PRESBYTERIAN PROGRESS

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1932, Page 3

PRESBYTERIAN PROGRESS

MEETING OF ST. ANDREW’S

NEW PLYMOUTH GATHERING. YEAR’S WORK REVIEWED. CONDITION OF THE FINANCES. “In some respects this has been the most interesting year of the congregation’s history,” said the Rev. J. D. McL. Wilson, who presided last night at the annual meeting of the congregation of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, New Plymouth. There were over 70 people present. “The opening of the new church was an event of outstanding importance and its beauty within and without has evoked expressions of admiration not only from Auckland to Invercargill, but also from as far afield as Scotland,” he added. The year had been one of progress, continued Mr. Wilson. A new church and Sunday school had also been established at Fitzroy, a strong Sunday school at Vogeltown and another at Westown. In all these achievements the plan . for the year had bben followed, and the only things that remained were the building of a Sunday school at Moturoa and the establishment of a new central Sunday school. In the meantime the latter work could wait as they had the old church and hall, but the Motu,roa building was needed, for definite advance had been achieved there. The estimates for all the works completed had not been exceeded, which was a fine feature of the year. “LIVE UP TO CHURCH.” “The difficult part is left to the people of St. Andrew’s to five up to their fine church; to crowd'its court with thanksgiving; to make it a radiating centre of good cheer, of simple and true piety and of earnest and devoted service,” continued Mr. Wilson. “The new church already fills a place in the community and is well loved by its people.” The year that was past would probably prove to be the most difficult year, for not again would the people be asked to carry such heavy burdens, he sai&— “although it rejoices us to think that they have been so courageously and cheerfully home.” “If in the new church year upon which we have entered everyone covets to exceed the other in loyalty, generosity and in willingness to serve, then a very wonderful year must be ahead of us,” Mr. Wilson concluded, ' in extending thanks to the office-bearers, leaders of organisations and members of the congregation for their goodwill and prayers. The attendance at public worship had shown an upward trend, reported Mr. W. Ogle, the session clerk. The quarterly observance of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper had been attended by 269, 273, 300 and 254 people. Membership at the opening of the year had been 383, while at the end it had reached 394. During the year 19 had been received 7 by profession of faith, 28 by certificate, 21 had been transferred and 12 added to the supplementary roll in addition to six adult baptisms. REPORTS RECEIVED. An event of outstanding importance had been the opening of the new church, Professor W. Hewitson, 8.A., coming from Dunedin for the historic event. There had been a record gathering of Presbyterians of New Ptlymouth and province, members of other churches and the general public. Congratulations had been received from all over New Zealand. The deaconess, Sister Alma, reported that honest progress had been registered by all four Bible classes. The Moturoa class of 20, half of whom were Maoris, showed fine headway, and the self-ex-pression of the Westown junior girls’ class was pleasing. The High School boarders’ class had been a particularly receptive and responsive group, and the senior girls’ class had a good grasp of the relationship of Christian truth and Christian living. The idea of a girls’ week-day club had been abandoned and the girls’ auxiliary was capable of expansion. During the winter she had kept in touch with eleven families and provided relief when necessary through the generosity of other congregation members. The secretary (Mr. A. S. Brooker) reported that the managers’ court had an unusually busy year, 18 ordinary and special meetings of the board being held. The completion of the new church, its seating and furnishing, together with the laying out of the church grounds had occupied attention. STATE OF THE FINANCES. The year had been commenced with a debit balance of £l7 Is Id, which had been increased to £49 Ils 8d through the year. Such a position had been brought about by a fall in the management revenue as compared with 1928, when the receipts for the year amounted to £9OO Ils 9d as against £B3l 17s lid for the year under review. The loss was in envelope subscribers, who in 1928 subscribed £424 6s 2d as against the present year’s £357 13s 6d, a difference of over £66. Had 400 members of the congregation contributed an extra 3d a month a further £6O would have been provided and the debit balance turned into a credit. Revenue for general purposes for 1932 amounted to £B3l 17s lid (£827 0s 8d in 1931), the offerings by envelopes £357 13s 6d (£385 Ils 3d) and loose collections £474 4s 5d (£441 9s 5d). ( Special freewill offerings provided an additional £54 7s sd. Special thanks were due to the ladies’ guild, which had contributed a further £lOO toward the new church interest fund. The managers appreciated this loyal support. Thanks were also due to the following for donations to the new church furnishing account: Senior Y.W.B.C. £5O, Mrs. Comey (at home) £l5 3s 3d. To the building fund: Intermediate Y.W.B.C. £9, junior Y.M.B.C. £B, anniversary tea committee £l9 13s sd, and the High School Board for a donation of £l5 towards the purchase of the new church bell. The contributions to missions for the year were: Envelope offerings £B5 16s 8d (£99 18s), P.W.M.U. £Bl 15s 6d (£73 16s 6d), junior Y.M.B.C. £1 (£1), St. Andrew’s Sunday school £5 4s (£2O), Vogeltown Sunday school £7 4s 6d (£8 14s), girls’ auxiliary £5 10s, Vogeltown Busy Bees £l3. By the success of the jumble sale the building fund benefited by a little over £lOO. NEW CHURCH COSTS. The total cost of the new church had been £12,390 12s, and of this £3OO was still due to the contractors and £lO2 to the architects. Cash in hand amounted to £202 11s sd, leaving a further £2OO to be found before all obligations could be met in connection with the new building. Thanks were due to the members who had so consistently contributed to the fund. In connction with the finances the treasurer (Mr. S. C. Warren Bush) said the receipts for the year totalled, £2306, which was £506 in excess of last year’s figure of £lBOO and, in view of the difficult times, most satisfactory. Analysed, almost half the total, or £llO4, represented contributions to the new

