GORE NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 25747, 10 August 1945, Page 8

GORE NEWS

INCREASE IN CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

A new system of showing the growth of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Gore, was used by Mr W. I. Shrimpton at the annual meeting of the church this week. Producing a series of graphs, which showed the progress of the church over the last 40 years, Mr Shrimpton demonstrated the increased activities of many branches of the church’s work, the outstanding feature being the increase in the membership from 319 in 1905 to 630 in 1945. The most rapid progress has been made during the last 10 years. He pointed out that in the 10 years from 1905 to 1915 the numbers had mounted to 372. From then until 1925 enrolments had taken the figure to 426. The following 10 years had seen a decline in membership to 406, but up to 1945 the roll had increased to 630.

Interesting figures were produced providing an insight into the increasing numbers of Sunday School pupils. These were as follows: 1905, 185; 1915, 243; 1925, 200; 1935, 197; 1945, 405. Dealing with the financial side of the church’s history, Mr Shrimpton produced figures setting out receipts and mission offerings. The most striking aspect was that although membership of the church increased by 50 per cent, from 1935 to 1945, which was considered a splendid achievement, the receipts increased in that period by 170 per cent., the 1945 total being £2743. The figures were: 1905, £525; 1915, £938; 1925, £1210; 1935, £1046; 1945, £2743. Equally creditable were the figures for the missions budget. These were: 1905, £46; 1915, £9B; 1925, £250; 1935, £218; 1945, £7OO. Although the church had a debit balance of £l2B in 1905, it had a credit of £l4B in 1915. A further increase to £157 occurred in 1925, but the following 10 years saw heavy calls made on the finances, reducing the credit to a debit of £312. Buoyancy marked the period to 1945, when the church had a credit of £437. Mr Shrimpton said that the church was to be congratulated on the progress it had made. NEW CHURCH WANTED Mentioning that a credit of £2728 was held in the New Church Building Fund, the treasurer, Mr D. Russell contended that the time had arrived for ways and means to be found of erecting a new building, which might be a peace memorial church. In a church the size of St. Andrew’s, he said, it was strange that it had not an appropriate house of worship. There should be tangible expression of thought—that if the finances were not in sight, at least it could be shown that the necessary amount could be raised. « The outfield committee report showed that in the Waimumu district efforts were being made to arrange for the erection, of a peace memorial church.