ST. MARK’S CHURCH, TE AROHA.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 440, 25 January 1890, Page 2

ST. MARK’S CHURCH, TE AROHA.

The annual meeting in connection with St. Mark’s Church, Te Aroha, was held on Thursday evening ; the following being present:—Rev F. G. Evans (chairman), Messrs Dobson, Winstone, Similes, Morrison. Bennett, Lawlor, Ahier, Wild, Barker, and Mrs Tonge. Minutes of the previous annual meeting were read and confirmed. Balance Sheet for 1889 : Mr Winstone read the balance-sheet for the year ending December 31st, 1889, as follows : Yearly Statement St. Mark’s Church, Te Aroha. General Account: Receipts: To offertory account, L 123 12s 2d ; by debit balance (December 31st, 1888), L 7 13s 5d ; minister’s stipend (ten months), LB3 6s 8d ; cleaniug, LlO 4s ; lighting, L2 10s 3d ; printing. 10s ; miscellaneous, L2 4s 7d ; rent (Parsonage), L 8 15s; total, LI 14 19s lid ; balance in hand at December 31st, 1839, L 8 12s 3d. Building Fund account : To dona tions, Lll ; lectures and entertainments, L 7 14s Id ; debit balance at December 3lst, 1889, L2 6s 7d ; L2l Os 8d: By credit balance at December 21, 1888, L2 5s 5d ; organ account, LlO ; insurance L2 7s 3d ; Standing Committee (interest), L 6 8s ; total, L2l 0s Bd. Liabilities at December 31st, 1889 : Due on organ, L2 10s ; due Standing Committee, LBO ; less credit b dance at Bank New Zealand. L 6 5s 8d ; —net liabilities, L 76 4s 41. Total debt at December 31st, 1888, LIO2 8s 10s; total debt at December 31st, 1889, L 76 4s 4d ; showing a total reduction of the debt for the year of L2G 4s 6d. Examined and found correct : J. A. Dobson and J. Winstone, Auditors, January 21st, 1890.

The balance-sheet was adopted as read. Annual Report of Vestry : Tho annual report of the Vestry was read by the Chairman. It referred to the removal of Mr Marshall (the former incumbent) to Ellerslie in April last; and that Rev Mr Evans accepted the incumbency on July Ist, in response to the unanimous desire of the Vestry, and of delegates from the out districts. The stipend paid to Mr Evans was stated to be L2OO per annum, and L 35 extra for rent of parsonage, contributed as follows:—Te Aimliu, Lll7 lUs; Waiorongomai, L3O; Morrinsville, L3O ; Shaftesbury, L 23 ; Te Aroha West, LlO ; Waitoa, L 10; Home Mission grant, LI7. The Vestry desired to remind the congregation of the need for regular giving to the offertory, seeing it w-s the only means of sunport; so far they were pleased to be able to report that all payments had been fully met. Both at Te Arulm and the out districts regular services had been held, by the valued assistance of Mr J. Winstone, both morning and evening ser vice being regularly maintained at Te Aroha. The assistance of Messrs Chepmell, Cox, Morrison, and Hunt in the out districts, and of Mr Similes reading Hie bssons at the Te Aroha Sunday services, was likewise acknowledged. The smallness of St. Mark’s was stated to lie a great disadvantage, and the hope w-s expressed that efforts would be made at an eaily date to so enlarge the Church as to provide fifty additional sittings. The Vestry’s appreciation of the services of Mr Smales, as Sunday Sclioo l Superintendent and choir conductor ; Miss Wainwright and Mr S. Craig as organists ; Messrs Dobson and Winstone as auditors was recorded. The Chairman then briefly addressed the meeting ; and in the course of Lis remarks expressed thankfulness for his greatly improved health, stating he now felt stronger than ever before. He also felt thankful for the kindness he had experienced from the people all over the district. He askea for the prayers of the people in his work ; and said if as a church and a people they wete only given to prayer succe-s in the work of the church would surely result. Touching on the need of enlarging St. Mark’s, he stated that the cost of the addition was estimated at about LSO, towards which LI4 had already been promised. Election of Church Officers for 4890 : On the motion of the Chairman Mr W. H. P. Marsdon was re-appointed Minister’s Warden ; on the motion of Mr Finales Mr Ahier was re-appointed People’s Warden. Mr Lawlor moved that the Vestry consist of Messrs Dobson, Winstone, M inison, Lawlor (the mover), Smales, Clough, and Pyne. (The outgoing vestry were Messrs Dobson, Winston, Emerson, lleathcote, Pyop, Clough, anu Lawlor.) Mr Smales declined to accept office, and suggested that*the two members of the old Com mittce whose names had been omitted, Messrs Emerson and lleathcote, be re tuined. It was stated Mr Emerson bad not attended the Vestry meetings. Mr Lawlor then substituted Mr Heathcote’s name for that of Mr Smales, and the motipn was then seconded and carried. Messrs Dobson and Winstone were reappointed auditors. Pension Fund : The Chairman lead a letter he had received re the new minister’s pension fund Scheme, now about to be enforced. <

Resolved that this matter be referred to the Central Committee to deal with. Resolved, on the motion of Mr W instone, that St. Mark’s contribution to the Minister's stipend for this year be LI 17 10s iiet (the Ll 7 10s being in lieu of all liability in connection with rent ,of parsonage).

On the im tion of the Chairit an votes of tlmnks were accorded the organists and conductor of the choir ; the siipeiintendnnt and teachers in the Sunday School, and all the workers in connection with the Church. Rev Mr Evans said now that lie felt so much stronger, lie purposed taking up additional work, viz., holding vopen air services during the summer fnonths. ~ The meeting closed wiili the benediction.