There are currently 3.5 million
children living in poverty in the UK. That’s almost a third of all children.
1.6 million of these children live in severe poverty . In the UK 63% of
children living in poverty are in a family where someone works . These child
poverty statistics and facts will help to give you an idea of the scale
of child poverty in the UK and the affect it can have on a child's education, a
child's health and the day to day lives of families. People are said to be
living in poverty if their income and resources are so inadequate as to
preclude them from having a standard of living which is considered acceptable
in the society in which they live. Because of this they may experience
disadvantage through unemployment, low income, poor housing, inadequate health
care and barriers to lifelong learning, culture, sport and recreation. They are
often excluded and marginalised from participating in activities (economic,
social and cultural) that are the norm for other people and their access to
fundamental rights may be restricted.
Scriptures:
Psalm 82:1-8 A Psalm of
Asaph. “God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods
he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the
wicked? Selah Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right
of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them
from the hand of the wicked.” They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.”
Proverbs 31:8-9 “Open your
mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth,
judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy”
Matthew 25:35-37
“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you
gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and
you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came
to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You
hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?”
Hebrews 13:3 “Continue
to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and
those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
DVD: “Kindle a
Flame” Churches
Action on Poverty
Open Discussion :
1. What in the dvd spoke to you the most?
2. What does Jesus/ God – think about poverty?
3. In the scriptures that we read together is there a
response that God’s people need to make. If So how?
4. Can you think of any stories in the New Testament
that illustrate people caught in poverty?
5. Do you think that social action is part of the
Gospel? Give reason for your answer.
6. Why do you think the church is slow to respond to
poverty?
7. Poverty is one area of Justice can you think of
others.
8. What are you challenged about in your community or
church?
9. Will you get involved in Justice issues in the future?
DVD: “Another Day in Paradise” – Phil Collins
Quotes:
“Poverty is the worst form of violence.”
Mahatma
Gandhi
“Our hearts of stone become hearts
of flesh when we learn where the outcast weeps.”
Brennan Manning
“And
that’s when things get messy. When people begin moving beyond charity and
toward justice and solidarity with the poor and oppressed, as Jesus did, they
get in trouble. Once we are actually friends with the folks in struggle, we
start to ask why people are poor, which is never as popular as giving to
charity. One of my friends has a shirt marked with the words of late Catholic bishop
Dom Helder Camara: “When I fed the hungry, they called me a saint. When I asked
why people are hungry, they called me a communist.” Charity wins awards and
applause but joining the poor gets you killed. People do not get crucified for
living out of love that disrupts the social order that calls forth a new world.
People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for
joining them.”
Shane Claiborne,
Prayer:
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