Pentecostals bringing lunch to 1,777 London homes

Volunteers from one of London's largest Pentecostal churches, Jesus House, will be delivering a hamper to homes in north west London in an effort to put the Christmas spotlight firmly back on Jesus.

The hampers will be delivered this Saturday to each one of the 1,777 homes on the Grahame Park Estate in Colindale, north west London.

The festive hamper, part of a church project called 'Christmas Lunch on Jesus', contains every essential ingredient needed to enjoy a full Christmas dinner.

More than 200 volunteers will hand deliver the hampers from 8am to 12 noon.

"At a time when Christmas is overrun by commercialisation ,eroding the true meaning of the season, 'Christmas Lunch on Jesus' not only repositions the focus on the birth of Jesus Christ but also paints an alternative picture of churches across London being actively involved in their local community," said Ayo Adedoyin, Head of Communications at Jesus House.

The outreach comes at the end of a successful year of engagement with the local community for Jesus House, particularly the Grahame Park Estate.

The Novo Centre, which opened in April 2006, has flourished as a drop-in centre for local people in need of help and support because of unemployment or drug abuse, or because they are one of the many single parent families living on the estate.

The initiative is being run in collaboration with Barnet Homes and the local police authorities and has been well received on the estate.

"The aim of this initiative is to lend a helping hand where we can. Members of the Jesus House congregation understand the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ and therefore are able to imbibe the practice of also sacrificially showing love themselves," said Adedoyin.

"This is a collective community effort with all hands on board. We do not have answers to all the problems raised on the estate, but we are people that care and are committed to making a difference."