THE new Bishop for West Yorkshire and the Dales has promised to create a diocese built on dialogue with all its wide-ranging communities by using every form of modern communication.

The former Bishop of Bradford, the Right Reverend Nick Baines, said he was determined to use every format to reach people in a way which suited them.

"It's not about the church doing things and hoping the world is looking in through the window, it's about the church looking out and seeing what the world needs," Rt Revd Baines said.

"And the way the world is now means that people get information and have debates in far more complicated than every before.

"It's no longer the case that one writes an article for a newspaper and that's it - there are so many platforms for information and communication that we need to be able to use all of them in as many ways as we can."

And referring to recent extreme events in the Middle East, he called on all his new clergy to actively engage with modern media to strengthen community ties.

"Some people are still frightened of speaking to the media. but as long as we accept that yes, we may sometimes make mistakes, then we can do it without worries.

"I'd say - get stuck in and do it and don't be afraid."