2008 has started, almost literally, with a bang. More teenagers knifed to death in London, Birmingham and Manchester, with other incidents reported elsewhere in the country. The tragic shootings of Latisha Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis at the beginning of 2003 have resulted in my approaching each succeeding New Years with apprehension. And whilst the current spate of killings indicates a preference for the knife over the gun as the weapon of choice, the effects are just as devastating.

Introduction

The Lighthouse Group Centre Speech
Introduction
May I say how pleased I am to be able to join you on the occasion of the opening of this new centre. Allow me for a few minutes to say something about where I believe this initiative sits in regards to a) the importance of education, b) hard to reach groups, and c) the importance of partnership.

Importance of education

This may sound like a strange question for a bishop to ask. It is nonetheless a very serious question, and one that many people ponder. They may not externalize this in words, but they act upon the answers they give themselves. So, whilst for some, church remains an uplifting and fulfilling place, Christians had better face up to the reality that many people have concluded that some churches are not healthy places and they avoid them like the plague, except for special occasions like christenings, weddings, funerals, Christmas and Easter.