Do you want to deepen your church’s ongoing commitment to justice, and help to overcome some challenges facing your community?
One possible step would be to sign up for Church Action on Poverty Sunday, which takes place on October 19th. All participating churches are provided with a resource pack including discussion ideas, worship materials and prayers.
The theme this year is Dreams & Realities, based on a powerful portrait project with artist Stephen Martin, featuring the stories and aspirations of people living in deep hardship in Britain today.
Church Action on Poverty is a national charity, which has been supporting and equipping churches and community groups for more than 40 years, including several partnerships in Cornwall. It also coordinates the national Your Local Pantry project in 125 communities, to bring neighbourhoods together around food, easing household budgets, reducing loneliness and helping people to collectively find solutions to local challenges.
Liam Purcell, the charity’s newly-appointed chief executive, says: “As Christians, we know that seeking justice and speaking up against injustice should be an integral part of our faith. The Bible tells us to call out oppression and to challenge unjust systems.
“Knowing where to start isn’t always easy, but when churches put themselves at the heart of this work, as thriving community hubs, amazing change can happen. At Church Action on Poverty, we’ve always said that it is not enough to keep pulling people out of the river, nor simply to wish for change. We need to go upstream, find out what or who is sweeping people into poverty in the first place, and take action there. We’d love to hear what work churches are already involved in, or explore how we might work together.
More information can be found on Church Action on Poverty’s website: church-poverty.org.uk