COLUMBA CHURCH.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10517, 27 July 1910, Page 6

COLUMBA CHURCH.

The following reports will be rend at the annual meeting of Church members and adherents at Coiumba Church to-night:— —Session Report.— The session report mat during the •.ear the of individual cups - was settled, bv i I JG members voting m J iavor of the change and 2 against. The « Presbvterv granted the necessary leave, ■." and they' will now be used at subse- :.- quent communions. Mr G. Ross, an;. > old eider and member of the congrega- < tioii. resigned his office. His retire- | mont was marked by the Session adopt- ' ing a suitable minute of appreciation of ] hi"life and work. - ) The special meetings conducted by Messrs Paton. Dickie, and Gibson were < fruitful in the way of leading some to < decision for- Christ and in quickening the spiritual life of not a few. \\ e are • indebted to these earnest nussiouers tor their earnest and devoted labors. The Church attendance of adults is fair, whilst that of young people is raosi, encouraging. The anniversary services wore conducted bv the Rev. It. E. Davies, ot Knox Church. We are indebted to mm for his helpful and practical address. The prayer meeting is better attenu-xl this year than last, yet it is far from what" it ought to be. The Lord's Supper has been fairly well attended. During the year. 1 1 joined by profession and 12 by certificate. During the same period three ■ members died and 29 were disjoined by certificate and otherwise. The roll or • members stands at 293. —Sunday School. — The Sunday School report 142 on roll, with an average attendance of 98. The retiring teachers during the year were Mrs Harris and Misses C. Gibb and ly. Beaton, also Messrs W. and H. Cron and W-. Gibb. The new teachers joining the staff are Misses Bee. Martyii, and Kav, with Mr Allan Gibb as recording secretary. The staff of teachers now numbers 20. The receipts amount to £4l os 9d. The expenditure has been £26 Bs' 2d. leaving a credit balance of £l4 ISs 7d; outstanding liabilities £ll 10s The amount collected for missions is £7 13s 7d. The proceeds of sale of work for S.S. hall amounted to £44 os 6d. The total amount to credit for this object is £2.55 6s Bd. The cradle roll, under the superintendency of Mrs F. Gunu, has now oO names upon it. Young Peoples' Day was observed on October 17. Special services were conducted bv the Revs. Rosevearc and Wright. . , , , The prizes in connection with the Assemblv examination were awarded to 27 candidates. Two scholars joined the membership during the year. Thanks are recorded to Miss Banks for her services as organist and to other friends who have helped to further Christ's cause among the young. —Christian Endeavor Society.— The meetings of the Senior Christian Endeavor Society have been held regularly. These meetings have been interesting and profitable. Visits to and | from kindred societies have been car- | ricd on to mutual advantage of all. The mission collections for the year amounted to £8 17s. The Junior Christian endeavor.Society reports that profitable meeting; have been held throughout the year. The amount contributed by the members was £1 lis 2d for missions and Duuediu Orphanage. —Young Women's Bible Class. — The. Young Women's Bible Class re- , port satisfactory progress. Of a roll of i 23, the average" attendance is 15. Several members joined the membership oi the Church. The class continues to : send contributions to missionary objects. The thanks of the class are recorded to the South School Committee for the use of a room and. piano, and to Miss Garry for her services as organist, as well as to Mrs J. 15. i' crgusson as leader. —Junior Girls' Bible Class.— The class is working satisfactorily under the charge of Mrs A. Arthur. The class has charge of M.M.8.L., and . is now working up a scheme to help the Dunedin Orphanage. The thauKs oi the class are given to the Rev. \\ . Wright. Messrs it. Brown, senr.. and to Mr Cottrell for kindly help and sympathy. —Choir. — The year commenced with an attendance of 27 and ended with a total of oi. There is still room for more members, who will be gladly welcomed. During the year a recital was given for the ' Sunday School, realising £6 6s. and in September, with the aid of a number ' of friend's, "Messiah" was given in aid of the Hospital, the result being highly satisfactory, tlie Choir being able to hand over "the sum of £5 10s. Medals for long service were awarded | to Misses Bee, B. Gibb, T. Gibb, and Macauley: the last-named for the second year in succession gained the ' prize for the highest attendance, v.it:i 134 out of a possible 142 marks. The Choir has now commenced the study of the cantata "Abram." Tlie Junior Choir consists of 11 girls ' and five boys.. The year commenced with a debit balance of os 3d and ended with a credit of Is Id. —Conclusion. — I The Session, in closing, gives its very cordial thanks to the S.S. superinI tendeut and staff of teachers, to the choirmaster and choir, and to the G.E. Societies, senior and junior. ) Societies (senior and junior), to the - Bible Classes and leaders, but above all we have to thank God for his continued goodness during the year that is ended.

—Managers' Report. — In presenting their report for the year ending June 30th, 1910, the Managers have pleasure in reporting that the progress made during the year has been most satisfactory. The_ total income for the year has been £76S 7s 4d, as against £570 16s 4d for the previous year. The year commenced with a debit balance of £23 10s 4d, and closes with a credit balance of £l3 Bs, a result which shows that the funds of the Church are gradually getting into a more buoyant condition.

Tlie envelope system 6f payment continues to give most encouraging results, and to this may, in a great measure, be attributed the succcssl'iil result of the year's finances. The number of contributors has increased during the year, and the Managers again taice th<\ opportunity of urging upon non-sub-scribers the desirability of adopting this iacthod of payment. The special collections enjoined by the. Assembly have ail been made, and the amounts paid over to the general treasurer.

The amounts collected for the missions in connection with the Church amounted to £4l 14s 7d, which has been allocated as under: —Turakina Maori Girls' School, £2; Maori Mission, £8; general, £l2 12s; foreign, £7 6s 7d: home. £7; Maori Mission Birthday League, £4 Ids. In addition to thcie amounts, a suia of £'l!l was forwarded to the Orphanage, Dune-din.

A. most successful sale of work v.i'.s held during tho year, which resulted in a net balance oi £132 16s 6d, of which £SB lis was paid to the Managers and £44 os 6d to the Trustees of the Sunday School Hall Fund. The hearty thanks of the Managers are due to all those who worked so hard to make th.' sale of work such a great success'.

The Managers also tender their thanks to the Sustentation-Fund collectors, and also to those who collected fo.the various missions.

During the year debentures to th- 1 value of £6O were paid oif, and the Church debt now stands at £2OO. Tlie retiring -Managers for tlie y.'ar wire Messrs Main, Mac Gibbon, S. B. Paterson, and T. Watson. In order that the newly-elected Managers mign -. take their places at the beginning of the financial year, the election of new Managers has been held earlier than usual, and has resulted in the return of Messrs Main, Mac Gibbon, S. B. Paterson. raid Riach.

.During the year there have been nine meetings,' the attendance of Managers being:—i{. Brown, jiuir. S. J. Vernor 7, S. Ii- Paterson 7, F. S. Aldred 7. R. Main 6. C. Mac Gibbon 0. A. M. Arthur 0, F. Gumi 5, W. H. Paterson o, J. m .-i. 4. Or Douglas 2, T. Watson 2.

in conclusion, the Managers desire t> acknowledge with feelings of gratitude thi' Mc.-siitg of God which has attended ;ii:ni ihroiighout the year's work.