Story & photo: John Mellor
The new Anglican Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Steven Croft, visited Burngreave in June. Speaking at Christ Church, Pitsmoor, Bishop Steven said, ‘The Christian church is the community called into being by Jesus. And we are called to be like him, not full of ourselves and our own achievements but full of our need of God – it’s a big call and a holy one’.
The meeting, held just before the European elections, was also given a message of ‘Hope not hate’ from Burngreave’s 84-year-old Normandy veteran, Ken Riley. Urging everyone to stop the BNP, Ken said: “Some of the lads who went on D-Day and who never came back were barely old enough to vote. If they had made it through the fight against fascism they would be voting now to stop the BNP”.
This message reflected another ‘Hope not hate’ meeting in the city centre in June co-ordinated by Abdul Gafoor of the Islamic Society of Britain. Bishop Steven has emphasised the importance of our different groups working together for the welfare of the city, in learning from each other and sharing concerns which we have in common. He saw himself, in his new role, very much as a learner and as a pilgrim treading new paths.