District Visiting Society
In order to reach the large number of nonchurchgoers, especially in the new industrial towns where the population was growing rapidly, Bishop Sumner established 'District Visiting Societies.' One such society was begun at Christ Church. The parish was divided into districts and each district had a voluntary visitor from the congregation. Her duty was to call from time to time to provide 'spiritual benefit and temporal comfort.' 'Spiritual benefit' included encouragement to attend church and to read the Bible to the sick and housebound, to discover which children attended school and Sunday School and to give advice, encouragement and exhortadon as seemed necessary. The visitors reported to the clergy on cases needing pastoral attention. As regards 'temporal comfort', the visitors encouraged habits of cleanliness and forethought in managing their wages. The opening of a savings bank account was encouraged and visitors were authorised to add "one penny to every eleven pence placed in their hand."
In 1906, Christ Church had nine district visitors. They were Miss Ashbridge, Mrs Birken, Mrs Hardwicke, Miss Longworth, Miss Pelling, Mrs Reynolds, Mrs Smethurst, Miss Smethurst and Mrs Sumner. A special account was opened with the North and South Wales Bank Ltd., Oxton Branch. In one year the ladies collected £110-6s.