ST. JOHN'S CHURCH

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2247, 5 September 1914, Page 10

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH

ANNUAL MEETING & REPORT

At the annual meeting of St. John's Church, Dr. Gibb presided. The adoption of the report was moved by Mr. A. D. Thomson, and seconded by Mr. J. S. Butler, who expressed great satisfaction with tho state of the work disclosed by the report. Mr. J. M'Kerrow, Mr. W. Allan, and others spoko in a similar strain. Dr. Gibb thanked the office-hearers and workers for their hearty and stimulating support. The report begins with an expression of thankfulness that ''spite _ of the confessed difficulties with which the work of the evangel is to-day encompassed, and the special hindrances , due to our being now a 'down town , church, we end the- year with a considerably increased, members-hip in full communion, with piir organisations in vigorous working order, and with a record of altruistic giving far beyond anything we havo hitherto accomplished." Several paragraphs are. devoted to the diamond jubilee of'the_ congregation, commemprated last November. The Sunday services connected with" this event and the functions in the church and Town Hall were all highly successful. The jubilee collection amounted to £1600 lfis. 10d. The minister is referred to in terms of warm appreciation. "We confess," says 'the report, "to a feeling of just prido that a man of his.eminent gifts and ability occupies the pastorate of St. John's!" Reference is made to Dr. Gibb's , abundant and self-sacrificing toil on behalf of Homo Missions, Bible-in-Schools, the Orphanage, and many other causes. "But," continues tho report, "it is as a preacher and pastor wo knoirhim best. In the general community many .respect and admire him for Mβ strenuous advocacy of all that makes for righteousness. . His own people love him, especially those who in time of trial and sorrow and the "shadow of death havo been ' cheered and strengthened by his. pastoral ministry and intense' human eympathy." The kirk session contains 30 memhera, the following having been, elected during the year:—Messrs. A. Howitt, E. K. Loriias, M.Sc, G. W. Morico, M.A., W. Ramsay, A. P. Smith, and A. D. Thomson. Mr Lomas shortly after liis election left to take charge of the higher education . department of the missions'of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria in Korea. -

The report expresses heartfelt thankfulness for the'recovery of Mr. J. G. W. Aitken from hisserious illness.' "It is not only St. John's that rejoices iii the prospect of Mr. Aitken's recovering' his full strength; the men and women and tho institutions' blessed 1 by Mr. Aitken's self-denying services and naorethanigeneroue benefactions are almost without .number. We give God thanks for sparing to us this precious life." •. The communion roll contains 826 names; 89 -were re-moved during , the year, and 125 added a gain of 36. Tlio attendances at the -.quarterly com- , reunions we're: September, 522; December, 556; March, 463; June 435. "Tho communion attendance in December was a record, the occasion being Jubilee Sunday. Perhaps more notable was tlio attendance in June, which but for the'inclemency of the weather would have ■ come very close to tho jubilee. That fio many took the Sacrament under such conditions was an omen of happy augury.. , "The attendance at public worship has been well maintained. The 'church lis usually well filled at. the , morning service, and the evening attendance is very largo. The prayer meeting is also well attended, the class-room as a rule beirfg filled to the doors. :, The social life of the, congregation has been diligently cared for in various ways. The service of praise is spoken.of in terms of decided appreciation, and Mr. Kerry's -tfork as organist and choir leader is described as highly effective, both from a musical, and devotional point of view. >

iTbe Women's Missionary Association is largely attended. They collected for missions during the year the sum of £245. The Young Women's Missionary Guild by means of their annual, sale , of work raissd £44 for missions. Kγ the same purpose the Biblo Classes raised £94. A \onsidetablo sum was collected in aid of the"fund to secure 'one of the missionaries in the foreign field as "St. John's own missionary." Altogether the contributions of the congregation to foreign missions amounts to £492. To Home Missions tho congregation and its agencies contributed £325; to Maori Missions, £25. The total giving to missions, Home, Maori, and Foreign, was £742. Adding to this the sums contributed to the Orphanage, the poor, etc., the total giving of the congregation to outside objeots reaches the splendid figure of £11UU. The Women's Association has a membership' of 58, with 60 honorary members. Three hundred and seventeen articles of clothing wero prepared and distributed among the needy. The'income of £109 was spent chiefly in donations to the poor.. .The work of the Deaconess, Sister Nora,-is'..warmly, appreciated. . Besides rendering valuable assistance to the minister in the ordinary .work of tho church , , tho Deaconess labours much among the poor. . "Sick people are cared for and nursed. into. health, or their families taught how -to nurse, them: empty larders are ' replenished and clothes found for the semi-r.aked." The Mothers' Meeting conducted by the Deaconess has a membership'of 55, with an average attendance of 35. The Sabbath Schools have a roll number of 294, With an'average of 208. There are 43 teachers. The schools' revenue was £114. / . The Bible Classes have a roll of 193— men's, 71 j women's, 122. The men's class gained 5 during the year; 45 members, are in full communion with the church. This class has carried out an extensive programme of work. Several of its members are available for church services in the suburbs, and in connection with the Orphanage and the Boys' Institute much valuable work has been done. 'The revenue of tho class was £100. The Young Women's Glass, No. 1, has a membership 0f,76, of whom 64 are members in 'full communion with the church. The activities of the class are manifold, the Ohiro Home, the Hospital, the Consumptive Shelters, and the Home for Aged and Needy providing the fields of labour. Tho income was £42. •The Women's Class, No. 11, has a membership of 46, and incomo of £28, and has abounded in beneficences similar to the above. : The Management Committee has 21 members. The total revenue of the congregation amounted to-£4382, of which Sunday collections, including the Jubilee special collection, amotmtea to £2557; seat rents, £479. For altruistic purposes, as already stated, the sum of £1100 was donated, £1600 in wiping out the debt of the church, and the balauco in the maintenance of ordinances. Tho report concludes thus: "This record is in many ways impressive. The Christian Church is from the standpoint of this world the most voluntary of all the associations of men, the only obligation resting on its members being loyalty to Christ and the things of tho Spirit. 'Let this be duly weighed, and the tale of work attempted and done, and tlie amount of money raised for altruistic purposes by such a congregation an our own will deeply impress tho mind of every reflective man. But though from tlio point of view of this world the church is a voluntary association, it is nevertheless the church of the living God, and, despite iU manifold shortcomings, inspired by His Spirit. This alone is tho secret .of its perennial youth and unfailing hctPefuluese."-