St. MARY’S CHURCH, GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1096, 24 April 1883, Page 1

St. MARY’S CHURCH, GERALDINE.

The Annual meeting of St. Mary’s Church, Geraldine, took place on Friday afternoon in the Literary Institute, Geraldine. The Rev J. Preston in the chair The meeting was attended by representatives from the various parts of the Pariah. The meeting was opened in the usual manner.

The minutes of the former meeting were read and confirmed. The Kev Chairman read the annual report aa follows ; “ Gentlemen, —I am thankful to say that on the whole progress has been made in thi. parish in church matters during the past year. The new church, so long wished for, and so much required, is at length nearly completed. The Treasurer of the Building Fund, Ur Finch, will inform you how that account stands, and what sum it still required to furnish and prepare the' church for public worship. In reference to my immediate work, with the help of lay readers (of whom there are eleven in the parish and parochial district), services have been regularly conducted twice every Sunday. The Holy Communion has been administered regularly on the first Sunday in each month in tin parish church ; on the 3rd at Woodbury 5 on the 4bh at Peel Forest; on the second Sunday of every month at Fairlie Creek, and once a quarter at Mount Peel. The sacrament of baptism bas been administered by me when ever children have been brought for the pur pote. The number of children baptised amount to 68 ;of people buried, 14; of mar riager, 7; and of those confirmed, 41—that ir 14 males and 27 females.

“ The Sunday Schools established at Gera) dine, Woodbury, Peel Forest, Fairlie Creek and other phees are doing good work.

“ Our thanks are due to all the Sunday School superintendents and teachers for their attention to the religious education of the young; also, to all the lay readers, who havdiligently kept up the services of the cburol in my absence. .“ We are also under great obligations to Miss Fish and Miss Alice Fish for supplying the place of an organist with unwearied atten tion, and also to Mr Hughes for his valuable services as choirmaster, and to Mr Willoughby and the other members of the choir of St Mary’s Church for their assistance. “ In reference to the Sunday School library’ the benevolent aid fund, and other matters under my immediate control, I beg to state that the library is still under the manage, ment of Mr Andrews, who for many year? has kindly looked after it. I hold in band for the purchase of new books, the sum of £1 3s lid. No public collection has been made for the benefit of the library since the box of books was procured from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, the sum in hand being derived from small subscriptions collected by the librarian. “ The charitable aid fund has to its credit £ls 3s 6d. The Sunday School account stands thus -.—After paying the expenses of the Sunday School treat and dedusting 1 the cost of' prizes for the scholars and school books, etc., a credit balance remains of £3 1I« 7d for the future working of the school.*’

The accounts for the Sunday School treat were a* follows:—Receipts Adult; tea realised £9 12» 6d ; subscriptions, £lO 15s ; to balance paid from general treat fund, 18s 8d ; total, £2l Is 2d, Expenditure—Expenses, treat, £l6 7s 8d ; Sunday School prizes, £4 13s 6d : total £2l Is 2d. Mr Cook, Pariibioner*’ Churchwarden, then read the Churchwarden’s report for the year as follows : "Gentlemen, —I have the honor to lay before you the annual Churchwarden’s report and statement in connection with the Parish Church, Geraldine, for the year ended 31st March, 1883 ; also to Uy before you tho accounts of the Parish, duly audited by Mr J. Cunningham. “ On entering upon out office, owing (0 some unlooked for expenses the previous year there was a deficit in the Offertory Fund at the Bank of £5 15s lOd. “ The receipts for the present year amdunt to £B9 3s 7d. The expenditure for tho same time has been £74 2s sd, including the' £5 15a lOd for last year, leaving a balance to be carried forward of £ls Is Bd. “ Tou are no doubt all aware that tbe drain upon the Offertory Fund is very hsavy, and will be greatly increased in future owing to the loan of £3OO borrowed.from the Church Property Trustees towards erecting the new parish church, which will require to be repaid I in instalment* monthly or quarterly to oorer

nterest and.sinking fund. When the now church is duly opened for pub io wonhip an extra sum of money per year wiil be required for cleaning and lighting, etc, as the present church, which will be used for a Sunday school, will of necessity want the lame amount of cleaning at usual. In September last tenders were called for the erection of tbit' new parish church in accordance with plane prepared by Mr M. de H. Durah arehitect, Timaru, and the tender of Mr P. Clayton, of Timaru, for was accepted. The work is now being proceeded with and will shortly be completed. When the contract is finished and duly paid for, there will ttill be required a nreeeiary outlay in the purchase of seats and furniture. It will, therefore,be advisable to at once decide upon some plan for raising funds, in order that the incoming Vestry may act promptly Upon it, and so keep up the re* gular payment of our liabilities. Mr Finrfcl the Treasurer of the Church Building Fund* «ill give you a statement of the receipts and expenditure in reference to the building of the new church. " (Signed) Kobt. Fish. '■ B. S. Cook, '* Churchwardens" The accounts of the Chnreb, duly audited by Messrs Finch and Cunningham, were l«ld before the meeting. It was resolved to adopt the reports, «nd have them published in the local papers, Mr Shier*, on behalf of the Treasurer, explained the position of the new church building fund. He stated that the amount to credit in the Bank was £239 12s Bd. but that much more was necessary to fit the Church with seats and other nacessaries, and expressed a hope that ftiends would be found to contribute the amount necessary at once. Mr JR. A. Barker, Treasurer to the stipend fund, reported a deficit ef £6 9s 4d in the Bank, The receipts up to the present were somewhat below the amount of last year, but , lie trusted that during the next two weeks—the time for which the contribution list would remain open —the friends of the Church would liberally come forward and so make the deficiency up or exceed last year’s total. A letter having been read from the Bishop’s Commissary, Mr Cotterali, in reference to £SO promised to the new Church, On the motion of Mr Barker, seconded by Mr Shiers, it was resolved— ‘ That the Chairman write to the Secretary of the Standing Committee, asking for the promised grant of £so.' The election ox officers far the ensuing year was then proceeded with. Dr Fish was chosen by the Rev the Incumbent as cleigyman’s warden for the ensuing year, and Mr R. S. Cook was unanimously elected parishioners’ churchwarden. The following gentlemen were unanimously elected Vestrymen for th» ensuing year :—Messrs Shiers, Kcllaud, Hughes, Slack, Aoland, Hawke, R. A* Barker, Moore, Willoughby and Tripp. Dr Fish reported that the Hon Mr Acland had been elected ;as Synodsman to represent the parish of Geraldine. Votes of thanks were given to tho churchwardens and vestry of the past year, also to the choir and tho ladies, to Misses Fish fur their valuable services as organists, and to the superintendents and teachers of the Sabbath, JSchool. A vote of thanks to the Chairman .brought the proceedings to a close. [This report was entrusted to a messenger who delivered it too lato for publication in our last. Hence the delay.]