GIRLS' BIBLE GLASS UNION CELEBRATES COMING OF AGE

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 35, Issue 5, 1 July 1944, Page 9

GIRLS' BIBLE GLASS UNION CELEBRATES COMING OF AGE

A Birthday Party wwass s held on June 12, m St. Matthew's Hall, Hastings, by local Bible Glass members to celebrate m Waiapu the Coming of Age of the Girls' Bible Class Union. The evening commenced with tea, which was followed by a service, a very short meeting and a social. Among the seventy - odd present were Dean, O.S. O. Gibson, Canon S. F. N. Waymbuth, Rev. W. T. Drake, Rev: S. R. Gardiner, Rev T. M. Loten, Deaconesses M. Holmes and M. Henn, Mrs. G. V. Gerard, Mrs. W. T. Drake, Miss P. Oxford and Miss E. Wright. Unfortunately our diocesan president, Mrs. P. H. Blakiston was not able to be present, and apologies were received from her, and also from Mrs; M. Maclean, Miss D. Beattie and Miss U. Williams. / • The tea itself was one of the most ambitious ever attempted by the Bible Class girls m Hastings. The first course comprised tomato soup (very kindly donated by Rev. W. T. Drake) and toast, and was followed by mashed potatoes,, sausages and pies. After this, Mr Drake called on Mrs. Gerard to light the candles 6f our beautiful 21st birthday cake — this, by the way, had been iced by Miss Kathleen Stubbs, and looked far too good to cut. Miss Wright, one of Waiapu's oldest campers was then asked to blow out the candles, and. Deaconess M. Holmes to cut the cake, which tasted even better than it looked. , After the cake had been passed round, Mr. Drake called on the Dean to propose the toast of the Girls' Bible Class Union. Mr. Gibson first said how pleased he was to be m such a lovely hall, with such a lot of lovely ' girls, and continued, more seriously, by telling us that m the time to come the Girls' Bible Glass Union will play an important part m the community, and that if we do not live up to our part, we will be letting 1 , our Church down. It was important, he said, that .we .set. a .good example to the Boys' Union, and stressed that, as we grow older, we should not lose touch with the Bible Glass Union, and that for which it stands. After tea, a service of .Intercession and Thanksgiving, lead by Canon S. F. N. Waymouth, was held m St. Matthew's Church. At this service we used the service sheets printed for-the Christchurch Thanksgiving Service held last April. Following the short routine business meeting, Miss Wright, one of the leaders responsible for the formation of our branch, gave a brief outline of the

early days of the Bible Class Union m Waiapu. : The last hour of the evening was spent m community singing, games, etc., "Musical Stick" caused a lot of amusement, as did the competition of singing nursery rhymes, and the part singing of "Three Blind Mice." Nine o'clock came far too soon, andthe evening finished (except for those who could stay for. supper) with the Blessing, and the singing of "Auld Larig Syne." At this gathering were representatives from all Napier, Hastings and Havelock North Classes, and we vknow that everyone present will agree that it was. a fitting celebration for our 21st Birthday. We only wish it had been possible to have representatives from all other classes m the Diodese with us on this important occasion.— -Contributed.