A very special meal was held last week (23/1/10). Three leading members of the Diocese of Leicester, Rt Revd Tim Stevens (Bishop), Canon Dr Andrew Wingate (Director of the St Philip’s Centre and Bishop’s Inter Faith Adviser) and the Revd Mike Smith (Chaplain), were the special guests of about 30 Muslim leaders. These included members of the Executive of the Federation of Muslim Organisations, and a range of Imams from different traditions and cultural backgrounds.
Mr Abdulkarim Gheewala, Chair of FMO, and convenor of the gathering, welcomed the guests and affirmed the importance of the partnership in Leicester and nationally, that Muslim communities had with the Church of England. He spoke of his support for the British way of life, which Muslims enjoy participating in in this country. He recognised the importance of working with the majority religious community, in what is a Christian country, with its Christian values and heritage, that Muslims can share in. He spoke too of the period immediately after the London bombings, and how after 7/7, the faith communities, led by the Bishop, had stood firm together at a very critical time, as symbolised by the gathering in Victoria Park.
The Bishop spoke of his own role as national convenor of the 26 Bishops who sit in the House of Lords. He believed they provide a spiritual compass to our national life, and they are able to speak for all faiths in this role, along side those of other faiths who sit in the upper house. He gave as an example the recent debates on the Equalities bill, with its wide implications. He also emphasised the key partnership the church has with the FMO, and how Leicester is fortunate to have such a significant organisation which speaks for most Muslim communities.
Mr Gheewala spoke next of the crucial role of the St Philip’s Centre locally and beyond, and how it had become another significant partner to the FMO and Muslim communities. He then paid a very personal tribute to Andrew Wingate, as he retires as Director of the Centre next Sunday, acknowledging his tireless work for cohesion in the city, through the Centre, Council of Faiths and Faith Leaders’ Forum.
Andrew responded with warmth to his special links with Muslims, and how that had been one of the joys of his time in Leicester. Dialogue groups had been going on now for nine years. He also said how much he liked living within earshot of the call to prayer from Masjid Umar, which he could hear from his garden three times a day. This should be heard as a call to prayer in their own tradition for all communities, including the Christian one. He was glad he was remaining in his house locally, in an area he and his wife Angela were very happy to have settled in, though they will be in Gottenburg. Sweden from April until the end of the year. He is to be a teacher/consultant in inter faith engagement there, building on the strong links of the St Philip’s Centre with Scanadinavia.
Andrew was then very humbled to receive a gift of a black gown, normally worn by Imams, and made in Syria, from Dr Ashraf Mukkadam, Vice Chair, on behalf of FMO. |