Christmas Bowl History
The Story of the Christmas Bowl
Over sixty years ago, the Reverend Frank Byatt of Victoria had a peaceful vision. On Christmas day 1949, he placed an empty bowl on the dinner table and asked all present to give what they considered to be the cost of their Christmas meal.
Frank urged his guests to reflect on their good fortunes and encouraged them to do something selfless for the people around the world who were less fortunate. The very first Christmas Bowl raised funds for refugees separated from their loved ones and driven from their homes in Eastern Europe. The simple message of giving the cost of your Christmas meal to someone who may not have food, shelter or security in their own country is powerful and has been owned by Australian churches since the Christmas Bowl began.
By giving to the Christmas Bowl at Christmas ,when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, we are helping others to survive and rebuild their lives. Today, with the financial crisis, global food shortages and climate change threatening to throw millions more people into extreme poverty, Frank’s message of sharing and equity has never rang more truly.
The Christmas Bowl is an important symbol for churches, schools and individuals all around Australia who work together to promote peace, justice and partnership. The funds raised now support the courageous and life-saving work of our ecumenical project partners who empower war-torn communities to protect refugees, prevent further conflict and reduce extreme poverty. With the help of the Christmas Bowl, our project partners are currently assisting more than 1 million people living in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Pacific and Australia.
A gift of:
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Can provide a woman with a hygiene kit and a visit from a healthcare worker after she delivers a baby in Gaza
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Can provide refugee resettlement kits containing food, medicine, clothing and school supplies for refugees in Darfur, Sudan |
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Can provide a Burmese refugee with one year’s worth of nutritious food
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Can provide one hand dug water well pump in Ethiopia which will benefit the entire community |
