Get your church involved

Just Church

Our Just Church programme is designed to help you embed a concern for poverty and injustice into every aspect of your life as a congregation. A wide range of modules can be downloaded free from www.justchurch.info. Design your own programme to meet your community's needs, or use the predesigned Lent programme.

When you use Just Church, you'll be part of a network of Just Churches across the UK, and you'll get the opportunity to share stories and ideas. The programme is also designed to lead you to make some practical commitments to do more to combat poverty and injustice. One thing you could do is become a...

Supporter Church

At CAP we work alongside people directly affected by poverty and local churches, helping them use their voice to influence political decision-making and bringing about lasting change in the fight against poverty in the UK. Supporter Churches are congregations who believe in the ideals, ethos and activities of Church Action on Poverty and are actively involved in a supporting function.

Jubilee 2000 demonstrated that people do have the power to influence public opinion and political priorities; CAP’s "mobilising people to overcome poverty" campaign is seeking to build a similar movement to tackle poverty closer to home.

Supporter Churches commit to working alongside CAP in three areas. The entries in bold are the basic levels of commitment; the other entries are suggestions of how the Supporter Church may wish to further their involvement.

Pray

1. Make poverty and the work of CAP the focus of prayer for at least one Sunday a year.
   
2. Prayer for and during other campaigns, e.g. Debt on our Doorstep
3. Include CAP in your prayer diary.

Act

1. Take part in at least one campaign action a year – either as a church or encouraging individual church members to do so. For example: Write a letter on behalf of the church to Patricia Hewitt supporting the Debt on our Doorstep campaign.
2. Encourage your congregation to write to their MP.
   
3. Hold a poverty hearing.

Give

1. Take a collection for CAP once a year.
2. Set up a monthly standing order.
3. Encourage groups to give.
4. Hold a fundraising event.

Commit

1. Encourage individuals to become campaigners, committed givers or members of CAP.
   
2. Consider setting up a local CAP Group.

What CAP will do for you

1. We will automatically send you copies of CAP’s campaigns materials, worship resources and articles for local newsletters, three times a year free of charge.
2. You will be given a 20% discount on CAP books and other resources.
3. We can provide training on how to hold a poverty hearing and how to become more involved in political campaigning.
4. We can make speakers available for local events.

If you're interested in becoming a Supporter Church, please contact the CAP office: 0161 236 9321 or info@church-poverty.org.uk.