Breaking Bread with your new MP

‘And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds’, Hebrews 10:24

As all around Wales newly elected MPs are settling in to their Parliamentary seats, international charity Christian Aid is calling on people to forge relations and start conversations with their UK Government representatives.

With a change of Government comes an opportunity for people to put their faith into action and encourage decision-makers to put issues of global justice at the top of their agendas.

To help churches, and individuals, Christian Aid has put together a guide to Breaking Bread with an MP (launched also in Welsh at the National Eisteddfod at the beginning of August) - whether that’s a coffee morning or a bring and share lunch. At the Eisteddfod Bishop Mary signed a letter to her new MP.

In addition to the ‘Breaking Bread’ guide, there are more resources which explain what Christian Aid is asking of the UK Government - from putting peace first, and funding climate justice, to cancelling the debts of low income countries. Find out more via these crib sheets (available in Welsh too). There is also the ‘Act on Poverty’ course (‘Taclo Tlodi’, available in Welsh) created with UK partners to help Christians gain a deeper understanding of poverty and get equipped to talk to political representatives about it.

But back to ‘Breaking Bread’. By inviting your newly elected MP into church to break bread you could spark a connection which could last for years to come.

The everyday act and symbolism of sharing food with strangers appears in many parts of the Bible; Jesus frequently shared bread with those he encountered and befriended – and as the central act of the Last Supper, the breaking of bread is imbued with special significance for Christians.

It’s a symbol of welcome, hospitality, care, openness, and peace. In breaking bread, we build and strengthen our relationships. And the humblest of meals - even a cup of tea and biscuits - can help build relationships.

To find out more, visit the Christian Aid website and click on Get Involved and Campaigns.