TELEPHONE MINISTRY

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32222, 14 February 1970, Page 12

TELEPHONE MINISTRY

Five Churches Now Helping Because the Christchurch I Methodist Central Mission’s! telephone ministry has now! ibeen strengthened-to include’ 12 ministers and lay prea- [ chers from four other denominations besides the Methodist Church, the name of the service will be changed to the Inter-church Telephone Ministry. The new name which was decided upon at a meeting of the ministers and laymen conIcerned in Christchurch yesterday, will take effect on! Monday. The other churches: represented in the service are| the Anglican, Presbyterian.! Baptist, and Roman Catholic! churches.

The superintendent of the mission (the Rev W. E. Falkingham) said yesterday that the purpose of the 24-hour ministry was to help to meet the needs of people faced with day-to-day problems including loneliness, guilt feelings, depression, and sleeplessness. The recorded message which was based on the Gospel tried to give these people some help and comfort A prayer was also inIcluded in the message. Since the service started in April, 1964, the number of calls has risen gradually until now there are about 3000 each month.

Mr Falkingham said that as a number of the calls were from children it was decided to record a special message for children for use, particularly during the school holidays. The number of the telephone ministry is 67-299.