Christian Materials

Campaigners who approach debt campaigning from a Christian perspective have produced a wide variety of worship resources and prayers.

All these resources can be downloaded using the links on the right.

World Debt Day 2007: The World Can't Wait for Debt Cancellation (new for 2007) - this PowerPoint presentation summarises the current debt situation and outlines the main challenges still before us. Includes speaker notes.

Praying in Public Places: A pilgrimage for our times (new for 2007)
A collection of Christian readings, prayers and quotes, using public places - such as a health care centre, a supermarket, a job centre, a bank - as a focus for thoughts and prayers.
Please note: there are two versions of this to download on the right; the content is identical in each, but one is designed to be printed and made into a stapled A5 booklet, while the other is more suitable for easy online reading.
With thanks to Merryn Hellier.

Jubilee Worship (2006)
An anthology of Christian prayers, liturgical readings, service ideas, stories and facts exploring the theme of Jubilee and debt cancellation. Including Bono’s ‘Jubilee Sermon.’ With thanks to Jubilee USA.

Jubilee Worship (PowerPoint – 2006)
A selection of the Jubilee Worship material presented as a PowerPoint presentation – select and adapt as you wish.

Hymn, 'MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY' (Word - 2006) A hymn to the tune of Londonderry Aire. With thanks to Revd. Michael Faulkner (formerly of Christian Aid, Durham) and David Golding.

Make Debt History
A comprehensive worship resource first produced in 2005, with material suitable for an ecumenical or multi-faith event.

The World Debt Day prayer – Grant me Your Spirit
Available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Japanese – an international resource for World Debt Day. With thanks to Linda Jones/CAFOD

'Debt and remission' sermon
A Christian sermon in which the well known Gospel parable of the unforgiving servant is used as a basis for exploring the historical roots of the debt crisis and the achievements of the debt campaign. With thanks to David Golding.

'Child of the World' drama script
A simple script for two people to illustrate the impact of debt and poverty. Click here to see the script in Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish and French. With thanks to Sarah Harmsworth

'Debt Cancellation: Biblical Norm, Not Exception' article
The Jubilee campaign’s origins are linked with the Biblical Year of Jubilee, which calls for periodic complete overhaul of the economy. In the Jubilee, there is release for those enslaved because of debts, a Sabbath rest for land and people, redistribution of lands lost because of debt, and a reordering of prices for land and labour based on proximity to the next Jubilee. With thanks to Jubilee USA.

'Jubilee: Jesus' Timeless Message' article
Many Bible passages yield surprising new meanings when viewed through Jubilee lenses, and these passages speak with remarkable relevance to what might be called the greatest concern that humankind will have to resolve in this new century, the unprecedented concentration of wealth and the deepening of poverty in every region. We might well ask ourselves, "What is Jesus' message, his Jubilee message, for this new century?" With thanks to Jubilee USA.

'Jubilee Tithe' article
God sometimes guides by enabling us to see how scripture speaks with fresh power in new contexts. The emergence of the Jubilee 2000 movement provided a noteworthy instance. Somebody saw that the jubilee vision in Leviticus 25 pointed to the cancelling of punitive Third World debts to Western banks and governments, and this caught the imagination of millions of believers and others. The Word of God demonstrated its power, in bringing to conception a new political and economic reality to mark the beginning of the third millennium. With thanks to Jubilee USA.

Worship materials in other languages
Worship materials (an updated version of the materials made available in 2004) and the sermon and drama script listed above are now also available in Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
Please click here for links. With thanks to Janice Clark and David Golding.

'Good Gifts for All' harvest song
The words for a song written to the tune of 'We plough the fields', about the global crises of our times. With thanks to Alison Blenkinsop.