Saying it with flowers: How a Manchester church reached out to its local mosque

Manchester was the scene of a terrible atrocity a fortnight ago – and a wonderfully healing concert only yesterday. But there's still a deep awareness that the bomb that shattered so many lives at Ariana Grande's concert at the Manchester Arena was detonated by a man claiming to act in the name of Islam.

Christians in Levenshulme including Methodist Deacon Al Henry held a flower distribution at a local mosque. K2 TV Manchester/Facebook

So one church in the city's Levenshulme district was determined to make sure Muslims in the area know they are accepted and loved. St Peter's Church, which works with the neighborough St Mark's parish, is close to the Madina mosque. Led by curate Rev Daud Gill, who was brought up in Pakistan, church members approached Muslims leaving after Friday prayers and handed out flowers. The initiative was caught on a video that has been viewed thousands of times.

It's the second time Gill has been involved in this kind of witness; the previous Friday he and others handed out flowers oustide the Cheetham Hill mosque and he plans another visit to a third mosque this Friday.

He told Christian Today: 'Most people were glad to take them. Some didn't, but I don't think this was a negative sign – we had some women in the team and it might have been a cultural thing for the men. Generally they were received very well.'

While he said he had not been aware of any hostility towards Muslim in the area after the terrorist atrocities, he wanted to make sure Muslims knew they were not being singled out. 'Our idea was, if there is any tension or fear, or any dislike, we will break down those barriers,' he said.

Gill said that growing up in Pakistan he had many Muslim friends. 'We all probably know that all Muslims don't have that [extremist] view,' he said.

News
Christian teacher who said being LGBT was a sin loses High Court challenge
Christian teacher who said being LGBT was a sin loses High Court challenge

The High Court has upheld the dismissal of a Christian teacher who told pupils at the London school where she worked that being LGBT was a sin. 

Christian nurse launches legal action after investigation for calling convicted transgender paedophile ‘Mr’ 
Christian nurse launches legal action after investigation for calling convicted transgender paedophile ‘Mr’ 

A Christian senior nurse was investigated and deemed “a potential risk” after she referred to a convicted transgender child sex offender as ‘Mr’. 

AI and the visual interpretation of Scripture: A new era of biblical storytelling?
AI and the visual interpretation of Scripture: A new era of biblical storytelling?

The relationship between faith and storytelling has always been central to Christianity. From the parables of Jesus to grand cinematic adaptations of biblical narratives, each generation has found new ways to bring Scripture to life. 

Report calls for standardisation and specialism in RE
Report calls for standardisation and specialism in RE

An independent review into the national curriculum for schools has highlighted the urgent need for standardised religious education (RE) across the country and greater subject specialism to ensure “mastery in the subject”.