sunday-school scholars, 165; communicants on the roll, 211; celebrations of the Holy Communion, in church 54, with the sick 5; Communions made, 948; new communicants during the year, 16; left the parish, 23; new parishioners came during the year, 37 ; parishioners left the parish, 35; marriages, 7; burials at St. Peter's 5, at Waikaraka 13, at Epsom 1, at Waikunietc 1, total 20. The guild, the .Sun-day-school teachers, the choir, the Melanesian Mission working party, the Mothers' Union, and the newly-formed Girls' Guild had all kept- up regular and well-attended meetings. The general offertories were £6 17s 3d more than last year, and the seat rents £11 2s more; the amount of liabilities over assets on the church account was £8 7s 2d. All expenses had been paid, and the vicar's stipend had been £250' per annum, paid regularly. The guild donated £20 to the church account, paid for the painting and refrosting of the church windows, and had a balance of £24- 6s 4d in the bank. The Sunday-school had a balance of £4 Is 9d. The new church building fund now stood at £710 3s 4d ; the burial ground, £320 14s. The total cash balances amount to £1059 5s sd. The othei assets of tho parish were about £4830, not including the present church building and the burial ground. The great want of the parish was a suitable parish hall. There was no necessity to build the new church at present, but nrobably the fact that such an admirable site was waiting to be built upon would lead to more donations being received for the new church building fund. The chairman appointed Mr. S. Skinner as vicar's churchwarden, and Captain Richardson was elected as parishioners' churchwarden. The following were elected as the vestry—Messrs. A. S. Holmes, E. Hall, W. Stevens, J. R. Talbot, K. (J. Alls worth, •1. E. Kelsall, and C. Coldliam. Mr. (I. Moody was elected auditor. A resolution was agreed to affirming that the parishioners were still of opinion that women should have the right to vote at parish meetings. Appreciation was expressed by Mr. Ailsworth and endorsed by others of the ministrations of the vicar and the Rev. F. S. Sinallfield. and of the services of the vestry, Sunday-school teachers, and guild members. ST. PETER'S, BOMBAY. The annual' meeting of parishioners in the Bombay parochial district was held in St. Peter's Church on Friday evening last, 16 being, present, the Rev. J. L. A. Kayll presiding. The finances showed on the general account a 'credit balance of' 6d, bazaar or church repair fund a credit balance, of

£36 Os 8d; Sunday-school fund, credit balance, £4- 12s 9d; and cemetery fund, a credit balance at the end of last financial year, June 30, £4- 13s lid. The following officers were elected Minister's warden, Mr. D. Mackenzie; people's warden, Mr. W. H. P. Evans; vestry, Messrs." W. Evans, sen., W. K. Cornthwaite, G. H. Mackey, 11. Sawyer, G. T. Proude, A. Brownhill, and Jno. Evans. Mr. Cornthwaite was • re-elected cemetery agent. Votes of thanks were accorded to the organist and Sundayschool teachers. Mr. Cornthwaite reported that he hud received three tenders for the lease of the church paddock. The tenders were opened as follows:—D. Mackenzie, £4 ,10s per annum: W. H. Buttimore. £4 6=;; G. Clarke, £1 15s. Mr. Mackenzie's tender was accepted subject to the approval of the trust board.[Own Correspondent.]