Micah Sunday has prompted hundreds of churches in the UK and thousands of churches worldwide to send a clear message to global leaders: keep your promises to help the poor.
20 October 2008
Micah Sunday has prompted hundreds of churches in the UK and thousands of churches worldwide to send a clear message to global leaders: keep your promises to help the poor.
Churches across the UK used sermon themes, creative prayer and worship ideas to present practical ways to engage with the issues that face the world’s poorest people on 19 October.
This year’s theme highlighted the effect climate change has on the poor. Participants were encouraged to make a stand by calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to secure a global deal that helps poor communities adapt to the effects of climate change, ahead of December’s UN climate talks in Poland.
Micah Sunday is an annual event which aims to galvanise the international church family to act on behalf of the world’s poorest people. Many churches took part in Stand Up and Take Action which is an initiative organised by Global Call to Action Against Poverty calling on people to literally stand up in Micah Sunday services to have their voice counted.
Last year, 43.7 million people joined the Stand up and Take action campaign worldwide, setting a new world record, and they anticipate that the record has been broken again this year.
Thirty-one Micah Campaigns worldwide took part in Micah Sunday. Kenyan Christians hosted a huge prayer rally and many churches across the world have organised practical aid as part of their campaign, with food being distributed in Burundi to those affected by the drought in Gitega and medicine and clothes to Abidjan village in the Ivory Coast as part of their practical response.
Andy Clasper, Micah Challenge UK Executive Director, said: “To my mind the interconnectedness of our world that the current financial crisis demonstrates makes it more important, not less, for us to keep our promises to the world’s poor.
“If the Church worldwide can just raise its voice on the issue of extreme poverty, then huge changes can be made. This generation could yet be remembered as the one that wiped extreme poverty from the face of the earth.”
The official Micah Sunday date was 19 October, but churches can hold events at any time this autumn. Visit www.micahchallenge.org.uk/micahsunday to find out more.
Notes to editors:
Micah Challenge is a coming together of people, in 40 different nations, who want to take up the challenge laid down by Old Testament prophet Micah, and speak out against the injustice of global poverty. Micah Challenge UK is working with churches, charities, and others to help people think differently about global poverty, and to empower them to pray, act together and speak out for its alleviation.
Micah Challenge UK’s members include: African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA), Alpha International/Holy Trinity Brompton, BMS World Mission, CBM UK, Christian Aid, Christian Medical Fellowship, Christian Today, Evangelical Alliance, Faithworks, Christian Blind Mission, Global Connections, New Frontiers, Oasis, Shaftesbury Society, SPEAK, Tearfund, World Vision UK. See www.micahchallenge.org.uk for more details.
The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is a growing alliance of trade unions, community groups, faith groups, women and youth organisations, NGOs and other campaigners working together across more than 100 national platforms. GCAP is calling for action from the world’s leaders to meet their promises to end poverty and inequality. To find out more about the Stand Up initiative, visit www.standagainstpoverty.org .
