Family Centre Could Lose Local Council Funding over Christian Beliefs

The Lawyers' Christian Fellowship (LCF) has spoken out against Haringey Council in London after it threatened a local family centre last month with the withdrawal of vital funds unless it agreed to renounce all expression of Christianity from the voluntary services it provides.

Gosia Shannon, the organiser of a family centre for Eastern European migrants who have settled in London, received numerous letters from Haringey Council warning her of funding withdrawal after the centre sought to change its name from 'The Polish Drop-In Centre' to 'The Polish and Eastern European Christian Family Centre'. The Council warned that the use of the word 'Christian' in particular in the name of the organisation could damage current funding.

One letter from the Council read, "We expect all our services to be inclusive and without religious content, so I was concerned to learn that Gosia leads the singing of songs about loving Jesus in every session. I asked Gosia to leave this song out in future but she is still refusing to do so."

Ms Shannon set up the voluntary centre as an expression of her faith in Jesus Christ, offering among other things mother and toddler groups to help and meet the needs of Eastern European migrants as they seek to integrate and settle into life in London.

Andrea Minichiello Williams, Public Policy Officer at the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, warned that cases of this kind could become increasingly common with the introduction of the Sexual Orientation Regulations next year.

"The scenario highlights one of the main threats posed by the government's controversial Sexual Orientation Regulations," she said.

"If the regulations come into force unamended, they will require all local authorities to withdraw funding from Christian voluntary organisations, if those organisations wish to espouse the biblical position on sex outside of heterosexual marriage."

According to the LCF, Ms Shannon's family centre had sought to explain to Council officials that it welcomed gay people but "will not promote gay values".

Thomas Cordrey, Public Policy Analyst at the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, commented, "The dedicated voluntary work done by thousands of Christians across Britain is jeopardised by these regulations. The losers will be the most vulnerable, lonely and isolated people in society who currently benefit from Christian voluntary work. If the government press ahead with these regulations, no Christian organisation in receipt of public funding will be able to refuse to promote or assist homosexual practice."

Mr Cordrey continued, "The issue is broader than sexual orientation. These regulations deny the ability of Christian organisations to hold to basic truths in the Bible that we should not promote or assist conduct which God says is wrong."

He called on Christians to oppose the Sexual Orientation Regulations: "Christians must continue to insist that the government alter their stance so that Christian organisations can continue to receive public funding for the work they do, as well as adhere to the Bible's teaching."