MEMBERS of a church in Dursley will be signing a giant Christmas card on Sunday – destined for the letterbox at 10 Downing Street.

Dursley Tab United Reformed Church is supporting a Christian Aid appeal which is highlighting the plight of refugees.

The giant, 4ft tall, card will urge the Prime Minister to reflect on her rhetoric about refugees and ensure that her words and her policies reflect the country’s tradition as a nation that welcomes those in need.

Minister the Rev Simon Helme said: “It is important for the Tab to support Christian Aid’s #Lightheway appeal.

“The truth is that this Christmas 65 million people will be far from home facing a dangerous and uncertain future.

“We cannot come to church to celebrate Advent and Christmas and talk about the journeys made by Mary and Joseph and forget about those people making journeys today.

“We will be sending Theresa May Christmas greetings and asking her to reflect the dignity and worth of each fellow human being forced to do the unthinkable and leave their lives behind.”

At a later Christmas service Simon will also invite the Tab’s congregation to hold their phones high to dispel the darkness or display a photo of a loved-one as a sign of solidarity with refugees all over the world for whom a mobile phone is a vital link to the past and the future.

Simon added: “We’ve never asked people in church to use their mobile phones to pray before – but for many displaced people their phones have become a focus of hope.

“I heard how a visitor to the Calais Jungle witnessed longer queues for the phone charging stations than for food.

“Phones are of huge importance to many refugees, they provide a point of contact with the family and life they no longer lead.

“We will be holding collections for Christian Aid at our Christmas services and are also colouring in 65 candles to display in the church, each one representing a million people who have no safe place to call home.”

The card is currently touring the South West and will call in at other churches across the region before making its way to Dursley and onto 10 Downing Street.

The service will begin at 10.30am, everyone is welcome. To learn more about the appeal or to donate visit christianaid.org.uk/christmas-appeal
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