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Even before Christmas has said “Hello”, it's saying “Buy Buy” Robert Paul

Price of Christmas Parents will spend (on average) £ on Christmas presents for each of their children

High Street Spending at Christmas 2011 £20,000,000, £22,000,000, ?????????

Spending in £billions

Over £320 for every man, woman and child

2.5% of spending goes to charity Christmas cards Street collections etc Most popular - Health charities

Many banks have a new kind of Christmas club in operation. It helps you save money to pay for last year's gifts.

4,000,000 likely to take out payday loan in next 6 months

APR £100 for 30 days Liquid Loans 1,940% £125 Wage Day Advance 7,069% £129 MYJAR 3,943% £133 24/7 MoneyBox17,203% £136 Wonga 5,853% £137 Source: Which Payday Lender PAYDAY LOANS

TodayBorrow £100 from Wonga After 1 yearOwe £4,200 After 2 yearsOwe £180,000 After 3 yearsOwe £7,500,000 (£7 million) After 4 yearsOwe £315,000,000 (£315 million) After 5 yearsOwe £13,000,000,000 (£13 billion) After 6 yearsOwe £557,000,000,000 (£557 billion) After 7 yearsOwe £23,500,000,000,000 (£23.5 trillion) You’d owe more than the entire US national debt Martin Lewis MoneySavingExpert.com You can’t do this! But if you could here’s what’d happen

Citizens Advice %age of Debt clients with payday loans increased 10 times

The ‘Poor’ 176 references in the Bible

If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest Exodus 22:25

WARNING to Rich Oppressors Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers are crying out against you. You have lived on earth in luxury and self- indulgence. James 5.1-5

Vickie and Matthew had well-paid jobs Both were made redundant They had to take low-paid jobs Their finances were stretched to breaking point Vickie went 4 days without food She was referred to a foodbank She can't afford Christmas presents for her 2 children, So she’s hiding some of their toys...something to unwrap on Christmas day Chris Mould - Trussell Trust

FUEL POVERTY If I heat my home properly I won’t have enough money left to buy food

Marriage disputes Domestic violence Significant increase in late December and early January

Question Which day brings more long-term benefits to more people Christmas Day or Red Nose Day? Christmas Day can bring friends and families together Red Nose Day brings us together more as a community. makes us look outward makes us more aware of the needs of others

In the bleak mid-winter Frosty wind makes moan, Earth is hard as iron, Water like a stone. Millions worldwide starving Who cannot use a plough, In the bleak mid-winter Here and now. Yet amid the sadness Joy on earth somewhere; Presents, cards and carols Thronging the air. Problems for all looming Because some have so much. Humankind is suffering For we are out of touch.

God comes to us at Christmas With love so freely given To each of us, the message: ‘Joy comes down from heaven!’ But there’s another message Which sometimes we don’t share: That love is for all mortals, For people everywhere. Our God, heaven cannot hold him, Nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away When he comes to reign. ‘Have you fed the hungry?’ What answer could suffice The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ

So what can I give him Wealthy as I am? If I were a shepherd The least would be a lamb. If my wealth were treasure Then with it I would part; So might I truly tell him I’d given him my heart. Adapted by R. Grayson from original version by Christina Georgina Rosetti CASC-aid (promoting 50/50 charitable giving at Christmas)

Oppress Oppressed, Oppression To keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority Spoken against over 100 times in the Bible

One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich - both come to poverty Proverbs 22:16

God’s Way for us to loose the chains of injustice to untie the cords of the yoke to set the oppressed free to break every yoke to share our food with the hungry to provide the poor wanderer with shelter to clothe the naked Isaiah 58:6-8

You have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? James 2:6

The child we seek doesn’t need our gold. On love, on love alone he will build his kingdom. His pierced hand will hold no sceptre. His haloed head will wear no crown. His might will not be built on your toil. Swifter than lightning, he will soon walk among us. He will bring us new life, and receive our death, and the keys to his city belong to the poor. Melchior’s song from Amahl and the Night visitors - Menotti

Jungle bells, jungle bells Join the jamboree We’re going Christmas crackers In a mammoth spending spree Oh Jungle bells, jungle bells Money in the till Going Christmas crackers In the season of good will Dashing through the snow To the shops we’re on our way O’er the fields we go Laughing all the way Must get everything More and more each year What fun it is to spend and spend Until the bills get her Oh Jungle bells Jungle Bells

Still looking for the perfect gift? What about Blankets for refugees from the violence in Syria A goat for a family in Kenya A place in school for a child in Sri Lanka Emergency accommodation for a homeless young person in the UK For details pick up a leaflet or go on-line

Another gift idea

Some businessmen are saying this could be the greatest Christmas ever. I always thought that the first one was Art Fettig

Unto us a child is born God is with us PEACE

Christmas Eve at 11:30pm "Midnight Mass" Christmas Day at 10am Holy Communion ALL WELCOME WORSHIP WITH US