HAMILTON METHODISTS

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17994, 12 April 1930, Page 9

HAMILTON METHODISTS

QUARTERLY MEETING.

GOOD PROGRESS MADE. The quarterly meeting of the Hamilton Circuit was held at St. Paul’s Schoolroom. Rev. Percy Paris presided, and associated with him were the Rev. G. R. Harris, Messrs W. B. L. Williams and J. G. Tietjens (circuit stewards), and a good number of church officials from the different preaching places. A vote of condolence was carried to Messrs G. H. Giliing and Charles Gilling in their recent bereavement. Devotions were led by Messrs Warren and Mead. The chairman welcomed Mr Woodward as a new member of the meeting. He has been appointed Sundayschool visitor. Church membership returns revealed an increase of six seniors and five juniors on the quarter. Financial Statement. Mr Williams presented the financial statement, showing an increase of income and a slight reduction of last quarter’s deficit. Mr D. J. Davey reported on the proposed budget scheme. There had been a very poor response to this proposal.—lt was decided t° abandon the scheme, and the finance committee were asked to arrange for the different congregations in the circuit to be allocated their share of the income to he raised.

June 15 will be Foreign Mission Sunday, and offerings that day will be devoted to the work of the church in the Solomon Islands. Appreciation was expressed or the recent visit of the Rev. A. H. Voyce, pioneer missionary on the Island of Bougainville, and the Rev. Belshazzer Gina, the first Solomon Islander minister. Mr E. Thomas was re-elected foreign mission secretary, and given authority to choose his committee for the circuit. It was reported that the Rev. E. P. Blamires, organising secretary of the Young People’s Department., would visit the circuit on May 18, which was Young People’s Sunday throughout the Dominion. His preaching appointments will be printed on the new circuit plan. There will he a special enveolpe offering that day for the youth work of the church. The Home Missions. Mr R. P. Kilham, circuit secretary for Home and Maori Missions, presented a report of the splendid work done. 'Pile sum of £167 10s 4d had been raised in the circuit for this department. Sister Nicholls and the teachers in the native Sunday-schools were commended for their effective work. Mr P. White, agent for the New Zealand Methodist Times, reported that there were 60 subscribers here, and ail but four had paid up. A parsonage has been secured' at 73 Massey Street, Frankton junction, where the Rev. F. J. Parker will reside. The ladies’ guilds are now busy attending to the furnishing of same. Mr Parker will begin his work here on April 20. Mr E. J. Davey, secretary for the orphanages, reported that £33 Is 6d had been sent to those institutions. Change in Minister. Mr J. C, Tietjens reported that as the Rev. Percy Paris had intimated to the stewards by letter in August, 1929, that he would be leaving Hamilton in April, 1931, they had during the recent conference approached the Rev. W. H. Hocking, of Dunedin, to succeed Mr Paris. Mr Hocking accepted the invitation, and the quarterly meeting now unanimously confirmed the arrangement. Australian Lay Mission. The local preachers announced the visit of the Australian Lay Mission'. The party consists of four prominent Australian laymen—Lieut.-Col. Betheras, M.A. (retired chief inspector of schools in Victoria), Mr E. E. Mitchell, Mus. Bac. (examiner in music to the associated universities of Australia), Mr W. Buck (an accountant of Melbourne), and Mr Leonard Buck. These missioners, at their own expense, arc visiting the Methodist churches of New Zealand and are commended by the conference. They will speak at Garden Place on Friday evening, liis Worship the Mayor presiding; St. Paul’s, London Street, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and Sunday evening.

The next quarterly meeting will he held at St. Paul’s on Tuesday, July 8.