TRINITY CHURCH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 250, 21 October 1937, Page 9

TRINITY CHURCH

SERVICES APPRECIATED REV. R. DUDLEY The quarterly meeting of officebearers of Trinity Methodist Church was held on Monday evening, when Ihe Rev. Raymond Dudley, M.A., presided over a large gathering of members. The reports presented concerning the numerous church activities were all of a very encouraging nature. The membership roll of the church was reported as 360 adults, 74 juniors, and 52 infants. A public reception service had been held during the quarter, when eighteen adults presented themselves for membership, and another reception service was announced to be held before Christmas. The financial statement showed the receipts for the quarter as £306 3s. making a total of £945 10s for the year ending September 30, of which sum £lB5 had been voted to trust purposes. £l3O to the Foreign Mission Board of the New Zealand Methodist Church, and a like sum to the Home Mission Department, which supported European and Maori workers on the mission field in the Dominion.

Keen appreciation was expressed concerning the work of the Ladies’ Guild, which was tendered a hearty vote of thanks for its activities during the year.

Reports were presented by the leaders of the Sunday School, the senior and intermediate Bible classes, the benevolent fund stewards, the young people’s club, and the men’s club, and Christian Endeavour Society, in all of which keen interest had been displayed during the year.

It was decided to unite with tht Methodist Churches at Dublin Street, Aramoho. Wanganui East, and Gonville in the proposed celebrations in May next of the centenary of Methodism in New Zealand, and a committee was appointed to meet the delegates of the other local branches of the church to discuss the form m which the centenary would be celebrated in Wanganui. A hearty and unanimous invitation was extended to the Rev. Dudley to remain a seventh year in Trinity, members speaking in the warmest terms of praise of the pronounced 'success of the church under his greatly appreciated and devoted ana whole-souled ministration. Mr Dudley thanked the officers for their continued confidence and assistance, and while recognising that to remain a seventh year was breaking the usual custom of the Methodist Church, and that it would be the hardest year of his ministry, said he would be pleased to accept the invitation, and expressed the hope and prayer that the blessing of God would rest on his ministrations and the church during the close of the present year and the year 193839.