Tonight Thank God its Them Instead of You

The Christmas season is well and truly upon us, and with it, the seemingly endless round of cheesy music and cheesy Christmas number ones - from before the days when the Christmas chart was dominated by the X Factor! Mr Blobby, Bob the Builder, and of course, the cheesiest of all, "Do They Know Its Christmas?"

Don't get me wrong, I think the what the Band Aid single achieved, in each of the three times it has been released was phenomenal, not just because of the money it raised, but because of the way it raised the profile of the issues in Ethiopia at the time, and also because of the way it launched the whole concept of the charity record. But everytime (probably at least once every couple of days at the moment) that I hear it, the lyrics make me cringe. I mean, honestly what were Bob Geldof and Midge Ure thinking when they wrote some of those lines, not least Bono's line quoted in the title of this blog. 

But lets just stop for a minute and try and work out what Bob and Midge were really trying to say. Lets assume that they weren't presuming on the inevitably of famine somewhere in the world. Lets assume that, despite how it reads, they weren't really offering their thanks to the Almighty for someone else's suffering, as it allows them not to suffer. Let us take it instead as something equivalent to a "There but for the Grace of God, go I" line, and remember how much we in the developed world have to truly be thankful for at Christmas time. 

And of course, its not just a first vs. third world issue. There are plenty of people here in Coventry, here in the UK who are in need this Christmas. I've already blogged about fairtrade issues, so here I'd like to raise the profile of a couple of more local things that Queens Road church are involved in - things that help people in the local area who otherwise may not really know its Christmas at all...

Coventry Foodbank is run by a coalition of local churches, who collect and store food in a number of distribution points across the city. Various professionals - doctors, social workers, CAB, local charities then identify those in need of short term help in the form of a three day food parcel, and issue a voucher, which they take to the distribution to receive their food parcel. Clients are entitled to up to three vouchers, which should give them the food they need to help them through a crisis - for example when benefits payments change or are delayed. 

Coventry Foodbank was seeded by the Trussell Trust, a UK wide organisation who seek to work with local communities and churches to meet this growing need - please see their website for more details or to find your local foodbank.

Open Christmas runs in Queens Roads premises, and although it isn't something started or organised by us, a number of members of the congregation are involved on a voluntary basis. Providing a night shelter and food, drink and refreshments for the homeless, this group seeks to “To provide Food, Shelter, Warmth and Friendship to the Homeless” and have done so now for 19 years.