Presbyterian Church.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 14 September 1917, Page 3

Presbyterian Church.

IDA VALLEY PARISH. Report of the General Committee for the Year ending 30th June, 1917. There is nothing special for this the third year of the war. The work of the church has been carried on under difficulties. The continual stream of men leaving for the front has to some ext9nt disorganised the management. The Sunday schools at Oturehua and Ida Valley were closed on account of men leaving for the front. Oturehua school has been opened again, Miss Gordon taking the place of Mr D. Nicolson, who superintended the school in the past. The attendance at public worship has also fallen off. In addition to the loss of the young men, others, in the outlying portions of the parish, who were dependent on the men for driving them to the church, have had greater difficulty in attending, more especially the night services.

Financially, we are much the same as last year. Tt.e church collections are less by £8 Bs, but the Sustentation has increased by £5 Is 7d, making the natt loss over all a little over £3. The loss of young nren the last three years has been the main cause of the decrease in revenue.

We rejoice to think that the majority of the young men enlisting from this district were supporters of the church. We would like to point oat however that if our young men left a strong, progressive church to fight for the cause of liberty and righteousness, it would be poor recompense on our part to let them come back and find a languid and weakened church in its place. We would call upon all therefore to do their best to see that neither in attendance nor finance doe 3 the church suffer, so that when our men return they may rejoice to think that while they were fighting in God's cause'in a foreign land, those left behind were upholding the banner of Jesus Christ in their native land. It will fall therefore on those left behind to make op the amount previously contributed by our soldiers in addition to thjir own usual subscriptions. The Moderator, Rev. Mr Ryeburn, visited the Parish in March, delivering, addresses at Oturehua and Pool burn on Presbyterianism in New Zealand. Mr Fawcett also visited the Parish in connection with P.S.S.A. work, and especially with tt.e building of the Old People's Home. The sum of £75 10s has already been subscribed, and con ■ tributions are still coming in.

B The committee again desire to thank the organists. Sustentation collectors and Sunday School teachers for their work during the year. The number on the communion roll is the same as last year. There were seven baptisms, one marriage and five funerals during the year. BALANCE-SHEET. Spiritual Fund.

Balance in band July 1st, 1916 £12 2 2i Poolburn— Sustentation £30 15 4 Collections 30 3 5 Chaplain Fund 1 1 3 Home Missions 1 0 0 Foreign i Missions 1 5 0 64 5 0 Ida Valley— '■ Sustentation £10 7 6 Collections 9 16 64 .— 20 4 0% Oturehua — Sustentation £7 5 0 Collections 29 11 S Chaplain Fund 1 8 9 Home Missions 1 18 3 Foreign Missions 1 3 0 51 6* 8 Wedderburn— Sustentation £17 19 3 Collections 9 8 8 , Cnapfain Fund 15 0 V. 28 2 11 £176 0s 10 Expenditure. Minister's Stipend £155 0 0 Insurance on Manse 1 7 9 Accident Insurance i 10 0 Foreign Missions 2 8 0 Home Missions 2 18 3 Chaplain Fund 3 5 0 Presbytery Assessment 1 0 0 Assembly Assessment 10 0 Balance in Hand 9 1 10 r £176 0 10 General Parish Fund. Balance in Hand £6 14 , 0 Ida Valley Cont. 3 - 5 0 £9 19 0 Expendittire. Repairs to.Gig £1 6 6 Two New Tyres" 2 10 0 Buggy Lamps 1 1 0 Wheel Barrow 1 7 6 Repairs to Harness 2 19 6 Water Tap '7 6 Tireea 4 0 Railage 1 6 Balance 1 6 £9 19 0