Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-07
1000 MEMBERS
is OBJ ELECTIVE
OF METHODISTS
New Pastor Thinks Church Has
Opportunity for Service
to Community.

The first objective OF the FIRST
Methodist church, according to plans
outlined at the annual budget banquet
at the Masonic temple Friday night,
will be a membership of 1000. Steps
TO reach this objective in the shortest
possible time, are to be taken at once,
was the statement of the Rev. George
Mecklenburg, who began his work here
as pastor of the church last sunday.
The objective for next year will be
a membership Of 1000, the pastor de-
clared. Touching on his coming to
Great Falls, he said that he came
here at a salary $1,000 a year less
than was offered him elsewhere, but
that he was looking for opportunity
rather than money and that the local
church offered him this. With a
large Protestant population to draw
from, M~ecklenburg believes it will be
possible to develop the First Nletho-
dist community into the strongest
church power in the northwest.
Three Points for Ideal
The ideal church, which he expressed
the hope the First Methodist will be-
come, should possess three character
istics to make it strong, the pastor
said. Deep spirituality linked with
the spirit of progress; living in the
now and adequate finances for
church projects, he named as essen
tails to make the church the power
that it should be. "The church should
get it's finances in a dignified, Girls
tan way and should pay its bills
promptly" he said and added that this
was not possible without a realization
of the fact that industrial and social
life are closely linked. The church
should work to increase rather than
lower salaries.
Approximately 500 persons were IN
attendance at the banquet, which is
held annually to place before the mem
bership the financial statements OF
the year and to announce the amounts
that will be required to finance church
activities. 1t will be necessary to
raise a budget of $14,046 for the com
ing year. This includes the salaries
of the pastor and of the district su-
p~erintendent and allows for other
church officers and current expenses
Among the items included IN the
budget are $500 for newspaper pub
licity, $6OO for the Deaconess institu'
tions, and $1,000 on the church IN,
debtedness.
Church Officers Speak
Officers of the various departments
of the church spoke during the evening
f. S. Wolfe was POSTMASTER. The
Rev. J.. A. Martin, district superln'
tendent. spoke on the need to sup
port outside churches where there are
no ministers. Carl Boorman outlined
the work of the Epworth league
Fred Taber, superintendent of thu
Sunday school, spoke on its aims al
plans. Mrs. n. II. Lease gave a orle'
talk on the work of the Ladies' All
of which she is president. a.. IL
Gray. a member Of the official boart
of the church, expressed the optimism
that he feels should mark the attitude
of all Great Falls Methodists, in
brief talk on the inception and growth
of Methodist projects in Montana
Great Falls is to be the next grea
city of the northwest and the t1rs
Methodist church will be one of tn
leading powers in it, he said. Mrs
A. C~iendenning told of the work o
the Women's Home Missionary society
Vocal numbers by the Flint broth
ers trio and solos by Mrs. Joseph Val
Teylingen were features Of the eve
ming. Orchestra selections wer
plaved during the dinner hour.