CHURCH ANNIVERSARY

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 45, 27 June 1929, Page 4

CHURCH ANNIVERSARY

: METHODIST FUNCTION. The anniversary of the Methodist Church was celebrated last night, the function taking the, form of a social. The attendance was comparatively small, the unsettled state of the weather probably being

the cause of so few being present. Mr R. H. White (secretary of the Trustees {of the Church) gave a short account of the financial position of the Church. The expenditure for the year had been in the vicinity of £7O, and though the_jjj~ come from collections had not realised quite that sum, the year had been a very successful one other-

wise. ' 1 The Rev. H.'.L. Blamires said h© had a congregation of workers, and during the past year the affairs of the Church had progressed excellently. Though there had been several deaths in the congregation, there had heen none in the Church committees. ' The membership of the Church was now 115, and during the last year 33 new membershad joined.

There were many loyal workers in the Church whom he wished to thank, the Bible Class and Sunday school teachers, and the* two organists, Miss P. Weston and Miss Beryl Masters deserving special mention, because of their regular attendance and good work The Church was .also indebted to the other churches of'Stratford and he wished, particularly, •to thank Mr J McKee, who had left the district, for his kindness in coming and taking services in the Methodist churches through-

out the district During the year a boys' club had *een organised and it was now well on the way to success. The Ladies' Guild had, this year, excelled themselves and had recorded a very fine year's work. The Church servicfes had been well attended throughout the year, especially in the morning, when the band of. young worship-

pers were present The Rev J MacGregor, in his address, congratulated the Church on its fine record for past years, and he hoped it would be even better in future years -■; ~ r

The'Rev. G. T. Beale added his congratulations to the Church on. its anniversary and, said ,that as in years, gone by the Methodist • had been a child of the Anglican Church, he foresaw a time when the "children would return to their mother" and that all churches would unite on a form of common basis of worship. In concluding, the speaker wished the Church ever y: success

for the coming year Ensign Prouse endorsed the for- , mer speaker's remarks, and added that on occasions like this people looked back with pride on past efforts and hoped that the future would he even better. ' Mr Blamires returned thanks to the visiting ministers, and.after an item, those present adjourned for supper, which was provided hy the "ladies. '

The 'musical programme was .as follows: Mrs Robinson, Mrs Gaze, Miss Campbell and Mr P. T Ha.le (songs); Miss Hopkins (instrumental solo). Throughout the evening the choir rendered vocal items. The accompaniste was Miss Beryl Mast-