A senior Government official has said that Christians should not be sidelined for their faith and that Christianity has a valued and important role to play. Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said that the Government is keen to look at the church’s role in communities for inspiration. He knows the flawed logic of the view that the state can solve society’s ills does not work. In an interview with the Sunday Express, he said: ‘One of the things I want to do is to use the pastoral experience of the Church of England and the Catholic Church in getting out there into the community. Religious tolerance is immensely important. Religion has a valued and important role in binding our society together and is a vital part of the cultural fabric of the English and British nations.’ It is reported that there are 22,000 Christian charities in Britain providing more than 23 million hours of voluntary service. Pray: for recognition of the vital role that the church plays in the life of the nation. (Mt.5:3)