by Brenda Hellawell, of Our Lady of Victories

I REMEMBER when I was about seven years old wanting to join the Brownie Pack down the road from where I lived, but my parents wouldn't let me because it wasn't Catholic.

I remember my father, who was a Scout leader, having to stand outside a church on St George's Day Parade with his troop because they were not allowed inside a non-Catholic church.

They waited until the service had finished, then rejoined the rest of the Scout troops to continue the parade.

I remember my best friend getting married - she was a Methodist. I had to have special permission to attend the service.

It may have taken a long time, and we have still some way to go, but I thank God that things have changed.

As Christians in the Keighley area we come together regularly.

On Good Friday we met as one body outside the Market Hall to give witness to Christ's death on the cross.

On the first Saturday of every month we come together to pray for our town. We pray at a different church each month.

During Lent we came together again for Lenten House discussions, and we helped at the Lenten lunches at the Salvation Army Citadel to help to raise money for Christian Aid work.

A group from my own church helped each week with the Meals Programme at Salvation Army Citadel.

My husband has just finished his year of office as president of Keighley Churches Together. He has found it a very rewarding time, and we both feel so fortunate that we have made many new Christian friends. We can learn so much from one another, but let's not forget that we have to share what we have with those who don't know Jesus.

As we are coming close to Pentecost, as Christians let us ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to do what Jesus told us to do - to go out and proclaim the good news. AMEN.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.