MAORI CHURCH NOTES

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 31, Issue 6, 1 August 1940, Page 3

MAORI CHURCH NOTES

Assistant to the Bishop of Aotearoa By a new arrangement with the authorities m the Wellington Diocese, the personal supervision v of Maori Church work m that Diocese will for the future be entrusted to the Archdeacons. Each of the Maori-pas-torates is practically conterminous with one of the , Archdeaconries, and the new arrangement will make\ possible a much closer co-operation between the Maori clergy and" senior Pakeha priests could be effected; by a quarterly visit from a superr intendent living two hundred mites away. The Wellington Diocese will retaih the services of Canon Williams m an advisory capacity, as Secretary of the Maori Mission Committee, but apart from this the whole of his time will now be devoted to work m the Waiapu Diocese, as assistant to the Bishop of Aotearoa. The appointment of Canon Williams has been made possible by the trustees of two special funds for the support of Maori Church work, and does not entail any call upon the ordinary funds of the Diocese. Waiapu Pastorate Finances Nine of the twelve Maori 'pastorates m the Diocese concluded the financial year just ended with a credit balance. When it is known that at the end of the previous financial year the combined deficits 'of three of these pastorates amounted to £391, it will be realised that I£ie "Maori members of the Church have made a splendid effort during the past twelve months. By an arrangement with the trustees of a Maoriowned fund, grants have been assured which, will place the budgets of the three debtor pastorates on a credit basis for the future. The fact that the greater proportion of those interested' m this particular trust are members of other religious bodies, is an indication of the fine spirit of unity and co-operation which is developing amongst the Maori community. . > '

Yoiing ?6bpltfs Work The Rev, W. Huata is doing good work amongst the young people of the Waipatu-Moteo Pastorate. A: Bible Glass of twenty-five members has been going for some time at Kohupatiki, and classes are now being formed at Waipatu and Omahu. Part of . the time is devoted to Bible study, and part to lectures on English Church .History m which great interest is being shown by all who attend. Classes have also . bedn formed m. several places to candidates for the confirmation .which will be held m September. Ordinations The Bishop; Qf Aotearoa will conduct an ordination service' m the . Maori Church at Manutuke on Sun- . day, August 11th, when the three Maori deacons, Manu Bennett, Wi Huata and Turoa Pohatu will be admitted to the priesthood. Another ordination service will be held m the ' the Auckland Diocese m November, when three more of the former Te Aute students who have been completing their studies at St. John's College, Pera Kena, Kiki Nathan and Ti Raketi, will be admitted to the diaconate. It is hoped that one of these will be appointed to assist m the work at Wairoa, one will work m the Auckland Diocese, and one will go to Christchurch to work amongst the Maoris of that Diocese under the direction of one of the Pakeha vicars. We commend all these young -men to the prayers of the Church.