TE HENUI CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1918, Page 6

TE HENUI CHURCH.

ANNUAL MEETING 01-' I'AEISHt lONERS. The annual meeting of parishioners of Holy Trinity, Te Henui, was held last night. There was a good attendance, the vicar (the Rev. H. Faveil) presiding. The annual report of the vestry was presented as follows: Your vestry, in presenting their report and statement of accounts for the year ending March .31 last, would wish first of all to express their gratitude to the whole body of parishioners for the hearty and united support which has been given to all church undertakings during the year. It is due entirely to the steady and whole-hearted help that has been rendered that so satisfactory a report can be presented. The seventy-second anniversary of the Church of the Holy Trinity, the mother church of Taranaki, "was kept on Thursday, June 7, 1917- On that day the Venerable Archdeacon of Taranaki celebrated the Holy Communion for us, and the Rev. F. G- Harvie, recently Instituted to the cure of St. Mary's, preached to us at the afternoon service. The Bishop of the Diocese visited the church on the first .Sunday in Advent (December 2, 1917). His Lordship celebrated the Holy Communion, and preached to us at 11 a.m. The annual confirmation was held on Monday evening, December 3, at 7.30 p.m., when nine male candidates were confirmed. Three female candidates who had been prepared by the vicar were confirmed in their respective parish churches. At the parish church during the year there have been 121 celebrations of the Holy Communi«n, with 1425 receptions; 13 baptisms, four marriages and 10 funerals- At St. Luke's, Bell Block, there have been 18 celebrations of the Holy Communion with 2.58 receptions.

The consent of the Taranaki Church of England trustees, and of the vicar and wardens being first obtained as required by regulation, a brass tablet to the memory of the late Darius Shuttleworth was placed in the parish church by his brother, Mr. Alexander Shuttleworth. Other gifts now hanging in the Church are (1) a copy of the picture "Preserve Thy Body and Soul"; (2) a photographic reproduction of the illuminated address presented to Bishop G. A. Sclwyn on the occasion of his leaving the colony of New Zealand. The latter was presented by the Venerable Archdeacon EvansLadies' Guild. —The Ladles' Guild has again given valuable help in many ways during the year. A sale of work organised by the guild was held on October 10, 1917. The gross takings amounted to £.50 4s 6d. Of this amount £SO was distributed, £25 being paid to the Te Henui Vic»rage Fund, and £25 to the Taranaki Back Blocks Mission Fund. The ladies are preparing for another effort specially in aid of the vicarage fund, in October of this year, and your vestry venture to hope that they may he even more' heartily supported than on the last occasion. Sanctuary Guild. —The members of this guild are respopsible for the care of the sanctuary, and their duties include the provision and arrangement of' flowers, and the care of the brasses and altar linen. The work has been faithfully carried out during the year, and the little Church of the Holy Trinity has always a well cared for appearance. Sunday School —The work of the Sunday School progresses satisfactorily. Mr. Childerstone continues as superintendent of the Holy Trinity School, and Miss Harding as secretary. We had several changes of teachers during the early part of the year owing to removals, but for some time past now we have had a full staff of teachers really devoted to the work. The Kindergarten Department is under the charge of MissiJ. Cutfield assisted by junior teachers. A conference of teachers from all parts of the Province was held at St. Mary's in December last, several of our teachers attending, and arrangements were made by which the conference will become an annual event. The sum of £5 has been contributed for the second year in succession to the Melanesian Mission for the support of a mission scholar. Choir. —A word of appreciation is due to the organists and the members of the choir for their faithful and sustained work. Miss Blundell and Miss Matthews continue their services as organists in the morning, and Mr. C. White is responsible for evening services. In all these we have willing helpers who can be relied upon to give of their best for the service of God. The choir, with advantage, could be numerically a little stronger, fcut to the few we have we are grateful for their steady and good work.

Piano Fund- —Thanks to Miss Black and the ! band of monthly subscribers helping her this, fund is now closed, the piano being paid for. A statement of the fund from the commencement is attached to the report. The amount collected during the twelve months under review was £l6 2s 6d.

Lay Readers.—Your vestry have, on behalf of the parishioners generally, to express their gratitude to our faithful lav readers, Messrs G- H. Gilbert and G. Childerstone for their regular ministra•tions at St. Luke's, Bell Block, and at the parish church. Mr. Gilbert has now ibeen called up for service, and until we secure somebody in his place double duty will fall upon Mr. Childerstone. Mr. Gilbert carries with him the sincere good wishes of every member of thf vestry, and the prayers of many of our people will be offered o n his behalf.

