Christian Aid week falls in May each year and I thought this a good opportunity to let you know just what Christian Aid is about and some of their projects. Firstly despite its name the charity doesn’t ‘aid’ Christians - in the charity’s own words:
Christian Aid is a Christian organisation that insists the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty.
We work globally for profound change that eradicates the causes of poverty, striving to achieve equality, dignity and freedom for all, regardless of faith or nationality. We are part of a wider movement for social justice. We provide urgent, practical and effective assistance where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty as well as its root causes.
Christian Aid’s vision
Poverty is an outrage against humanity. It robs people of dignity, freedom and hope, of power over their own lives. Christian Aid has a vision - an end to poverty - and we believe that vision can become a reality. Our essential purposes are • to expose the scandal of poverty • to help in practical ways to root it out from the world • to challenge and change structures and systems that favour the rich and powerful over the poor and marginalised.
Christian Aid’s mandate
We are an agency of our churches in Britain and Ireland and are mandated to work on relief, development and advocacy for poverty eradication. Christian Aid’s work is founded on Christian faith, inspired by hope and acts to change an unjust world through charity – a practical love and care for our neighbours.
Christian Aid’s values Put human life first -Struggle for justice - Speak out courageously - Test everything against experience
We know that poor people are the true experts on the nature of poverty, and our work is shaped by their voices and concerns.
Work together with others
All our work is based on the spirit of cooperation and partnership. Christian Aid works with and through partners overseas: churches, ecumenical bodies, local NGOs and movements who have common values and competence in poverty eradication.
Go to the website http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/ to find out current projects and campaigns – and please give generously this year.
Elaine
Confirmation 2012 in the St weonards Group
If you would like to think about being confirmed in the summer please let me know as soon as possible. Ring 01981 580307 to find out more.
MAPping
A map helps you find out where you’ve come from, where you are and where you are going! And that’s what we’ve been doing in our Churches over the last few weeks – thinking what has been good and successful in the past and what steps we can take to build on that – however small.
The process is called MAPping (Mission Action Planning) and it has been a really interesting procedure. At first there didn’t seem all that much to be pleased about! Money is still very tight and all our lovely buildings need constant care and attention – there doesn’t seem much time left for the real work summed up in the Five Marks of Mission: living and sharing God’s love, Growing in faith and helping others grow, caring tenderly for those in need, acting justly and challenging unjust structures in society and caring for our beautiful world.
But as we talked together so we realised that we are doing a lot – even it only in small ways – and we want to do more. Look out for the leaflets we hope to produce this Spring that report back on our hopes for the coming year.
The main discussion process is now complete and you'll be able to see all the results here soon.
Lent and Easter - Preparing, Travelling, Arriving
This
year, in our churches, you
will find candle prayer packs specially designed for the season of Lent
and Easter (the Easter season continues beyond the Easter weekend,
right up to Pentecost, or Whitsun).Sometimes, we all feel the need to be quiet and think, or perhaps to be quiet and empty our minds of concerns for a while.
Perhaps we want to think about God, or Jesus, or to pray to them. Perhaps we are seeking our own path or searching for faith.
The candle prayer packs may be a helpful way to concentrate our thoughts and prayers.
Please visit one of the churches, take a pack and use it at home. Or if you are unable to visit us, you can download the candle pack document (in PDF format), print and fold it and add your own tea-light. You'll find full instructions on the downloaded document. I hope you'll find it a useful focus.
With best wishes
Elaine
P.S. I'd like to acknowledge the original idea for the candle packs, which came from Gloucester Diocese - we've made some changes to fit our particular needs, but credit must go to them!