Pubdate: Fri, 11 Jun 1999
Source: Belfast Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 1999 Belfast Telegraph Newspapers Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/
Author: Noel McAdam

CHURCH ORDERS DRUG ABUSE PROBE

Presbyterian leaders are investigating drug use among Church members.

The survey of attitudes towards and the actual use of drugs being
conducted by the church's alcohol and drug education committee was
approved at the General Assembly without debate.

It comes after shock statistics in England indicated drug use by
professing Christians was only slightly less than the general community.

Committee convenor Billy Boyd said the survey would help the church in
targeting its work in the next few years.

His report to the gathering in Belfast said: "Society in Northern
Ireland is noted for being more conservative than on the mainland. It
would be very useful to have some idea of the attitude to and use of
all kinds of drugs within the Presbyterian community."

Meanwhile, the Assembly heard Presbyterians working in banks are
finding their jobs very hard to fulfil in trying to help crisis-hit
farmers.

The Rev John Dunlop, of the church and government committee, said
people working in senior positions in banks were under the most
enormous pressure, because they could not extend the financial
sympathy to farmers they once could to ease debts.

The Belfast minister said the banks were being driven "not by
compassion but by profit" as the Assembly supported the plight of the
farming community.

The Rev Ivan Patterson said the last few years had been disastrous for
those involved in beef and pig farming and few could cope with a 60%
drop in income.

Few in urban areas could understand their plight.

"We need to appreciate that the crisis now facing farmers is real;
many futures are in doubt," he said.

Clergy and laity at the Assembly yesterday also agreed to set a
Millennium target for fund-raising covering overseas missions, church
extension, youth work and evangelism of pounds 2,576,000.
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