That’s the message from the Archbishop of Canterbury in his introduction to a new report looking at the groundbreaking work of six projects supported by the Church Urban Fund.  

Dr Rowan Williams believes the ‘Churches in Action’ report also demonstrates the role the Church plays in lifting people when they most need it – often from the depths of despair.

“If you have any doubts about the contribution that the Christian faith makes to the life of our country, read this,” he urges.

Based on research carried out for CUF by Coventry University's Applied Research Centre in Sustainable Regeneration (SURGE), the report highlights how the Christian faith has inspired projects to reach out in some of the most deprived communities across England, bringing lasting change.

Adds Dr Williams: ”The stories (in the report) are of people who have found something, just when they most needed it, and in some cases when they had sunk into the depths of despair. They found warmth, welcome and friendship. They found people, often volunteers, who re-affirmed them as part of the human family. They found hospitality, respect and esteem. 

“No magic wands here, but a testimony to human worth – how it gets lost, but also how it can be rediscovered and regenerated.”