TELEPHONE MINISTRY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30061, 20 February 1963, Page 15

TELEPHONE MINISTRY

Move Planned By Mission

The Methodist Central Mission is to establish a telephone ministry in Christchurch. The mission board of management decided this last evening. Anyone needing help will be able, by dialling a certain telephone number, to hear a prayer or Bible reading, together with an address where further assistance is available if required. The service is expected to start in about two months. The Rev. W. S. Dawson said that other Protestant churches should be approached by the mission to assure them that they could share in the messages, and that those with close ties with other denominations

would be referred to their own clergy or ministers. This suggestion was referred to a joint committee of the mission board and the Methodist Synod standing committee tar action.

The board received an anonymous donation of £2500 —£looo to go tn Wesley House, Picton, £5OO each to Wesley Lodge and Hospital, and £5OO to the general purposes of the mission. An interim amount of £lOOO in stock was received from the estate of Lilian Donaldson Belshaw, and another erf £llO from the estate of Olive Elizabeth Oceana Cresswell.

A final cheque of £lO2 4s lOd was received from the estate of Miss Annie Sayers, bringing the total received by the mission from the estate to £2102 4s lOd. The loss on running expenses on the mission’s instrihxtkxM for the quarter ended December 31. 1962, was: Wesley Hospital, £533 17s lid: Wesley Lodge. £366 10s 8d; Rehua Hostel. £305 2s 4d.