CHURCH NUMBERS FALL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 246, 16 October 1937, Page 5

CHURCH NUMBERS FALL

BAPTIST REPORT ON FIGURES GIVING THE BEST ON RECORD [ Per Press Association. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 14. A decline of 40 in church membership during the year noted in the annual report of the Baptist Union of New Zealand to-day. “The membership at the end of August this year was 8983 compared with 9023 at the same date last year," stated the report. Baptisms during the year also declined, the total being 392. The council urged every minister and member to see if some campaign could not be entered on to regain lost ground and make a definite advance. “A committee has been set up to go into church membership,” said Mr. E. McGregor (Morrinsville) in moving the adoption of the report. Mr. J. Jackson, Purdie (Dunedin), said that the decrease in numbers was disquieting, but it had to be remembered that there had been a severe purging of the rolls in several churches. Although the numbers had declined the giving was the lightest on record.

Mr. H. P. Desmoulins (Dunedin), suggested that more useful information for the Assembly would be piovided if a record of the average church attendance, in addition to the roll number, was provided in the annual reports. The secretary’s report stated that there were credit balances in all accounts except that of the Missionary Society, and even there the figures were the best for seven years. The response to the self denial and thanksgiving offering had been £3318.

The trustees and members of the Auckland Tabernacle were thanked for their gift of £ll5O for various denominational funds. A record number of young men was applying for admission to the Baptist Theological College. ______