Methodist Sisterhood To Staff Welfare Homes Urged

Press, Volume C, Issue 29525, 29 May 1961, Page 13

Methodist Sisterhood To Staff Welfare Homes Urged

A Methodist Order of Christian Women who would make their lives’ work the staffing of the church's old people’s and children’s homes, hostels, hospitals and citv missions, was necessary >f the Methodist Church was to maintain and expand its social services. said the superintendent of the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission <the Rev. W. E. Falk'ingham) in the “Methodist Times." Workers were needed so badly at the Wesley Hospital for old people in Christchurch that it was only kept in full operation by employing a big number of parttime persons Which was at best a stop-gap arrangement, Mr Falkingham said. Both nurses and aids were in short supply. Staffs were also urgently required at Wesley Lodge, in Christchurch. and at Wesley House, in Picton. and the mission was awaiting Health Department approval for a new hospital at Nelson and a big extension at Picton. both of which would need competent and dedicated staffs. Similar staff shortages were common in the church's social service institutions throughout the Dominion. Office workers were also required, and they, too. could belong to the sisterhood.

“One of the chief reasons why there is such difficulty in getting suitable staff is the church’s frequent failure to present this work as one of the challenges of Christ to our womenfolk,” he added. “A special order, set apart by the church through a dedication service and bonded together as a sisterhood, would do much to emphasise the very real Christian call which motivates all our best social service workers. “All the fine schemes for Christian institutions can be frustrated where staff must be employed who are not committed to the Christian way. Our ideal cannot be realised unless our staffs are made up of persons who come with a Christian vocation.” Active membership of the sisterhood would normally be ended only by marriage or retirement. Mr Falkingham said. The members would be at the disposal of the church to be sent where they were most needed. They would not necessarily be associated with the deaconesses, who would continue with the same work as at present.