Although Christmas may be different for many of us in this year of pandemic, 1300 churches spanning 15 denominations across Australia have come together to help communities around the world who have already been affected by conflict and disaster and who now must also deal with the devasting impact of the coronavirus.
“This year, the coronavirus has changed life for all of us but for vulnerable communities who are already struggling, the effects of this crisis are catastrophic,” said Hannah Montgomery, Act for Peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia.
She said that in Zimbabwe, families who have suffered so much already through drought, floods and food shortages have now lost their livelihoods too. These families are desperately in need of support to survive, making the Christmas Bowl appeal even more important than ever.
This year’s interdenominational pledge has been made to support one of the longest standing Christmas appeals in Australia – the Christmas Bowl appeal is now in its 71st year. The appeal was founded by the Rev. Frank Byatt in 1949 who, as he looked at his own Christmas dinner table, felt the strong contrast between our abundance in Australia and the needs of others around the world. He put a bowl on the table and asked family and friends to place a gift inside to help those less fortunate than themselves.
“This simple act resonated with so many, as it still does today. Sharing a meal with family and friends at Christmas time and taking a moment to reflect on how we can share what we have with those less fortunate than ourselves is a tradition that everyone can relate to,” said Ms Montgomery.
The very first Christmas Bowl appeal raised £1,808 – no small sum for a congregation at that time. Today, churches have raised more than $100 million through the Christmas Bowl appeal, illustrating the incredible impact that Australian churches can have when they work together.
“Giving to the 2020 Christmas Bowl appeal, will support those people around the world, who are most vulnerable in this global crisis. Through our generous giving, communities will be empowered to respond to health and socio-economic needs in ways that address the impacts of Covid-19 and provide them with pathways to recovery,” said Dr Deidre Palmer, President of the Uniting Church in Australia.
This year, donations can be made online and the Christmas Bowl appeal has a wide range of downloadable resources so participants can join in remotely, if necessary: https://www.actforpeace.org.au/Christmas-Bowl/About/get-involved.
Act for Peace
Act for Peace is the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia, and empowers passionate people to work together to achieve safety, justice and dignity in communities threatened by conflict and disaster. Act for Peace works with local organisations in over 15 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific, providing food, shelter, education, healthcare and training to help some of the world’s most vulnerable communities take leadership in preparing for, responding to and recover from conflict and disaster.
