Many people are concerned about living costs and the ability to heat their homes this Winter. There is a practical way in which churches may be able to provide support within their local communities by offering ‘Warm Spaces’. Churches may not be able to do this on their own but by working together with other churches it may be possible. Please follow the link for information on resources that will help churches in taking the first steps to opening spaces in their buildings to provide warm hubs.
Over 50 faith and charity leaders have called on the Prime Minister to prioritise support for the poorest in their cost of living announcements, ahead of Friday’s fiscal statement
Leaders from faith communities, charities, front-line support organisations and trade unions have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Liz Truss, urging her to “ensure that people on the lowest incomes have enough to live in the months ahead”.
The letter reads:
“As faith groups, charities, trade unions and front-line organisations we have seen the cost of living emergency escalating not only in the statistics but in the lives of people we meet day to day, in foodbanks, debt centres and in our places of worship. The least well off in our communities are facing the sharpest end of this crisis, and without substantial support will be dragged into destitution.
It is the urgent, moral responsibility of the Prime Minister to ensure that people on the lowest incomes have enough to live in the months ahead. Spiraling costs are affecting everyone, but for those who were already fighting to keep their heads above water this winter’s challenges will be a matter of life and death.”
The release of the letter coincides with new analysis from Prof Donald Hirsch, which calculates that despite the Energy Price Guarantee announcement made by the government on 8 September, a family of four receiving Universal Credit will still require an additional £1,391 over the next six months to stay warm and fed. It comes ahead of the government’s planned fiscal statement, where they are due to announce further measures targeted at combatting the rising cost of living. So far, the government have not announced any plans to increase direct support to households.
The letter is signed by 52 charity, faith and community leaders, including representatives from The Methodist Church, The Muslim Council of Britain, The Hindu Council UK and Jewish leaders from the across the UK, as well as charities and organisations such as The Food Foundation, the Child Poverty Action Group, Action for Children, The Big Issue and The Trussell Trust. Many charities and faith groups who provide direct support to the poorest households in communities across the UK through foodbanks, debt centres and warm banks, are also facing challenges in keeping up with increased demand amidst rising costs.
The letter calls for targeted financial support which takes into account family size and need, is distributed quickly and in amounts large enough to enable families to live decently this winter and beyond. The signatories argue that “increases in poverty and destitution because of this crisis are not inevitable, if government, business and civil society recognise that this is an emergency and act now”, and call on the government to use the tools at their disposal to urgently deliver support.
ENDS.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
For further information, contact:
Hannah Fremont-Brown
The Methodist Church
fremont-brownh@methodistchurch.org.uk
020 7467 5101
You can read the full text of the letter here: https://jpit.uk/enoughtolive.
The full list of signatories is:
Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steed, Chair, Tzelem: The Rabbinic and Cantorial Call for Social and Economic Justice in the UK
Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Chief Executive Officer, Liberal Judaism
Revd Fiona Bennett, Moderator of General Assembly, United Reformed Church
Rabbi Rebecca Birk, Co-Chair, Conference of Liberal Rabbis and Cantors
Anna Bland, Team Leader, Leeds Sanctuary
Anthony Boateng, Vice-President of the Conference, The Methodist Church in Britain
Dr Nicola Brady, General Secretary, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
Rabbi Janet Burden, Rabbi Emerita, Ealing Liberal Synagogue
Heidi Chow, Executive Director, Debt Justice
Niall Cooper, Director, Church Action on Poverty
Kevin Courtney and Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretaries, National Education Union
Sister Colette Cronin, Leader, Institute of Our Lady of Mercy
Colin Date, Acting Chair, Christian Concern for One World
Sister Lynda Dearlove rsm, CEO, women@thewell
Claire Donovan, Head of Research, Policy & Campaigns, End Furniture Poverty
Bishop Terry Drainey, Chair and Bishop, Catholic Social Action Network & R.C. Diocese of Middlesbrough
Alison Garnham, Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group
Ben Gilchrist, Chief Executive, Caritas Shrewsbury
Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, Senior Rabbi, The Ark Synagogue
Rev James Green, Executive Director, Together Liverpool
Revd. Lynn Green, General Secretary, Baptist Union of Great Britain
Mia Hasenson-Gross, Director, René Cassin
Revd Ruth Harvey, Leader, The Iona Community
Joseph Howes, CEO, Buttle UK
Imran Hussain, Director of Policy & Campaigns, Action for Children
Rabbi Richard Jacobi, Minister to the congregation, East London and Essex Liberal
Synagogue
Rabbi Neil Janes, Rabbi, South Bucks Jewish Community (constituent of Liberal Judaism)
The Most Reverend Andrew John, Archbishop of Wales, The Church in Wales
Rabbi Gabriel Kanter-Webber, Minister, Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue
Mr. Rajnish Kashyap MCICM, General Secretary, Hindu Council UK
Peter Kelly, Director, Poverty Alliance
Paul Kissack, Chief Executive, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Rabbi Monique Mayer, Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Congregation
Gareth McNab, Head of External Affairs, Christians Against Poverty
Paul McNamee, Editor, The Big Issue
Rabbi Lea Mühlstein, Senior Rabbi, The Ark Synagogue
Zara Mohammed, Secretary-General, Muslim Council of Britain
Patrick O'Dowd, Director, Caritas Diocese of Salford
Helen O’Shea, National President of St Vincent de Paul Society
Emma Revie, CEO, The Trussell Trust
Father Dominic Robinson SJ, Chair, Archdiocese of Westminster Justice and Peace
Revd Paul Rochester, General Secretary, Free Churches Group
Revd. Ian Rutherford, Chair, Greater Manchester Food Security Action Network and City Centre Minister, Methodist Central Hall Manchester.
