Easter Offering Service 2024

Easter Offering Service
by the President of Doncaster Methodist Women in Britain

On Sunday 19th May we brought our Easter gifts to Cantley.
This offering was inspired by the women of the Methodist Church over 150 years ago.
We now look to our previous years President and her team to create a service for the connexion of thanksgiving for the continuing work of the fund for world mission (for which this money will be used). This year our theme has been: "Let Justice Roll", words of the prophet, Amos.

We had invited Rev Dr Inderjit Boghal to speak to us.
After he had begun with a strong advocacy of the work of Methodist Women in Britain, Inderjit said how appropriate it felt to be standing in front of the churches' "Sanctuary" area. He spoke throughout of Justice with particular reference to the current Refugee issue and the seeking of places of safety, of sanctuary.

Inderjit comes from a Sikh family living on the border between newly divided India and Pakistan in 1947. Faced with the terrors which developed, his grandparents had encouraged their children to move to Kenya for a safer existence. But when Kenya declared its independence in 1964, they were asked to leave. Once more, refugees but able to make use of the UK passports, theirs because Kenya had been British. India too.
How quickly we forget our promises.....

Aged 11 at the time, he found himself at school with Lenny Henry. No one can say they failed to make their differing contributions to our society. Because he spoke fluent English, even as a schoolboy he could help others understand and complete essential forms.

According to the UN there are over 100 million refugees in the world...and many who would be if not prevented as in Gaza.

In 1987 Inderjit came as a Methodist Minister to Sheffield, where he has spent most of his life since.
Invited to attend a gathering of agencies committed to help refugees in Sheffield, he spoke out then of the need for really working together to develop a culture of welcome and hospitality, to develop centres of safety, cities of Sanctuary.
The idea of cities of refuge is a very ancient concept. Within two years rather than the proposed ten the Lord Mayor declared Sheffield a city of Sanctuary....and now over 100 of our cities have declared themselves as such.
The ensuring of safe passage, the ending of detention.....Justice and equality are the basic needs for refugees. There have always been refugees and may always be so, but we should all, particularly as Christians seek to improve their state... offer justice not criminalise them.
Wars are one of the main causative factors of the current crisis, but we allow our government to sell arms which fuel them. We must make our voice heard....be the voice of God. We must not be afraid to take a stand against victimisation of people who see no other choice open to them. Our government signed a UN convention ....but would rather ignore it seems .
What the world needs is Healing and Compassion, not Hurt and Hatred....and managed migration.
Justice challenges violence.
Inderjit referred us back to Amos 5 v 24 "Let Justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry". And to Genesis 18 v 17-19 "And the Lord said to himself, "I will not hide from Abraham what I am going to do. His descendants will become a great and mighty nation, and through him I will bless all the nations. I have chosen him in order that he may command his sons and his descendants to obey me and to do what is right and just. If they do, I will do everything for him that I have promised."

To date, we have raised over £2000 this year. Thank you to everyone who has contributed.