A group of Allegany County pastors and Christian ministry
leaders have come together to provide a telephone HopeLine for spiritual
support for individuals during the current coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hope Center, a Christian outreach ministry with offices
in Wellsville, is coordinating the new HopeLine which is designed to help both
Christians and non-Christians cope with the many recognized and unrecognized
strains from the current public health crisis by means of a "listening ear."
Casey Jones, Hope Center Planning Group chair, said that
pastors and church and ministry leaders are receiving a multitude of calls from
individuals in various stages of trauma, from being bewildered as to what is
happening and what to do about it to questioning where God is in the current
situation.
“Government and
agency telephone supports have been established to help address mental health
issues involving the coronavirus,” he said, “but many people are saying they
want to talk about the spiritual aspects of what is happening or simply find a
receptive ear.” The HelpLine is not a
professional counseling service.
The Hope Center, which has been closed since the coronavirus
State of Emergency was declared, was established to assist in providing Help •
Hope • Healing for Allegany County residents through a drop-in, information and
referral and community education center in which individuals learn about issues
of importance to individuals and families.
It also provides free reading assistance for children and adults, including
those struggling with dyslexia, and is developing a Christian lending
library. It has been providing
area-related information daily about the coronavirus on its Facebook page,
including a Nightly Update.
The Center is an outreach ministry of the Mission Genesee
Valley coalition of churches and other Christian organizations in Allegany
County. One of its goals is to broaden
effective outreaches by churches to their neighborhoods and communities.
It normally offers free seminars and workshops each month
which provide information on a wide-range of subjects that impact individuals,
families and churches, working with other community organizations to expand
content and focus on significant issues of concern. Past focuses have included kids dangers,
mental health, drugs and alcohol, understanding dyslexia and reading issues,
developing effective outreaches and true collaborations to provide positive
impact in communities and churches, and more.
It also has established an ambassador component which helps
equip individuals to take information back to their churches, neighborhoods and
workplaces and assist others in connecting with the right resources to meet
immediate and long-term needs.
The new HopeLine is available immediately from 8 a.m. to 8
p.m. daily at (585) 209-5080.
Information about the Hope Center is available at
www.facebook.com/HopeCenterAlleganyCounty or bps461@msn.com.