Adam Scorer, Chief Executive, National Energy Action
Mr Paul Southgate, Chair of Trustees, The National Justice and Peace Network
Most Reverend Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness, and Primus, Scottish Episcopal Church
Anna Taylor, Executive Director, The Food Foundation
The Revd. Graham Thompson, President of the Methodist Conference, The Methodist Church of Britain
The Reverend James Tout, Chaplain to the Archbishop of Wales, The Church in Wales
Fr Adrian Tuckwell, Caritas Hexham and Newcastle
Jo Wittams, Co-Executive Director, The Equality Trust
The State Funeral for the late Queen Elizabeth II
It was a very great privilege to be present for, and take part in the funeral for the late Queen in Westminster Abbey. I was particularly glad that the Free Churches were represented so publicly at a key moment of national importance. I was therefore honoured not just to be present, and to process into the Abbey but also be asked to lead prayers alongside the Bishop of London and the Archbishop of York, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Shemara Fletcher of Churches Together in England and Archbishop Cardinal Vincent Nicholls. The prayer I was asked to read acknowledged the long service of Queen Elizabeth II and prayed both for our nation and for our leaders that they would be faithful and honest. It seemed a very fitting prayer to offer. My head and my heart are still very full of memories not least the rich encounters between ecumenical senior leaders and inter-faith guests as we waited to process into the Abbey.
All this followed an audience with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on the Friday evening. He had just arrived back into London from Cardiff 15 minutes before we arrived, and after the time he spent with us, he later went and kept the Vigil of the Princes with his sister and two brothers at his mother’s lying in state. Despite the tightness of this schedule the King spoke to everyone present and I was therefore able to offer him personally the condolences and sympathies of the Free Churches and assure him of our prayers. He asked me to thank you for your prayers in his bereavement and as he takes up new responsibilities. I told him a little of our work and mentioned the work in particular in prisons, hospitals, military and higher education chaplaincies. He was interested that we co-operated together in such work.
On a lighter note as I was leaving Westminster Abbey after the funeral I bumped into President Biden and Dr Jill Biden. I gave the President our best wishes and he said, Thank you Ma’am!
The Revd Canon Helen Cameron
Moderator of the Free Churches Group
Free Churches Moderator meet with King Charles III at a reception for faith leader in Buckingham Palace
The Revd Canon Helen Cameron was pleased to represent the Free Churches at a reception for more than 30 faith leaders in Buckingham Palace on Friday the 16th of September 2022.
At the reception in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace, King Charles lll said he believed, as sovereign, that his work includes "protecting the space for faith itself" and that he would carry out his responsibilities to serve all communities around this country and the Commonwealth, valuing different Christian traditions and expressions of faith.
He expressed how much their words of condolences meant to him after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Let's continue to pray for King Charles III, the Royal family, and the nation at this time of mourning.
FCG Statement upon the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II
We in the Free Churches share the deep sense of loss and sorrow felt across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and throughout the world, on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen reigned for over 70 years and was greatly loved for her service, strength and wisdom. Her Christian witness has been a profound inspiration as she has faithfully served her God and her people. At this time of mourning our thoughts go out to her family and in particular to the King whose private grief and public duty lie heavily upon him.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the long life and witness of your servant Elizabeth our Queen, and for the service she has given to you, our country and the Commonwealth. May you bless her family and bring your comfort and peace to them. Bless our nation as we mourn her death and may her example continue to inspire us.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Guidance for the public and businesses on the period of National Mourning following the demise of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
The Demise of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: National Mourning Guidance
The demise of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: National Mourning Guidance, pdf file.
The Government guidance on arrangements following Her Majesty's death can be found here. This includes information on flag flying.
National Mourning Guidance here.
The Royal Household has released guidance on mourning and condolences here.
The BBC has posted information about anticipated arrangements for The Queen's lying in state and funeral here and for the new monarch, His Majesty King Charles III here.