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Layston Annual Church Meeting
The Annual Church Meeting of the electors of Layston was held at the Women's Institute Hall on Tuesday evening, when there was a good attendance.
Following prayer and the reading of the collect for Ash Wednesday by the Vicar (Rev A. Howard), who was in the chair, the minutes of the previous meeting were read by the hon. secretary and treasurer of the Parochial Church Council, and these were duly signed.
Mr Maughan, in presenting the report of the Church Council for the past year, mentioned that an active Church Councillor had been lost by the death of Mrs H. Coleman. The receipts for last year amounted to £75 4s. 0 3/4d., and the expenditure totalled £73 8s. 2 1/2d., which left a larger balance in hand than the previous year. The sum paid to special societies during the past year amounted to £49 4s. 9d.
Mr Fraser moved the adoption of the accounts, and Mrs M. Corp seconded Mr Fraser's proposal.
The Electoral Roll was presented, showing that 16 names had been erased due to death and removals, and 29 had been added, and the number now on the Roll was 252.
It was reported that Mrs Howard had been able to send the full quota (£35) to the Diocesan Board of Finance, this amount being chiefly comprised of contributions received in connection with the Free-Will-Offering-Scheme.
The Parochial Church Council, viz., Mrs J. Smith, Mrs Howard, Mrs Dixon, Mrs Butler, Mrs Macklin, Mrs Corp, Miss Boniwell, Miss Davies, and Messrs. Freeman, Miles and Pateman, were re-elected en bloc on the proposition of Capt. Tollemache, seconded by Mrs H. Clarke. Miss Woods was appointed to fill the vacancy on the Council.
Another representative, in addition to Mr Fraser, was required for the Diocesan Conference, and Mrs Howard was appointed, she having expressed her willingness to serve.
Mesdames Butler, Macklin, Dixon and Howard were elected representatives on the Ruri-decanal Conference.
Regarding the repair of the organ at St Peter's, the vicar expressed his thankfulness that what he considered to be a "stumbling stone" had been rolled away, and after paying nearly £50 to Messrs. Corps there was a small balance left over, and this he had placed to the magazine account, because he was continually paying money from his own pocket to meet expenses which the magazine entailed.
The new heating apparatus has involved a further expenses, and the vicar mentioned that after paying £50 to Messrs. Grundy a sum of £29 was still needed, and he appealed to all to help raise this amount.
The vicar also mentioned that the initial expenses in connection with the new Churchyard were being borne by Mr Fraser, and the Bishop would consecrate the ground in the spring. The Bishop would also conduct a Confirmation Service at St Peter's on June 22nd.
Warm thanks were expressed by the vicar to all the officers for their past services, also to Mr Fraser (the host of the evening) and all helpers, and this concluded the business meeting.
Refreshments, which had been kindly provided by Mr Fraser, were then served, and musical programme followed. Miss M. Macklin, who presided at the piano throughout the evening, gave two delightful pianoforte solos, and Mrs Armstrong sang "The Second Minuet" with fine expression.
Mrs Corp's song "My ain folk" was also very much enjoyed. Mr E.E. Dennis then conducted community singing, such well-known songs as "Billy Boy," "Bobby Shaftoe" and "Loch Lomod" being popular with all; closing with the well-known hymn, "Jesus, Lover of my Soul," to the beautiful Welsh tune, Aberystwyth.
