‘Enough for All’ — much more than just a sleep-out
Filed under: Networks News Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
‘Enough for All’ — much more than just a sleep-out.
Church Partners issue challenge to share, exchange and re-use to combat the hardships of economic downturn
As Bankers across the world count their bonuses in hundreds of thousands, an alternative has been published for Poverty & Homelessness Action Week 2010. 12 Baskets provides ideas for individuals and communities to respond to the recession by living more simply and sharing what we have.
Poverty & Homelessness Action Week starts on Saturday 30 January 2010, running to Sunday 7 February, and includes both Homelessness Sunday and Poverty Action Sunday. Resource materials available on www.actionweek.org.uk include worship guides, materials for work with children and young people, and other materials, along with a map of events across the UK.
The 12 Baskets handbook takes its title from the New Testament story of the feeding of the 5,000, when all the people “ate and were filled. When they collected the leftover pieces, there were 12 baskets” (Luke 9:17). The guide contains examples of practical ways in which people already share hospitality, food, transport and lifestyles, to the benefit of individuals and their communities. Schemes such as Nightstop which provide emergency accommodation in hosts’ own homes, ethical banking opportunities, furniture recycling and food co-operatives all feature.
“The recession is not just a crisis, but also a time for us to explore new ways of doing things. We have had enough of an economic system built on greed and selfishness. There is another way,” says the Poverty & Homelessness Action Week manifesto.
‘There is so much more that people can do to tackle poverty and homelessness than raising money through sponsored sleep-outs, welcome as the funds are’, said Alison Gelder, Chief Executive of Housing Justice, ‘ and because it runs for a week you don’t need to be a church or even a Christian to take part. It’s only by communities of all kinds pulling together that we can change things for the better.’
Scottish Churches Housing Action Chief Executive, Alastair Cameron, adds: “The gap between rich and poor is growing. But everyone can help to close it by operating outside the cash economy – through the basics of helping each other, sharing our insights and our skills, and showing that there are other ways of living our life.”
Sample events…
Church of England
Northamptonshire YMCA ‘Sleep Easy’
29.01.2010, St Giles Church, Northampton
UK Poverty and Inequality Exhibition
27.01 to 12.02 2010, Sheffield Cathedral
Guildford YMCA ‘Sleep Easy’
30.01.2010, Guildford Cathedral
Methodist
Service, by Victoria Hall Methodist Church
31.01.2010, Victoria Hall Methodist Church, Sheffield
Cup of Tea appeal by Rosyth Methodist Church
31.01.2010, Dunfermline, Scotland
Service, by Woodley Methodist Church
02.07.2010, Woodley Methodist Church, Stockport
Moravian
‘Call to Action’, by Moravian Church
31.01.2010, Moravian Church, University Rd, Belfast
Roman Catholic
Sponsored Walk, by Holy Spirit Church
30.01.2010 — 10-mile walk will visit fourteen churches in Stockport
Mass for Action Week at Our Lady of Dolours Church
06-07.02.2010, Our Lady of Dolours, Salford, Lancs
Doncaster YMCA ‘Sleep Easy’
30.01.2010, St Peter-in-Chains, Doncaster
Evangelical
Woking YMCA ‘Sleep Easy’
30.01.2010, Emmanuel Chapel, Woking
Ecumenical
Community Exchange — Shared Lunch with CAP North East
06.02.2010, St Thomas the Martyr Church, Newcastle upon Tyne
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