What’s Your Promise?

Diocese backs Micah Challenge anti-poverty campaign

October 10th (10.10.10) is being used by churches both here and abroad to pray for people in poverty  as part of a campaign called ‘What’s your promise?’, encouraging promises  to live a life remembering those in poverty.

What's your promise? from Micah Challenge in the UK on Vimeo.

The campaign is spearheaded by Micah Challenge, an umbrella organisation that has the support of major charities such as Christian Aid and Tearfund. It  also has the support of Church of England bishops including Bishop John who is hoping churches in the diocese will get behind the campaign.

“My own personal promise in response to the Micah Challenge is threefold” says Bishop John. “To examine wardrobes and bookshelves to ensure that all my clothing and books are needed – and take those which are not to Oxfam to sell, to enhance my support in money and time for asylum seekers in Leeds ... and .... hold the coalition to its promise that cuts will be progressive and fall on the wealthy rather than the poor.”

For full information on how you and your church can support the Micah Challenge on 10.10.10  www.whatsyourpromise.org.uk

The Micah Challenge for Christians

in Ripon and Leeds

In 2000 189 governments pledged to halve global poverty by 2015 and agreed to the 8 Millennium Development Goals. These goals are our promises to the poor and oppressed; they issue from the heart of God. Can we achieve them in 5 years time?

The MICAH CHALLENGE asks all Christians to do 3 things:

• Make a promise which will help those who live in poverty
• On Sunday October 10 (10.10.10) pray that our promises will create a more just world
• Share your promise with your MP

Bishop John: My personal promise in response to the Micah Challenge is threefold:

• To examine wardrobes and bookshelves to ensure that all my clothing and books are needed – and take those which are not to Oxfam to sell. 

• To enhance my support, in money and time, for asylum seekers in Leeds – the most deprived in our own society.

• To use the opportunities given by House of Lords membership to do my part to hold the Coalition to its promise that cuts will be progressive and fall on the wealthy rather than the poor.

WILL YOU PROMISE, PRAY AND SHARE?

Download the Micah Challenge Poster

Invitation from Bishop John to respond to the Micah Challenge

September 17, 2010

Dear Colleagues

You will be aware of the importance which the world leaders attach to the achieving of the 8 Millennium Goals and the commitment to halve world poverty by 2015. The Micah Challenge has the support of Christian organizations working for a more just world and is challenging Christians worldwide to offer promises which, when taken together, will help towards this goal of a fairer world.

The Micah Challenge website (www.micahchallenge.org.uk) has all the resources which will help your church and its members to take part in this challenge. On that site are downloadable resources, short videos for use in worship and a wealth of other helpful material.

As you know the fight against poverty both here and across the world is close to the heart of Bishop John and he has already made his own personal promise. Bishop John asks all our churches to respond to this challenge, to hold our promises in prayer on Sunday 10 October and to contact our MP’s giving details of our personal promises and encouraging them to do the same.

The Micah challenge will continue its work over the next five years as the world struggles in its aim of achieving the millennium development goals. Many of our churches have these global concerns high on their agendas and we pray that we may use this and other campaigns to work for justice for the world’s poor, our sisters and brothers in the eyes of God.

Enclosed is a poster for your church and you will find the poster and other materials on the diocesan website. Please encourage your congregation to take up this challenge and to mark it in prayer on October 10th.

Many thanks

Adrian Alker, Director of Mission Resourcing

Who’s behind What’s Your Promise?

What’s Your Promise? is part of the Micah 2010 campaign being mobilised by Micah Challenge around the world. This website will keep you posted on news from around the world as it comes in. But if you want to find out more about the worldwide campaign, go to www.micah2010.org.

Micah Challenge is a coming together of people around the world who want to take up the challenge laid down by Old Testament prophet Micah and speak out against the injustice of global poverty. The logos at the bottom of the page are just some of the organisations behind our work. For a full list of partners and more information on Micah Challenge in the UK, take a look at www.micahchallenge.org.uk