ROBERT Meggs asks which is more likely to cause offence; “the macabre, cannibalistic celebration of the barbaric death of a long-gone innocent, though deluded, Galilean” or a mobile phone ringing during holy communion in a church service (HAS, Feb 22).

For me, without a shadow of a doubt, it would be the mobile phone ringing which would cause offence. I have never known a mobile phone to ring during holy communion at our church in Great Lumley, which is a good thing.

However, while driving at the weekend I nearly collided head-on with another car in which the driver was talking on his mobile phone. Also, while walking in city centres I often have to avoid people who walk without looking where they are going because they are in the middle of a mobile phone conversation.

As for Mr Meggs’ description of holy communion, well it would be rather macabre had the person who is the subject of the ceremony not consented to it.

However, Jesus did more than consent to it; he requested that we take holy communion. As for delusion – well, I am not deluded now, but I was before I started attending our church in 1998.

Jeremy Whiting, Great Lumley, Chester-le-Street, Co Durham.

MANY Christians work in charity shops, others do voluntary work or are involved in projects to try and improve their community.

Many Christians are just a voice at the end of a telephone, giving help and comfort to those who have no one else to turn to, stopping many from committing suicide.

Each night many Christians go out and give comfort, hot food, warm blankets and fresh clothing to the homeless. Many Christians are involved in rescuing runaway children from a life of drugs and prostitution.

Many Christians work in hospices giving comfort to dying men, women and children.

They do so because of a strength which comes from their faith while people such as Robert Meggs (Echo, Feb 22) write smug commentaries which only reveal their ignorance, immaturity and judgemental attitudes.

CT Riley, Spennymoor, Co Durham.