Sharing hope with people without a home this Christmas
With the number of people who are homeless continuing to rise, the Church of Ireland’s Church and Society Commission is asking parishes to consider small and effective actions that can be taken locally to meet a personal need of someone without a home.
The Commission’s two-page flyer – Sharing hope with people without a home – highlights how any parish, in any part of the island, can take one or more small steps forward in this area, now and into 2026. Indeed, many parishes already take a strong interest in giving or otherwise assisting homelessness charities. Suggestions include:
Collections and donations for registered charities working to prevent and alleviate homelessness;
Providing fruit and vegetables for families and individuals who may have a need for better nutrition due to their household’s circumstances; and
Welcoming people to parish social activities and free Christmas dinners organised by the parish or others.
The Commission is asking people who make use of the resource to remember, above all else, that each person experiencing homelessness is unique, facing unique challenges, and deserves compassion and respect. The best response will be guided by requests expressed by professionals working in this area. Parishes are asked to make contact with public services and charities, to discuss and offer support.
Sharing hope with people without a home can be downloaded, printed and shared from this LINK.
Endorsing the resource, Archbishop Michael Jackson, who chairs the Commission, said: “’Homelessness’ – the word makes everybody’s heart sink.
“At Christmas we think of Mary and Joseph making a home for the infant Son of God. Our hope is that the enclosed information will help us to assist those in our neighbourhoods, at a time when passing by on the other side is not an option when we see the pressing need, despair and weakness brought about by homelessness.”
If your parish has a story about how you help people who are homeless, please contact the Church of Ireland Press Office at pressoffice@rcbcoi.org. This will be shared with the Commission so that it can gain a better understanding of the Church of Ireland’s response to housing and homelessness issues across our island.