21.10.2019
Social Action Committee Wants to Hear of Parish Projects
Diocesan Synod News.
The Diocesan Committee for Social Action is calling on parishes to share their initiatives on inclusion, social justice and faith in action. Proposing the report of the committee, the Revd Rob Clements said that they were creating a forum for parishes to share the small things they are doing in their communities that make a big difference to those on the margins of society.
“Sometimes people who are passionate about social action can drift into unhelpful territory. We drift into ‘virtue signalling’ whereby we shake our fists at the injustices in the world, and while that might make us feel good about ourselves, it does little to disrupt the ills of our age. We can sometimes take aim at the ‘macro–injustices’ of our age, and while it may be important to do so, sometimes we leave people lost for what to do because the issues and challenges feel so overwhelming,” he said.
Mr Clements said that the forum could showcase ideas for encouragement but also because other parishes might be able to replicate them. The plan is to highlight one initiative each month on social media and asked parishes to get in touch with the chairperson, the Revd Olive Donohoe or secretary, Dr John MacDougald.
He also informed Synod that the ‘Handy to Have’ leaflet, which provides details of a wide range of services, has been updated.