! APPENDIX G. REPORT OF THE DIOCESAN BOARD OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TO THE CONVENTION OF THE DIOCESE OF HARRISBURG, 1917. The Diocesan Board of Religious Education organized by the election of the following officers:-Rev. M. D. Maynard, Vicepresident, Rev. J. F. Bul itt, Secretary; Mr. G. F. Stibgen, Treas urer. It was arranged that members of the Board give special atten tion to certain phases of Religious Education: Educational Institutions of the Diocese, the Senior Department of the Sunday School, and "the small Sunday School," by Rev. M. D. Maynard; Teacher Training, the Primary Department, and the teach. ing of the Catechism, by Rev. J. F. Bullitt; Organization Methods, and the Junior Department, by Rev. G. F. G. Hoyt. Sunday Schoo' Finance, by Mr. G. F. Stibgen. It was resolved to call attention to the fact that the Sunday School ought properly to be an educational institution supported by the Parish, and that the offerings of its members should receive the incentive of being devoted exclusively to objects which appeal to Christian faith and service. One of the principal subjects of discussion and of concern by the Board has been how to secure live sectional Conferences on Religious Education throughout the Diocese. As usual, the Board has been fully represented in all the work of the Joint Diocesan Lesson Board of the Church, and is also represented on the Executive Committee of that body. The Diocesan Board has a so been represented on the following occasions: At the meeting of the Sunday School Commission of the Provincial Board at Baltimore, in May, 1916; At the meeting of the Provincial Board in Harrisburg, in November, 1916; At several meetings of the General Board, in connection with the General Convention in St. Louis; And at the meeting of the Provincial Sunday School Commission at Hagerstown, in April, 1917. Syllabus for examinations which were duly prese Convention in St. Louis and referred to the prop Parochial Conferences have been held at Trin and at St. Augustine's, Harrisburg. In May, 1916, a Flower Festival was held in St burg, in which St. Paul's and St. Augustine's par resentatives from St. Stephen's and from Trini In connection with the meeting of the Provin risburg, public meetings were held at St. Andrey St. Stephen's, Harrisburg; St. Matthew's, Sunbu Columbia, at which Religious Education was pres of the Provincial Board. The Diocesan Board of Religious Education des your attention on one recommendation:— As a Diocese, we are not an solated or prise, but we are part of a great current n efficient Religious Education, in which th consciously engaged and notably active. a commensurate respon e and coordinated of the Parishes which would bring our Dio this forward movement. There had bett Board and no Canon authorizing it than i used piece of machinery. We believe tha on the part of the Clergy to the appeal of th tunity to present Religious Education is It is a live enterprise in other Dioceses of should it not be in the Diocese of Harris is ready to do its part but is handicapped of contact. Conferences, to be successful, cooperation of local Clergy, and a generou terested workers. The only solution, for th seems to be that adopted by several othe izing some portion of each Archdeaconry discussion of "Religious Education". This sonant with Canon VIII, Sections 11 and Car Fare Balance on hand GEO. F. STIBGEN, Received from Parishes for Provincial B Lancaster, St. James, Harrisburg, St. Stephen's, Columbia, St. Paul's, G. F. G. HOYT, APPENDIX I. THE REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MISSIONS TO THE DIOCESE OF HARRISBURG I have heard it said when attending various gatherings, especially Episcopal Church Conventions, when the steam roller was at work transacting in less than three days, work that would ordinarily consume twice that many days, "Give us the facts and less preamble." This will be my s'ogan as long as I am Secretary of this Board. Just a few words relative to over head expenses necessary to keep the Diocese of Harrisburg in good standing and have a balance on the credit side of the ledger at the end of the year. It requires $11,486.00 to meet the expenses of this diocese for a year's work. There are 102 Parishes and 11,262 communicants, which would mean a very small per capita if all did their duty. Your Committee urges the Clergy to instill into the hearts and minds of their parishoners the benefits of systematic giving and that there is "a sacred dime in every dollar." If they did so many churches that now show a deficit at the end of the year would instead show a surp'us. Most people fail in knowing how to give, never having been taught to do their share. They don't consider the church an obligation and depend too much on the other fellow. STORY We believe the gallant effort made to present a clean sheet to the St. Louis convention has done much in establishing a standard to keep up apportionments. Last year when the convention met we were congratulating ourselves that the United States had escaped the horrors of this great and cruel war. Today conditions are different and we find ourselves involved, not in a war of indemnity or selfishness, but a war of principle. No matter who is victorious one thing is certain the United States will be the paymaster. This will affect the cost of living along every line. Let us hope the church will not suffer. CHURCH PENSION FUND. The result of the wonderful canvas for the $5,000,000 church pension fund was far beyond the expectations of the most sanguine mind. I doubt if Bishop Lawrence's imaginations ran SO high. It is a source of great satisfaction to the Diocese of Harris. |