Lord God, we thank you for this wonderful and diverse city of Birmingham in which we live and serve. We give thanks for the goodness, grace and compassion that Councillor Anita Ward has brought to the office of Lord Mayor. We pray that our new Lord Mayor will continue to uphold the fine traditions of the office: dignity, inclusivity and justice. We ask this in the name of Christ our Lord.

Rather peculiarly, I found myself offering a prayer (the one above in fact) at the Mayor Making in Birmingham Council House yesterday afternoon.

Inclusity, Justice, Compassion and Grace are things that I will be praying for my city over the next year. I will be praying such things for our new Lord Mayor too, but the nature of a city does not depend on one person, but on all us together.

These features are all hallmarks of the kingdom. Thus in the Council Chamber, in our homes, in our pubs, curry houses and schools; in our hospitals, care homes, bookies and shops, may we all be minded to say, ‘thy kingdom, thy will be done on earth as much as it is in heaven’ (translation mine).