A Very British Nativity

This once, this is straight from the newsletter of the Joint Public Issues Team (an initiative of the Baptist Church, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church and the Church of Scotland) -

"If Mary and Joseph came to the UK seeking refuge this Christmas, what sort of welcome would they receive?

This is the question that lies at the heart of 'A Very British Nativity' - a short film produced by four major Christian denominations in the UK.

While the film is intended to be a humorous reimagining of the Nativity story, life for asylum seekers in the UK is anything but amusing.

It was over 2000 years ago that Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable, but A Very British Nativity asks how far we have really come; are we treating the most vulnerable people in our society with the dignity that they deserve?

During a period when refugees and asylum seekers experience much hostility, the nativity story is a stark reminder of the importance of showing hospitality to those who come seeking refuge.

As Churches, we want to highlight the ways in which the UK asylum system degrades those who encounter it, and remind the Government that offering asylum is not an 'optional extra' but a legal commitment under the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights."

To see the film - clink this link:  download from vimeo here.