Reflection for Christian Aid Week 2025 Did you ever tramp around the streets of Halesowen with those iconic red envelopes collecting for Christian Aid? Do you remember how daunting it felt and yet when you actually knocked on doors it never seemed anywhere near as bad as you expected it to be - and sometimes it was even enjoyable! A time to catch up with neighbours on their doorsteps and even forge friendships with people further down the street. Covid more or less put an end to the house-to-house collection but the work of Christian Aid carries on. You might be surprised to hear that this year Christian Aid marks 80 years of fighting poverty and injustice. The groundbreaking work of Christian Aid began in 1945 when British and Irish churches banded together to help refugees following the Second World War. They supported, equipped and enabled partner churches to meet the needs of their people. Since then, Christian Aid has provided humanitarian relief and long-term development support for poor communities worldwide, while highlighting suffering, tackling injustice and championing people’s rights. They always work alongside local people and communities who are much better placed to know what is needed, working in partnership to make a difference. Today, Christian Aid remains united in love and hope with churches and Christians around the world, supporting millions of people of all faiths and none. Christian Aid still believes in the unstoppable power of hope and works with a global community of supporters, churches, fundraisers, activists and partners to work towards their mission of ensuring that everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. In the words of one of their slogans, Christian Aid believes in ‘Life before Death’. In John 15:9-17 Jesus commands us to ‘love one another as I have loved you’. He talks about love and he talks about friends – Jesus said ‘you are my friends if you do what I command you.’ The friendships that Jesus wants us to have - in fact he commanded us to have - when he said ‘love one another as I have loved you’ are friendships that cost us something, that take us out of our comfort zone, that compel us to do something for people who may live lives completely different to our own and share none of our interests - and yet still they are our friends because they are God’s children and are loved by God too. This Christian Aid week we have the chance to reach out in friendship and love to people across the world whom we will never meet. To people living in poverty on the frontline of climate chaos; to people like Aurelia who is battling a climate crisis that she herself did not create. Our role in this friendship is to be part of the call for climate justice by campaigning, by making lifestyle changes, and yes, by giving money so our Christian Aid partners overseas can work alongside Aurelia to improve the life of her community here and now, and to make lasting changes for the future, so that Aurelia and her community can enjoy ‘life before death’. We are friends of Jesus if we do what he commands, and that command is quite simply to love one another as he loves us. If you would like to make a donation to the work of Christian Aid to help our friends across the world, there are envelopes in our churches or you can take advantage of technology and make an online donation into our own Halas e-envelope by clicking here Sally Spencer sally.spencer@halasteam.org.uk
The bench is in! Complete, and already blessing the community. Do go and sit on it! This is a community love initiative to bless the wider community, but also part of <a></a>our Green initiatives as we will be planting insect friendly planters near the bench to give a splash of colour and to attract butterflies and insects. It is made from recycled plastic, and is a chatty bench, designed for the rest of weary legs and the warmth of weary hearts. Do say a cheery hello if you see anyone sitting thereJesus says “come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”
Another glorious project unfolding today! Our wildflower garden was created on the south side of the church. This garden was dug and seeded with wildflowers for future <a></a>glory and good habitat for bees and insects - we hope to continue to develop this land so watch this space for further excitement! Thank you everyone who came and helped!
We have recently been awarded our Rocha UK national eco award at silver level, and are absolutely delighted. Our carbon footprint has fallen from 58 in 2023-2024 to 3.6 in 2024-2025. This is mainly due to our new electric heating system. S. Margaret's has been working hard to raise our green initiatives. We recycle paper, candles and green waste, and are continually cutting printing. We try to use 'green' cleaning products and other products in the church. We are currently engaged in a project for planting wildflowers and insect-friendly plants, and a fruit tree in the church grounds. S. Margaret's engages in wider eco projects such as the WWF Winter Wander and RSPB birdwatch, Earth Hour and other national projects. We pray for the environment in our worship, and encourage people to reflect carefully on our role as Christians for the stewarding of God's glorious creation. If you are interested in learning more about S. Margaret's eco heart then do come along to our green subcommittee meetings where we discuss and explore what we can do and how to energise people to engage in green thinking :-)
