OPINION: Actions do speak louder than words - The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson

This is Christian Aid Week. It provides an opportunity for us to show some support for an organisation which for over 70 years has been putting its beliefs and convictions into practice. It was founded in 1945 by British and Irish churches to provide support for the vast number of refugees created by the war. It has gone way beyond this and worked effectively to bring help to the most needy and marginalised people within the world.

The charity’s plan has never been to leave people in a state of dependency. It used to be said that if you give a person a fish, you feed them for a day. If you teach them to fish, you feed them for life. That principle of helping individuals and communities to flourish in a sustainable way still holds good when more of Christian Aid’s efforts are focussed on speaking up for the voiceless. They are very keen to help us all understand something of the injustice that results from extremely poor, marginalised communities suffering most because of climate change. While their carbon footprint is minimal, they suffer most from the storms and drought which extreme weather causes.

The publicity for this year’s Christian Aid Week makes clear that the wisdom of actions speaking louder than words is still holding good. They tell us, for example, of Jessica in Zimbabwe. Her family, like many others, has been suffering hunger because drought has decimated local crops. Christian Aid is helping groups of women to grow crops which have been developed to withstand drought conditions. This is proving transformational.

This week, millions of people up and down this country are showing that actions speak louder than words by their support of Christian Aid. The well-known door-to-door collection still takes place in many areas, not least in North Yorkshire. This is thanks to the efforts of numerous volunteers. For me, the work of Christian Aid and other Christian-based charities is an example of the Christian faith in action. For many of us, these efforts stem, in part, from a desire to follow Jesus’ example of loving service. Jesus told his disciples to love one another as he had loved them. This was at the Last Supper the evening before he was crucified. In that upper room, he also washed his disciples’ feet - an act of love shown through servant leadership. Elsewhere, while still on the road in a ministry of teaching and healing, Jesus had pointed out that the fulfilment of all religious demands is to be found in loving and worshiping God, and in loving one’s neighbour as oneself. Words of comfort, reassurance and solidarity can all play an important part in following the example of Jesus Christ; in transforming desperate situations for the better. But practical support will often have more impact.

As we celebrate our 1350th anniversary at Ripon Cathedral, hosting a rolling programme of cultural festivals through the year, the same principles of loving service and actions speaking louder than words still apply. Three stunning art installations begin next week – one even in the Anglo-Saxon crypt. And a fantastic summer organ festival is then offered through June and July. These are all ways of celebrating the spiritual treasure house of Ripon Cathedral being a centre of Christian worship, practical community service, and profound heritage for thirteen-and-a-half centuries. We are grateful to the many thousands who have already shared and supported our 1350th anniversary year of celebration. We hope to welcome many more – see our website www.riponcathedral.org.uk.