Many of you will have heard of the Care Line and the Caring Network. Over the past year the Care Line has not been functioning. Your brothers and sisters who volunteer for the service were distressed that we had to place a temporary hold on our service, but we are now pleased to announce the Care Line is back up and running.
What is the Christadelphian Care Line?
The Christadelphian Care Line is a telephone support listening service for Christadelphians. This service is provided by a group of your peers, brothers and sisters who voluntarily serve on the Care Line.
Life appears to be getting more stressful and difficult during these last days. The Care Line desires to serve our community of faith during difficult times. Some of you may be struggling, feeling the need to reach out for peer support. Ideally support will be found within your own ecclesia but perhaps your ecclesia is simply too small. Perhaps you feel your circumstances are an impediment or that it would be too embarrassing to speak with someone close by. For whatever reason, if you are looking for someone to listen to you, please do not hesitate to call the Care Line. We are prepared to listen empathically to your story.
Our mission is to provide a Christ-centered, confidential, peer-support listening service for the Christadelphian community in an empathic, non-judgmental, and understanding environment. Our toll-free number is 1-866-823-1039.
Our mandate is simple… “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ.”
What is the function of the Care Line?
The function of the Care Line is to assist each other in living more closely to the standards set by God’s commandments and by the example of Jesus Christ. We often become overwhelmed with struggles, lose our direction, or face a problem that is too difficult for us to deal with. When this occurs the Care Line can provide peer support.
The best way to assist each other is within the ecclesial context. Ecclesias, when they are mutually supportive and caring, will provide the environment to assist. Sometimes a person seeking a listening ear will reach out to others in the community. The Care Line is a resource for that person. The Care Line is intended to supplement, not replace existing ecclesial resources and obligation.
Where did the Care Line originate?
The Care Line works together with a committee from the Caring Network. Our history began after community discussions in Southern Ontario in 1989. We consulted with the UK Care Group extensively in our formative years and later with the Christadelphian Care Groups of Australia. Our development has been slow but steady over time. Around the world, Christadelphians have developed a global network of caring services.
Over the past year we have grown and restructured. Our focus has been on improving our organization and service. During this growth phase we felt forced to temporarily shut down the Care Line service. A prayerful, careful approach was necessary in order for us to see how our service might be delivered more effectively. Many meetings have taken place, with participants from various ecclesias in Southern Ontario, during this time period. The results of group discussions have led us to improve our service in the following ways:
- We have completed the Constitution of the Christadelphian Caring Network of Canada.
- We are in process of being registered with the Canadian government as a recognized charitable organization.
- On the basis of our constitution, elections to the committee will take place at the annual general meeting (AGM) every year. This meeting date is published widely well in advance each year.
- We have examined obtaining insurance or possibly incorporating as a means to reduce risk to our members.
- We have put into place documented procedures and policies for those serving on the Care Line.
- The Care Line will now endeavor to put you into contact with a peer support person immediately, which is a great improvement over the former answering machine.
- Mandatory documented training is scheduled and monitored on an ongoing basis.
- Generalized report-gathering information is now in place, which also protects confidentiality.
- We are also in process of revamping our dated web service.
What other things does the Caring Network do?
The Care Line is the most visible service provided under the umbrella of the Caring Network but it is not the only thing we do. Once or twice a year the Caring Network sponsors a seminar, usually in conjunction with the AGM on a subject related to Caring. Recently we have had seminars entitled “Stress Points in Marriage: Identify, Confront, Overcome” and “A Welcoming Ecclesia”. We thank the Toronto West Ecclesia for the generous use of their hall for our annual meetings for the past few years.
We also publish and distribute a number of bulletins each year. The Bulletin is intended to support the overall mandate of the Caring Network in providing spiritually helpful information and instruction to our brotherhood. This helps us to better understand how to support and encourage one another. Some topics covered recently include: Grief and Mourning, Care For Our Elderly, Substance Abuse, and the Love Principle.
We also manage and maintain a website. You can find us at www.caringnetwork.ca. On our site you will find resources on many issues. We have an electronic version of the manual entitled “Scriptural Wisdom & Practical Help for Surviving Troubled Times”. This manual covers a variety of topics including sexuality, parenting, substance abuse, financial issues, caring for the elderly, and many other life issues. We hope to have a major revision of our site coming soon.
The Care Line and the Caring Network hope to aid others as they walk toward the Kingdom of God. The apostle Paul tells us that the body of Christ consists of many elements. He uses the symbol of body parts to explain how much we need each other, various parts working together to make up a healthy body. Essential elements necessary for a healthy body include Bible reading, teaching, ecclesial care, worship, prayer, and others. These helps are available to assist in the goal of walking acceptably before God. Success in reaching that goal is dependent on God’s blessing and guidance.
The Caring Network and Care Line wish to “encourage the exhausted, strengthen the feeble” and to “bear one another’s burdens”. Call us if you need to speak with someone when the going gets difficult, or at any other time. 1-866-823-1039.
On behalf of the Caring Network and Care Line Bro. Bill Lawrence, Chair — Christadelphian Caring Network of Canada.
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