MOSGIEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22136, 14 December 1933, Page 10

MOSGIEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING The annual congregational meeting of the Mosgiel Presbyterian Church was held last night. The Rev. Hugh Graham presided, and the meeting was opened with praise and prayer; The annual reports of the various organisations were as follows: — KIRK SESSION. The church membership now stands at: Active members, 231; on the supplementary roll, 61. Admissions during the year were:—£wo by certificate from other congregations and six by profession of faith. Disjunction certificates were granted to 15 members who were leaving the district, and six members died since last annual meeting. Communion service attendances ; were: December, 160; March, 167; June, 154; September, 148. The attendance at the Sunday services was fairly good, and the weekly fellowship meetings very good. , P.W.M.U. There were 58 members om the roll. Mrs Logan had charge of the Maori Mission Birthday League and bad 80 names on the roll. Miss Grace Eindlay was responsible for the Harvest Field and had 60 subscribers to this paper, and Miss Lily Aitken, who had charge of the stamps, had cleaned over 7000 this year. The annual garden party was again held at Mansefield and was a great success, the amount realised being £27 0s 4d, In March and September eggs were sent to the Training Institute, and in December a sugar bag of clothing to the Maori missionaries, also Christmas parcels to four home missionaries. In June Mr Graham gave a lantern lecture, “A Trip Across Canada,” .£7 15s being . realised. The collections for the year amounted to £9 6s lOd, mission boxes £9 Is, and at a meeting of the Dunedin P.A., held in the Mosgiel Church in August, the attendance was large, all the Taieri branches of the P.W.M.U. being represented. A sale of cakes realised £5 2s 7d, GIRLS’ AUXILIARY AND BUSY BEES.

The Girls’ Auxiliary has 20 members on the roll, and the Busy Bees 40 members, with an average attendance of over 30. During the year a concert and sale of work were held, the total proceeds being £22 11s. The leader was grateful to members of both organisations for their loyal support and help, during the year, and also to Mr Graham and Miss Jean Hendry, whose valuable help and instruction were So willingly given when a concert or garden party is being promoted. SUNDAY SCHOOL. All the workers, teachers, choir conductor, organist and librarian had done fine work, including the Junior Choir, which took part in the church service during the year. The £l6 which the Sunday School passed on to the New Hebrides, Maori, and Home Missions assisted the budget as well as the £2 11s 8d forwarded to the Break of Day Fund. BIBLE CLASSES. Y.W.8.C., Senior and Intermediate, under the leadership of Miss W., Sinclair. —There were 21 names on the roll with an average attendance of 16. Parcels of gifts were forwarded to the unemployment camp at Lindis Pass. The sum of £6 3s had also been contributed to Home, Maori, and Foreign Missions and Bible, class work, and 76 gifts of toys and clothing were forwarded to the Maori Missions.

Y.W.B.C. Junior, under the leadership of Miss M. Graham. —The number on the roll was 12, with an average attendance of eight. All the members took an active interest in ; the year’s studies and in'Bible class work in general. The sum of £2 was contributed to missions and Bible class work. Y.M.B.C. Senior and Intermediate, under .the leadership of Mr G. H. Ingram, assisted by the Rev. L. K. Brown. The membership was 20, with an average attendance of 16, and the studies for the year had been taken from the Bible Class Union Syllabus and had proved interesting and instructive. The sum of £l2 was contributed to missions and a donation was made to the Orphanage Christmas Cheer Fund.

Y.M.B.C. Junior, under the leadership of Mr A. H. Dowall.—The membership of this class is eight with an average attendance of six. The sum of £2 14s Del was contributed to missions. CHOIR.

The year had been a fairly successful one, especially so in the case of new members, who had all proved a distinct asset to the choir. The activities of the choir had been carried out as usual in respect to special occasions. A new departure this' year was the recent competitions at which the choir was successful in its section. The moderator said he was cheered by so many expressions of appreciation of the church services during the year, and paid a tribute to Mrs Graham for the splendid aid she had rendered in all the work of the parish. His personal contacts with all the departments of the church had been of the happiest description. That did not mean that there had always been complete agreement—sometimes they had agreed to differ—but there had never been any spirit of bitterness. As minister of the church he desired, first and last, that the spirit of fellowship in Mosgiel might be maintained. “What should be the goal of our striving? " he asked. “To make our calling and election sure.” Ae honest Presbyterians they were proud of their connection with the ohurch universal. During the past year, as in former years, they had taken their stand for the Old Book and the Old Cross. That _ Old Book—the Bible —retained its divive tranquility amid the strifes of earth. It contained the words as well' as the thoughts of the Living God. And that Old Cross remained unshaken in the midst of a changing -world. It had weathered many a storm and witnessed many a shipwreck. The world had always hated the Cross and bore it no goodwill. Yet it abideth for ever. The most stable Governments and institutions were crumbling to the ground in these years of crisis and difficulty. Restlessness —social, religious, political—like a universal fever exhibited itself everywhere, and had become chronic. He asked his congregation, therefore, to be of good courage and press on. Mr Graham concluded by making references to the many activities within the congregation. The Rev. Mr Sansom conveyed greetings from the North Taieri congregation, and congratulated the Mosgiel Presbyterians on the healthy state of the church’s activities and the finances.' Messrs G. A. M'Leod, G. M'Leod, E. Pilling, and F. R. Hall were elected to vacancies on the Managers' Board for the ensuing year. Interspersed amongst the reading of the reports were items by the choir and vocal solos by Mieses M'Gregor and Skinner and Mr Sansom. Mr Skinner presided at the organ.