When I was in my twenties, I lived in Kings Cross in London and was a member of a local church. There, I got to know a man who was a former crack addict. We'll call him Ian. He was doing his best to put his life back together and get work as a painter… Continue reading The need for grace and truth: the complexity of compassion #1
7 steps that helped me find healing from depression – by Martin Kuhrt
Mental weariness. Bodily exhaustion. Self-condemning thoughts. Poor self-esteem. Regret. Shame. Desperation. At its worst, depression can feel like a living death. Until about the age of thirty, I did not understand that I had an issue with depression. When I was growing up it was not well understood and there was a lot of stigma.… Continue reading 7 steps that helped me find healing from depression – by Martin Kuhrt
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The petrol station Samaritan: how ‘Namaste Man’ saved my birthday
It is my birthday this week, so with lockdown easing, our family all got in the car to visit my parents yesterday. It was our first trip together for months. My three children were especially looking forward to a slap-up (if socially-distanced) Sunday lunch cooked by their Granny. As a bonus, we were also going… Continue reading The petrol station Samaritan: how ‘Namaste Man’ saved my birthday
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‘Hopelessness is the enemy of justice’: personal belief & social change
Bryan Stevenson graduated in law from Harvard University and went to work for men on death row in Alabama. He established the Equal Justice Initiative to provide legal support for those who had not received fair representation and whose convictions were based on weak evidence. Just Mercy is a great film about the story of… Continue reading ‘Hopelessness is the enemy of justice’: personal belief & social change
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Something YOU can do on Windrush Day – by Adrian Lock
On Windrush Day, today, we celebrate the contribution of so many from the Caribbean that responded to the UK government’s request for help to rebuild post-war Britain.They came, suffered ongoing racial abuse, but struggled through, becoming part of the nation’s backbone, fulfilling so many of our keyworker roles, which many of their children and grandchildren… Continue reading Something YOU can do on Windrush Day – by Adrian Lock
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How I learnt about structural advantage
In my summer holidays between the ages of 19 to 23, I volunteered on a holiday club for kids run with local churches in Islington in London. Growing up in more suburban areas, going into the ‘inner city’ was like venturing into another world. I helped run a group for 11-14 year olds who lived… Continue reading How I learnt about structural advantage
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Confessions of a racist – by Adrian Lock
No-one I know wants to be called a racist. Do you? All my White friends would be horrified by the accusation. We would all sign up to a ‘progressive’ set of values that would say diversity is ‘a good thing’ and racial discrimination is a ‘bad thing’. We are all horrified by the killing of… Continue reading Confessions of a racist – by Adrian Lock
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The Silence of the Leaders – by Adrian Lock
“Unless you’re part of the solution, Adrian, you’re part of the problem” said my Black female colleague. It was a statement that felt unfair and shook my sense of identity to the core. The year was 1999 and the government body I was working for was still digesting the MacPherson Inquiry Report into the death… Continue reading The Silence of the Leaders – by Adrian Lock
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Grace helps people engage with the truth
I am part of a Facebook group for cricket fans. (For US readers, this is the sport Robin Williams described as ‘baseball on valium’.) What strikes me is that comments and opinions on quite minor subjects (yesterday it was a radio commentator's retirement) often produce incredibly heated arguments. And quickly these rows descend into name… Continue reading Grace helps people engage with the truth
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George Floyd is our brother, our father, our cousin, our friend – by Neil Charlton
Last Sunday my church celebrated Pentecost. Over 50 different nationalities are represented within our fellowship in Streatham, south London. It was great to see an online montage of many of our members dressed in their national attire. It’s a beautiful reminder of the multicultural birth of the church. The Pentecost festival saw Jerusalem packed with… Continue reading George Floyd is our brother, our father, our cousin, our friend – by Neil Charlton
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‘A House Built on Love’ by Ed Walker [Review]
Ed Walker worked in Darfur, Sudan with the Christian relief and development charity, Tearfund, before returning home to the UK with his wife, Rachel. They moved to Peterborough where Walker started working for a homelessness charity. The death of one of the residents provoked him to question the inadequacies of the system he is working… Continue reading ‘A House Built on Love’ by Ed Walker [Review]
