Regional debt initiatives from Church of England dioceses

Bishop of Worcester offers advice and prayer
outside a Job Centre in Redditch

The Church of England - in its dioceses and parishes - is providing practical responses for people affected by the current recession. For example, there is a growing number of parish debt advice centres run by churches around England in collaboration with Christians Against Poverty and other organisations. Many more initiatives are in the planning stage and will emerge during the recession. What follows is a series of snapshots of current activities - which is being updated regularly:

Diocese of London

• South East Hackney Cluster of churches is to setting up a food bank which will involve members from all six parishes as volunteers in this provision of food parcels to families and individuals in need.

• Several parishes have experience of offering debt counselling and others are just beginning to run advice sessions. St Paul’s Shadwell, for example, has arranged training for seven of their members as debt advisers.

• Christ Church Isle of Dogs has run an excellent youth employment Youth Employment Project, and St Mary’s Primrose Hill has an excellent youth inclusion project with much valuable experience to share.

• Into University is developing two new church-based projects in the diocese a year which work closely with local schools to raise the aspirations and achievements of local youth.

Diocese of Hereford

• The Community Larder project is asking local churches to supply food which can be made up into bags to provide a meal for a person or a family which cannot provide for itself.

Diocese of Manchester

• The Diocesan Grants Panel has agreed that Small Parish Mission Fund grants of up to £500 can be awarded to parishes carrying out new work to respond to the current economic climate, by offering help and support to people who are unemployed or who are working with issues around debt.

Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham

• Leaflets on debt have been distributed widely across churches in the diocese.

Diocese of Lincoln

• The diocese has promoted the Matter of Life and Debt materials via its website, e-bulletin and newsletter for treasurers, and has sent the initiative's A5 booklets to each deanery, encouraging them to use the materials to inform discussion and debate.

Diocese of Chichester

• A How Churches Can Help Parishioners in Money Difficulties evening was held at Church House in October, and the Bishop called for an Ash Wednesday day of prayer for those affected by the recession. There is a regular page on debt and managing personal finances in the quarterly Stewardship Snippets produced for parishes.

Diocese of Worcester

The Bishop said prayers for people he met whilst giving out copies of the Prayer on Being Made Redundant outside a job centre in Redditch Town Centre in February. In addition, a workshop equipped church leaders to help people suffering due to the financial crisis.

Diocese of Liverpool

The Diocese has written and promoted a section on its website to help churches support people both spiritually and practically through the recession.

Diocese of Carlisle

• A two-page feature in The Way diocesan newspaper focuses on help for those worried about debt, and advise for churches setting up their own debt advice centre.

Diocese of Newcastle

• A full page in the Link diocesan newspaper includes a brief account of the financial crisis by First Church Estates Commissioner Andreas Whittam Smith, and two of the Church of England website’s specially written prayers for those worried about debt and redundancy.