This Christmas, World Prayer Centre asks the question to you as Christian’s…How do you Shine Your Light?
Our communities right now are so desperate for hope. The statistics on suicide across the UK at present are so high that we are in the midst of a mental health crisis like we have never seen before. Right now, people in our communities are desperately in need of the light of Jesus.
The reality is… It’s desperation from a Dad in Nottingham last Easter finding his teenage daughter hanging in her bedroom. It’s a mum in Belfast finding her teenage girl committing suicide because of abusive messages on WhatsApp. It’s my friend Paul, a former professional rugby player who decided just three weeks ago that he couldn’t cope anymore and sadly took his own life one Friday night leaving two teenage boys and a community asking the question why?
So, this Christmas as so many families in our communities face this real pain. This real crisis. What can you do?
You can Shine Your Light.
Take up the challenge from Jonathan Oloyede and Carl Brettle to love your neighbour and get out from the four walls of your church and engage with your community in practical ways. The nationwide Shine Your Light campaign will run on the weekend of Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th December. Get involved. Get your church involved!
Shine Your Light events will occur around town halls, high streets, town and shopping centres, and other public places and take many different shapes and sizes of gathering. Bringing Christians together to pray to ask Jesus to shine this Christmas on our nation like only He can.
In December, look out for a map highlighting all the events on the Shine your light website taking place over the weekend, with appropriate signposting. Churches can order a range of resources from the website, including candles, a bespoke booklet and sound files with the music.
If you need help with ideas about what your Church can do or get involved in go to https://www.shineyourlight.org.uk/vision/ and make sure your Church signs up. Make sure YOU sign up.
In our broken communities, we just don’t know how much impact a smile then a listening ear and then a prayer to Jesus for that person’s situation could help be the catalyst to transform someone’s life.
How do You Shine Your Light this Christmas?
By bringing Hope to your community by loving your neighbour.
By showcasing the Light of the World to our communities…Jesus.
Find out more and register on www.shineyourlight.org.uk
