At its December meeting, the PCC agreed that the First Sunday collections in 2018 would be given to the following missions and charities
For the months of January, February, April, June, July and August, we shall support the work of a national charity and The Children’s Society, a well-known Christian organisation working at community level for the welfare of children and families. In March, during Lent, we shall as usual support The Bishop of London’s Lent Appeal, which this year is aimed at provision for the homeless. For May, when we consider an international agency, our cause will be Christian Aid. In September and October we shall support, as in previous years, The Leprosy Mission (to coincide with our Patronal Festival) The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution respectively, (marking Harvest Festival). The last two charities of the year will be new departures for us. In November our giving will be for Medecins Sans Frontieres, the international medical agency often seen at work in areas of conflict.
Finally, at various services in Advent and Christmas, we have chosen next year to devote our giving to The Albert Kennedy Trust, a smaller and less well-known charity working among the LGBT people facing homelessness. Our congregations have been very supportive in the past; I very much hope you will feel you can support these initiatives during 2018. We shall aim to bring some speakers from these charities to St Giles through the year.