“I wanted to pay back the hospitality”- This Bishop invited Muslims to his Christmas tea

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urnley’s Bishop Rt Rev. Philip North has welcomed local British Muslim leaders to a special Christmas tea at his house. Mayor and Mayoress Charlie Briggs and Patricia Lunt also attended the gathering, as reported by Burnley Expressed on December 25.

“Since coming to Burnley, I have enjoyed the Muslim community’s hospitality on numerous occasions, especially around the time of the Festival, and it was great to be able to repay some of that hospitality by inviting some Muslim leaders to my home as Christians to keep the great Christmas festival,” the Bishop said.

We have spoken about their city’s theme of hope and harmony. “For faith leaders to come together it was an optimistic and positive opportunity and so good,” he said.

While, Mozaquir Ali, former Muslim councilor in Burnley borough and one of Building Bridges administrators in Burnley, added: “The hospitality overwhelmed Muslim faith and community members. We have enjoyed and appreciated the expression of good will of the Christmas celebration with us by Bishop Philip.”

“In view of the current situation in the country and around the world, where there are many forces at work to establish tension between cultures and faiths, it is vital that we continue our efforts to develop new relationships and preserve established relationships with all faiths and religions in order to ensure coexistence and harmony.”

Burnley’s northern English city has ten mosques, with the first purpose-built facility opened in 2009, and the Burnley census of 2001 gives Muslims a religious composition of 6.6%. It is worth noting that the city’s Queensgate Islamic Center had previously been a Pentecostal congregation, which was formerly the Queensgate Wesleyan Methodist Church that closed in 1968. In addition, the chapel of the Bethel Scottish Baptist built in 1867 and also closed in 1968 has been converted into a Muslim school.