Service for Christian Aid Week

A good number of people came to Farnham Methodist Church for the Service led by Sadie Blankley the Chair of the Farnham and District Christian Aid Group.

 

The service started with a 'Welcome', 'an opening responsive prayer of praise' and the hymn ‘Praise to the Lord, the almighty, the King of creation’. There was then a prayer of confession which ended with ‘In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen’.

 

There was then a set of photos ‘Hope on the streets of Kinshasa’ illustrating the work of Humanité Nouvelle (HN) a Christian Aid Partner.

 

Fifteen-year-old Jimmy Polo Kambili’s family could not look after him. Now he sleeps in the marketplace with a group of friends. But he visits a drop-in centre run by HN to play football and gets advice, training and a good meal. For Jimmy, this support has given him hope to focus on a brighter future as a driver or mechanic, far away from the streets of Kinshasa.

 

Eighteen-year-old Nadia Kabula also experienced family loss, but she has not been forced on to the streets. HN stepped in before her situation became so severe. Nadia’s family became desperately poor three years ago when her father died. Her mother, Brigette, now works exhausting 48-hour shifts, barely earning enough to cover her journey to work, and Nadia has had to sacrifice her education. But HN’s sewing course has given her back the chance of a full life, and protection from a life on the streets in the future. Nadia’s unique eye for style is already earning her commissions, and she hopes to open her own business. Nadia is trusting God as she struggles towards this vision. A talented singer, she encourages others with songs of worship. Nadia says, ‘Music is an important part of life here… When I sing I feel good – it is like food. My favourite song is “Lord I Lift Your Name on High”.’

 

Meanwhile, Nadia is also displaying extraordinary determination and selflessness as she sacrifices her time to care for her four younger siblings, and helps teach other young women to sew. Her life of love is an example to us all.

 

There was then a reading from 1 John Ch4 vv 7-21, after which we sang ‘Make me a channel of your peace’. Followed by a video clip ‘The Word of Love’.

 

There was then a time for participation through interactive prayer stations.

 

These focussed on:

Take a piece of cloth. Hold it in your hands; feel the texture. For Nadia, her dreams for a different life are in cloth like this.

The death of her father three years ago left Nadia’s family in desperate poverty – their hope for the future hanging by a thread. Nadia was forced to drop out of school and feared she would never be able to earn a good living. But a tailoring course run by Christian Aid partner Humanité Nouvelle has allowed Nadia to hope that she may one day open her own business and be able to support her family.

As you hold the cloth, bring before God your hopes and dreams and offer your prayers for Nadia and other young women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Then take your cloth and hang it on the prayer tree.

The Christian Aid Week envelope is pushed through doors empty. When it is collected with a donation it helps brings life. God calls us to live lives that are full, lives that overflow with love to fill the empty places in our world. Take a piece of paper and write down something that you, your church, or someone you know is doing to raise money this Christian Aid Week, and place it in an envelope. Pray that this activity will fulfil its potential and bring fullness of life through the money raised. Then take your envelope and place it on the prayer tree.

‘I’d rather starve than give up singing,’ says Nadia. Her words make us stop and think. Nadia and her family are very poor, and sometimes there isn’t enough food to go around. But Nadia knows that life is about more than just surviving.

And when Nadia’s little brother Josué was asked about the most important things in his life, he chose things such as fun, family, and school. He also chose his best friend Gideon. Gideon and Josué like to play marbles together.

Take a heart shape and complete the sentence printed on it (I thank God for ..). Then on the back write your thanks to God for the things in your life that are important to you. Tie your heart to the prayer tree.

 

Next we heard the Lord’s Prayer being sung in Aramaic – the language Jesus spoke and in response our prayer was:

We then sang ‘I the Lord of Sea and Sky’

 

The order of service contained an action card and a Christian Aid envelope. We were invited to take a few minutes of reflection and fill out the action cards and to pray about climate change, the communities affected even now by unpredictable weather patterns, and our responsibility to hold the powerful to account for the needs of the most vulnerable.

 

While we were doing this Nadia singing “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” (in her native language) was being played.

 

As we came forward with the card and envelope in We were invited to say:

 

We then said The Prayer for Christian Aid Week:

 

The service ended with a prayer commissioning collectors and others active in Christian Aid Week, the singing of a hymn ‘All that I am’ and a closing responsive prayer: