Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus at Christmas, and his coming again to make the earth new. It is a time to pray and reflect, and to discern where God is calling us to put our faith into action and 'make the way straight' for the Lord.
As the weather gets colder and the nights draw in, we all feel the need to retreat into the cosiness and shut out the outside world to rest and recharge. No matter how passionate we are as activists, from time to time we need to stop, reflect and gather ourselves before going back out into the world to make it a better place. This Advent we're encouraging our members to do just that with the help of our Advent Care Package. Inside the package members will find a copy of the brand new SCM cookbook, a bonus recipe card for Christmas Spiced Biscuits (and a biscuit cutter!), a prayer activity, some campaign resources and a little treat which we hope gives a little lift!
Self Care
Over the last few months we've been reflecting on self-care as a form of activism, and the importance of tending our own needs in order to better serve others. A key part of taking care of ourselves is by eating nourishing meals, and some find the act of preparing food a relaxing and joy-bringing activity. This is where the SCM cookbook comes in! Inside you'll find lots of tasty vegetarian and vegan recipes to try, including starters and snacks, main courses, breads and sweet treats. There's also some handy pointers for cooking for groups, and tips to be a more ethical cook by eating seasonally and avoiding food waste, so good for the environment too!
Honest Church
Honest Church is one of SCM's latest campaigns, designed to encourage greater honesty about the true welcome that LGBTQ+ people receive in a church. The aim is to enable and prompt churches to be more specific in their description of their welcome, both in their publicity and when students, graduates and others come and ask questions about the inclusiveness of the welcome.
Inside the care package we've included more information about how students can support the campaign, as well as some stickers to share with people in their church. To find out more, visit the Honest Church campaign website.
Changing the World
In all other areas of Christian life and ministry we expect to discern where we are called, but in the realm of activism we can feel as if we have to do all of it, and then get demoralised. The prayer activity in the pack is designed to help discern what specific activism God is calling us to in the world, and to realise that we cannot do everything alone.
It's important not to underestimate the impact of small deeds, and a simple act of kindness can really make a difference to someone. Why not bake up a batch of the Christmas Spiced Biscuits and share them with a neighbour, or someone at your church? Making the biscuits is a good gift in itself, but is also giving the gift of your time and showing that you care. Creating a gift for others could be a 'grounding point' for your own self-care, but it also makes a good group activity to build community and foster good relationships.
Why not share a photo of your care package on social media using #SCMAdvent22? We'd love to see photos of you cooking any of the recipes in the cookbook, or using your cookie cutter!