How does your church respond to those in debt?
The Revd James Nash speaks about how the Church in the Woottons is working in partnership with the local Baptist Church, Evangelical Church and CAP to establish a Debt Centre in King’s Lynn.
“Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a national organisation founded by John Kirkby in 1996. He believed that God was calling him to sacrifice his career in finance and use his skills and knowledge of the industry to help the poor.
“CAP has established 290 Debt Centres in partnership with local churches all over the country and between them they support over 12,000 families facing serious debt problems. Although the UK is the sixth largest economy in the world over 9 million people in our country are trapped in serious debt.
“Recently Steve Lane from Little Walsingham spoke at the Church in the Wottons to explain how CAP works. He spoke from personal experience having himself been £57,000 in debt. To hear from Steve about the problems he faced, and how CAP were able to transform his situation and help him get back on his feet was profoundly moving.
“I am very pleased to be able to tell you that The Church in the Woottons, in partnership with King’s Lynn Baptist Church and King’s Lynn Evangelical Church, are working with CAP to establish a Debt Centre in King’s Lynn.
“Emily Hart has been appointed by CAP as the Debt Centre Manager and as soon as she has completed her training she will begin work.
“Clients will be referred to the local centre and will be visited at home by the Debt Centre Manager. Information about the client’s fi nancial situation will be passed on to CAP head office where a dedicated team of 150 professional caseworkers and specialist advisors put together budgets, negotiate with creditors, and assess the best route for each client to become debt free.
“When Jesus began his ministry he said that he had come “to proclaim How does your church respond to those in debt? good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18).
“It is the responsibility of the Church to offer help and support to the very poorest members of society. By working with CAP locally Christians will be able to help make a real difference to people in real need.”
If you would like to know more about the project to establish a CAP Debt Centre and how you could support its work, please email James on wnzrf@puhepuvagurjbbggbaf.arg or call 01553 673742.
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