The Bishop of London used the ‘Time for God’s Creation’ service in St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday 14 September to launch Think:Fast, a ten day period of prayer and fasting aimed at raising awareness around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the fight against global poverty.

At present the current target of halving global poverty by 2015 will not be met by the majority of countries worldwide. Therefore the UN General Secretary has called an emergency summit in New York on the 25th September to get the MDGs back on the international agenda.

In response to this, the Bishop of London in association with Micah Challenge, a world-wide coalition of churches and Christian groups, has pulled together a series of educational materials that can be used throughout the ten day period to encourage prayer, reflection and a greater understanding of global poverty. This will culminate in the Bishop of London undertaking a day of fasting on the 24th September before the meeting of the UN the following day.

The Bishop of London is being supported by other religious leaders and politicians, and among those fasting in the run up to the summit will be Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Joel Edwards, Micah Challenge International Director-designate, Revd Ermal Kirby, Lead Chair, London District of the Methodist Church and Shahid Malik MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development.

Shahid Malik MP said:

"In 2000 the international community made a promise to fight poverty and help alleviate the suffering of poor people in developing countries. We have a window of opportunity to step up our efforts and achieve the millennium development goals but only if we work together.

"Through this period of reflection the Church of England has shown commitment to helping the world’s poor. Muslims too will be fasting and reflecting on the plight of those less well off as part of the Holy month of Ramadan. We cannot allow our pledges to descent into broken promises. We – governments, faith groups, the private sector and civil society - must take united action now."

Andy Clasper, Executive Director, Micah Challenge UK said:

"The outcome of this emergency UN meeting and other key meetings like it have the potential to make a huge difference to the lives of some of the world’s poorest.

"The walk of witness by bishops through central London in July, prayer and fasting through Think:Fast this month, and the marking of Micah Sunday by thousands of churches worldwide next month, are all part of a rising tide of opinion around the world. The message to our leaders is that we are not going away, we will hold them to account for the promises they have made."

On the day of the fast the Bishop of London will also offer a public message of encouragement to the Prime Minister before the meeting of the UN.

The Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, said:

"In today’s interconnected world loving your neighbour starts at home but extends throughout the world. It is idle to talk of loving our neighbours while neglecting the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world.

"Supporting the Millennium Development Goals is a 21st century way of loving our neighbour. Promises have been made and world leaders have to be held to account for those promises even at a time of economic difficulty. I hope and pray that the Think:Fast initiative goes some way to heightening our awareness that we should not rest easy while others face extreme poverty and have so little share in our rich and fruitful earth.”

For further information please visit: www.london.anglican.org/think-fast

Item from: The Diocese of London