Safeguarding Sunday this year is 16 November 2025
This year’s theme is
‘Action Speaks Louder’

The care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in Church activities is the responsibility of the whole Church.
Everyone who participates in the life of the Church has a role to play in promoting a Safer Church for all.
House of Bishops, Promoting a Safer Church, 2017

Safeguarding is the responsibility of us all

https://stgeorgesbeckenham.co.uk/safeguarding/

Churches are encouraged to not just reflect but also act on improving safeguarding practices,
learning from where they may have got things wrong.
To build on the ways they are supporting those who have been hurt,
and highlight all the good work being done behind the scenes to protect vulnerable people.
In the face of overwhelming stories about abuse in churches,
the day creates a fantastic opportunity to show your community that you take safeguarding seriously
as an outworking of your faith in a just and loving God.
It’s a day of hope, demonstrating that good news stories do exist, and your churches are one of them!

James 2. 14 – 26 (NRSV)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from works, and I by my works will show you faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is worthless? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and by works faith was brought to completion. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

When people have a relationship with God it makes a difference in their lives. A living faith leads to actions of love with those in need.

Hymn:  Thou, whose almighty word   –  John Marriot

Thou, whose almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard,
And took their flight;
Hear us, we humbly pray,
And where the gospel-day
Sheds not its glorious ray,
Let there be light.

Thou, who didst come to bring
On thy redeeming wing
Healing and sight,
Health to the sick in mind,
Sight to the inly blind,
O now to all mankind
Let there be light.

Spirit of truth and love,
Life-giving, holy Dove,
Speed forth thy flight;
Move o’er the water’s face,
Bearing the lamp of grace,
And in earth’s darkest place
Let there be light.

Blessèd and holy Three,
Glorious Trinity,
Wisdom, Love, Might;
Boundless as ocean’s tide
Rolling in fullest pride,
Through the earth far and wide
Let there be light.

A Kyrie confession

For times when we have failed to see
when people may have felt unsafe.
Lord, have mercy.

For those occasions when we have not listened effectively
to those in distress or danger.
Christ, have mercy.

For times when we have seen and heard
but have failed to act in order to keep others safe.
Lord, have mercy.

Forgive our laziness and indifference and ignorance;
and create in us a new spirit of responsibility and responsiveness,
for the sake of your people and for the extension of your kingdom.
Amen.