"To the glory of God and in prayer for peace on earth" - not words you would expect to adorn the venue for a mayoral election launch event.

But yesterday London's church leaders turned their minds away from higher things like the glory of God, and got their hands stuck well and truly into the grubbier business of politics.

Richard Chartres, Bishop of London (on the right in the picture), and representatives from the Evangelical Alliance (EA) and the London Churches Group for Social Action (also pictured) were launching their contribution to the London mayoral election.

"Faith, Work and City" is a report which focuses with Christian eyes on areas of mayoral responsibility like transport, law and order and the built environment, with the aim of influencing mayoral policy in the next term.

In fact, if you want to understand what the mayor has power over, you could do worse than read it - it may be the most helpful outline of the mayor's remit you see in the run-up to the election.

Methodist Central Hall (dedicated to the glory of God and peace on earth), where the report was launched, is very near the Greater London Assembly's (GLA) old home, before City Hall was completed.

But are the church's views on how London should change anywhere near to those of the current mayor, or indeed the views of any prospective mayors in the coming election?

There are aspects both of praise and criticism in the report for work done so far by the present incumbent.

The policy recommendations from the churches' working group on community policing, for example, fall broadly into line with practices introduced this year by Ken Livingstone.

Equally the report recommends local authorities should resist pressure to make more land available for housing - the polar opposite of the current administration's thinking on the need for expansion in London's housing capacity.

Greens and Lib Dems will also find common ground with the churches: policies in support of funding for smaller town centres, and controls on tall buildings.

Much of Faith, Work and City reads like common sense; it recommends more support for parents and teachers, "realistic" levels for wages and benefits, and "food link" projects to promote the sale of fresh food in deprived areas.

Report co-author Elizabeth Simon, of the London Churches Group for Social Action, said her daughter had criticised the report as being too "apple pie", that is, most of the policies are wholesome suggestions that anyone, of any political persuasion, could advocate.

And when asked whether the churches would be backing any particular politician or group - given that one candidate, Ram Gidoomal, is from the Christian People's Alliance (CPA) - Bishop Chartres was keen to distance himself from the idea the church was attempting to influence the outcome of the election in one political direction or another.

Rather, the report gave voice to the church's civic role, he said, and was a contribution from a group of people who were "players and partners, and not just plaintives".

"We want to make a contribution with no hidden confessional agendas," he added.

So if the report is not intended to be a party political or even CPA manifesto, what role does it play?

Richard Chartres said Faith, Work and City offered a civic voice, "at a time when we are hearing too much from single-interest lobby groups".

That may be true. Earlier that morning London's retailers had launched their manifesto for London, advocating better street environments and transport links, and gave, as expected, an entirely shopping-centric view of London.

But what is to stop the church being seen as a single-interest lobby group? Is the report an attempt to get more influence for London's Christian community?

Does it stop short of lobbying for the church's interests in London? Largely, yes.

The report does call for more recognition by the mayor of the church's many roles, and the work of other faiths in London's communities, but it does not call for Christians on transport and health committees.

The church itself works broadly across communities: it carried on 6,500 community projects in nearly 3,000 churches last year.

The speakers at the launch did not stop entirely short, however, of suggesting they might want more than merely the mayor's ear.

Reverend Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, was insistent that faith groups must have a voice at the GLA. He said the mayor "had to do more than put up with faith".

"To ignore the practical value of faith is an act of social vandalism," he said, adding that he wanted the next mayor to "up the stakes" on making faith integral to his administration.

The churches' policy document may or may not bring glory to God. What is more certain is that, whoever wins the election in June, the churches won't give him any peace on earth for the next four years.