Christian Aid Week - coming soon!

For a growing number of people across the world, the horror of war is part of daily life. War tears lives apart. You can help put them back together. Christian Aid Week 2014 is an opportunity to give people a future without fear.

Tales of people from Colombia, South Sudan and Iraq feature in this year's appeal and bring to life some of the fantastic work we are supporting through Christian Aid.

The good news is that individuals, communities and churches like St John’s can make a real difference this Christian Aid Week. Last year, a magnificent 20,000 churches across the country helped raise £12m for Christian Aid Week. Thanks to our efforts and those of the other 19,999 churches involved, many more people can look forward to a future free from poverty.

You can make a real difference. That is the message when it comes to so much of church life. God says, ‘I made you with gifts and talents and what to empower you by my Spirit to use them to make a real difference.’ The Church says, ‘We need a new flowering of lay ministry in order to be a Transforming Presence in our parishes.’ Christian Aid says we can make a real difference to the lives of those in poverty around our world. In our Sophia Hub we train people to develop ideas and skills that will make a real difference in our local community. Many of you have for many years been making a real difference locally through your work (paid and voluntary) in particular through care for the elderly or homeless.

At our APCM I highlighted the fact that people who have joined St John’s in the last seven years are getting actively involved in our mission and ministry: on the PCC; among our Sunday School and Youth Group leaders; in our Mission Weekend planning group; on our All-Age Service planning group; assisting with our finances; servers and sidespeople; and assisting in the office.

This is a real encouragement. My sabbatical provides a further opportunity to see this in practice as (in addition to those clergy who will come and lead services) many of you will play your part in continuing the mission and ministry of St John’s during the time when I am away.

Sabbaticals, like interregnums, can be an opportunity for all to see that the Church is actually the whole people of God actively working together. As Christian Aid emphasise during Christian Aid, you can make a real difference.

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The Cars - Drive.