Our Director Niall Cooper recently shared this sermon on a visit to a church in Birmingham. We invite you to draw from it if you are preaching on Church Action on Poverty Sunday, 3 March 2019.
Read more “Different light: a sermon for Church Action on Poverty Sunday”
But too often, when we read scripture in our churches, we focus on other aspects of the story, or we are so familiar with the text that we don’t notice the challenging things it has to say to us.
Jesus’ parables are one of the best examples of this problem. When we read and think about the parables, we almost always look for allegorical, spiritual meanings.
But the parables are actually very earthly stories – and if we try to put ourselves in the place of their original audience, we discover very different messages in them.
These five Bible studies will challenge you to get alongside the people who are on the margins of our own society – and to speak out for justice. They will show you how the parables are subversive, dangerous stories.
Revd Al Barrett is vicar at Hodge Hill Church in Birmingham, and a member of a collective which helps Church Action on Poverty to reflect theologically on our work. We asked him to share a story about how his worship reflects the idea of an ‘outside-in church’.
Read more “Bringing our neighbourhoods into church”
Our 2018 report on the social impact of Your Local Pantry (our network of member-run community food stores).
St Leonard’s Church in Sunningwell, Oxfordshire, held a service recently to mark Church Action on Poverty Sunday. They kindly agreed to share their prayers with us here.
Read more “Church Action on Poverty Sunday: prayers from Sunningwell”
This reflection on Matthew 22:1-14 and ‘voices from the margins’ was written by Revd Raj Bharath Patta. You could use it in your church or house group to mark Church Action on Poverty Sunday, 11 February.
Read more “Extra resource for Church Action on Poverty Sunday: Bible study”
