E-News January 2009

UK Faith Leaders speak out on Gaza

Gaza Leaders of all the major faiths in the UK have joined Christian Aid in calling for an immediate ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access to Gaza.

In a joint call, they demand that Prime Minister Gordon Brown renews efforts to end the suffering of “the powerless and the vulnerable”.

Sharing “a basic commitment to human rights”, they also call on citizens of the UK to take action because “we all bear responsibility for what is happening”. Christian Aid is asking members of the public to email the prime minister telling him, “Not in our neighbourhood.”

President of the Methodist Conference The Revd Stephen Poxon said, “So often during violent conflict the powerless and vulnerable suffer most. The shelling of schools and other civilian targets is absolutely unacceptable under any circumstances.

“Our hearts go out to the people of Gaza. They have suffered from lack of food and fuel and yet over the past 18 months Israel has often blocked or limited the passage of relief aid. At this critical time both sides must agree to an immediate end to fighting in order that the humanitarian needs can be addressed.

“It is clear that the international community needs to find fresh approaches to managing and resolving this conflict. A new US administration must make the achievement of international consensus a high priority. We commit ourselves to prayer for a lasting resolution built on justice and rights for Israelis and Palestinians.”

Click here to read what other faith leaders have said. The section also gives the up-to-date information and how you can respond through actions and prayers.

Voices from the Edge:
Poverty and Homelessness Action Week 2009

homeless person Poverty and Homelessness Action Week is 31 January – 8 February 2009.

The action week has commissioned a hard-hitting piece of documentary drama, Voices from the Edge. It is based on genuine testimonies from people experiencing poverty and exclusion. The script will be used in events across the UK, raising awareness of the deprivation that exists today.

As a church you could:

Attend a performance of Voices from the Edge.
Organise a sleep-out either to raise money to support a local project, or in solidarity with the homeless (and involve the local media).
Make links with a local charity or organisation working in the areas of homelessness and poverty.
As a church, or through Churches Together, write to your councillor and/or MP about poverty and housing issues.
Hold a service on Homelessness Sunday (1 February) or Poverty Action Sunday (8 February).

The action week website has downloadable worship resources, suggested activities and the script of Voices from the Edge.

Methodist Church supports Christians in North Korea

paddyfield Many people aren’t aware that there are Christians in North Korea, let alone that The Methodist Church in Britain has been working with them.

The Fund for World Mission is giving a grant of £5,000 to assist the Church in North Korea run a food production company to help people there.

Partnership Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific Steve Pearce said, “Times are particularly hard for all the people of North Korea at the present time. The North Korean population is cut off and isolated from the rest of the world and dependent on the regime for their needs. Food is scarce for many – there are problems in the supply of humanitarian aid.”

The Methodist Church in Britain and the Ecumenical Forum for Peace, Reunification and Development on the Korean Peninsula have been developing common projects with Church representatives from North and South Korea, North America and Europe.

You can read the full story and an accompanying prayer here.

Creating Effective Disciples through Cell Groups

Many churches are rediscovering the Methodist heritage of small groups. Some are adopting a ‘cell structure’ (becoming a church of small groups, rather than a church with small groups) and others are incorporating holistic small groups (which embody all elements of Our Calling) into a more traditional structure.

To discover more, there is a conference on 25-26 March 2009 at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick. Alongside a small number of keynote sessions, there will be plenty of workshops dealing with particular issues.

Booking forms are downloadable and give more information.

Increasing Momentum

Momentum, Methodism’s magazine of good news and partnership, is to publish extra stories on a monthly basis.

From the end of January 2009, short news stories will be added to the most current website edition of Momentum, providing up-to-date items ideal for local newsletters, websites and publicity materials. The stories will reflect the work of Methodism undertaken by all Momentum’s partner organisations, demonstrating the breadth and imagination of Methodist activity throughout Britain and the world.

To read Momentum updates, simply go to the Momentum pages on the Methodist website at the end of each month.