A YEAR'S WORK.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 840, 11 June 1910, Page 6

A YEAR'S WORK.

— CONSTABLE STREET, CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The twelfth annual report of the Constable Street ■ Congregational Church states that fifteen members were admitted during the year, the nominal'roll show's'Bl members, and the actual working roll is 61. Reference is made to the departure from the district of thirteen of .the most active members during the year. . 11l a fow mouths the Rov. W. A. Evans completes his sixth year of ministry at the church.- Acknowledgment is irtaclo of. tho "jioble devotion and untiring zeal which has characterised his pastorate." \ Tho Sunday services have not been wel! attended. More especially is the lack of adulta at the morning services most lamentable. The average attendance at the evening services has been well maintained, but. shows hardly any appreciable increase on late years. Only under exceptional circumstances does the attendance reach above 25 per ccnt. of the seating accommodation, of. the church. This is a very ldng way from fulfilling the hopes of all ivhen the new church was erected. Owing, no doubt, to there always being plenty of room in tho church, members and friends have got into the habit of entering. the . church almost in a body at tho last moment. This should be' chocked, as an empty church is a very cold welcome to strangers.

The Wednesday-evening services have generally been very well attended. The choir, under the . leadership of Mr. J. H. Johnston, has continued to irender valuable service. 'J.'o Mr. J. •Hayes,'fo rhis'services at the organ, deepest thanks ' are rendered. Tho Sunday 6ch001,. under its superintendent, Mr. F. E. Drew, has struggled bravely-.during the year against great odds. The school has now on its roll 157 scholars, against 138 last year. At the present time, the school is largely staffed by' volunteers from tho senior Bible-classes. . This,. in,.. itself, is a. hopeful sign, and shows that the school is doing a good work; but more adult teachers with the knowledge that conies with a moro ripened experience aro urgently needed. Five male teachers who had long been identified with tho school were lost during tho year by remova], and their places arc not yet satisfactorily filled. In fact, "the school lias only fivo adult teachers,- including the pastor. Though one of'41)0 smallest- churches of the order "ill point of numbers, the Constable,. Street Church has to support a Sunday-school in which tho average attendance of scholars is exceeded by only threo Congregational Churches ill the Dominion. Taking the actual working roll of 61, over 25 per cent, of the.church's members must be 1 teachers if the, school is to be adequately staffed: The Junior • Endeavour. Society, under the superintendency of Mrs. AY. F. Eggers, lias a' membership of 43,.. against 37 at the beginning of the year, and an average attendance of 35 at its Sunday morning meetings. Its missionary committee collected during the year £5 14s. for foreign missions, and £2 Bs. for home missions. The Intermediate Endeavour Society, with tho Rev. W. A. Evans as its president, has a membership of fifteen, active and three associative . members, and its meetings are very well attended. The Girl's Leisure Hour Society has continued its meetings during the year, and a quantity , of work has been contributed to tho mission- box for India.

The Women's Guild continues to be a tower of strength to the church. Last vear, without the aid of a salo of work, but by other methods more agreeable and more. profitable, tho whole of tho moneys required' for interest'and sinking funds oil. the various loans, asiwqll as, a balance contributed to the general funds, were raised by the guild. The main source of the guild's revenue is the, contributing boxes in tho homes of tlio members.

The Young Men's Club has suffered by tho departure from' the district of some ofi the most " active members. "Notwithstanding tho many trials of tho year, the loss of many of'our best workers, straitened finances, and perhaps apparent failure, yet there is no note, of failure in our church."