When did we see you hungry?

The other week, on my way to morning prayer, I passed a young man sleeping rough in the woods.

I went back after prayers with a couple of mugs of tea and we had a chat. He explained that things hadn’t worked out where he was living in Crystal Palace, that he had been homeless for four months and that he wasn’t sure where he would be sleeping that night.

Last week, at the Churches Together in Dulwich (CTiD) Advent service, we heard about a project which works to help people like the young man that I met. It is called the Robes Project and is a network of seven Churches who each commit to providing a night shelter, for one night of the week, during the coldest months of the year.
It is one of several local projects supported by the CTiD homelessness appeal, (details of which can be found in the enclosed leaflet). St. Stephen’s is part of this appeal and will be having a special collection in aid of it at our Festival of Lessons and Carols on 20th. December. That doesn’t of course stop you from making other donations of money, time or any of particular items which they list!

This morning we enter the season of Advent when the Church begins to look towards Christmas. Advent is traditionally a time of prayer and reflection as we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ; a child who was born in a stable and grew-up to be an adult who had nowhere to lay his head.

As we prepare for his coming, I would commend this appeal to you.

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