church building, furniture or the interest fund. Under such circumstances it was not surprising that the debit balance on general -account had increased from £l7 to £49 in the year, but nevertheless the managers hoped that the debit would soon be wiped off. All expenditure had been carefully watched. It had to be realised that on an average an expenditure of £l9 a week was required to meet general expenses, apart altogether from the interest on the new church. The average weekly offering during the past year' had been £l6, but it was hoped that this figure would be increased in the coming year. CHURCH. ORGANISATIONS. There were 143 contributing members of the ladies’ guild, reported the secretary (Dora Findlay) and thanks was extended to those who had assisted with the social work. . The comprehensive activities of the P.W.M.U. were outlined by the secretary- (Miss E. M. Tait). The 80 mission boxes circulated among the congregation had realised £3114s Bd.; Excellent reports of the work at , the St. Andrew’s Sunday school and the Vogeltown Sunday school were received from Mr. J. D. Roulston (superintendent) and Miss Ethel Cocker (secretary) respectively. Miss E. S. Way reported on the activities of the girls’ auxiliary and choir, Miss E. M. Tait on the senior young womens Bible class, Messrs. D. Roulston and T. B. Herdson on the intermediate young men’s Bible class, Miss Betty Aylward on the Westown junior girls’ Bible class, Miss Jean Hamilton on the intermediate girls’ Bible class, Laurie Fox on the Moturoa combined Bible class, Miss E. Cocker on the Vogeltown Busy Bees, Mr. J. .Wilson Hodges on the St. Andrew’s Church orchestra, and Miss Eileen Way on the St. Andrew’s tennis club. Reports were also -received from the St. Andrew’s junior girls’ Bible class and on the New Plymouth Presbyterian messenger. The reports and balance-sheet were adopted without comment. ELECTION OF MANAGERS. Dr. H. P. Gray, Messrs. J; W. Hodges, J. McQueen, C. J. Smith and E. H. Rogers retired’ from the board of managers by rotation, but Dr. Gray and Messrs. McQueen and Rogers were reelected and Mr.’T. Smillie was also appointed. Messrs. Hodges and Smith refused nomination. There remain two members to be associated at the diction of the managers. The present managers are: Dr. H. P. Gray,,Messrs. C. Warren Bush, R. A. Bent, H. Cocker, E. Dingle, R. Emmett, J. W. Hodges, W. J. McNiven, M. A. Mcßae, J. McCracken, J. McQueen, R. Pearson, E. H. Rogers, W. G. Reid, A. G. Ross, C. J. Smith, J. Shepherd and W. L. Thompson; treasurer, Mr. S. C. Warren Bush; secretary, Mr. A. S. : Brooker.