CHRIST CHURCH.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12772, 19 April 1910, Page 2

CHRIST CHURCH.

PARISHONERS' ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the parishoners of Christ Church, which was held last evening, was well attended. The vicar (tho Rev J. P. Kempthorne) presided. The reports' were taken as read. The Vicar, in his annual report, stated that services had been held regularly during the year, and he acknowledged with thanks the assistance rendered by the Bishop, Canon Hooper, D.D., Rev. Robert Young, of Carterton, and llev. 0. R. Hewlett. There had been 15 baptisms, 22 .young persons confirmed, 78 celebrations of tlie holy communion, with 1368 attendances (an improvement on last year),' 12 marriages, and 9 deaths. He expressed his thanks to the congregation for the support given to foreign missions, and for .the interest shown by many in the extension of the Kingdom of God. A visit had been received from the Rev. ■Canon Pollock and tho Rev. H. A. Kennedy, forerunners of the general mission, who pointed out that if they were to profit from tlie visits of those men pf^special gifts and great experience who were coming to the Dominion at the invitation of the Church of this province, much ' would depend upon the careful preparation made beforehand, by prayer and intercession, and by urging people to come to the* services and creating a feeling of expectation that a great blesing would come to' the church and' country through the message the missionaries would deliver. The Rev. E. Woolcombe, the travelling secretary of the Church of England's Men Society, visited Nelson during the year, and he trusted that the formation of a branch would result. He was thankful that the Ladies' Guild, which had so materially assisted the ichurch in past years, had Started with renewed vigor, and that the membership had increased. The members or the Flower Guild had done good service in attending to the church decorations. He thanked the. organist, Mr G. F. Naylor, and the members of the choir for the work they had done in connection with the musical portion of the services, and hoped this year to see an increase in membership. The Sunday school teachers had done their work loyally, and in the diocesan examinations the scholars gained many certificates, and Doris Moore won a gold medal, being first in grade IV., with full' marks for her paper. Miss Scaly was superintendent of the Wood Sunday school, where regular weekly - services were also held. Ho also carried on classes at the Central Schools and at Nelson College. He acknowledged tho donation of £10 from the late Mr Robert Snodgrass,

and thanked the churchwardens and vestrymen for tho services rendered during the year, The report of the Churchwardens and Vestry was as follows:— It is satisfactory lo note an increase in I both the offertories and pew rents ; but tliis increase unfortunately does not permit the Vicar receiving more than £350 towards his stipend. Tho parishioners may not generally know that some years ago the Vicar voluntarily agreed to reduce the stipend ho was originally promised by £50 until such a time as the parish was in a position to pay the full amount (£400). Although on one or two occasions tho finances have permitted the £350 to be slightly increased, ifc is to be regretted that at present the income of the parish is not sufficient to allow the Vicar to receivo the stipend he was promised. Two accounts are carried forward as liabilities. They are for balances due for repairs effected to the parish buildings. Part payment of these accounts was made from tho repairs fund, and as there is every probability -of the remainder being forthcoming from this fund it is considered only right to treat the amounts as a liability for the present, and not to draw upon the general account for what should, if possible, be paid by the repairs fund. During tne year the Vicarage has been repaired, painted, and some the rooms repapered; and the Shelbourne and Milton streets schoolrooms have also been repaired and painted. Financial assistance as far as the. work in Milton street was concerned was received from privato subscription and from a sale of work but the greater part of the money necessary for all these works, was provided from the repairs fund. -This is a most useful fund for the parish- and it is a pity it is not more liberally supported considering that the mean? pf contributing to it do not press Unclli# on subscribers. The churchwardens and vestry would gladly welcome more subscribers to this fund, especially as at is impossible to retain the upkeep of the buildings connected with the parish out of the present ordinary revenue. Nothing further has been done regarding the improvement of the lighting. As . mentioned in last years report two gaseliers had been imported by way of experiment, and erected in the archways on either side of the main entrance. The lights in these, however, did not for a timo prove very satisfactory in fact it is only quite recently they have been made reliable. Under these circumstances the vestry naturally hesitated before taking. any further steps in the matter. Probably the incoming vestry will now make a move towards improving, the lighting. Last year the churchwardens and vestry had to report with great consternation, that owing to the irregular manner in which mombers attended the Ladies' Guild there was every probability of the Guild being disbanded. . It is therefore most gratifying now to have to report that matters have mended, and that things are now working more smoothly. The statement of accounts in connection with tho Guild, which appears elsewhere, shows a satisfactory credit balance of £45 16s. Considering its great usefulness to tho parish for so many years, it is hoped that the Giuld will receive every possible encouragement, and contintie td go on prospering. The churchwardens and vestry desire to thank the Organ l ist and choir for the rendering of th§ musical portion of the services; the Ladies' Guild for their consister labours; the Flower Guild for their attention to tlie supply of flowers and the decorations; tlie Sunday school teachers for their assistance ; Mr Bamford for kindly auditing the accounts ; and Mrs Heaps for her attention to the hangings of the Cathedral. '■ The balance sheet, together with • the statements of tho positions of the : various funds, was printed and circu- " lated with the above reports. Mr Wilson Heaps pointed out that ■ the ordinary offertories for the last year had amounted to £323, which ' was an increase, as the offertories for ' the past ten years had averaged £318. 1 Tlio revenue from pew rents had been 1 about the usual amount. | Mr JOngsley considered the most ■ satisfactory feature of the balance- | sheet was the amount which had been ! raised by special offertories, totalling 1 £73 odd. It was a sign or spiritual ; life when a church cared for others and missions. ' Mr Richmond stated that he had re- " ceived a cheque from Mr Fowler, the Principat of the Boys' College, fer ' £2 17s, which sum had been contribute ■ ed by the pupils for tho foreign misJ sion fund, being the result of an ad- ' dress delivered by the Rev Mr Bur- ! gin*. . On the motion of Mr A.-T. Maginr nity ; seconded by Mr Kingsley, the reports and balance sheet were adopted. The mover pointed to tho sad v fact. that many who styled themselves " as belonging to the Church of Eng- ' land neglected their duty to the '. church in every way. Mr Wilson Heaps was reappointed . as the clergyman's churchwarden, and 'Mr Francis H. Richmond was 1 elected as the parishioners' churchwarden. Both gentlemen acknowledged the honour that > had been conferred upon them. Mr Richmond said he was now entering his tenth year as a churchwarden, • and he gave them a kindly warning ■ that they would hare to look out for i another in his place. The vicar spoke of the good work clone by the churchwardens. He waß «-ure it was a work of love with them. Ifc was resolved that the vestry be composed of ten members. The following gentlemen were elected jas members of the vestry, namely, Messrs Melhuish, Kingsley, Ward, Frith, W. G. Kerr, Peene, L. Maginnity., Stannard, Coombe, and J. C. Mercer. Mr F. A. Bamford was re-elected honorary auditor. The vicar spoke of the general mission which would be started in Sep- • tember. They all hoped tbe -mission would prove a great spiritual blessing to the whole of the Dominion. He also referred to the formation of a branch of the Church of England Men's Society. He hoped that soon the branch would be at work in the parish. A vote of sympathy was passed with Mrs Sclanders in her illness, and it was hoped that she would soon bo restored to health. Votes of thanks were accorded to the Ladies' Guild for thoir liberal financial assistance to the church ; to the church wardens and vestrymen ; to the members of the PTower Guild : to the organist and members of the choir ; to ' tho teachers and other workers connected with the Sunday schools; and to the auditor for his services.. The meeting closed with the benediction.