CHRISTIANS are being asked to forget their grudges and forgive their debtors to make a fresh start for the Millennium.

Canon Richard Cartmell is supporting the Jubilee 2000 campaign for banks and wealthy governments to cancel third world debt.

And he has asked local people to show the same spirit of forgiveness in their own lives.

He plans to wipe out debts he is owed on New Year's Eve and ask parishoners to sign pledges to cancel debts of money or favours to make a fresh start for the New Year.

Mr Cartmell, of St James CE Church, Lower Darwen, said: "The Third World debt campaign has taken off in a big way. This idea is more personal and is only in its infancy but I hope it will spread.

"The start of the new Millennium is a unique, mystical moment and we need to catch that moment." All members of the Churches Together in Darwen group of about 24 churches have decided to ask their members to join the campaign.

The Rev Terence Young, minister of three Darwen Methodist churches, said: "It's always a benefit to forgive because you can go on for years being screwed up and bitter and angry inside yourself.

"I have seen whole families who have refused to speak to each other for years because someone got an inheritance they shouldn't have."

Mr Young said people should tell their debtors or enemies they are forgiving them to lay the foundations for new relationships.

He said: "If they don't want to accept that, there's nothing you can do about it, but as least you can let go of your grudges."

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