CHURCH ANNUAL REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2127, 20 April 1914, Page 3

CHURCH ANNUAL REPORTS.

ST. PAUL'S, tHORNDON

The annual report <rf the Churchwardens of St. Paul's Anglican Parish, Tborndon, for the year ended March 31, 15)14, states:—

There has been no change on tho staff this year. Tile ficv. H. S. Uariiett, L.Th., continues, lug earnest work ;u assistant curate. The vestry has agreed to the appointment of tho Eov. 0. IL Harvey, M.A., as locum teneus during tile vicar's visit to England. Mr, Harvey takes np his duties on May 1. To the regret of all who knew him, Mr. Robert Aldred, v,ergcr for twenty* sis years, was suddenly called to Jest. Th* churchwardens cordially thank tho parishioners for their response -to the nfipeal on behalf of Sirs. Aldred. The sum or £100 was raised, and is being paid to her in weekly instalments. Tho offertories have been well maintained this year. They β-liow a total of i-oGS 17s._6d,,as agaisst £513 15s. fid. Against tho increase in tlto offertories must ho set a decrease of £30 in pew rents. The new vestry should consider tho question whether tho retention of tho present Tinatari Road school is in tlw best- interests of the parish. The churchwardens face with some anxiety the fact that within tho nest fow months tho period covered by prom.'Scs made three years ago to *b'e curate fund expires. They very earnestly ask subscribers to continue to support tho fund, aud arge on paVishieners its importance. '-

iho success'of the sale of work held last October beats witness to tins energy of those ladies who organised it; especially to Mrs. J, M. King, secretary of tho Guild. Of the proceeds, £100' was added to ilie rebuilding fund, which now amounts, to £758 6s. 6d.; £25 was deposited as the nucleus of a fmid for a now tent, £15 was given to tho St. Paul's Day end Kindergarten School, and the balance- handed to the churchwardens for the maintenance of the church building. Tlie- Rev. J.. C. FiteGerald paid a short return visit- io New Zealand last spnnm. and cfwdwc-ied asmissioni in fit Peter's iittd St. Paul's parishos, The mission was rather intensive than evangelistic, and those fsr whom tho visit was chiefly intended were greatly benefited by his addresses and personal work. Ihe distrubancees of the industrial crisis of the time seriously affected tho attendance at tbo mission. There aro many, hmvever, who will never ceaso to ioo-k beck with deepest grati* tude to tfeo ©ossage ffi'/ejt hy Mr. Gerald,

Tho Church of the Province is this, year commemorating tho coming of Marsden to Now Zealand. A great missionary is to fra held in tiro lown Hall next summer. The parish has undertaken this responsibility of arranging a court at that-exhibit-tan, and lias been assigned tluj court representing tho Universities' Mission to' Central Africa.

fho thanks of tlio parish are due to the llwrßdon School Society Trustees, and especially to the treasurer (Mr. E-. H. Anderson); to those who have helped i<) tho conduct of the services at the imakori Rend School,iio.tabl.y tk* organists <Miss Upham ati<J Mr, Coles), bM Mr. Firminger; to tho leaders in the Sunday School; to the esdr'etarios of the Mission Guilds} to tho Ladies , Sewing Guild; to the JJercaS and Belief Society; to the C.E.M.S. for work iii many branches of church organisation; to the organist and. eholr of tho Pro<Cathedral; to Miss. (J, Oswin, who has cfiargo of the "Church ChronieV in the partsli; and to Mrs. Warren, our district visitor, for her maiiy servicos in eases ot distress and sickness. Tho cUurcliwardens liavc apaiti to thank Messrs. IX Afwicrsmi and Sons for tlio use of tfieir omcij in Ine oeKcetien of scat rents and, for their coitskat attention to tlw affairs of St. PnuPe parish. : Th ? annual meeting will he keld t'nis cveiiing.

.ST. MARK'S CHUReH. At the annual meeting of parishioners ot St. Mark's Church, to ho held this evening, the report, of. tho ehqrohwardeus (Messrs.. W. J. Huesteu and G. W Morgan) will be presented. This states tua-t- the statenieat of receipts and ex» penditure for. the year discloses a vci:v satisfactory financial position, tho sum. ot £i 3/ 7s, M., stan-dmg to credit at 31arch 31. This happy result was in a largo measure due to tho splendid anonymous donation sent \o ibo vicar during fte year. Tho total rccebte tosily constituted a record for tlio partsh, tat tho vestry regretted that the general offertories and seat rents showed a slight decrease as compared with the iwevwns year. ' The vestry recorded its keen appreciation of the splendid work do»e for the parish, and for tho various missionary societies by tho vicar the- Rev. C. F, Askew, who had been so ably backed up by the efforts of MrsAskew.' The.- vestry felt suns it was but vweuig the wish-of the- whole of the parishioners when it hoped that Mrs. Askew w/juM bo speedily re-stored aaaiu to normal health. The- vicar's action in declining two impoftant livings d«rins tho past year had cbmihendeq iti/elf to the parish RCiwrally. In October tho Rfiv. h. H. ]?enn wa,s appointed vicar of Pahififua, and in his place th 6 parish had been very fortunate in sc." curing -the services <»f the- Rev. Wer&in'y Thomson. 'Mr. Thomson, during the short iitno he liad been with them had proved his capacity for undertaking a vast arnqtmt of work, and he had endeared himself to all with whom he had come int-a contact. .

Tho parish was to bo congratulated on the wonderful success achieved at the annual sale of work "held in October last year. Set Excellency tho Countess of Liverpool opened tho procfeSdiiißS ou tho fitst afternoon, -with a little speech: and the Mayoress, Mrs.- J. f , . Luke, 011 the second day. AM joined forces to make the sale a success, with tho result that after handing £123 to the churchwardens, tile parish mission .scheme benefited to the extent of over £100. Tho missionary and benevolent fund, thanks to the untiring energy of the secretary, Mr. C. H. Cneiwin, showed aa increase on former jroars, and the vestry took tto opportunity of Marking its appreciation of the work dano by tbe collectors. Jtosenmath, under the ear© of the Rev. W, I), g. Ofiden, continued fo slow increased activity. A reference to the balancesheet revealed the, fact that during the .year tho ordinary offertories amounted to the handsome sum of .£IOO. Tho land purchase fund now stands nt £445. and the time is not far distant; wlieii this part of St. Mark's parish will besoms a separata district. Tile thanks of the vestry and parishioners W«?o duo to the choir, Sunday School supwhitajdBiit and teachers and bellrtaflflra, end : nil tho Church Workers wJ». had • do.no so iMueli during tho year to help in the J affairs of the parish.