New Britain herald., 1929-04-09

! wards of thousand and the service was conducted by the Legion com mander and ministers representing the Jewish. Catholic. and Protestant faiths. Dr. Ralph w Sockman of New York was the speaker.
 There has been an increased in- terest in the mid-week service, es- pecially since the first of the year, reaching its height the Thursday evening before Holy Week when . hlled chapel witnessed the reenact- ment of the scene in the upper room. some who worship regularly with Us have felt desire to make their church home here. over 60 joining in our fellowship since last conference. Besides my regular church serv- Ices there has grown up during my ministry here an amazing opportu- hlty to help through personal inter- views. This type of work is obvi- l ollsly of character that prevents giving intimate details. l have been
 here long enough however, to sec some of the fruits of this type of service and more firmly than ever I am convinced that it is an invest- ment of physical. intellectual, and spiritual strength that pays divi- dends beyond computation.
 Community Activity
 There is a ministry this church carrles on above and beyond it's pull
 pit, pastoral. and personal work. Of that l should like to speak, There Is in some places a feeling that a l church consists of a minister and his
 people set down somewhere in q community with the object of carry- Ing on their work, rather strictly. among themselves. With this con- ceptlon of minister's obligations I cannot agree. At the beginning of
 my work in New Britain I sensed
 mat this church needed what all
 others l have known could stand, q
 new dignity in the community. r
 nave therefore taken on in the city numerous activities which offered
 me an opportunity to establish con- ,ac1s that would otherwise have been denied. In every case I have earn-
 estly tried to carry to these com-
 munlty duties the spirit for which
 the church stands. My membership ana at the present time my presi- dency of the Rotary club has brought friendships in business, pro. fessional. and industrial circles that 1 regard as invaluable. One com- plete term and recent re- election to second term on the directorate of the Chamber of Commerce is an-
 other example of what am illus tratlng. Active participation in com. mhnlty chest and other civic drives brings l think an undeniable advan- tage to the churches of the city
 This church has been gracious enough to permit as part of it's en- iarged ministry a reasonable amount Of outside speaking on the part of It's pastor. l have been enabled through this medium to carry the name and influence of this church through our New Haven district and even beyond those bounds
 Each summer I serve as dean Of the EpWorth League Institute at Neshieyan Cniversity-an opportu- nlty to perform very real service to young life from all over our con. terence. Contacts established in thls work resulted in most enioy- able good will mission to the young leaders of the Methodist Episcopal church south during last summer. when l was privileged 10 give ser les or address at one of their con- ferences. This summer I am antjci- pating an enlargement of that work through two visits. one in Virginia and one in North Carolina. It was necessary to refuse an invitation to spend July and August speaking throughout the south to numerous gatherings Of young people. firm " believe in the wisdom of . church permitting its minister to carry on this type of ministry. out side the immediate community.
 Broader Program Planned
 Regarding the forward program Of the church there are at least four aims in view. First, a change ill the Sunday evening service. It seems 10 be the spirit of this city that once a week is often enough 10 attend church. ] do not argue this point, We are already planning q can. oaign to bring 10 this church - Sunday nights in community gathering those who have not attended in the morning or who belong to no church at all. Secondly, We need a stronger sense Of financial responsibility, 1 More money than ever before passes each succeeding year. through the hands of the church treasurer-but a rapidly expanding program makes stlil greater sacrificial giving neces- sary. This aim we are certain to reach if permitted just a little more 1 time. Thirdly. We need a new sense of brot herhood with the church at large and keener feeling of obliga-
 1on to support the world wide min- | istry of the church While our benevolent giving will exceed las. | year. there is still great dispropor- ton between what we give to others and what we keep for ourselves. | Fourthly, We need more adequate educational method than we baye- used heretofore. to convince the par ents of the city of the value of our cooperative weekday religious edu. cational schools.
 Finally let me sum up in a sta tistlcal way some of the years &C., tvities that can be tabulated. I have baptized, adults and children to- gether. 39: funerals, in and out of our own church family. 3s; we'd