PARISH MEETINGS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6831, 19 April 1890, Page 3

PARISH MEETINGS.

• Church, of tbe Good Shep- j herd, Pkillipstown. The annual parish meeting in connection with this church took place last night, j The Eev H. J. C. Gilbert occupied the : chair, and opened the meeting with prayer. ! Mr Woodford read the statement of . accounts, which was considered eminently ' satisfactory, and was adopted by tbe meeting. The expenditure for the year had been fully met, leaving a balance in hand. For the first time in the history of the parish the stipend guarantee had been met in full. The Sunday offertories had largely increased during the year, and tb« liabilities, which were not large, had been reduced considerably. ! The Chairman said they must all of them consider the report and balancesheet as satisfactory. That the offertories j on Sundays had increased and the expen- j diture of the church. been fully met was certainly a matter of thankfulness, inasmuch as it was a new experience to them. | This ought to encourage them for the I future, and he trusted it would. To him- j self it was particularly gratifying to know that he had not been working in a failing cause. He never for once thought that ho was, or he would have given up long ago. They all had reason to know that the church in the district, as well as the Church generally, was not losing, but gaining a j hold on the people. Here and there the ' Church minht seem to go backward rather than forward, but the Catholic Church of Christ could not fail — even the gates of . hell shall not prevail against her. He had now been aiaonßst them ten years, and hati had some up-hill work, but he would say that his tenth year had been tbe- happiest of all. Let them thank God for the past success, and take - courage for tha future. On the motion of Mr Mountf ort, seconded by Mr WHcox, tie report and balancesheet were adopted. The incuiatoenfriiominatecl Mr TVoodford', who had been so energetic in the past year,, to again- fill the office of clergyman's churchwarden, and Mr B» W.Mountfort was elected people's churchwarden. The Sollowing gentlemen were chosen as 1 a vestry : — Messrs E. Hardie, F: Martini,. J.. P. Brown, W. J. Stevons, J. F. Wilcox, D. Cochrane, and W. Liddiard. Mr Kent was appointed auditor. Afker passing "votes of thanki to the ladies' guild, the ladies and gentlemen . whs. had assisted at entertainments, donors i of subsoriptionß, the organist (Mr Money), choir, outgoing veairy,. &c, the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.