FINANCES

The Williamstown Congregational Church in Victoria was a beautiful and historic blue-stone building, which cost a great deal to maintain. Church Meeting minutes showed a church’s constant struggle to raise enough money to keep the building in good repair.

The following extracts come from Bill Haining’s history of the church, which is based on these minutes.






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On September 8th 1890, a special meeting was held to discuss the poor state of the church finances. A committee carefully examined the receipts and expenditures of the past 6 years and found that for the year 1885 the income exceeded our expenditure by £10 and, encouraged by that, our expenses were largely increased . . . The minister offered to take a 10% cut in his stipend. This offer was accepted.

The committee made the following recommendations:1. The minister’s salary be reduced by £25.2. The organist’s fee be reduced by £10 per year. 3. That the £12 per year to be spent on pulpit supplies be discontinues. 4. That half the sacramental offering be paid into the general account. 5. That a special collection be taken up on the 2nd Sunday of the month of January to reduce the overdraft. 6. That no extra work or printing be done that can possibly be avoided.

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In December 1934, the slate roof was in need of restoration. A quote of £45 was accepted from a slater who promised to check every slate and louvre. The Ladies’ Guild gave £25, the Cricket Club gave 15/- and the Sunday School and Christian Endeavour donated. Mr Petersen and Mr Thomas promised a first class concert for the remainder of the money.


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In August 1937, at the depth of the depression, the church’s balance sheet showed a total of £2.7.5. The verger, L. J. Hudson, who was supporting a wife and two children by doing odd jobs with a horse and cart, donated his month’s pay back to the church.



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In 1937, Finchams quoted £78 to service the organ. The church negotiated a £30 deposit, with the balance to be paid within nine months. This meant more fetes, stalls and begging. . . Members were asked to make interest-free loans of between £5 and £30.



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In 1938 Mrs Lonsdale placed £50 in the collection plate on Christmas morning and asked that a new organ blower be installed before the New Years’ Day service 1939. Remarkably, this happened.



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But there were some good stories about finances at Williamstown too.


After we entered the Uniting Church we decided to put in a new carpet. Valda and I went to choose it. Valda chose the dearest, a lovely red carpet. Then the church needed to raise $400 to cover its cost. When they had raised $110, they held an extended morning-tea.
A young Indian doctor, whom I had helped through his medical exam, asked me how much money they needed. I prayed “Forgive me Lord for what I’m about to do” and said, “The carpet cost $400.” He wrote out a cheque on the spot.

So we not only covered the cost of the carpet, we made a profit as well.

Next: Chapter 14. Women in Congregationalism

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