USE YOUR VOTE CALL FROM CHURCHES

Church leaders in the Black Country urged people to turn out and vote in the May Local Elections and launched our list of questions for voters to think about.

Three of the Black Country Church Leaders are pictured at the launch.

Rt. Rev. Clive Gregory, Anglican Bishop of Wolverhampton (centre)
Rev. John Howard, Chair of Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury Methodist District (right)
Rt. Rev. Monsignor Patrick McKinney, Chair of Black Country Churches Engaged
& Roman Catholic Dean of Dudley Deanery (left)

"It is our hope that people will value our democratic way, and we urge them to exercise their right to vote. We recognise that voting is a responsibility; so we want people to make an informed choice, and go out and vote for the best candidates” said Monsignor Patrick McKinney, Chair of Black Country Churches Engaged (BCCE) the body representing the Christian Churches locally.

“We believe these elections give people the opportunity to express their views as to the best way forward locally. Choosing politicians who bring the community together and whose vision is one of hope for the future is a Christian choice”, said Rev. John Howard, Chair of the Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury District of the Methodist Church.

For the Churches' seven point list of questions, see below.

“Our questions are based on Christian values, which we believe are widely held. We encourage people to check the candidates’ views on the value of other human beings; we ask whether they will work for the common good and not just one small group,” added Monsignor McKinney.

The Church leaders have responded to a growing concern that a mood of cynicism among the population means people often opt out of voting altogether. “We are asking people whether the candidate’s policies feed on fear or whether they promote the rich diversity of cultures living within the community? Do their policies serve to promote good race relations, respecting the culture, language and faith of all?” said Bishop Clive Gregory, Bishop of Wolverhampton. “We are encouraging church goers and others to put their confidence and their cross against the right candidates in our local elections.”

Black Country Churches Engaged

(the ecumenical body which represents most of the sub-region’s Christian denominations)

 LOCAL ELECTIONS

The Churches of the Black Country encourage all to vote, and they offer the following points to help voters decide how to cast their ballot.

These questions are based on Christian values that are considered to be common to all people of good will.

Christians believe that every person is created in the image and likeness of God.

Therefore:

• Do you and does the candidate, recognize the innate dignity and equal value of all human persons?

• Can you be confident that the person you vote for is able to represent, and make judgements on behalf of, all the local community, regardless of their race, colour or faith?

• Will the person elected work for the common good of all, not just one section of like-minded individuals?

• Will his/her policies promote harmony, justice and social cohesion, so that no individual or group or faith is marginalized, demonised or treated unjustly?

• Do his/her policies feed on the fear of one group over another?

• How will his/her policies promote the rich diversity of cultures living within the community?

• Do his/her policies serve to promote good race relations, respecting the culture, language and faith of all?

(Representation in Black Country Churches Engaged includes: Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Orthodox, Quakers, Salvation Army, United Reformed, black majority churches, and The Net.)

Printed & promoted by the Black Country Ecumenical Officer Mike Topliss on behalf of Black Country Churches Engaged (both of 18 Selman’s hill, Walsall, WS3 3RJ)