When the Archbishop met Joe Wilson

The Archbishop meets faith leaders from across the county

His charisma arrived long before his car turned into Barden Lane. We are dressed as if to meet the Queen and yet we're told the emphasis is to be informal. This is day one of the Archbishop of Canterbury's visit to Lancashire.

He has been to Bishop Rawsthorne School in Croston, tomorrow he will be in Preston and Blackpool and on Saturday he will end his visit by preaching at a Eucharist service in Blackburn Cathedral followed by a very public open dialogue with Blackburn MP and Justice Minister, Jack Straw.

Tonight is Bonfire Night, and as we wait for Dr. Rowan Williams's arrival, occasional red and green sparkling firecrackers light up the night sky, hover and then descend limply behind the terraced housing opposite.

The Archbishop is expected at the Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre to meet faith leaders from across the county and they have travelled from every corner of our acreage, and beyond, to be there.

No favours

Rabbi David has made it from Blackpool, two of our Buddhist friends said arrivederci to Italy only a few hours previously.

Archbishop Rowan is expected at seven, and like Her Majesty, you can have set your clock by him. The first sight of him standing in the light of Burnley Sixth Form College makes me realise that TV does him no favours.

He is far more youthful than he appears on your average plasma. It's true, he really does have the look of a man born from the pen of J.K. Rowling. He's thin to the point of slender, a man with the most engaging eyes and wispy hair combed in the Geldof style.

He stops for pictures with the great and the good. They are eager pose with him and takes it in his stride. He's a man accustomed to attention, but at the same time, he appears to be faintly embarrassed by it all. Flash bulbs punctuate the light as cameras record the night the most influential man in the Anglican communion came to Burnley.

After the introductions, we are ushered to the college's refreshment area where food and drink are provided in a buffet style and the invitation is there for all to meet the Archbishop. We are asked to say hello, but don't hog! There are over 50 of us and he wants to meet as many people as possible.

I believe there isn't one person in the room that isn't in awe of him Joe Wilson on the Archbishop of Canterbury

Wheelbarrow full

As he walks amongst the diners there is a mutual respect. He's addressed as Your Grace and that is the nub of it. He has grace by the wheelbarrow full. A saintly quality, a man who floats on belief. He's calm, untroubled, assured and frankly one of the most effective Christian ambassadors on the planet. He absorbs all that is said of him, he contributes in return... but mostly he listens. If it's a thorny problem we are assured the Good Lord will resolve what man cannot.

There are short presentations in the faith centre, we hear from the Lancashire Council Of Mosques and from The Bridge in Burnley where young people, inspired by Building Bridges, are initiating dialogue amongst the faiths.

Then the Archbishop began to speak, he stays seated in a massive circle of over 50 chairs and without notes he tell us how impressed he is with the work he has seen in Burnley. He talks of dialogue being the answer to faith's ills and then, in a moment of what he calls indiscretion, he remarks how some politicians see faith groups as a problem to be solved as opposed to a massive force to be utilised.

As he speaks, he leans forward, his hands resting on his knees, and we conspire to lean forward with him, unwittingly anxious to hear his every word. I am within touching distance of him and I believe there isn't one person in the room that isn't in awe of him. As a journalist I am innately cynical of any person who travels with their own press officer! But this man is different. This man really has put the cross in my X-Factor.

Equal footing

Archbishop Rowan speaks with a clear gentle style. He commands you to listen, you want to listen, he doesn't need to raise his voice. His wisdom beguiles. His authority is understated but we are very aware that this is a man who converses with world leaders in the same way that he talks with, not to, you and me. Gordon Brown or Joe Brown they are all the same to the Archbishop.

Joe gets the Archbishop's reflections on Lancashire

He answers prepared audience questions with ease and deflects none of their meaning. He meets each question head-on as we vary from Anglican splits, Christian Hindu forums and perhaps the most difficult question he will ever be asked in these multi-faith times: just how do people who believe their faith to be the one true faith meet others from a different faith on an equal footing?

We end the questions with an interesting enquiry from someone who wants to know if Jesus had been alive today would their have been a woman apostle.

Scrum begins

After a period of reflective silence, the scrum begins as we are invited to bid the Archbishop goodbye. We are asked to be brief with him, he has two long days in Lancashire ahead of him and needs his rest. I am afforded two and half minutes with him, it's enough to get his reflections on Lancashire and some of the bigger issues facing the church, but no time to debate them with him.

His eyes stare deep into my questions and I have his utmost attention. For this brief time, he gives me the impression that I am the only person in his life. Once finished, he works the crowd the with the same ease. Everyone he meets is afforded the same courtesy. Everyone satisfied, the Archbishop leaves alongside a beaming Bishop of Blackburn.

A few of us stragglers are left as the Archbishop's party drives off towards Burnley town centre. There is a general acceptance the evening has gone far better than could have been expected.

There is also a true sense that greatness had left the building.

Joe Wilson

Joe presents the faith programme on BBC Radio Lancashire from 6am each Sunday.