METHODIST CHURCH OF NEW ZEALAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18385, 10 February 1928, Page 5

METHODIST CHURCH OF NEW ZEALAND.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE OPENS NEXT WEEK. The plan of service and public gatherings of the sixteenth annual Conference of the Methodist Church of New Zealand has been issued. The conference, which is “the Parliament of the Methodist Church,” is being held in Christchurch. Conference committees will meet on Wednesday and Thursday mornings February 15 and 16. The Young People’s demonstration will be held in the Caledonian Hall at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 15. The opening session of conference is in Durham Street Church at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 16. On Saturday, February 18. the garden party will be held at “Avebury,” the beautiful home at Richmond of Mr J. A. Flesher, the vice-presi'dent of Conference. The same evening, at 7.30, the conference fellowship meeting will be held in the Cambridge Terrace Church. It is to be conducted on somewhat new lines. The Rev J. E. Parsons will lead the meeting. Definite periods, devoted to the themes of “Fellowship in Prayer,” “In Thought,” and “In Experience,” are to be introduced by the Revs W. Rowe. W. T. Blight. 8.A., and W. Walker, respectively, in brief, helpful messages. The song leader is the Rev A. Mitchell. Conference Sunday, February 19, will give Christchurch Methodists an opportunity of hearing visiting preachers from all parts of the Dominion. The president and the ex-president officate at the morning and evening services respectively of the “Cathedral of Methodism.” The Bible Class rally takes place in the same place (Durham Street Church), at 2.45 p.m. The same afternoon, the ex-President of Conference (Professor 11. Ranston, M.A., Litt. D.), will lay the foundation stone of the new schoolroom at Shirley. The Local Preachers’ Association tea and annual meeting will be held at 5.45 on Tuesday in Cambridge Terrace Church. The musical festival is Handel’s oratorio "Samson,” and will be in Durham Street Church on Tuesday, at 7.45 p.m. The combined Methodist choirs are under the baton of Mr E. Firth, F.R.C.O. with Miss Clari'ce Bell, L.T.C.L.. at the organ. Soloists, Mrs W. I. Tait (nee Miss Cara Holdgate, of Timaru), Mrs Ernest Firth and Messrs H. Blakeley and W. J. Spratt. The conference day of prayer is Wednesday, February 22. The whole day' will be set apart for prayer and the consideration of spiritual vitalit}'. Following the day of prayer comes the ordination service. There are eleven Europeans and one Maori minister to be ordained on Wednesday, February 22. The charge to tfie newly ordained will be given by the ex-presi-dent (Professor H. Ranston, M.A., Litt. D.). A public tea in the Salvation Army Citadel at 5.30 p.m., and a public meeting in Durham Street Church at 7.15 p.m. will be features of a missionary demonstration on Thursdav, February 23. On Friday. February 24, the conference members are invited to tea at the Methodist Children’s Home at Papanui. The last, but not least, of the public gatherings of the conference will be the dedication of Sister Margaret Jeffries to the work of a deaconess. This is in Durham Street Church on Sunday, February 26, at 2.45 p.m. The president of Conference (Rev W. J. Elliott) will preside. and the speaker is the chairman of the North Canterbury district, the Rev W. Greensladc. gade arrived son after and got the