Church services strained

Press, 12 November 1981, Page 13

Church services strained

The Presbyterian Church was having difficulty in maintaining its community services because of inflation, the Presbyterian General Assembly lias been told in Christchurch. Inflation, and the failure of Government resources to keep pace with it, was putting a strain on the Church’s service for old people, said the convener of its social service committee, the Rev. R. I. Rutherford, of Christchurch. Future development of social services relied on community volunteers and churches rather than on paid professionals and large organisations, he said. Employment was the

greatest social need of the community of this time. "as a Church we are challenged to commit ourselves to the development of community work schemes, which are best done at the local level,” he said. If the Presbyterian Church really committed itself to sponsoring work schemes it could make a significant contribution. Mr Rutherford and the Linwood Baptist Minister, the Rev. A. N. Utting, had developed a community work scheme in Linwood. In just a few months. Mr Rutherford said, 20 unemployed people had been given a job, and up to 30 people were expected to be involved next year. U