Emphasis on the Local

The Bishop of Huntingdon, Dr David Thomson, said this week that an on-going conversation about how best to serve local communities was essential as new partnerships are forged to improve people’s lives.

Dr Thomson gave the closing address at a Faith and Stronger Communities Conference which was organised by Cambridgeshire County Council at Shire Hall in conjunction with the East of England Faiths Council at which faith leaders were briefed on the Localism Bill.

There were workshops on the opportunities and issues the implementation of the Bill in Cambs brought for faith groups.

The Bishop said that recognising what provision is being offered, establishing effective partnerships and pinpointing principles for future development were key ingredients for the future.

He told delegates: “Provision is the obvious truth that there is a whole range of opportunity opening up for faith groups to do what comes naturally to them and serve others in their local communities.”

It was important, he said, for a proper awareness of strengths and weaknesses to be assessed before starting out on new initiatives. 

The Bishop then moved on to emphasising the importance of partnership: “Partnership comes naturally to faith communities. At their heart is their common life, fellowship in their faith, and care for one another”

He then added his appreciation of the work of faith councils: “I am also grateful that groups such as faiths councils are being taken increasingly seriously by statutory bodies, and hope that we can work together to help them thrive and draw on their strengths at a time when their own funding streams, which have often been regional, are being cut.

Dr Thomson said he was “very glad that the County Council has used its power of invitation to enable [the] discussion, and hope that it will continue to do so, even in the area of principles and values, to help identify what we might all agree was our common good.”

17th November 2011