This week is Refugee Week. At the end of the week on Sunday, Revd Dr Neil Johnson of The Church at Carrs Lane leads Sunday morning worship for Sanctuary Sunday. In the service, he mentions organisations supported by the Church at Carrs Lane:

• Restore
• St Chad’s Sanctuary
• Birmingham City of Sanctuary
• Hope Projects
• Stories of Hope and Home

Refugee Week is a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees. Founded in 1998 and held every year around World Refugee Day on the 20 June, Refugee Week is also a growing global movement. This year, we are invited to do 8 Simple Acts. Read more about these simple acts

Through a programme of arts, cultural and educational events alongside media and creative campaigns, Refugee Week brings about positive encounters between communities, helping them to connect and learn from each other, and promoting a culture of welcome.

The week is an umbrella festival, and anyone can get involved by holding or joining an event or activity. Refugee Week events happen in all kinds of different spaces and range from arts festivals, exhibitions, film screenings and museum tours to football tournaments, public talks and activities in schools.

We share some videos for Refugee Week below:

Introducing Refugee Week

A film made in 2012 by the British Red Cross who are partners of Refugee Week

North Star Fading

A ‘zoom comic’ by PositiveNegatives inspired by the true testimonies of four Eritrean refugees who fled their homes to make the dangerous journey across Ethiopia, Sudan and Libya to Europe. The art is by Karrie Fransman and the words by Lula Mebrahtu.

When You Don’t Exist

Amnesty International’s campaign for the human rights of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in Europe and at its borders.

Dear Habib

A short animation sharing the true story of a young, unaccompanied child migrant called Habib. Co-produced by Habib himself, along with Majid Adin and PositiveNegatives. The animation brings to life the incredible challenges, and opportunities, that young unaccompanied child migrants face.

In these challenging times when we are physically separated from each other, we hold each other in our thoughts and prayers as we continue to be together in spirit and in hope.   This is the message we proclaim to the city and share amongst ourselves…and with you.

We invite you to join us at the Church at Carrs Lane at 10.30am every Sunday morning.  Details at https://carrslane.co.uk/worship/sunday-worship/

We also are live streaming weekday prayers, currently at 8.30am on Monday to Friday morning and Monday to Thursday evening at 7pm.      You can watch live, or later at www.facebook.com/carrslanelivedcommunity

They are set to ‘public’ so you don’t need a Facebook account to be able to watch and pray with us.

We hold on to HOPE together!

Eco-Challenge for Lent

Our Eco-Church Group has produced a Lent Eco-Challenge for anyone who would like to join in.

Download the flier

This Lent why not take our eco-challenge? Below are some ideas to help make your lifestyle greener and shrink your carbon footprint. Try one or more of the challenges during Lent and see how you get on.

1. Go vegetarian or vegan.
2. Reduce plastic waste. Avoid buying plastic wrapped food or food in plastic cartons. Reduce plastic use in the bathroom.
3. Reduce food waste. Use all the food you buy before it turns bad. Cook through the food in your freezer and pantry. Cook from scratch.
4. Reduce domestic power consumption by 10% or more. Consider only ironing items that are absolutely necessary, spend less time in the shower, turn your thermostat down a degree, turn the kettle off as soon as it boils. Take meter readings from today and compare average use before and during Lent.
5. De-clutter your house. Fill at least one bag a week and take it to the charity shop or recycle in some way.
6. Try the 100mile diet. For Lent, source only ingredients that come from within a 100mile radius of your home.
7. Try a digital detox. Set strict limits for use of your mobile phone and other personal electronic devices, e.g. designate certain time slots for checking emails and social media.

At the end of Lent we would love your feedback.

• What was easy?
• What was challenging?
• How did you achieve your goal(s)?
• How can we use our experience to help others?

Carrs Lane Players performed a trio of comedies to celebrate their 50th Anniversary.

In February “Out of Sight – Out of Mind” was indeed a golden evening with the Carrs Lane Players…an evening of food and fun enjoyed by all!

The three comedies include:

• A Twitch in Time, by Horry Parsons
• Between Mouthfuls, by Alan Ayckbourn
• All by Myself, by Robert Scott

This year is the 50th Anniversary of the CARRS LANE PLAYERS. We are an amateur drama group whose members are drawn from the Church congregation and the local community. The ‘Players‘ have performed plays ranging from ‘They Came to the City‘ to ‘The Ladykillers‘ and ‘39 Steps‘. They have staged pantomimes and have gone ‘on tour‘, taking variety shows and improvised sketches to hospitals and care homes.

We rehearse on Friday evenings throughout the year, except for a summer break. We welcome new actors and backstage support of any kind. If you would like to join us, please contact any member of the ‘Players’ or church centre staff on 0121 643 6151 or see www.carrslane.co.uk