ALL SAINTS' CHURCH.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14155, 18 April 1916, Page 6

ALL SAINTS' CHURCH.

oThe annual, mooting'of tlio parishioners of All -Saints' was hold in the- Sunday School last night. There was a good jittendnr.ee,' and tho vicar (Key. John Honors) cconpiod tlio chair. The balaneo-shoet for the year ende-1 M;urh .'jlst, IDIG, showed a balance in tho bank'at the- end of the year of £67 13k' 7d. The other- : account;-; were also shown, to be in credit, the Mite Society to the amount of £35 17s sd. It was rnfTit'oned that only about £5 was owing for j>6w rents for the year. ■ xhe statements* of accounts • were adopted on the motion of Mr J. F. Wright, seconded by Mr E. E. Boyes. and satisfaction was .expressed at.the healthy financial position of the parish. The*vicar (Rev. John Rogers), in Jus freporfl, said the Sunday schools were in tra-riuselves healthy, but in cases were understaffed. The branch of the Church cf England Men's Society was almo.se !defunct. Perhaps in the'winter, with; the aid of some of the yeang men.from, the Bible Class, they might be able to revive it, and, in addition, run a. debating society and a gymnasium. The church services had been well attended,' .•nd lie was pleased that the people were giving their new vicar encouragement. He pleaded fox a better attendance at Holy Communion The.'Churchwardens' report was as follows:—In presenting the annual repert and bakuiee-slveet for tho year ended' March 31st, 1916, your churchwardens ar©. pleased to report that the revenue •or the church has been well maintained, notwithstanding the many ' calls tho parishioners have had to- faco for patriotic, r.nd relief purposes during this dread time of war. fho year lias been a trying one to the parishioners and vesb'y owing to the change of ii!cumbeiits. Our late estoomed vicar, Rev. W S. Lucas, was taken seriously ill last September, and this, after many .months, necessitated bis resignation. We are pleased to state he ha? recovered somewhat, and is able to got about again.. The Rev. J. Rogers has been installed in' his place as vicar. He is a gentleman of great promise, and we trust God will bless him in all his undertakings, and sincerely hope the cHireh will piosper under hi.s ministry. The ordinary offertories for the year amounted to £315 12s. an. increase of £18 6s 4d, compared with last year. The- attendance numbered 14,104, an average of 276 per Sunday; while the coins given in oiTertorio* were: 15 at 20s, 23 at 10s, 254 at 2s 6d, 330 at 2s, 1674 at is, 4498 at '6d, 5655 at 3d, and 209 afc Id. We appreciate the fact that the parishioners are alive to their responsibilities of keeping the mission work goirif.l; at a. lime- when it is most needed, the special offertories for the, year'amounting to tho total-of £57 I.ls "7d, compared with £88.7s for the previous year,, a marked-decrease of £30 15s sd. The appeals for prompt payment of pew rents hnvo beser. more readily responded to than heretofore, the revenue from this source amounting '.to £130 10s, a de-cmise of £13 over the I previous year. Seventeen new sittings [were allotted during, the year, and six I sittings were given up. The renovation of tho church cost £53 9». We are indebted to the Mite Society for a £20 donation towards this work, which has given great satisfaction and areatly improved tho interior, of the church. Un behalf of the psirishioners, we desire to thank the choir, organist, and choirmaster, tho bellringers, Mite Society, Sunday School teachers, and church decorators for their work during the past year. Tho Rev. Mr Rogers said he would like to see1 more young men attending and taking an interest in tho church. Many young men were- away on account Of 'the* war,, but there, were others who remained, and he was afraid that too large a proportion of them were careless about spiritual matters. Mr J. Tait, the organist and choirmaster, was training i*2.boy« in singing, and it was hoped to have 6 boys in the choir on..Easter Bay" There were fine .fields of work in Toi Toi Valley and at the Port, and be hoped to'-see mission services held in tho Toi Toi'.Valley, schoolroom on Thursday nights, in connection with-, whicir ho hoped after a time.to have the use of a magic lantern and set. 6? slides of religious.subjects. Ho was extremely anxious to have the hclr> of the people in carrying on the work of the. parish, and lie especially trusted that they v.-ould inform him .of anything that required to be done. As Mr C. H. Cbote, on account of the state of his health, felt that he was unable to continue in offieo as vicar's warden, thsi vicar appointed Mr G. A. Harkr.css J.o the position. Mr Coote's >!"fi.sir;n"Vatt receive'] with regret, but tl-.r-r'- wr.-s onplf.iiso '"vhrvi ho stnW hi? intemfion <;!' contiiming as a member of thp fon.L'rc^jtion to take a:\ interest .in,the church

Mr A. F.. Cro'.:-;',v-el] \va?('ro-c)wted as people's vi;rdon by aoflamntion. - '\io«i-.rs Andrews.' W. 'York. Strong, H. York, im\vcs, V.'ri-j;ht Austin, Gibliii/Robiisson', a.nd Warno weVe elected as vestry. Mr A. K. Hc<J.f^es whs rea-ppointed as auditor. After the bvis'ness bad teen conemded, j-efreshifie.nt> {P-ovided by the ladies were handed nn:2<l.