PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

Chronicle (Levin), 29 October 1946, Page 4

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

— AKKUAL REVIEW OF ALL ' CHURCH WORK This evening at Wanganui the general assembly .of the Presbyterian Church of New~ Zealand begins - its revigw of ' the church's work for 1945-46 and makes plans for continued service in 1946-47. All eXtraeongregational work is the responsibility * of committees appointed by assembly, and a considerable ampunt of the time of the assembiy is spent in hearing and diseussing the reports conveners make, and Jlri deciding lines of policy to be adopted .for the Goming years. The Presbyterian Church has for its numerical strength a very small staff of assembly appointments, the rnain work of the church being dohe by Ministers and elders over and above their normal duties in local congregations. Representatives of the 258 congregations and 96 mission stations, one half represented by Ministers and one half by elders, are assembled at Wanganuiunder the newly-appointed Moderator, Rev. Herbert Davies, a missionary who has given thirty-seven years of his life ta South China. The report of the • assembly statistician shows that the number of church attenders and the number under pastoral care have increased. The numbers of scholars at Sunday Schools, and of members engaged in Bible Class work, have shown increases. Financially the church has given generously to the wider schemes of the church. The communicant membership stands at 58,537. There were 5812 baptism ' during the year, while 2877 elders and 4150 managers or deacons were engaged in service within the congregations. An interestihg appointment it will fall to this assembly to make is that of a Professor of Old Testament studies in the Theological Hall, Knox College, Dunedin. Dr. S. F, Hunter has ' retired and all the applicants for the vacancy are men in Great Britain. The committee on church union intends to urge the assembly to make definite progress in negotiations with the Methodist and Congregational churches. From the outset of union conversations the Methodist Conference has declared in principle that the Methodist Church is in favour of union with the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches. So far the Presbyterian Church has mdde no such declaration and at this assembly the committee on church union is urging that such a declaration be made. The report of the public questions committee is one' which touches a number of vital community matters, including population, immigration and refugees, divorce, Anzac Day observance, and the Royal Commission on Gaming and Racing. St. Andrew's Presbyterian congregation, Levin, will be represqnted at Assembly by Mr. William Davie. Mrs. A. Brash will represent St. Andrew's branch of the Women's Missionary Union at the P.W.M.U. Conference, which meets during the first few days of the assemhlv