Public Issues Calendar 2008

The Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church have traditionally published details of dates on which churches might focus on particular issues. For 2009, through our work together in the Joint Public Issues Team, we have combined to produce a calendar of Sundays on which organisations involved in some way with social justice, offer worship and other resources via a web-link.

We particularly draw attention to an initiative by Church Action on Poverty, Housing Justice and others, in bringing together Poverty Action and Homelessness Sundays in a whole week of action on poverty and homelessness (1-8 February).

We suggest that congregations select subjects that will interest and challenge, and perhaps where there is expertise available to plan a Sunday service or some other event. We hope people will be able to make a connection with their faith, and prayerfully support particular local or national projects. Some will feel able to make a practical commitment; they will need the church's prayerful support.

The list is not exhaustive; please let us know if you think others should be included by e-mailing enquiries@jointpublicissues.org.uk

2009

18 - 25 January Week of Prayer for Christian Unity www.ctbi.org.uk

18 January World Religion Day www.worldreligionday.org

25 January World Leprosy Day www.leprosymission.org.uk

27 January Holocaust Memorial Day www.holocaustmemorialday.gov.uk

1 - 8 February Poverty and Homelessness Action Week www.homelessness-Sunday.org.uk; www.church-poverty.org.uk

8 February Education Sunday www.educationsunday.org

23 February - 8 March Fair Trade Fortnight www.fairtrade.org.uk

1 March Tear Fund Sunday www.tearfund.org

6 March Women's World Day of Prayer www.wwdp-natcomm.org

9 April Deir Yasin Day www.sabeel.org

10 - 16 May Christian Aid Week www.christianaid. o rg.uk

17 May Not for Sale Sunday (Churches Alert to Sex Trafficking Across Europe) www.chaste.org.uk

7 June Environment Sunday www.arocha.org.uk

15 - 21 June Refugee Week www.refugeeweek.org.uk

26 June International Day in Support of Victims of Torture www.fiacat.org/en/spip.php?rubrique21

12 July Sea Sunday www.biss.org.uk

23 August Slavery Memorial Day (International Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition)

13 September Racial Justice Sunday www.ctbi.org.uk

21 September International Day of Prayer for Peace www.overcomingviolence.org

4 October Disability Sunday www.throughtheroof.org/sunday/disabilitysunday.html

18 October Healthcare Sunday www.healthcaresunday.org.uk

18 October Micah Sunday www.micahchallenge.org.uk

18 - 25 October One World Week www.oneworldweek.org

8 November Remembrance Sunday www.britishlegion.org.uk/content/Remembrance-Sunday-508933.shtml

15 November International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians www.csw.org.uk

15 - 21 November Prisons Week www.prisonsweek.org

1 December World Aids Day www.worldaidsday.org

10 December Human Rights Day www.un.org/events/humanrights