One World Group at St. Michael’s
Reaching out in love and service to those in need
The aim of the One World Group is to encourage and offer opportunities for members of St. Michael’s to reach out in love and service to those in need, locally, nationally and internationally, through:
• Prayer
• Practical help
• Financial support
•
Campaigning
This variety of opportunities is presented in the hope of enabling everyone to play a part, whatever their circumstances and gifts.
Providing the Opportunities
At present, the One World Group aims to provide all of the above opportunities by promoting support for the following organisations:
The Besom
www.besom.org.uk
Christian Aid
www.christianaid.org.uk
St. James’ Mission School, Zimbabwe
www.fsjms.org.uk
It is hoped that promoting support for this small number of organisations will make it possible to develop a strong sense of connection between us, as members of St. Michael’s, and those organisations.
A strong sense of connection has already been developed with St. James’ Mission School and the One World Group hopes that this can be extended to The Besom and Christian Aid.
The list of organisations that the One World Group promotes support for will be reviewed occasionally. Currently the review is expected to take place every three years.
Starting with Prayer
All of this should start with prayer, so these aims are promoted within and through our worship. This may be by regular inclusion in intercessions along with appropriately themed services at particular times, where opportunities for supporting the aims will sometimes be offered to coincide with the services, for example:
• Lent
- don’t give something up, do something (Practical help)
• Christian Aid Week
- envelope collections, campaign cards (Financial support, Campaigning)
• Harvest
- Harvest Supper (Financial support)
• Advent / Christmas
- Christmas Greetings (Financial support)
Giving from Stewardship
St. Michael’s currently sets aside 5% of its income from stewardship (regular giving from members of St. Michael’s) to be given to ‘good causes’.
The One World Group is responsible for proposing an annual division of this sum to St. Michael’s Church Council. Currently this sum is used to support those same organisations that we are supporting by prayer, practical help, campaigning and other forms of financial support.
Again, it is hoped that concentrating our giving in this way will provide the best opportunity for developing the strongest sense of connection between us – the members of St. Michael’s – and those organisations.
The allocation of this sum between the organisations being supported takes into account their relative financial needs and how much support each has received during the year.
"Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger"
Matthew 25:44
Are you interested in helping St. Michael’s to reach out to those in need, locally, nationally or internationally?
If so, or you would like to know more about the One World Group
at St. Michael’s, then please contact Gary Newell or a member of the clergy.