This weekend, churches in the UK will send the Government a clear message: keep your promises to help the poor.
14 October 2008
This weekend, churches in the UK will send the Government a clear message: keep your promises to help the poor.
At least 150 churches in the UK and thousands more around the world are expected to hold Micah Sunday 08 services. Micah Sunday is an annual event which aims to galvanise the international church family to act on behalf of the world’s poorest people. Micah Challenge UK is providing UK churches with sermon themes, creative prayer and worship ideas and practical ways to engage with issues.
The theme of Micah Sunday 08 in the UK is climate change. Ahead of December’s UN climate talks in Poland, UK Christians will specifically call on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to secure a global deal that helps poor communities adapt to climate change.
Andy Clasper, Micah Challenge UK Executive Director, said: “To my mind the interconnectedness of our world that the current financial crisis demonstrates makes it more important, not less, for us to keep our promises to the world’s poor.
“The test is whether we will be courageous enough to see those far away from us and different to us as brothers and help them even when it hurts. I call on Christians right around the world to stand with us this autumn as part of Micah Sunday to send a message to government that our promises to the poor must be kept.”
Some churches are also taking part in Global Call to Action Against Poverty’s Stand Up initiative by literally standing up in Micah Sunday services to have their voice counted.
Last year, 43.7 million people joined Stand Up worldwide, setting a new world record, and they are hoping to break that record this year.
The official Micah Sunday date is 19 October, but churches can hold events at any time this autumn. Visit http://www.micahchallenge.org.uk/micahsunday/ to find out more.
Media Contact:
Charis Gibson
Evangelical Alliance
020 7207 2117
c.gibson@eauk.org
Micah Challenge is a coming together of people, in 40 different nations, who want to take up the challenge laid down by Old Testament prophet Micah, and speak out against the injustice of global poverty. Micah Challenge UK is working with churches, charities, and others to help people think differently about global poverty, and to empower them to pray, act together and speak out for its alleviation.
Micah Challenge UK’s members include: African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA), Alpha International/Holy Trinity Brompton, BMS World Mission, CBM UK, Christian Aid, Christian Medical Fellowship, Christian Today, Evangelical Alliance, Faithworks, Christian Blind Mission, Global Connections, New Frontiers, Oasis, Shaftesbury Society, SPEAK, Tearfund, World Vision UK. See www.micahchallenge.org.uk for more details.
The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is a growing alliance of trade unions, community groups, faith groups, women and youth organisations, NGOs and other campaigners working together across more than 100 national platforms. GCAP is calling for action from the world’s leaders to meet their promises to end poverty and inequality. To find out more about the Stand Up initiative, visit www.standagainstpoverty.org.
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