Bishop Peter Forster is inviting churchgoers and those in the wider community to help build ‘peace on earth’ this Christmas as part of Christian Aid's Christmas campaign.
Last year supporters across Cheshire raised £46k at Christmas in support of Christian Aid.
This year, churches across the diocese will hold special collections and among the fundraising events in support of the appeal is a Carols in Wonderland concert at All Saints Church, Daresbury, where author Lewis Carroll’s father Charles Dodgeson was Curate.
Everyone is welcome to attend the event at 4.00pm on Sunday, December 9.
The Bishop of Chester is supporting Christian Aid’s festive fundraising appeal highlighting families affected by conflict across the world and is also urging families to build peace in their own homes.
Launched this month, the charity’s ‘Be A Peacemaker’ appeal will help support its work with children and adults who are suffering from trauma, homelessness, poverty and other effects of war and violence.
Bishop Peter said: “It’s easy for us to think that peace is the business of government leaders and diplomats, but Christmas is a time when we become aware of the need for peace and have an opportunity to create it in our lives and those of others too.
“This Christmas I am encouraging people to support Christian Aid’s ‘Be a Peacemaker’ appeal to help reach people traumatized by conflict or working for peace in troubled areas of the world and at the same time to build peace in their own families and communities.
“A peacemaking bishop in South Sudan, Bishop Paride Taban – who is a partner of Christian Aid - says a prayer for peace each day, like a daily mantra, and one of the qualities he recites as being necessary for peace is patience.
“Patience strikes me as something we could have more of in our modern world where everything is so instantaneous. We are no longer used to having to wait. That would be my prayer this Christmas, that we could have patience and peace.”
Carols in Wonderland concert will take place at All Saints Church, Daresbury, at 4.00pm on Sunday, December 9.
Event organiser John Griffith a member of Lymm United Reformed Church Lymm said: “Carols in Wonderland is now a firm favourite with supporters across Cheshire, we welcome anyone who would like to come along and join in some festive fun with a serious message about being a ‘Peacebuilder’ this Christmas"
Christian Aid regional coordinator for Cheshire Jude Limb said: “We are so delighted to have the support of Bishop Peter and groups like Daresbury’s who are seeking to extend peace this Christmas.
“Peace is at the heart of Christmas, but for too many people across the world, it is a distant prospect.
“Today, one child in every six will wake up in a conflict zone around the world. And if things continue the way they are, by 2030 more than half of the world’s poorest people will live in countries affected by high levels of violence.
“This has devastating consequences for people’s development and well-being, children especially. It means people struggle to find food, a home, decent healthcare, education and an income. It means they can’t plan for the future.
“We want to see as many people as possible experience peace and hope that people across the Diocese of Cheshire will be moved to be peacemakers at home and abroad this Advent and Christmas.”
For more details about Carols in Wonderland, please contact the Christian Aid Office in Warrington on 01925 573769
A donation of £10 could pay for arts materials for drama and storytelling therapy sessions for child refugees in Lebanon and £100 could pay for 30 women and girls to learn about protecting themselves from violence and harm in South Sudan. To donate to the appeal visit: www.caid.org.uk/christmas-appeal