July 1941 Parish magazine

THE VICAR’S LETTER

My Dear Parishioners,

The sympathy of us all goes out to parents and relatives of men who have been posted missing, and men who have made the supreme sacrifice. The last few months have been sad and anxious days for many of you, but you have found strength and courage and have proved worthy of those great-hearted lads who scorned the way of safety and followed with high courage the path of duty.

Truly now, more than ever, we must bear one another’s burdens for it does help to know that the thoughts and prayers of others are with us in dark days. That is the real part of the fellowship all Christians should experience.

Critical days face us and our Empire. It lies within our power to create the spiritual resources which will help our cause and help those we love.

Your sincere friend and Vicar,

E. J. RICH.

ON ACTIVE SERVICE

With this month the book containing the names of those on active service comes into use. A large number of names have been entered in the book already, but we want the list to be as complete as possible. The book will remain on the altar, but each day a page will be turned so that, in order, all the names will be presented, and from time to time we shall remember all in the book at the services.  Relatives of men on active service are asked to supply further names for insertion in the book.  All members of our Church who have gone overseas should be recorded.

Already there are some names for the Roll of Honour, men who have made the supreme sacrifice. We shall not forget them but hold them always in proud and grateful remembrance.

CONFIRMATION

The junior classes have now started and are held on Sundays at St. Matthew’s, at 4 p.m. All who are old enough should seize this opportunity. It is not too late to join the classes, but join at once. Several adults have handed in their names for Confirmation and the holding of special classes for them will be announced next month.

C.E.M.S.

At the June meeting an interesting paper was given by Mr W. L. Hunter on “Brotherhood.” This gave rise to a full discussion in which many members took part. Five members were present for part of the Wellington Diocesan Conference. The next meeting of the branch is fixed for Monday, 7th July, at 7.45 p.m., when the main subject will be “Religion Today,”  introduced by Mr N. Blatchford. In view of the vital and practical importance of the subject and its relationship to the work of the Church in the fare of present conditions, all men are invited to be present.  The meeting will be held in the Common Room of the Parish Hall.

DUTY TO GOD

Earnest thinking men and women realise that the fact that we are fighting evil forces and defending the Christian way of life demands action and sincerity on their part. They want to be worthy of the cause for which we strive. They want to know how they can live and order their lives so as to be better champions of God’s cause. They realise that they must be right with God before they can play the full part they want to perform. In the first four commandments principles which go to the root of this matter are laid down for our guidance. On the Sunday mornings in July, the Archdeacon will preach a course of sermons on “Duty to God” in the light of present conditions.

MAGAZINE DONATIONS

Anonymous, 6/-; Mrs L. J. Taylor, 3/-; Mrs Smith, 2/6; Mrs Ashworth, 10/-; Mr R. F. R. Beetham, 10/-; Mrs D. McMaster, 3/-; Mrs A. E. Reader, 2/6; Mrs E. Bell, 2/6.

ANGLICANS

According to the official figures of the Government Census Department, Masterton contains 4,616 people who describe themselves as members of the Church of England. That is just over half the population of our town. If the same proportion obtains outside the borough there will be another 1500 in the rest of the parish. These are startling as well as interesting figures.

The Church has a responsibility all those people and they have a responsibility to their Church. Indeed, they are the Church of England in this community and the influence and work of our Church depends on them.

Every Sunday there is a parade of the members of Christ’s Church. They meet first of all to worship God. The spirit within them cannot be strong and healthy unless it keeps in constant touch with the source of its life. In the services of our Church we renew our strength and get inspiration and guidance from God to help us on life’s road. To be absent from parade is unworthy of men and women who have been pledged “to continue Christ’s faithful soldier and servant until life’s end.”

Have you been careless about Church? Now is the time to change that. It will take courage, but our youth are proving that our race does not lack courage.

What would happen if all those 4616 Anglicans in Masterton, and the 1500 in the country, attended church every Sunday? From their fellowship with God and with their fellows they would get such a living faith that life would be transformed, and they would be fitted for the work that must be done.

Now is the time to act. Evil must be destroyed. A new world must be built. Join the ranks of the builders. Make your membership of the Church a reality. Make your Church the power God wants it to be.

LADIES’ GUILD

This meets in the Common Room of the Parish Hall every Thursday at 2 p.m. The members do work for our soldiers for the first hour, then have afternoon tea, and then work in preparation for the annual Sale of Work. The Guild provides a splendid opportunity for ladies of the congregation to get to know one another in practical Christian service. There is hardly any part of the work of our Church in which the Guild has not helped in one way or another. Recently members noticed that the altar cloths were worn out and so two new cloths will be available soon, the gift of members of the Guild.  We have a comparatively large Guild but there is always room for more members to share in their happy fellowship and splendid service.

CHURCH WAR WORK

A new Church of England hut has been erected in Egypt, and another one enlarged. In this hut, 43,000 letterheads and 25,000 envelopes have been issued, thousands of books distributed and quantities of cigarettes and chocolate issued to hospital patients, and to troops returning from Greece and Crete.  The report states

“We supplied several thousand troops with cups of tea, quantities of of cigarettes, chocolate and biscuits after the landing. The comforts supplied on this occasion were appreciated even more than all those that have been supplied during the last year or so in camp.”

BAPTISMS

June

8          Heather Joyce Bell

11        Alan William Flood

13        Robert Cecil Sutherland

15        Peter James Edward Benfell

22        Pamela Joan Francis.

MARRIAGE

June

1        Douglas Henry Christensen and Eileen Elsie Jarrett

BURIALS

June

5      Agnes Emily Judd

11     Ada Annie Evans

19     Vivia Beatrice Emerson

23     Mary Ann Barr

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