Making a difference

Our words today com from Canon Ellen Loudon, the Director of Social Justice for the Diocese. This is addressed to all who have been contributing to the work of our churches in making a bigger difference in our communities at this time. Ellen writes:

Thank you for the difference you are making.

‘I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.’ (Philippians 1:3-5)

The last few weeks have seen so many of our churches and individuals step up into bigger difference work. Whether you are helping with emergency food aid at our foodbanks, delivering essential supplies for neighbours, helping with care for the most vulnerable, talking people through grief and their anxiety or most significantly adhering to social distancing advice – you are making a bigger difference.

The church in the diocese of Liverpool is here for everyone and we are serving everyone in our prayerful active ministry. All this social action comes with a bigger difference because we are Easter people who have good news to share. We are here to breathe hope into difficult times, we serve with that deep joy of our hope in Christ and we offer our social action and civic care because that is what we are called to do.

So, thank you. Thank you for being Easter people even when it feels like Good Friday. In the dark times you have brought kindness and strength, hope and solace. Please keep going and keep being Easter people, bigger-difference people.

In the light of Ellen’s words our prayer today comes from Barbara Glasson, President of the Methodist Conference:
We are not people of fear:
we are people of courage.
We are not people who protect our own safety:
we are people who protect our neighbours’ safety.
We are not people of greed:
we are people of generosity.
We are your people God,
giving and loving,
wherever we are,
whatever it costs
for as long as it takes
wherever you call us.
Amen.

Thank you Ellen – let’s keep being Easter people!