Sarx warmly invites you to join us for a special Christian Animal Advocates Connect Day.
Taking place in Waterloo, London on Saturday, November 3rd from 5pm to 9pm, this unique event aims to provide people, primarily Christians with an interest in animal advocacy, with a chance to network with others from a variety of backgrounds and traditions.
The Oasis Hub Coffee House will provide an ideal space to meet like-minded people, strengthen your social and professional network, exchange ideas and have fun!
The event will feature a delicious vegan meal (included in the ticket price), access to an all-vegan bar, live music, an opportunity to hear testimonies from animal advocates and an interactive quiz!
Tickets are only £10 each (plus booking fee) and spaces are strictly limited, so book your place today!
For two thousand years, Christians have followed Jesus’ example of communal living and have met together to break bread and drink wine. In today’s busy, hectic world, the need for people to connect with community to meet their spiritual, emotional and physical needs has never been more important.
Breaking bread. Image credit: Sarx.
Connecting offers the chance to come alongside others, at different stages of life and faith, for mutual support and encouragement.
Connecting is fun, enjoyable and offers the potential to meet new friends: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).
Connecting fosters love through the relationships we develop. The words of 1 Corinthians 13 reiterate this point: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
In spite of all this, contemporary church communities, which often do not consider animals to be prominent among their current faith concerns, have sometimes proven frustrating for Christian animal advocates.
Cow and calf. Image credit: Sarx.
Christians who feel strongly that animals should be able to join creation’s great song of praise long to see Psalm 148 fulfilled. We miss the voice of those animals unable to join the song because of the cruelty they suffer in industrial farms, and we are deeply disappointed and puzzled that others do not feel the same. This sense of disconnect can place Christian animal advocates on the fringes of the church.
Gleeful church notices for after-service barbecues, bacon rolls at prayer breakfasts or hamburgers at youth groups can make for dispiriting reading and lead to feelings of exclusion. Christian animal advocates have, in some cases, even been singled out for teasing at such events, which can lead some to giving up on the church altogether. Perhaps this has happened to you or to someone you know!
With growing public awareness of the cruel realities of intensive farming and ever more people of faith discovering compelling biblical and theological reasons to care about animals, the United Kingdom has witnessed a rapid increase in the number of Christian animal advocates.
These advocates are eager to connect with each other, as evidenced by last year’s Creature Conference, which saw numerous people finally feeling connected with like-minded people. Remarks included:
“I feel like I have been waiting for this event my whole life!”
“A genuine feeling of relief and encouragement to eat vegan food along with like-minded Christian animal lovers.”
“I have not been to church in over 10 years after becoming disillusioned with Christianity’s indifference to animals. My pastor even told me to start eating meat! However if all Christians were like those I met at the Sarx conference, I would go every week.”
Put simply, connection matters.
Connection matters for humans because we all need a sense of belonging, to feel valued and develop trusting relationships. The warmth and kindness we give and receive within these relationships is enriching and life-giving.
Two foxes. Image credit: Sarx.
Connection matters to animals because only through joining together in unison can Christians raise their voices for animals and help bring about tangible change for all God’s creatures.
This is why we are pleased and privileged to offer Christians with a heart for animals a space to meet liked-minded people and share their stories and insights at our Christian Animal Advocates Connect Day.
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Featured image: People laughing and interacting over a meal. Image credit: Sarx.
