MASTERTON METHODIST CHURCH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9531, 1 July 1909, Page 7

MASTERTON METHODIST CHURCH.

ANNUAL REPORT, 1903-1909.

The following is the annual report to be submitted to the annual meeting of the Methodist Church in the Town Hall this evening:— I have the honour to submit this report on behalf of the Trustees of this Church. There is again a story of progress to tell. Under the pastorship of the Rev. J. N. Buttle, our church has shown progress, the attendance at public worship has held its own, in site of the depression that has occurred in our Dominion. The members* roll shows us full 170, on trial 1. The week-night meeting is now baing largely attended, since the Rev. C. E, Pprter ha? «>me amonst us, and his lectures on Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" are much appreciated by the members. We have to say farewell to the Rev. J. N. Buttle and family, he having accepted an invitation" to Chrlatohurch. The September Quarterly meetJrig fieiifc a hearty invitation to the Rev. 0. E, Porter, which was accepted, and h$ h flow with us* and I with God's help mean* to do his best \ for the good of our Church, and the uplifting of the young people. Regular services have been held dur ing the year at Kuripuni, Wangaehu, Rangitumau, and Taueru. The Sunday School.under the ouperintendency of Mr C. E. Daniell, continues to do good work amongst the young people. The school can claim to be making headway. The roll shows 280 scholars, and 22 teachers. Mr Mclver, as Secretary, is the right man in the right place. The Infant Department ia under the leadership of Mr Mannell. The Kuripuni Sunday School, with Mr Burton as Superintendent, has been duing good work. The number of scholars on the roll is 136, teachers 9. At the beginning of the year they opened a new infant room. The School raised the money by Sale of Work and other efforts. The only money now owing on it is £3O borrowed from the borrowed from the Church Building and Loan Fund. At Taueru we have another School, with Mr G. Garratt in charge. The Bands of Hope are still doing good work under their respective leaders. The Junior Christian Endeavour is successfully carried on by Miss Church, to whom great praise is due for her interest in the children. 1 need hardly say ho w much is due to Mr S. Ralph and the choir for the efficient service of praise so cheer fully rendered by them at the Sunday services, and at any time when their services are required, and the musical items which form part ofthis evening's programme are an indication of their capabilities. We also tender our best thanks to Mr H. inns, oragnist, and to Master Morris, organ blower. Another section of the church to whom we are indebted is the Ladies' Guild. Thanks are tendered to them for their very valuable help in maintaining the upkeep of the parsonage, and for their efforts in other directions. The congregation has contributed to Home Missions £33 0s 7d. Besides this the Young Women's Bible Class gives £5 towards the support of aDeaconess employed in the Maori Mission. The amount raised foi* Foreign Missions, £32 lis Id, includes £lO given by a Masterton resident for the support of a Native Teacher in New Britain. ; The Kuripuni Sunday School gives £7 for the support of an orphan at the Gooliie Orphanage in Fiji, These cbntrJbtrtJons are* gratefully acknowledged.' Turning to fitfaftce, the gross 'receipts io* the respective year's ' work, in' eaCh' department of Church enterprise,- sttows the Respectable totel 1 of £-Dl : 0' lis,- leader up as fol-lows?:^-MaBtetftotf Trust,- £97 9a 4d J GfrcliW, £344 itoi 6d;Masterton Sunday ScKoolV £62 Ladies' Guild, £U fo\- Iftir-ipuui Sunday School, £3O; JJurlpuni' Trttst, £llO 6s 7d; Masterton Infant Room, £217; Pipe Organ Fund, £35. The Trust balance sheet shows a bank overdraft of £326 8s 4d, an increase of £23 8s 7d for the year We have increased the insurance on the church and organ from £9OO to £1,100; on School buildings and furniture from £3OO to £500; and the parsonage from £350 to £550. Wp hope m time to instal a pipe organ, and are about to build a much Heeded infant room, for which we have £217 in hand, and to convert tne present infant room into two rooms, for the Junior Bible Clapses. We are indebted to Mr F. W. Temple for a memorial window, which.is to be placed in the end of the church, and will greatly improve i the building. I have no doubt that the coming year will not see a diminution of anything calculated to increase the efforts of our Church and congregation in both spiritual and I temporal matters.—H. BEALE, Secretary of Trust.