CHURCH MATTERS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144668, 30 April 1915, Page 4

CHURCH MATTERS.

TO IHK EDITOR. Sir. —The vicur’fl report of fit. Mary’s church services, choir, and Sunday School, which appeared in Tuesday’s Herald, was interesting, but a paragraph relating to Urn attendances, at tho country elnircbes was rather disappointing. Omata was singled out as Doing an outstanding exception (I") to tho poor congregations of other-country churches. U’ejl. if St. Bride’s, Barrett Road, is included with Omata the congregation will not feel hurt, hut this litllo church—the .smallest In ihc diocese. I suppose—is an exceptional exception. For many years now most ot the services have been conducted by the local lay-reader, ministerial visits (until quite recently) being few and far between. ana in spite of tb-’ fact that quite two-thirds of the congregation are non-Anglican they have been, and still arc, very sincere* in their efforts to keep the* church together. And I really cannot remember a minister of the Church of England vi.dt.ing this part of the pmish for the past two years —in fact wo are beginning to wonder whether, as far as visiting goes, wo have a shepherd. True, the congregations are small (so i« the church), and the offertories poor, but since a house-going parson makes a church-going people, it is wonderful how well St. Bride's has done under our lay-render. And we have no attraction in the way of mush* either, for the organ here has been in its present position for nearly thirty years, and was a .•second-hand one at that: it is quite iil for kindling-wood now. We have throe organists, who, good naturedly, take a turn at “grinding,” but they are not flattered to know there is more noise than melody. I would like to suggest that, since we must battle largely for ourselves, the offertories here he handed hack to tin* church-warden, for two or throe years, for tho punch a-so* of a now organ and music hooks. Personally 1 feel very thankful to tho vicar and his curate for the little attention they have given us, and hope the vt*try will remember that we in tho country arc as precious in the sight of God as are the townspeople, and wc heartily appreciate a visit or a sermon from either vicar nr curate —1 am. etc., E. A. MATHEWS', Omata. April 2S, 1015.