BRANCH FORMED

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23315, 26 September 1945, Page 4

BRANCH FORMED

National Council Of Churches Representative Meeting It was unanimously decided by a I fully representative meeting of i South Canterbury Protestant I Churches yesterday, convened by the Timaru Ministers’ Association, to form a church of the National Council of Churches. In a comprehensive survey of the Ecumenical movement starting with the Christian Student Movement and leading to the first world congress of missionary and kindred societies in • Edinburgh in 1910. Archbishop West- ; Watson said that the Movement had I steadily intensified and that a succes- : sion oi world-wide conferences had been held. An outcome oi such was a growing feeling that the combined churches should widely study and deciare upon such matters as life and work as seen in the social activities of the nations. To-day a great body of unanimity had been reached. Implementing the ideals of the Ecumenical movement overseas, continued his Grace, the National Council of Churches, now- in its fifth vear, was functioning in New Zealand. He emphasised the inter-denominational nature of the movement, each respecting th? other's differences and at the same. time finding an effective basis for united action as evidenced by the recent Dominion conference in Christchurch. The idea of the National Council of Churches becoming ■ a sort of super-church was entirely wrong. Rather, it became the united voice of all the churches represented. On the motion of the Rev. Malcolm Wilson it was unanimously decided to form a branch of the National Council of Churches in South Canterbury, the basis of representation to be: Church of England six. Presbyterian Church four, Methodist four and other churches two each. Archdeacon AV. W. Averill (chairman). Rev. F. Wilkinson (vice-chairman), Rev. I. G. Borrie (secretary and treasurer), together with Mr Woodnorth, Rev. C. W. Duncumb. Adjutant Middleton and Pastor C. T. Withers were appointed a provisional committee. The meeting was preceded by a brief service of intercession in St. Marv’s Church conducted bv Archdeacon W. W. Averill. B.D. The Bev. L. A. Barnes presided over t*le meeting and introduced Archbishnn West-Watson. A large and widely representative meeting of South Canterbury women was presided over by th-? R~v. F. Wilkinson in the afternoon. The object was to form a women s branch of the National Council of Churches. Deaconess Spencer Smith gave an address on world church trends today and the part the Ecumenical movement bad played and could play in making the church more effective in a troubled world. The second world war had demonstrated the nart women could play. It was unanimously agreed to form a women’s branch of the National Council of Churches of New Zealand. A provisional committee was appointed as follows:—Chairman. Mrs D. S. Kemshed; deputy. Mrs D. Newlands; secretary. Mrs H. M. Barker and Mesdames Burnet. Bowden and Middleton.