METHODIST CHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23044, 21 November 1936, Page 8

METHODIST CHURCH

ANNUAL SYNOD CONCLUDING SESSION The annual synod of the Otago and Southland District of the Methodist Church was held at Invercargill on Thursday. HOME MISSIONS The Home Missions report presented by the Rev. B. J. James showed an increase of £229 in returns from circuits and home mission stations. WOMEN’S MISSIONARY UNION The report of the Methodist Women’s Missionary Union was presented by Mrs Stanley Brown. The membership throughout the Dominion was stated to be 2960, an increase of 117. Three new auxiliaries had been opened during the year. The income totalled £2773, of which £3OO was raised in Otago and Southland, where there were 250 members. FOREIGN MISSIONS REPORT In the Foreign Missions report the Rev. T. R. B. Woolloxall stated that the deputations for 1937 would consist of the Rev. J. F. Goldie (chairman), of the Solomon Islands, and the Revs. A. H. Voyce and E .C. Leadley. The Rev. Belshazzar Jina, the first Solomon- Islander to be trained as a minister at the Methodist college at Paerata, would also visit New Zealand. FINANCE The treasurer’s statement showed that the income for the general fund to October 10 was £5578 9s 4d, as compared with £4994 Is 2d at the same date last year. Expenditure to date was £5940 19s, compared with £6566 15s 6d last year. The sum of £I4BB 12s 7d had been received for the Medical Mission Fund and £345 13s Id for the Special Debt Reduction Fund. The resignation of the district secretary of church property, Mr G. H. Turney, was received with regret and Mr G. S. Capper was appointed to the position.* ATTITUDE TO DANCING Introduced by the Rev. D. O. Williams, the recommendations of the Welfare of the Church Committee on dancing provoked a lively discussion and all recommendations were referred back to the comrftittee to be reviewed and for a report to be submitted to next meeting of the synod.