Further to Krista Beighton's article "Our Church lacks Christian spirit" (The Argus, March 15), in which Lesley-Anne Brennan and her daughter criticised St Nicholas Church, Brighton, for advising them not to give money to homeless people coming into the church, I would like to thank Father Derek Moody and Father Philip Ritchie (both of St Nicholas Church) and all the churches who have supported the work of the Clock Tower Sanctuary and other homelessness charities over the years.

There is always a temptation to slip into a cynical view of Christianity if one believes the love it teaches is based on a purely emotive and sensational response to all that is not as it should be in our society, but the church does not exist in a vacuum and real faith can never be a personal crusade.

If Mrs Brennan had attended the Homelessness Sunday Celebration at All Saints Church, Hove, in January (hosted by the Brighton and Hove Churches Homelessness Network) she would have witnessed anything other than a lack of Christian spirit in responding to this dire social problem facing our city.

Many members of the clergy (including Fr Ritchie as our chaplain) and their congregations live out the Christian faith through informed debates in partnership with secular agencies, by active engagement through voluntary or paid work, in providing substantial financial support (such as that from the Church Urban Fund) and by donating money, food and clothing from parish collections.

Voice of The Argus (March 15) suggested Christians lack compassion towards homeless people. But compassion is often better expressed by recognising one's own strengths and limitations when it comes to providing assistance to others and may, instead, require the supporting of others who may be better placed to provide the type of help needed.

Whether or not one gives a direct financial handout to a homeless person will, ultimately, be a matter of individual choice.

However, I would urge people who find they struggle with this dilemma to remember that such handouts will only ever be a handout rather than a way out.

It is preferable and perhaps more compassionate in the long term to help homeless people help themselves, a view shared by many churches and support agencies, such as the Big Issue organisation, whose vendors are licensed to sell the magazine on the street at designated pitches, thereby legitimately earning commission from their sales.

With churches supporting us, we are able to provide shelter off the streets, hot food and emergency clothing and to help our service users access support agencies - many of whom are Christian (including St Patrick's Trust, YMCA, Emmaus and Project Anti-Freeze) - that provide a wide range of professional advice and practical support in matters relating to sexual assault or domestic violence, medical health care, substance misuse, employment opportunities, accommodation and supported housing, mental health issues and the many other complex issues facing people whom Mrs Brennan and daughter compassionately term "beggars".

-Deborah Newman, church liaison officer, The Clock Tower Sanctuary, Dyke Road, Brighton