The Member for Bermondsey

When we suggested to Simon Hughes that we have special prayers of thanksgiving at St James, his home church base, to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of his election to Parliament on 24th February, he said 'thank you very much' and then said 'I would like it to be a rededication, too.'

And that's how Simon, with his immediate family, came to church this morning both to give thanks to God for the last 30 years and to rededicate himself as a Christian MP.

And I got the chance to interview him: ('what do you most enjoy as an MP?' Answer 'its when you can help individuals and make a difference to their lives).' That reminded me of something said to me last week: 'everyone in Bermondsey knows someone who has been helped by Simon Hughes.'

He also spoke movingly of the importance of prayer, both his own prayer before the Lord as he sought guidance and discernment on key political issues, and the support of his prayer group who have faithfully prayed for him for thirty years.

The Bishop of Southwark sent a message ('Simon Hughes has served all the people of Bermondsey and Old Southwark with dedication, real energy and commitment over the last 30 years. His work is undergirded by a strong personal faith from which love of God inspires love and service of neighbour right across this community in all its diversity'), and so did the Dean ('He has been an exemplary constituency MP,a champion of people and a Christian witness. We are enormously  proud of Simon')

The words of the commissioning from the confirmation service (which we used for the rededication) seemed particularly relevant ('will you acknowledge Christ's authority over human society, by prayer for the world and its leaders, by defending the weak, and by seeking peace and justice?), and I spoke from Mark 10.35-45 on living as servants of the Servant King.

It was a good day and it felt like a real privilege for us to share in this celebration of the life of a devoted servant of Christ and the people of Bermondsey.

And finally........ as the son of a London cab driver, I must say that I thoroughly approve of our MP's preferred form of transport: