COURTENAY-PLACE CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2147, 13 May 1914, Page 11

COURTENAY-PLACE CHURCH.

ANNUAL REPORT. "The year under review has, on the whole, been a busy one, and will doubt, less have a, marked effect on the future work of the- clwreh," says tho annual report of tho C'otir'tenay Place Congregational..Church. Lengthy reference is nia.de to the retirement- of the Rev. A. Sl'DonaM Aspland, whose excellent worktor the ebureli is placed on recard. . A welcome fe also ex-tended to the Rev, A. E. Hunt,-who filled the vacancy. The present, membership stands at 123, and includes 20 members living in other centres desirons of «ontinuhm their connection with tb? church, Eleven names were taken off the roll during the year, rtis having transferred, to other cimrohes whilst five were removed under church rule, which provides for such removal after six months' .absence, notice having been given to members -in nucsiiots. ■ Jfottrtcen new members have been received, seven on transfer, two by confession of faith, and five on the rccom-' mendation of the pastor.' The gain over last year's total is three. It is interesting to note, 'that the nt«mbership is mado up. of 81 of one sex and 44 of the sterner sos being in the -minority. '.'■' ,r

As to tlio finances; the amount Wised last year from all' sources Was £430, ftnd, this year's .'.total exceeded that ainoubt. The balance-sheet again shows a. bnlattce on'the right side, in spitn of .increased expenditure-. The envelope system of giving is being more widely used'than ever before by members, and contributions for the last quarter of the vf-nr through the envelopes totalled £30 16s. f>d.-a record. . The total for the

. 2ar (£S)6. 9s.j, however, falls short of the previous year's ' total,' which was £114 &; 3d, The record for last quarter is wholly duo to. Mr. Bobert- Stewa,rt's efforts. Having accepted the ofSe-o of envelope secretary, bo has, in a very short time, succeeded in practically doubling iht> number of envelope contributors. Prior to the departure of Mr. Asplaml, the Ladies' Sewing Circle bold their .annual, sale of work, which realised £57 19s. 7d, This, it is stated, may possibly be the last of a Jong series of such sales by tho lady workers,'as it has been decided, with the approval of the- Church, to hold no sale tin's year. It is,therefore fltting to state, says the .report, that during the long period over which: these sales hnvc been hold the Church has been helped to tbo extent of some £1500, and Km horje record emhigh appreciation of the efforts of the Ladies' Sewing Guild.,

The Sunday Sabool department of the Church's activity continues to do good work, in spite of many difficulties, principally that of /unsuitable premises.", 'flip roll, after careful revision, shows a total of seventy-twG scholars, -vvitli an average attendance of sixty. Sir. W. 6. .Holdsworth continues in charge, his staff of ■■officers and teachers numbering fifteen, with an average attendance of twelve. The experiment of a Sunday School holiday was tried during the Christmas and New Year ws.s entirely successful. The nnionnt collected for niis--sions by'the Bcl.Kiol'was £26 3s,' lid.,of which £'13 Ss. fd. was obtained per nwdiujn of collectiiig-oards for the mis-, sion ship John YviHian'S. Other dennrtmonts,'- s'uch as the Band ■ of Hope', Men's Bible Class, Cmirtenny Place Young Mwi's Club ffornlPrly knmvn as tlie. "Asplasni Club"), have also dono excellent work. •