ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1922, Page 7

ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH.

ACTIVITIES OF PAST YEAR. SEEKING CHURCH SITES. The annual meeting of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, New Plymouth, was held last night, when the minister (Rev. Oscar Blundell) presided over a good attendance of the congregation. The Rev. Blundell expressed thanks for the help and encouragement given on all hands during the last year. The increase in the attendance at the services, too, was pleasing, and it would probably soon be necessary to make their “tent of meeting” bigger, for a growing congregation was only to be expected with the growth of the town and the constant influx of people from other places. The strength of the church, said the speaker, lay in the spirit of unity and brotherly love we bore one toward another, and above all we should seek to glorify God. The true cause of bur success was, he believed, to be found in our ordinary common lives and dealings with one another, and he saw signs that this brotherly spirit was growing. Mr. Blundell mentioned that it was now five years since he had been inducted into St. Andrew’s, New Plymouth. He could only keep going so long as he had the love and sympathy of his people, and he was sure he had these. This love and sympathy enabled him to look toward the future with hopefulness. New Plymouth was developing fast, and the church must keep pace with it. The history of St. Andrew’s had perhaps been rather a chequered one, and people coming from the south were generally surprised that a town of over 12,000 inhabitants had only one Presbyterian church. The present activity of the church, however, made him hopeful of its true advancement. Mr. Blundell concluded by expressing appreciation of the faithful and valuable services given throughout the year by the officebearers. The various reports were then presented as follows: REPORT OF SESSION. The report of the session stated that the Sabbath services had been well attended. especially the morning, which must be encouraging to the minister (Rev. Oscar Blundell) and an inspiration to all connected with the church. Early in the year a monthly service was commenced at Westown on Sunday afternoon. Subsequently this was conducted every fortnight and so continues. The growth of the suburban areas of the town lays upon the church the urgent necessity of considering the future needs of the people resident in them. Sites for church buildings require to be secured without undue delay. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was observed quarterly, the attendances being 127, 127, 141 and 145. The last-named attendance constitutes “high-water mark” in the history of the congregation. The jear opened with a communion roll of 166 members, since which there have been added to it 37 names, and after having the roll purged, it now stands at ’•95 names. During the year 20 children were baptised, 24 marriages solemnised and 12 funerals conducted. During the year Mr. P. Fredric resigned the position of organist and Mr. W. L. Hay was appointed in his place. The choir is rendering excellent service, and deserve the grateful thanks of all concerned. The removal from the district of Mr. F. C. Campbell left the Sabbath school without a superintendent, which has been filled by the appointment of Mr. J. Muir Thomson. The manse building committee have completed their work, the result being the erection of a very substantial and comfortable building. The church is indebted to the good offices of Mrs. G. A. Corney, who collected more than sufficient for the erection of a handsome marble memorial to the men of the congregation who laid down their lives in the Great War.

The session report was adopted, without comment, on the motion of Mr. N. K. MacDiarmid, seconded by Mr. J. Cassie. THE CHURCH REPORT. The church report stated, inter alia, that there had been an increase in the Sabbath collections and ordinary envelope fund of £2l 3s Bd, this year’s figures being £476 Ss Id, against £455 4s 5d last year. The congregation had last rear contributed to mission and philanthropic schemes the sum of £2OB 8s Bd, plus £l6 to the British Foreign Bible Society. The following amounts had been raised: Foreign missions £49 17s Bd, home missions £35 14s 9d, Maori missions £2l 13s lid, Indian institute £l, Sudan United Mission £2 Ils sd, home missioner’s expenses £lO, British Foreign Bible Society £lB 16s, single women missionary beneficiary £lO 6s 3d, starving Russian fund £4O 9s 2d, Bible class travelling secretary £3, Weliing- . ton orphan"!’e £3 10s, aged and infirm minister and widow beneficiary fund £7 10s, R.S.A. unemployment fund £7 16s 6d. memorial tablet £32, a total of £244 5s Bd. In moving the adoption of the church report, presented by the managers’ court. Mr. J. W. Taunt mentioned that during the year the church had raised a total of £1433 for various objects. The motion was seconded by Mr. A. J. Way, and the report adopted. THE NEW MANSE. The manse building committee reported that the actual debt upon the manse, which had been completed last June at a contract price of £2790, was £1320 12a 7d. The erection of the mans?, it was pointed out, was made possible, firstly by the generous offer by an anonyjnous member of the congregation to give £lOO a year towards liquidating any remaining debt on condition that the congregation raised annually an equal amount, and, secondly, by the whole hearted and zealous efforts of the Ladies’ Guild, who voted £l2O from their funds, in addition to £2OO raised bv them and others, being the proceeds of the Scots’ fair. Members of the congregation and their friends had subscribed a total of £641 14s, among whom were a number of guarantors who had paid up their five years’ subscriptions in advance. There was a total of 34 guarantors promising £169 per annum in liquidation of the debt upon the property. . , The manse building committee s report was adopted on the motion of Messrs. N. K Mac Diarmid and T. A. Pruden. Arising out of this report was a discusrion on the advisability of procuring a new church site, now that the manse had been finished. Mr. E. H. Tribe thought that the present was an opportune time to secure suitable sites, as the existing church would not serve its purpose for many more years, besides which it was near the main street and not suitable. Further, the growing congregation made the provision of a new church a necessity. After a full discussion a motion was carried setting up the church managers, together with Messrs. g H Tribe, W. G. Reid and J. Brodie, as

a committee to investigate the question of’ securing suitable sites for a new St. An- • draw’s Church and for churches in the suburbs. The committee will report later to a special meeting of the congregation. OTHER RETORTS. Reports on the year’s progress were also received from the senior and junior young women’s Bible classes, the senior young men’s Bible class, the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union, the Busy Bees and the Ladies’ Guild. The Sabbath school report showed that during the year the average attendance was 77, number on the roll 126, number of teachers 11 and number of classes 10. The general fund showed a debit balance of £7 19« 3d, the Ladies’ Guild a credit balance of £l4 2s 3d, the Sabbath school a credit balance of £7 18s 7£d, the P.W.M.U. a credit balance of £4 2s 3d, the busy bees a credit balance of £6 5s 3d, the senior young men’s Bible class a credit balance of £5 15s Id, and the senior young women’s Bible class a credit balance of £5 10s 2d. Speaking on the' Sunday-school report, the superintendent (Mr. J. Muir Thomson) stressed the necessity for establishing branches in the suburbs as the forerunners of the establishment of churches there. The report was adopted. The reports of the ladies’ guild, P.W*.M.U.. Bible classes, etc., were adopted without discussion. GENERAL. The retiring managers, Messrs. H. Cocker and H. Nicholson, were re-elected unopposed. Mr. N. Balharry was re-elected auditor, and a vote of thanks was accorded him for his past services. Mis Taunt, Mrs. Hunger and Mrs. Jarvis were reappointed British and Foreign Bible Society agents, and were accorded a hearty vote of appreciation for their valuable work in the past. Thanks were also accorded the Sundayschool superintendent and staff and the leaders of the Bible classes. A vote of sympathy and support to the Rev. and Mrs. Blundell for the good work they have done was carried unanimously, after which the meeting terminated with the singing of the Doxology. Supper was later provided by the ladies, and was much appreciated.