Housing Justice is asking churches to take part in this year’s Homeless Sunday on 13 October 2019.
It is an opportunity for churches of all denominations to show solidarity with those experiencing homelessness and to reflect and plan practical action.
This year’s focus is ‘The impact of volunteering on the volunteer’, which Housing Justice says is apt as Christians and Church communities are at the forefront of the response to the rise in homelessness including the most visible aspect, rough sleeping. There were just 65 night shelters operating across the Housing Justice network in 2013, compared to 125 across England and Wales today.
All forms of homelessness have increased by 4% since 2017 and there are around 320,000 families homeless in Britain.
Last year Homeless Sunday was permanently switched to October, close to World Homeless Day. As most shelter projects tend to open towards the end of October this allows the opening of the night shelter season to be marked in prayer.
Around 500 or more churches across the country usually take part, and it is hoped to grow that number this year.
Resources
Resources for Homeless Sunday are available to download from the Housing Justice website, including:
- Reflections from volunteers
- Prayers
- Briefing notes
- Preaching ideas
- Idea for an age talk
- An order of service
- Hymns ideas
