St Mary’s has a long history of campaigning for social justice and equality. The first meeting of Oxfam took place at St Mary's, and members of our community contributed to the founding of  the Gatehouse drop-in centre for the homeless. Over the years, we have supported a wider range of charities, from HIV/AIDS projects in Africa, rebuilding a school in Pakistan and work with street children in Delhi to projects for the homeless and, most recently, providing welcome and support for asylum seekers in Oxfordshire.

As a church, we seek to contribute towards transforming society to reflect the Kingdom of God through acts of neighbourliness and service. The Faith in Action Committee, chaired by Mary Lean, has created a wonderful and informative exhibition in the De Brome Chapel to show the many initiatives we are currently engaged in. These include: supporting the Nandolo Farmers Initiative through Christian Aid’s Malonda Programme in Malawi; the Oxford Winter Night Shelter; the Oxford Community Emergency Foodbank; supporting the work of Asylum Welcome, in their care and support for the 150 Afghan refugees settling in Oxfordshire; the work of the St Mary’s Green Team, who have just been granted a Bronze Award under A Rocha’s Eco-Church Scheme; and voluntary work in Holywell Cemetery, making this peaceful place accessible to visitors while conserving this urban sanctuary for wildlife.

The exhibition will be available in the De Brome Chapel over the next few weeks. Come and see - and find out more about the ways in which you can contribute and put your faith into action.