When I first came to Cottam six months ago, it was a bit of a surprise (a pleasant surprise, I hasten to add) to be quickly contacted by various other Christian Churches in the area – by both ministers and Parish Councils as well as individuals. Along with the Catholic Community in Ingol, it’s refreshing and hopeful that regularly a group of Christian Ministers from different denominations can meet for prayer, discussion and mutual support, as well as the planning of events together.

In Cottam, despite ‘good relations’ with St Anne’s in Woodplumpton, little has happened ecumenically in Cottam itself. This is not surprising. Up until a few years ago Cottam was ultimately Hoyles Lane, spreading out into outlying farmlands from St Andrew’s for over two hundred and fifty years. But with the major Cottam Hall development and its constant expansion the question of how to minister to this ‘new’ area, and how to bring and share the Christian faith with the many new families and homes, of different denominations and varying degrees of faith and practice, is an important one. But it is an exciting question and a great challenge: to spread God’s Word to a world needy of the Gospel message at the beginning of the third millennium of the Christian era. Above all, it is a challenge that we can face together.

I salute the Methodist Circuit for taking the first steps in the Cottam Ecumenical Project, and thank Liz and Peter for coming to St Andrew’s to speak to the Catholic Community during Christian Unity Week. It is a sign to Christians in this area that sharing our common faith and working for Christ together is both a great opportunity and a necessity if we wish to make the Christian message visible to the whole of our new community. If together we are seen to be drawing closer to God and to one another, then our witness may draw others closer to Christ and his Church. And hopefully next year the question "What are we doing ecumenically during Lent?" will be met with a more enthusiastic – and comprehending – answer.