Aug72026
Discussing Working Class Vocations with the Archbishop
“When I had lunch with the Archbishop of Canterbury…” is not a phrase I had imagined ever saying. It was a great privilege to be invited; along with the Working Class Vocations Task Group, to Lambeth Palace to talk with the Archbishop and others who shape ministry pathways in the Church of England. As part of EETG for more than a decade, working class vocations have long been part of our agenda. Thanks to Alex Frost, General Synod have agreed that we must act to ensure that we “raise up a new generation of lay and ordained leaders from estates and working-class backgrounds”. What this highlights is how important it continues to be for our working class voices to be there at General Synod ensuring that our Church of England reflects the country it serves as well as our beliefs about the body of Christ.
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Feb122026
Poverty and the Church: 40 Years After Faith In The City
This morning at General Synod we debated the Faith in the City report 40 years after its publication. I had written a speech for that strongly asked for concrete action in the next five years of General Synod’s life. Unfortunately we spent a lot of time on side quests, time was short and I was not called to speak. This is what I would have said. Please bear in mind that I write words for speaking out loud not for publishing as an article.
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Jan312024
God of All Comfort | Singing at EETG
I have been involved with the Estates Evangelism Task Group and Partner’s Conference at High Leigh. Ninety practitioners gathered together to look at the challenges facing us in the future serving our communities. There has been a lot of challenge for The Church to reform its institutional bias and refocus on those who live in poverty. That however is for a later post.