Goodwill

V encouraging to see the amount of goodwill there is towards St Peter's - I'm beginning to understand why as many as 6500 people signed a petition to keep the church open as a place of worship. In the few short weeks we've been here, I have had meetings with Council leaders, church leaders, Chief Superintendents, local businesses and charity CEOs, all initiated by them, to discuss how we might work together for the city. In particular, the police wanted to get together because "we're in the same business as you are - peace and justice." One church leader remarked how important it was for all the churches that St Peter's is saved because, being such a visible iconic landmark in the city, if it was allowed to crumble, he said like the West Pier, it was send out a strong message to everyone that the church has died.