大象传媒

About a year ago the Flesh and Blood campaign began. Though it sounds like a title of a murder mystery it鈥檚 in fact about saving rather than taking lives. It鈥檚 a national campaign between many Christian Churches and NHS Blood and Transplant, urging everyone, but particularly Christians, to consider blood and organ donation.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The need for blood and donated organs grows, and sadly about 3 people a day die because of the shortage of organs in the UK.

Lots of local churches are responding to the challenge to become 鈥淒onor Churches鈥�, some by offering to be local blood donation centres, others by urging people to become donors.

Almost one in ten churchgoers gave blood in the last year compared to one in twenty-five of the eligible population over the past two years, and nearly 70 percent of Christians responding to the campaign indicated a readiness to consider donation.

I guess it鈥檚 easy to understand why the Flesh and Blood campaign connects powerfully with Christians. Christians are to be generous, to make real their love of God by their love and care of others; to regard their lives and bodies as gift rather than possession 鈥� a precious gift of a loving God - to be used in ways that please God.

What can be more resonant of Christ than giving blood that others might live? 聽Because every day people are offered renewed life, through the donations of others.

And wouldn鈥檛 it be marvellous if three deaths a day because of organs shortage - became none?

Gracious God, who in Jesus gives his life that we might live, bless those waiting for donor organs today, and those who wait with them; those who donate and receive blood, and those who organise and administer these processes of gift and life. Amen聽