CHURCH FINANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17179, 24 October 1923, Page 5

CHURCH FINANCE.

COMMISSION TO BE SET UP. ! Some of the methods adopted by j churches for the raising of money for j various objects were criticised by j speakers at the Diocesan Synod last j evening. 'Hie Rev H. A. Wilkinson, of Otifma, j South Canterbury, moved: “That re- I veren.ce and efficiency in.church finance require direct giving in' proportion to j moans, ami that Synod earnestly com- j mends this practice to every loya. member of the Church. ■’ Mr Wilkinson 1 put forward an earnest plea that churches should abandon many of the forms now employed for raising money j and educate tbeir people to support the j church by direct giving instead. i The Rev H. Purchas, of Geraldine, seconded the motion. Dean Carrington said that in some i parishes the cry was for money, money j all the time, and he was afraid that i Christianity was often pushed into the j background. A downhill movement, had j set in. They were- on a slippery slope | jj.nd the sooner they recovered theira- j aelves the better it would be. He sug- j gested that a commission should be j appointed to go .into the whole ques- i tion of church finance and .report to . -Synod, in order that some practical [ result should be obtained from Mr Mil- • kinson's resolution. Archbishop Julius said lie thought it \ would be a great pity if Synod passed ' the resolution and did nothing, as had J been the case many times before. He I was in entire sympathy with the motion J hut was not in sympathy with some, of the reasons given. He wanted to get rid of the everlasting raising of money for this, that, and the other thing. Some years ago there were a number of missionary societies all in keen competition with each other, and the methods they adopted for raising money were not always creditable. The trouble had, however, been got rid oi by the formation of a Board of Missions which took over a.ll the societies. Something of the same sort would hava to ho done in connection with churck funds. They would have to amalgamate, them -and conduct them in a business manner. If they had a. dance, and that was a matter for themselve* to decide, they should not use it. as a means of raising money for the church, and if they wanted a whist j drive they should have it but not with j the object of raising money. The motion was carried with one dis- j sentient. The Rev J. R. Young then gave not- i ice of motion that the Archbishop he J respectfully requested to appoint a commission to go into the matter of [ church finance and to report to Synod.