Methodist Social Work Under Discussion

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31656, 17 April 1968, Page 7

Methodist Social Work Under Discussion

Social service workers must look at their work in relation to the wide development and expansion of the welfare state, the president of the Methodist Church of New Zealand (the Rev. J. D. Grocott) said in Christchurch yesterday. Mr Grocott was speaking at: the opening of the annua) meeting of the New Zealand Methodist Social Services Association being held in the Methodist Central Mission's hall in Cambridge Terrace. About 20 representatives of the Methodist Church's social welfare work for the aged, child care, counselling services, and Maori work, from centres throughout New Zealand including Wellington.! Auckland. Dunedin, Palmerston North. Masterton and Christchurch, are attending the conference, which will end this evening. Mr Grocott said that members of the association should also constantly see how they

were gearing themselves towards church union. “In the course of time it will come.” he said. “If we are to have an effective change-over we must keep this in mind” He gave a brief outline of aspects of social service work iin the Christian Children's ; Fund’s home under the direction of the Methodist Church in the Philippines, emphasising the training and education required for those in responsible positions. In Noumea, although the Protestant group was in the minority, the ministry of the reformed church was concerned with the work of the total Christian field, said Mr Grocott. Today at 9 a.m. a lecture on i the Biblical and theological basis for the church social service work will be given by the Rev. G. Bell of St Albans and later in the morning a re oort on the Australasian Child Care conference held in Mel bourne earlier this year wil' >e presented.