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Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21816, 20 November 1940, Page 10

NEXT ASSEMBLY I TIMARU THE VENUE By an overwhelming majority, Timaru was chosen as the venue for the 1941 Assembly, at session of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand held in Palmerston North. The favourable geographical situation of Timaru, in regard especially to the distribution of Presbyterian population in the Dominion, and the preponderance of Presbyterians in the town Itself, were factors influencing the choice. Immediately before this, a unanimous invitation was extended to the Rev. John Davie, of Masterton, to be Moderator-designate of the 1941 Assembly. It was emphasised that Mr Davie s ministry in Masterton since his call there in 1922 had been characterised by unflagging energy and wide enterprise. The buildings recently erected there for youth work had been described as the finest in Australia and New Zealand. Congratulations to Mr Davie on his election were extended by the present Moderator, the Right Rev. G. H. Jupp, of Dunedin. The Timaru Assembly will no doubt be awaited with eager interest on account of the decision of the present Assembly to appoint a committee to enter into negotiations with the Methodist Church for a union of the two churches. During the last year the preliminary conversations with Methodist representatives have been carried on by the Life and Work Committee, a standing committee of Assembly which at present meets regularly in Timaru, and which was also responsible for the arranging of the recent Centenary celebrations throughout the whole church, as well as for the publication of the official Centennial History. Last Friday night, after keen and searching debate, the Assembly affirmed convincingly its belief that the present emergency challenged the churches to a closer co-operation and a planning for integral union in the future. No doubt the coming year will see this movement carried a further stage towards completion. Coincident with the General Assembly, the annual conference of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary - Union is always held. In preparation for these two gatherings, local Presbyterian committees will be fully occupied till next November in steady preparation.