Presence and Engagement
Presence and Engagement is the Church of England's national programme 
equipping Christians for today’s multi-faith world. We believe the Church must remain present in diverse areas, and engage positively with other faiths. According to the 2021 Census, there are over 400,000 people across our diocese following different faiths. Many of us know neighbours, colleagues and friends from a different religious community, and issues of religion are prominent in the media, so Presence and Engagement is for every church.
Revd. Jenny Ramsden, the Diocesan Interfaith Adviser, is a member of the National Presence & Engagement Task Group.
The National Presence and Engagement Website can be found here. You will find some useful guidelines for Church leaders addressing a range of common issues for Churches and parishes where people of different faiths live side by side, including 'Civic and Interfaith Services', 'Actions in Times of Tension', 'Schools, Practical Issues'. 'Marriage (between a couple of different faiths)', and 'Engaging with the Asylum Process' (and more).
Training for curates and clergy
Every curate and new member of clergy in the Diocese of Leeds is required to 
undertake training in Presence and Engagement, which consists of an Area Visit to a project or church in an area of religious diversity. The visit explores some of the theology of presence and engagement and provides an opportunity to meet with people of (a) different faith(s) and with local clergy.
Throughout the year, there are also a variety of workshops for you to choose from, for example on Islamophobia, Engaging with New Religious Movements, Parish Ministry in an age of Anti-Semitism. Some of these workshops are open to all.
For information about upcoming training/workshops and information on how to book, please contact our Diocesan Interfaith Adviser, Revd. Jenny Ramsden.
Interfaith News
The Diocese of Leeds is committed to building and maintaining good relationships between people of different faiths. Read below for our latest interfaith news:
Interfaith Week 2024
Interfaith Week always begins on Remembrance Sunday. Remembrance Sunday 
was chosen as a start day to encourage people to remember together the contributions of all faiths and none, and to consider how best to create a just, peaceful, and harmonious world. Across the Diocese, faith representatives from different faith traditions were included in Remembrance commemorations in various ways:
At the cenotaph in Bradford, Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh faith leaders read the prayers that would have been said at the funerals of their fallen soldiers, in recognition of the contribution of troops from across the Commonwealth who fought in World War One and World War Two.
In Calderdale, Imams, Clergy and Faith Leaders came together for open and 
honest conversation at a local mosque, and then shared lunch together.
Across Kirklees, faith representatives came together to distribute 'Roses for Peace' - with handwritten messages of peace from different faith traditions.
And Clergy and lay people from across the Diocese participated in visits to mosques, synagogues, and temples - including attending Jummah prayers at Makkah Mosque in Leeds. Members of the Hindu community also visited Saint Michael and All Angels Church, Headingly, as part of Leeds Faiths Trail (organised by Dharmesh Mistry).
Near Neighbours
Near Neighbours, working through the Church Urban Fund, is our close 
partner encouraging people of different faiths and none to understand each other better and work together on initiatives that improve their local neighbourhood. Read about the first Women-Only interfaith iftar held in Leeds in March 2025 here. Contact Near Neighbours Coordinator, Kaneez Khan.
Resources
There are links to resources, including books, videos and information sheets on the Digital Learning Platform under ‘Social Engagement’.
Contacts
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Bishop Toby HowarthLead Bishop for Interfaith |
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Jenny RamsdenDiocesan Interfaith Adviser |