Rotorua,

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume I, Issue 6, 1 December 1910, Page 4

Rotorua,

The membership of the above is now twenty-five, Messrs F. H. Batten and T. L. Thompson being the latest to be admitted. The members are keen m various branches of Ohuroh work. A working bee, consisting of Messrs Carter, Cragg, Fannin, Halkett, Thompson, Hammond, and Bent have been busy on Satnrday afternoons painting the church fenoe ; Mr Ohilton, one of our choir members, also kindly assisted. The O.E.M.S. men have also taken up the matter of the reduction of the church debt m a very systematic way. A list of the Church members and supporters has been drawn up, and circulars have been issued to them calling for their co-opearation. The town has been divided into districts, and the following members of the O.E.M.S. will take up the work of collecting and interviewing, viz : Messrs Algie, Melville, Fannin, Hawkins, Carter, Wrathall, Bent, and Lyons. The men recognise the urgent necessity of reducing the Church debt so that further pressing works may be put m hand, particularly the extension of the Church building, which is being found on many occasions during the summer to be inadequate for the attendance. It is also very necessary that our Archdeacon should have the assistance of a curate. These things cannot be achieved until our debt is considerably reduced. In the meantime the C.E.M.S. men are putting their shoulders to the wheel, and nine of them have been admitted as lay readers, so that the work of the district will not suffer m the meantime. The gentlemen who offered their services as lay readers are : — Messrs Bent, Carter, Fannin, Hammond, Hawkins, Lyons, Thorn, Webber,: and Ransom. Mr Ransom is conducting the services at Mamaku while Mr Tisdall is away from there, and the

others are prepared to keep up the services at the Waipa and Waiotapu Prison Camps, and at Kaharoa, and m Rotorua during Mr Tisdall's absence. They are also assisting by reading the lessons on Sundays and at the week-night services. Mr Hunt, of theGisborne branch of the G.E.M.S., has also been helping us m the services. During Mr Tisdall's absence at Synod the week-night services were conducted by the O.E.M.S. men. On the first Sunday of this month (November), Messrs Carter arid Bent journeyed to the Waiotapu and Waipa Prison Camps, and conducted the services there. The prisoners appreciated the visit very much, and entered very heartily into the services, having felt the want of them since Mr Raikes had left us. Messrs Thorn and Hammond, who were our Synodsmen on the recent Synod at Napier, also represented our Branch at the O.E.M.S. Conference held m that city during Synod week.