Churches Asked To Help In Life-line Service

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30823, 7 August 1965, Page 18

Churches Asked To Help In Life-line Service

All churches of member denominations of the National Council of Churches in Christchurch have been invited to nominate members for the caring division of Life-Line, the Methodist Central Mission’s telephone counselling service. This was revealed in the first annual report of LifeLine, presented to the annual meeting of the Methodist Central Mission.

Caring division members provide personal help and guidance for up to three

months, where needed, for persons who seek help through Life-Line. About 800 calls for help were received by Life-Line during the year. “Calls come from lonely people, those contemplating suicide, unmarried mothers, people with spiritual, financial, or emotional problems, deserted wives, *mixed-up teen-agers,’ and people with marriage problems,” the report said. “The trouble team has been called out on several occasions. “People contemplating suicide have been counselled into' the early hours of the morning. Trouble team members have also been into homes where marriage problems have created tense situations, and into homes where family disturbances have been caused by defiant teenage sons and daughters.” The possibility of extending the service to give a 24hour coverage was being considered. At present, LifeLine operates daily from 9 a.m. to midnight.