TAIERI PRESBYTERIANS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23004, 6 October 1936, Page 18

TAIERI PRESBYTERIANS

ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the East Taieri Presbyterian Church was held on October 1, when there was a very fair attendance of members and ad herents. After the chairman, the Rev. S. C. Francis, had addressed a few introductory remarks, the session clerk, Mr W. Allan, presented the following extracts from the report of the session:— _ . . The session of East Taieri was formed on May 15, 1854, and has now attained the age of 82 years. During the past year it suffered a loss by the death of two of its members, Messrs Robert Muirhead and William B. Anderson. Mr Muirhead was ordained a deacon in 1901 and an elder in 1912 and served continuously as an office-bearer in this congregation until the time of his death—a period of 3o years. Mr Anderson had served as an office-bearer in Waiwera South for some considerable time before he came to reside in East Taieri. He was inducted into, the office of an elder in this congregation in 1919 and continued in office for 17 years until the time of his death. , Since the close of the year' three new elders—Messrs James Grant, William Harvey, and George Hunter, have been elected and inducted into office to bring the session up 1 to the required number. The session also records the death of one of our deacons, Mr William R. M'Millan, who in the capacity of a Sunday school superintendent did good work among the children. Yesterday, September 30, was the fourth anniversary of the induction of dur' minister, the Rev. S. C. Francis, 8.A., into the charge of East Taieri. Throughout the past four, years Mr Francis has carried on an active, earnest, and effective ministry with characteristic zeal for the extension of the Kingdom of God in this district. In this work he has been ably assisted by Mrs Francis. The session desires to express to Mr and Mrs Francis its sincere appreciation and thanks for the good work already done, and prays that they may be spared in health and strength for even greater success in the ensuing year. While Mr Francis wa? suffering temporary disability through illness the Rev. Professor Collie took the Sunday services and did much of the pastoral work. The church membership remains at the same number as in the previous year—29o. Although 16 new members were received into the church during the year, still in the process of purging the roll, especially at Allanlon, the names of several members who had left the district—some of them before the commencement of the year—were removed from the roll. All the- activities of the congregation have been carried on with unabated interest, and the session has reason to believe that much good work has been done for the spiritual welfare of the people. It is a source of gratification that the congregation has again managed to raise the full amount, £260, allocated as its contribution for missions and other outside purposes under the budget scheme of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. To this satisresult the women have again contributed in no small degree. The P.W.M.U., the Girls' Auxiliary, the Bible classes, the Busy Bees, and the Sunday schools have all rendered invaluable assistance. The session thanks them and all others who have in any way made some contribution to the congregational life and work. After occupying the position of president of the P.W.M.U. for nine years, Mrs Burn has retired from that office, and our thanks are due to her for her efforts on behalf of the P.W.M.U. Mrs Francis and. Mrs M'Bryde are now the •presidents. The Girls' Auxiliary, with a membership of 23 under the leadership of Miss Burn, is a live body, as its contribution of £2l for missionary purposes, indicates. The Deacons' Court report detailed the various works undertaken to maintain the buildings and grounds in proper condition. The most important work during the year had been the installation of a heating system in Kin•mont Hall and the erection of cubicles for the use of the Sunday school classes.

The treasurer (Mr W. K. Kirk), presenting the financial report, said that the year had been a very satisfactory one and had ended with an improved balance in the accounts. A gratifying feature was that the General Assembly's allocation for the schemes of the church had, for the second successive year, been exceeded, and it was especially pleasing that this had been done, not by large individual donations, but by amounts contributed from almost every household in the congregation. The cost of the major item of repairs to the church had been covered by a special donation for that purposegiven by Mrs Christie, and the cost of the heating installation in the hall had been met by a donation from Mr Todd. The East Taieri Young Women's Bible class has a membership of 24, the Allanton Bible class (mixed) 14, and the East Taieri Junior Bible class (mixed) 15. In the three Sunday schools of the charge there are 135 scholars and 15 teachers. Several new members have been welcomed by the choir during the year. The Tennis Club had made a substantial reduction in its debt to the court, and there was a prospect of a still further reduction in the near future.

Mrs M'Bryde reported on the activities of the P.W.M.U. for the year. Miss Annie Wallace presented the report of the Girls' Auxiliary. The report of the Busy Bees was read by Miss Alison Kirk, and Mr W. Morton spoke of the Sunday school activities during the year. Other reports were from the young women's Bible class by Miss M. Sellwood, young men's Bible class by Mr Francis, the junior Bible class by Mr W. Allan, and the choir by Mr James M'Bryde. Mr Francis said that he had had a very happy year's work. Looking back at the 82 years of the existence of the East Taieri Church, he felt grateful for the great work that had been done, but felt that a great responsibility rested on the people of the present to carry on the torch as it had been handed on by those who had gone before.

Professor Collie spoke briefly, and thanked those women who had kept the church so beautifully decorated week by week during the year, and, on his suggestion, it was decided that greetings should be sent from that meeting to the ex-ministers of the congregation. . During the evening solos sung by Miss Findlay and Mr Sansom, a duet by Misses Owens and Matheson, and three anthems rendered by the choir were much appreciated.