sign in sign up
<<
Home , Coldplay, Madonna, Make Poverty History, Robbie Williams, U2

Free of charge

ISSUE 40 Parish news from Petersfield to the Isle of Wight JULY/AUGUST 2005 What can draw us Africa and Asia closer to God? shaped our faith Spirituality survey: pages 6-7 My Faith: page 8 , ,

and could be singing Photo: EMPICS live in your local parish church TUNE IN FOR GIG OF THE CENTURY U2 frontman has already been prominent in the campaign POP legends U2, impossible. Diocesan social us to ally ourselves with an inter- ence to tackle world poverty during paign. And those at St Mary’s, Madonna, and responsibility adviser national campaign for social jus- 2005, when it will host the G8 sum- Brighstone, will promote the cam- REM could be playing Nick Ralph is therefore tice and talk to people about what mit and preside over the European paign during their festival, from urging churches to step the Church really stands for!” Union between July and December. July 7-10. live in your local church into the breach. He has given The three aims are to secure And four nuns from this month. “The con- advice to churches more and better international , Portsmouth, two Anglican Sisters Churches around our diocese certs will be a fantas- about the - fairer rules governing of Bethany and two Catholic are being encouraged to show the tic way of raising logical and legal between nations and the cancella- Franciscan Missionaries of Divine Live 8 on big screens to awareness about the requirements they tion of poorer countries’ unpayable Motherhood, were among 1,000 help ram home the message behind crucial elements need to meet to debts. from religious orders who lobbied the cam- behind the Make show the footage from the Christians in Petersfield showed their MPs about global poverty in paign. Poverty History cam- concerts, in , Philadel- their solidarity with the millions in May. The gigs, which will also fea- paign,” he said. phia, Berlin, Paris and Rome. poverty worldwide by marching They met at the Methodist ture Coldplay, Robbie Williams, “As the Church and Many of our churches have through last month. Central Hall, to hear speakers talk Keane and Paul McCartney, will Christian aid agencies already been involved in the Members of the ecumenical about the issue, marched to happen on July 2 as part of the have been among the year-long campaign, which has Petersfield Area Churches Together Parliament carrying and build-up to the crucial G8 summit prime movers involved supporters wearing (PACT) group dressed in white and balloons and spoke to their MPs. in Gleneagles, hosted by Tony behind the cam- white wristbands and organis- bound themselves together to sym- Sister Rita-Elizabeth said: Blair. paign, it ing special events. bolise how poverty ensnares poor “Mike Hancock MP was found to Unlike in 1985, the makes sense Some of our church- communities. be well informed and very sympa- performers won’t be raising money to open up our goers may even make They then converged on the thetic to the campaign. He said he for Africa, but trying to raise churches to the long trip to Square outside St Peter’s Church, will try to do everything he can to awareness about aid, trade justice those who want to Edinburgh on July 2 for where campaigners encouraged help ensure the campaign is a suc- and world debt. watch the gigs. the Make Poverty History passers-by to sign postcards to cess.” Portsmouth was named as one “Churches could rally there ahead of the G8 . For information about which of nine cities where the concerts show their hospitality to summit. Many will wear their Worshippers at St Mary’s churches are screening Live 8, see: would be relayed outdoors on giant those watching, give out wristbands on July 1 - national Church in Fratton hope to tie a www.portsmouth.anglican.org. For screens, but council officials said literature about the cam- white day. Make Poverty History white band more details about the campaign, with the International paign and talk to people about The idea has been to convince around their tower to symbolise the see: www.makepovertyhistory.org Festival of the Sea made that the issues. What an opportunity for the UK government to use its influ- church’s commitment to the cam- or www.tradejusticemovement.org.