Brilliant interview with Justin Welby on faith, Islam, the Lords Prayer + his support for action against Isil

http://new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/the-tide-is-turning-in-this-country-justin-welby-interviewed/
If you want to read his speech from 2 weeks ago in the House of Lords on why he supports the attack on Isil in Syria read here:
http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/5648/archbishop-of-canterburys-speech-on-syria

Wonderful news as Riding Mill's Rev Alison White becomes Bishop of Hull - the first husband and wife Bishops

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/northumberland-priest-set-become-second-8916640
Alison and her husband Frank are both constituents and are very involved in day to day life in Northumberland. Alison will be an outstanding Bishop and the people of Hull are very lucky to have her as their new Bishop. There is no doubt in my mind that the changes brought in by the Church of England to allow the elevation of women Bishops is a force for good and a revitalising influence on the church. Clearly the proof will be in the pudding but all the evidence is that this is a sensible evolution not revolution.

Speech on the need to create local community banks

Wednesday in the House of Commons gave me the chance to talk about what the Coalition government has done to try and make it easier to set up new challenger or local banks to take on the big banks. There is huge progress being made. The full speech is here:
 http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-02-25a.334.1&s=speaker%3A24962#g354.2

Women Bishops are a big step to a modern church and long overdue - totally agree with Justin Welby

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/archbishop-canterbury-hails-decision-permit-7939400
The long march for women Bishops is almost over and appointments will happen soon.
As anyone who goes to church knows one of the biggest improvements in the last few years has been the presence and leadership of some ground breaking and hardworking female vicars. Two outstanding local Christian examples I know very well spring readily to mind:
- Dagmar Winter is the new rector of Hexham Abbey:  http://www.newcastle.anglican.org/news-and-events/news-article.aspx?id=1929
- and Bellingham Deanery is led by the inspirational and hard working Susan Ramsaran - see her blog here: http://northumberlandrector.blogspot.co.uk/
And in the House of Commons we have the Speakers Chaplain, the Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who is wonderful:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/commons/the-speaker/supporting-the-speaker/speakers-chaplain/

This is a very welcome move.

Delighted that Canon Dagmar Winter is to be the new Rector of Hexham Abbey

Religious leaders matter. Whatever the faith there is no doubt that the church, in its many forms, has a pivotal role to play in any society. This extends far beyond religious belief, faith and support. And the Tynedale faithful who go, in particular, to Hexham Abbey have been without a leader since Graham Usher was created the Bishop of Dudley. So the announcement of Dagmar's elevation is very good news. It is also a rare example of the Church promoting someone local from within the local clergy and they should be praised for this. I believe this is the right person in the right job at the right time.

Amazing news that Synod backs Women Bishops - this will help revitalise the CofE

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28300618

Church backed local banks and credit unions can change local communities

Off to breakfast summit hosted by the Bishop in the House of Lords today to discuss how church can help local banks and credit unions thrive and ensure that the unbanked, fuel poor and those at the mercy of pay day lenders can be helped by a community led banking approach.

Christians abroad and Meriam Ibrahim need our support even more

I have received back the reply from the Foreign Office to my request for further information on the case of Meriam Ibrahim, and the cause of Christians persecuted abroad for their faith. The fair point is made that although this individual case is horrifying and significant the plight of all Christians abroad is a real issue for the Church of England, myself and many many MPs in the House of Commons.

Guy Opperman (Hexham, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to raise the plight of persecuted Christians abroad; and what steps he is taking to raise the case of Meriam Ibrahim with his Sudanese counterpart.
Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 11 June 2014, c210W)

Mark Simmonds (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Boston and Skegness, Conservative)
"I am appalled at the death sentence given to Meriam Ibrahim, and her continued imprisonment. Immediately following her trial, I issued a statement describing her conviction as barbaric and calling upon the Government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion or belief and international human rights laws as enshrined in its own constitution. The chargé d’affaires of the Sudanese embassy in London was summoned to the Foreign Office on 19 May at the request of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague). The Under-Secretary of State for International Development, my hon. Friend Lynne Featherstone, reiterated our demand with the Sudanese Foreign Minister when she met him on 20 May. Our embassy in Khartoum, that attended her trial, continues to press the Sudanese authorities for Meriam Ibrahim's release, and is in close contact with the defence team.

This is a priority human rights area for us. We speak out regularly against violence perpetrated against Christians. The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi), gave a speech in Washington in November last year on the need for unity in confronting the intolerance and sectarianism that leads to minority communities being persecuted. We also lobby for changes in discriminatory laws and practices that affect religious minorities, including Christians, and support UN resolutions on the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief."

Busy week in Westminster as Immigration Bill to be passed by parliament this week

Today is packed with debates, meetings with Tom Sefton of the Church of England Credit Union Team, who is I hope helping me with the establishment of a Tynedale Community Bank this morning and several other constituents / key local issues.
We also have Justice Questions today and then Scottish Questions and PMQs tomorrow.
Wednesday I shall be in the chamber most of the afternoon helping the Immigration Bill through the House.
Thursday I shall be running for a train to get home Thursday night with luck.