ANGLICAN CHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22711, 25 October 1935, Page 7

ANGLICAN CHURCH

DIOCESAN SYNOD YESTERDAY’S SESSION The fourth session of the twenty-third synod of the Diocese of Dunedin was held i yesterday in St. Paul s Schoolroom, Dishop j Fitchett presiding as chief administrator ■ of the diocese. The session was extended i to enable all business to be completed. | SUNDAY SCHOOL ORGANISATION. | The Rev. C. E. P. Webb, in accordance I with his notice of motion, moved: (I) That Synod recommends the appointment 1 of a vicar in each archdeaconry to undei- ■ take voluntary organising work in connection with Sunday schools. (2) That synod recommends the establishment of kindergarten work in connection with Sunday schools.” Mr Webb said that it would be a great help if the Sunday, School Union sent in a report on its activities. The matter ol appointing a vicar in each archdeaconry had come up year by year and the committee believed that it had now arrived lat a workable idea. Sunday schools, he : thought, would receive a great impetus I from the working of the scheme. ! Archdeacon Button said he thought this I was a move in the right direction, but 1 they should not lose sight of the necessity ’ for appointing a trained organiser. Amazing work was being done in Christchurch I by trained teachers. ! The bishop asked who was to make the j appointment, and on his suggestion Mr Webb agreed to add to his first resolution 1 the words: “The appointment to be made ; by the respective archdeacons with the authority of the bishop.” The bishop said that the authority he would give would be limited by the willingness of vicars to have the organiser ; appointed working in their Sunday - schools. I In support of his second resolution, Mr Webb spoke of the valuable preparatory work which could be done in the kindergartens. Both resolutions were carried. DIOCESAN INSTITUTIONS. An appeal for further support from the church for the diocesan institutions was made in a motion presented by the Rev. F. Y. Fisher. The motion was: " That synod strongly urges both clerical and lay members to keep constantly before the i people the great social work being carried I on by the diocesan institutions, and suggests that a local secretary be appointed in each parish and district as a means of stimulating further interest.” Mr Fisher said that the Mission House was working very satisfactorily, and was receiving excellent support, both financially and otherwise. He went on to speak of the work which was being clone by the Mission House, and said that they should take the responsibility of the continued welfare of the organisation more to themselves and give practical help whenever they could. To this end he made the recommendation contained in his motion. A tribute to the work of the Mission House, and to that done by the missioner. the Rev. V. G. Bryan King, was paid by the bishop, who said that in some quarters there was an impression that the Church of England was not doing the amount of work that other bodies were doing. He did not wish to detract from the great amount of work which was being done by other bodies, but he did wish to make clear that it was a mistake to think that the Anglican Church Was not taking a large share in the social work of the district. Indeed, it could be definitely asserted that the church was by no means lagging behind in philanthropic and social activities. In the East End of London more was being done by the Church of England than by all the other organisations put together. The Mission House was Mr King’s own creation, and the church was proud of his work, and of the fact that he belonged to it. Hie work was inspired. The bishop concluded by saying he was afraid that a certain amount of support which should be forthcoming was not being received, because people thought that the church did not undertake the type of work for which they wished to give their support. The motion was carried. MISSIONARY COMMITTEE. The report of the Diocesan Missionary Committee for the year ended on June 30, stated: The receipts were £1341 for the budget, an increase of £25 over last year, and £2l for non-budget purposes, a decrease of fill compared with last year. Last year the non-budget receipts were higher than usual, owing to the special appeal for a new boat for Melanesia. Eighteen parishes and districts contributed or exceeded their quotas, and this ie probably a record attainment for the diocese since the Board of Missions was set up 15 years ago. The board at its annual meeting fixed the budget at £16,500, the same as for last year and also the diocesan quotas at the same ratios, so that we are asked to obtain £1569 this year. In October last year the Archbishop of Sydney (the Most Rev. H. W. K. Mowl l , formerly Bishop of West China) visited Dunedin and gave an inspiring address to an audience of 400 in the Early Settlers’ Hall. Mr A. J. D. Britland, secretary and treasurer of the diocese of Nortn China, visited Dunedin and Oamaru, giving lantern lectures at well-attended meetings. Mrs Mason, of the Melanesian Mission, Dr Phyllis Haddow (of Hanchow C.M.S. Hospital), and Miss A. M. D. Dinneen (organising secretary of women’s work in New Zealand) also did deputation work in the diocese. In June, Dr Kagawa, the well-known Japanese Christian statesman, gave a series of addresses in Dunedin at meetings which were largely attended. A ladies’ committee is in process of formation in Dunedin, and may be expected to prove a valuable aid in developing the spiritual and educational aspects of the missionary cause. The annual exchange of pulpits in Dunedin was made at Adventide and proved generally acceptable. The report was presented by the Rev. W. A. Hamblett, who moved the following resolutions: “ That this synod heartily endorses the appeal of the Diocesan Missionary Committee for £1569.” “ That the church wardens should be invited to permit collections on Good Friday to be devoted to the work of the Board of Missions.” Archdeacon Russell seconded the motion and both resolutions were adopted. FILM INSTITUTE. Some interesting information regarding the work of film institutes in New Zealand and particularly in Dunedin was given by Dean Cruicksliank and the following motion was carried: —“That this synod learns with satisfaction the formation of the Films Institute in the principal centres of the Dominion.” GENERAL CHURCH FUNDS. The second reading of the Rev. W. A. Hamblett’s bill to amend the General Church Fund Statute, adjourned from the previous day, was completed, and, after a lengthy discussion in committee, the measure was rejected. SOCIAL QUESTIONS. The following motion, submitted by the Rev. A. B. Pywell, was carried without discussion; —“ (a) That this synod considers is desirable that a permanent Social Questions Committee should be sot up in accordance with the wish expressed in (bo presidential address, (b) That the 1935-36 committee consist of the following:—The Doan, Archdeacon L. G. Whitehead, the Revs. A. B. Pywell, L. D. O. Groves, J. N. Thompson, Messrs J. Beecot, A. H. Allen, J. T. Dawson, J. H. G. Clark, with the mover as convener, (e) That this committee should meet at the Diocesan Board Room bi-monthly.” SYNOD MATTERS. A motion by the Rev. J. N. Thompson | that a committee consisting of the Doan, Archdeacon Lush, the Revs. A. B. Pywell, J. N. Thompson, and Messrs Cunningham, Thornley, and G. Clark, should be set up to consider certain suggestions made by tlie bishop in his presidential address in regard to the date of synod, the character of synod, and the possibility Of extending synod over Sunday was carried.