One World Week -Shoreham-by-Sea

For the first time in Shoreham, all of the Churches joined together to celebrate One World Week (22nd - 29th October 2006). Shelia Powell has sent in an article describing this amazingly diverse range of events.

From an exciting Sunday morning for children in the Shoreham Centre with puppets, stories, music and crafts, an amazing music session for children with Richard Durrant- Shoreham’s own international guitar maestro, fun with crafts making an amazing gigantic collage using recycled material and storytime in Shoreham library for the tinies...

There have been exhibitions in the library, Civic Centre and S. Mary‘s Church, we have drunk countless cups of Fair Trade Coffee at the several coffee mornings, had plenty of chances to purchase Fair Trade Goodies, enjoyed an amazing Fair Trade Fashion Show, organised by the young folk from the Methodist Church, experienced a beautiful and moving labyrinth, learned more about the culture and food of some of our Asian friends, heard about Tanzania first hand from the Sisters at the convent, prayed for peace and enjoyed the lovely Taize style worship.

Africa, its music, it's delicious food, and it's culture took centre stage at the Shoreham Centre on the final Saturday This event was organised by yRico a Rwandan charity based in Brighton, whilst in S. Mary's Church we heard local and international speakers at a ground breaking and challenging conference chaired by our M.P. Tim Loughton, In the evening we were treated to a wonderful concert by “Black Voices” the internationally renowned acapella female group, which had been arranged by Adur Arts Forum for “Adur Arts Live“, an Autumn Music and Arts Festival.

"A Night of Indian Dreams" raised funds for street and working children in Bangalore, South India

There was also a children’s competition for a) a poem for One World Week and b) a Christmas card design for Shoreham Churches Together. Schools in the town were visited to promote this and take assemblies on the theme. The poems were judged by Tim Loughton M.P. and the Christmas cards by the executive of SCT. The winning entries were displayed in our One World Week exhibition in the library and the prize-winners presented with their prizes by Tim Loughton M.P. and Rev Gerald Kirsch chairman of Shoreham Churches Together Executive.

The final Sunday evening we were privileged to have singer/songwriter Garth Hewitt at a joint celebration service in the Methodist Church. Including us in his current tour “Stealing Jesus Back” Garth sang songs, read prayers and told us of his work with the Amos Trust in various parts of the world.

We have celebrated, had fun and at the same time learned so much during One World Week, we have truly been touched, moved and inspired and the big question must be- How do we respond? What can we do to make a difference? We cannot ignore what we have heard first hand………….