The sermon given by John Plant, British Church Relations Lead at Christian Aid, during the Eucharist celebrating 80 years of Christian Aid on Sunday 14 September 2025.

"Keeping the Fire Burning"

Just after Easter, we often go to Sweden with our grandchildren. The days are longer then, the sun warmer—but there's still snow for skiing.

One evening, we took our eldest grandchild to a remote mountain hut, only reachable by skis. No electricity. No running water. Everything—food, water, sleeping bags—had to be pulled on a sledge by Grandad.

Our grandson loves it. It feels wild and remote. One room. Bunks. A simple kitchen. A wood-burning stove for heat. The first task on arrival? Head to the woodshed, chop wood, and light the fire. A task for grandad!

As night falls, we light candles and talk about wolves and bears.

But the fire must be kept going all night. Even at Easter, the cold presses in fast. You'd be surprised how much wood it takes. And yes—Grandad's up every few hours to feed the stove.

Lying in your sleeping bag, as the fire dies down, you can feel the cold creeping in.

And it wasn't difficult to this about how I've felt that same cold pressing in on our world lately.

The grinding war in Ukraine. The devastation in Gaza. The rise of nationalism. Leaders who act with impunity. The flag of St George weaponised and demonstrations like yesterday in London. Civil unrest fuelled by polarising media. Political figures, like Charlie Kirk, shot dead.

It feels like the fire is burning low. Too many people are being left out in the cold—alone, vulnerable, forgotten.

Jesus spoke into a world just like this—divided, hostile, uncertain. And in that world, he told a story. A shepherd leaves the 99 to find the one who is lost.

It sounds gentle. Pastoral. But in a world of conflict, it's a radical act of resistance. It's a call to build a different kind of world—an "us" world. A world where no one is left behind. No "them." Only us.

Even in the prayer Jesus taught us, it's not "give me," "forgive me," "lead me." It's "give us," "forgive us," "lead us."

It was this vision – a world where all have the dignity of the children of God – that 80 years ago churches in Britain summoned to heal and repair a world torn apart by war.

The churches were active in the war years in what was called the Christian Reconstruction of Europe. The imagining and planning for what would happen when conflict ended.

It was this vision that inspired and shaped a wider political conversation and led to the founding of the institutions that would bring peoples and nations together and build and 'us' world. The United Nations and the international legal frameworks that would guarantee that God given dignity in everyday life.

And this vision took shape in immediate and practical action too.

On the first Sunday after the end of the war was announced churches in Britain called for funds to meet the immediate and catastrophic refugee crisis in Europe. An extraordinary action since the aid was chiefly for German refugees.

To deliver that aid, the British Churches created the organisation which today is called Christian Aid which is why to this day, Christian Aid Week falls in May.

When I spoke about this in a church recently, the vicar said, "I'm only here because of what the churches did. My grandfather was a German refugee. He would have died without Christian Aid."

For 80 years, Christian Aid has stood with the world's poorest—those facing disaster, climate chaos, and injustice.

You might think that churches can't make much difference but last year alone, we raised £83 million, supported 260 partners, and reached over 19 million people—including 3.1 million in humanitarian crises in Gaza, South Sudan, Ukraine, and beyond.

That's the power of the Church. That's your power.

We talk about Give Act and Pray. Giving is essential to fund the work we do. But more is needed. The shepherd didn't wait for the lost sheep to come back. He went out to find it.

We're called to do the same. To challenge the systems that keep people poor. To speak up about climate injustice. To pray—not as a last resort, but as a bold act of solidarity with the vulnerable.

Recently, Palestinian colleagues told us: "Even when change feels impossible, knowing we're not forgotten gives us strength."

We carry an audacious vision: a world transformed by love and mercy. A world where no one is vulnerable. A world where the fire never goes out.

80 years ago this vision enabled the churches to provide a crucial moral compass to guide those wanting to repair a world torn apart by war.

Perhaps we as those who have followed that generation, thought that a shared vision of a kinder, more inclusive and just world was secure but we were wrong, today we see peace and justice are not inevitable.

The chill we feel is not just the autumn air – the cold is pressing in and the fire is burning low.

Who will speak now for the vision of justice and hope that Jesus shared, if not us. Who will resist those who seek to divide and destroy, if not us.

A while ago, I might have stood here to thank you for all you do to support Christian Aid and encouraged you to continue to fundraise, speak out and pray with us.

But today, amazing as that work is, it is no longer enough: we need to do more. So many of the institutions and legal safeguards we helped to secure 80 years ago are now being dismissed, undermined and ignored. The rhetoric of division and hate is dangerously loud.

For churches locally, nationally and internationally our witness to the 'larger us' world where all are gathered in, all our safe, all secure in God's one flock needs to be visible and persistent.

© John Plant, 2025