During the year your vestry learned with sincere regret of the death in action of Mr. Georga List, our first lay reader. Mr. List endeared himself to many of our people, and to many in Plymouth, and his loss was felt as a personal bereavement. The vestry, on behalf of the parish, sent a message of sympathy to his widow. Diocesan Synod.—The election of Synodsmen during the year for the twenty-second Auckland Diocesan Synod gave opportunity to Te Henui to be directly represented for the first time. Mr. E. Day was elected as the representative of the parish, and attended the last session of the Diocesan Synod held ill Auckland in October last- Mr. Day's term of office is three years. Archdeacon of Taranaki. —Before passing to a review of finance, the very ready and willing help given by Archdeacon Evans at various times during the year should be acknowledged. The Archdeacon has several times ministered in Holy Trinity Church, and has in many 'ways shown his interest in our parish .attd his sympathy with our work. Your vestry feel sure that the parishioners generally are deeply appreciative of the help that lias been given. Finance.—The financial statements attuned to this report are of a particularlyvencnnraging character. Th» v#atry

is responsible, of course-,, only for the first two accounts, viz., the general account, and the vicarage fund. The other accounts are printed to give information regarding the general condition of the district. All accounts show a substantial increase.

With regard to the general fund, if; will be noted that the account was overdrawn at the end of the financial year, but a reference to the statement of assets and liabilities attached will show that this was quite a temporary condition. The increase in general collections is encouraging in view of the fact that there have been five Sundays' collections withdrawn from the general fund during the year. The decrease in subscriptions is accounted for in three ways: (1) The amount shown last year included arrears accruing from the previous year. (2) some few of our subscribers have withdrawn, prefering to make their contributions through the envelope system now that it lias been established; and (3) the subscriptions due in March were net applied for in time to be included in the balance sheet. The vicarage fund account will give general satisfaction. The Ladies' .Guild have contributed the sum of £25 from the proceeds of the sale of work held in October last. The response made to the appeal issued two months ago was beyond expectation, and the vestry would wish now to make grateful acknowledgment of the very generous and wiliin" support gven to the fund throughsut the year. The position regarding the vicarage now is: The parish is in possession of a comfortable house in good repair, and conveniently situated. There remains on the property a debt of £502. Of this amount £302 is due to a Government Department, and is beinw re'paid, principal and interest, at the rate of £lB a year. The remaining £2OO is held on mortgage, the rate of interest being six per cent. The aim of your vestry and the vicarage trustees is to pay off the mortgage of £2OO as soon as possible, thus relieving the parish of the annual charge for interest. With this object in view, the vicarage fund is being kept open, and all monies paid into that fund will be devoted to extinguishing the debt. The thanks of parishioners are due to Mr. H. Grayling, whose personal supervision and la'hor in the matter of the necessary alterations and repairs saved the parish an expenditure of many pounds. It is a matter for thankfulness that during a ye%r which has entailed heavy expenditure, and when the calls upon people generally have been heavy and continuous, we have been able as a parish to maintain and even slightly to increase our contributions to good works outside the parish. The total amount given to extra-parochial purposes during the year is £54 12s 9d. Bell Block.—Thanks to the willing help of our lay reader the services at St. Luke's, Bell Block, have been maintained throughout the year. A church committee has now been elected, and will control the local afl'afrs. A very real testimony to the value of Mrs. Colson's work in the Sunday School was given on the occasion of the annual confirmation, when six out of the nine male candidates presented to the Bishop for the laying on of hands were boys who had been taught by her in the Bell Block Sunday School. H. A. FAVELL, Vicar. R. DAY, H. J. JOHNSTONE Churchwardens. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. General satisfaction was expressed at the year's progress and the fact that all sources of income showed an advance on previous years. The vestry was congratulated on having secured during the year a suitable vicarage, and a special vote of thanks was accorded to the Ladies' Guild for their efforts in that connection. The following vestrv was elected: Messrs R. Day (vicar's warden), H. .J. Johnstone (people's warden), G. Glover, W. P. O'Oallaghan, H. Grayling, A. B. Gibson, E. Ingley, Hcllaby, and G. Childerstone. Votes of thanks were accorded to the Ven. Archdeacon Evans, the Sanctuary Guild, lay readers, organist, choir, Sunday school teachers, and to the lady collectors for the piano fund.