At St Mary's, as well as our work within the parish, we are committed to supporting various causes with our interest, our prayer and our finance. We believe these form part of our response to God and the advancing of his kingdom.
Our diocesan twinning with three Anglican dioceses in Malawi, supporting the local churches there
Scroll down or click for more information on The Malawi link
United Society for Propagation of the Gospel (USPG) - the Anglican mission agency founded in 1701, today providing resources, training and international exchanges in 50 countries. More information on the USPG website
Busoga Trust providing safe drinking water in Uganda
In 2000 this fund will provide bursaries to assist people with the costs of vocational or theological education and training.
Corrymeela: working for reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
More information on the Corrymeela website
Harp: working locally with people dependent on alcohol.
St Basil’s Centre: providing accommodation for homeless people.
Anawim: a Balsall Heath project run by nuns supporting women who work on the streets. Scroll down or click for more information on Anawim
Projects supporting people with mental health problems: in 2000 we still have to choose the channel for this money
£200 is reserved for responding to world emergencies.
£200 is earmarked for supporting young people going from Moseley to work elsewhere in a way which benefits others.
We also support the Jubilee 2000 campaign.
For 22 years the diocese of Birmingham has been linked with the Anglican Christians in Malawi, and we at St Mary's support this link with our money. Last July Revd Paula Hollingsworth, then Assistant Priest at Balsall Heath, explained more about the link at a 10 am St Mary's Parish Communion service, and talked about her own visit to that country.
The link was begun in 1966 by the then Bishop of Birmingham, Leonard Wilson following a personal visit to Malawi where his daughter was working. The diocese of Birmingham then pledged £5000 per year for the next 10 years to support the work of the church in Malawi. This commitment has steadily risen. In 1997 the figure was £40,000.
Malawi is very poor. When Dr Hastings Banda was displaced in 1994 after thirty years of dictatorship, Malawi was the tenth poorest country in the world. Even so it had patiently received refugees equivalent to one eighth of its own population, fleeing the war in neighbouring Mozambique.
The church is growing ten times faster than in Birmingham. So much of the money has gone to pay clergy and develop church work. Hospital and school projects have been supported, and personal contact has been made by exchange visits.
This year we shall give £800 to Christian work in Malawi.
Of the £4000 dispatched by St Mary's in its worldwide concern this year, £400 is going to support local work among prostitutes.
ANAWIM is a project run from a house in Balsall Heath by six nuns (three being resident there). They offer friendship, support and hope to women who work on the streets. By living alongside the prostitutes, these remarkable women are often providing the first trusting relationship for people who have only known exploitation and degradation.
Their work is slow, sometimes risky and by necessity low profile, but they believe in the value, dignity and innate goodness of everyone and the positive potential for growth and change.
The house and living of the sisters of Our Lady of Charity is provided by the Roman Catholic Church, but money for small essentials, emergency clothing, extra food and toys for children has to be found. The sisters are planning a small project to offer women an opportunity to learn simple life skills. They have funding for a project worker but no premises or equipment.
St Mary's this year is giving £400 from our congregational giving to this work.
See: Churches Criminal Justice Forum, and search for ANAWIM on that page.