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A LETTER FROM A CSM CANDIDATE
Dear Friends,
One of the things I am most enjoying about living in Warrington South and taking part in this General Election campaign is the opportunity to meet so many Christians in the local churches and to hear about all the great ways in which local churches right across the constituency are serving their local communities and making a positive difference. It is so encouraging.
I have visited the YMCA in Warrington town centre, which supports some of the most vulnerable people in our town. I’ve enjoyed delicious soup and cake several times at Market Lunches at Lymm Methodist. I have met people informally after Mass at St Joseph’s Penketh. Last Friday evening, I visited the impressive Broomfields youth project in Stockton Heath. Last Sunday, I was privileged to attend the Great Sankey Parish Council civic service at St Mary’s Great Sankey, which was a powerful and timely reminder of what servant leadership should look like in the context of democratic politics.
And this past Thursday lunchtime, I took part (with the other two main parliamentary candidates) in an informal meet-and-greet with Christians from the Bridgewater Churches Together area. The discussion varied from education policy and international development to freedom of speech for Christians and policies to support marriage and the family.
Of course, next Wednesday (April 28th) there is the Churches Together in Warrington hustings debate at 7.30pm at Bold Street Methodist Church in the town centre. I hope there will be a great turnout for this public debate. I am grateful to Churches Together in Warrington for putting this debate on.
If I am elected as your new Member of Parliament on May 6th, I look forward to working in very close partnership with all the churches and Christian organisations in Warrington South. My door would always be open to you, and I would do all I can to celebrate and support your role in local life and to help ensure your voice is heard. I believe we would agree on most issues. And while I cannot promise to support every church on every policy issue or legislative measure (not least because the churches do not always agree among themselves!), I can certainly promise you that I would always listen carefully to you and engage in honest discussion with you.
And of course, the Labour Government and the Labour Party hugely value the role of the churches and other faith communities in Britain’s community and political life. In 2007, Gordon Brown appointed Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, a Christian and a Treasury Minister, as the Prime Minister's representative to the churches and faith communities. Stephen Timms is also a Vice-Chair of the Labour Party for Faith Issues. At my invitation, Stephen Timms recently visited Warrington and met with the Warrington Council of Faiths.
For the last few years, Labour has published a regular newsletter – especially for Christians – about some of the policy issues that matter most to Britain’s churches. The latest edition of the ‘Labour Churches Update’ is now available on my website (under the Easter Message, on the left of my homepage: www.nickbent.org). Please do have a look.
Finally, I know that many other people in this constituency are curious to know more about the candidates and are thinking about coming along to the Churches Together hustings at Bold Street. Would you be willing to forward this email to at least five other people you know, please?
And please do continue to pray for all the candidates for the General Election and the local elections, both here in Warrington South and across the country, and regardless of party political affiliation. We all need it!
Many thanks.
Warm regards,
Nick
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Nick Bent,
Labour Parliamentary Candidate,
Warrington South
www.nickbent.org
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Andy Flannagan, 26/04/2010 |
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