THE CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1428, 1 May 1912, Page 6

THE CHURCHES.

ST. STEPHEN'S, MARTON. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Parochial District of .Marlon took place on Wednesday lust. The weather was rough, arid 110 attendance, though fair, was not. what it would otherwise have. been. The vicai read his annual .statement, rnvievini* tho events of the year, after which he'" proceeded to explain tho New South Wnlcs system of religious instruction in State schools, the sysrem adopted on April 18 by a representative conieronce of the religious bodies in Christchureh. Alter a reierenco to (lie finances, lie proceeded to deal with the question of free seats expressing approval of the principle, but pointing out the iliilicnltiws of adoptiii" it in a church like St. Stephen's, when; tor JO years tho renled system has been in use. He hoped that eventually tho tree system might be adopted, not Ivy anv compelling vote of a meeting, but In- the gradual and voluntary Kiirrmulcr of "seats by fnmilies now in possession of them, lhe vicar referred to the establishment m dm parish of the Wellington Diocesan Colloßiale School for Girls, "ivim: a hrartv welcome io Miss M. V. Barker, .M.A., the principal, and all h«r associates. In Uu'ir report, lhe churchwardens suited: The general offertories show a decrease of £211 Ms. lid., and the year ends with a debit balance on the, vestrv account of JMO 3s. .id., principally accounted for by an increase of rxpoiiilitiire under the heading of upkeep* and repairs amounting to .t'3G, ami part payment of the contract for painting the church and Sunday School-room, <t(>2 4s. The vestry has found it necessary to incur heavy liabilities for-(1) Completion of the Archdeacon Towgood Memorial Chanel, at the cemetery; (2) purchase of hydraulic blower for the organ in St. Stephen's (this is justified by the present annual cost of over .C3O for manual blowing) i (3) fencing, drainage, etc., of the vicarngc site. To meet these a bank overdraft of .£SOO has bre-u guaranteed by several parishioners. The special offertories show a small increase of 19s. 10d. Tho parish is much indebted to the Sewing Guild for another year's successful work, resulting in the debt on the organ being paid off and the sum of .KO 3s. Gil. transferred to the vestry account.

Tho following officers "wore elected for tho coming year:—Vicar's churchwarden, Mr. A. J, Alloway; parishioneers' warden, Mr. E. J. Wilde; vestry, Messrs. G. Burnett,, K. 13. Beckett, W. J. Birch, T. Funston, A, \V. Piillerton-Smitli, ]'. ,T. Sladden, and R. Youngj auditor, Mr. A. J. B. Sicely, with many thanks for past services voluntarily given. ST, LUKE'S, WADESTOWN. THE YEAR'S WORK. The parishioners of St.'Luke's, Wadestown, held their annual meeting in the schoolroom on Monday evening, Tho Eev. J. G. S. BartUiit (vicar) presided. Mr. P. J. liaise, churchwarden, read the vestry's report, which stated that the year's receipts amounted to .E3OO ]9s. Td., including .1150 compensation for land taken by the corporation, and ,C 35 from the Education Board. Excluding special efforts, there had been a slight increase in ordinary and special offertories, and it was pleasing to note a substantial increase in subscriptions. A strong effort shorn! bo made to increase the number of subscribers to the church funds. An event of much importance during the voar was the arrangement made ior purchase of land as a vicarage si;e and the erection, of a building now in course of construction. Compensation for land taken for road purposes by the City Corporation and received through the Diocesan Trustees enabled the vestry to erect a suitable fence around tho church. Special thanks were tendered to the Ladies' Sewing Guild for their efforts in connection with the vicarage funds, to members of the C.E.M.S., the choir, Sunday School staff, and other church workers. The report and accounts wore adopted. The following church officers were appointed for tho ensuing year:—Vicar's churchwarden, Mr. A. 11. Stuart j people's churchwarden, Mr. F. J. Halse; vestry, J[e.«rs. J. M. Richardson, J. S. Rutter, J. W. Body, H. Carter, B. Withers, H. K. Simmons, W. J. Lees; auditor, Mr. W. B. Morris. TERRACE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. ANNUAL SOCIAL. The annual social of the Ten-ace Congregational Church was hold last night. Rev. J. Reed Glasson presided, and thero was a srooil number present. Among those who attended were: Rev. D. Herd (Congregational Church, JV.lmerston North) ami Rev. J. R. Clarke (Methodist Church, Karori). Apologies for absence were received from Rev. J. G. Chapman, Rev. James Patterson, and Rev. A. M. Aspland. In the course of an address, the treasurer of the church (Mr. P. Meadowcroft) said that (he annual report revealed a very bright and hopeful state of affairs. Tho people had risen splendidly to their financial responsibilities by raising in a week or two over .CIOO, an'd, at the some time, increasing their weekly subscriptions by ono and a half guineas per week, ST. ALBAN'S CHURCH. EASTBOURNE. Tho annual general meeting of the St. Albnn's Church, Eastbourne, was held on llonday evening, the vicar of tho district, the Rev. E, I. Sola, presiding. Thero was a fair attendance of parishioners. At tho commencement of tho meeting, tho vicar spnke with firoat thankfulness of the largo congregations during the summer months, and was especially pleased with the attendance during Holy Week. A congregation of some sixty persons at the three hours' service on Good Friday presented a solid witness to the world of churchmen's faith. Ho was glad to record over one hundred communicants at Eastertide, though numbers in thoniFelves were not necessarily a proof of spiritual progress. Ho spoke of the chief weaknesses of the church in Eastbourne l'.ying tho failure to attract tho men and also tho younger visitors at the Bay. JIo invited suggestions for remedying this. The provision of church services for Day's Bay would be considered before next summer, After the report, ami statement of account had been read and adopted, the following officers were appointed or ciech'-.l: —Vicar's warden, Mr. R. L. Button; parishioners' warden. Mr. J. D. Avory; vestry, Messrs. F. J. Chittey, W. H. Didsbury, ]). A. Jenkins, J , . St. J. Keenan, T: W. P. Marsden, 11. W.. Short t, and W. P. Shortt; auditors, Messrs. 11. 0. P. Marsden and P. Wills.