Organising a Day of Action

All versions of the Just People? course involve organising a day (or part of a day) of action.

Many churches and groups in different contexts have tested the material for all courses and found that organising a practical day of action in their local community was the most challenging, yet important, aspect of the course.

We don’t want the courses to be something that we engage with as a purely intellectual exercise, where we explore theology and the notion of social justice within the comfort of the four walls of our church or homegroup, youth or student group.

We have to look at the needs of our community and then be prepared to be part of the answer to our prayers for God to intervene and transform the lives of those living in our neighbourhood. 

Read some frequently asked questions below or check out the Day of Action Guide  for helpful advice and suggestions for organising any kind of day of action.

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Why is the day of action important?

Churches that have run the course have consistently told us that the day of action was the most memorable and important aspect of the course. It is tempting to skip this since it is harder to organise than the sessions but it will likely be the best part of your course.

Isn’t a day of action just tokenism?

Clearly one day of action is unlikely to change the world – primarily it is a learning exercise that allows the group to reflect together and bring the themes of the course alive. Your day of action will be more effective if you connect it to an area of work that you are already linked with. Use it as an opportunity to build and deepen relationships with your local community. Also, it is important to remember how much 15-20 enthusiastic people can do in one day.

Do we need to spend a whole day doing something?

The amount of time you spend is less important than what you do. Some groups have found an afternoon or evening of action to be easier for people to commit to.

You will find lots of helpful advice and suggestions in the Day of Action Guide

You may also want to read about one London church's decision to sleep out on London's streets as their day of action