Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com I have just read Philip Yancey’s memoir Where the Light Fell. Its an account of his life growing up in poverty and fundamentalism in Atlanta, Georgia with his widowed mother and older brother. Yancey’s father was a Baptist Minister who was just 23 when he died from polio: ‘Dozens,… Continue reading Christianity: what is real and what is fake?
Author: Jon Kuhrt
Jon Kuhrt has worked with people affected by homelessness for over 30 years. He is a former government adviser on how faith groups address rough sleeping and is now CEO of Hope into Action. He lives with his wife in Streatham, south London and they have 3 children. He likes football....but loves cricket.
Jeremy Swain: mentor, friend & inspiration
I was devastated to hear that Jeremy Swain had died after a short illness. Jeremy was a great friend, mentor and colleague who had a huge influence on my working life. No one has shown me more about what good leadership looks like. Jeremy had worked for homelessness charity Thames Reach for 30 years. He… Continue reading Jeremy Swain: mentor, friend & inspiration
The denial & reality of trauma: a tale of two books
A few months ago, Keith Hebden wrote a G+T guest article titled Complicity or challenge? Responding to self-limiting excuses in which he shared insights from the psychologist Alfred Adler. He wrote: “For Adler it is our goals that determine our limitations and not our past. He argued that it can be tempting to take comfort in the… Continue reading The denial & reality of trauma: a tale of two books
Why the government has failed to ‘end rough sleeping’
Photo by James Frid on Pexels.com The Conservative Manifesto for the 2019 election said this: "We will end the blight of rough sleeping by the end of the next Parliament.” (p.30) With today’s announcement of a General Election in July, we will have a new Parliament this summer. And, as anyone who spends time in towns… Continue reading Why the government has failed to ‘end rough sleeping’
Finding space for grace
The chapel at Scargill, Yorkshire, UK After Easter, I felt I needed a week off work and cleared my diary for a week in May without a firm idea of what I would do. I thought a retreat would be good to explore, so I looked at the website of Scargill House in Yorkshire as… Continue reading Finding space for grace
Truly Woke
Photo by Spencer Selover on Pexels.com I have always fallen asleep extremely easily. Whilst this is a positive thing when I go to bed, it’s also been embarrassing at other times: when I have fallen asleep watching TV, at the cinema, getting my hair cut, in church or even in meetings at work. I have… Continue reading Truly Woke
Let’s be more Frank about the politics of poverty
Last week saw the passing of one of my political heroes, Frank Field, the Labour MP who represented Birkenhead for 40 years. We were both graduates of Hull University and I first came across him when studying Social Work because of his work as Director of the Low Pay Unit and the Child Poverty Action… Continue reading Let’s be more Frank about the politics of poverty
Radical faith, remarkable community: the real deal at Bonny Downs
https://youtu.be/UV8_0FfrVrk Over the last few years, it has been a joy to get to know the remarkable Christian community in Bonny Downs in East London. It’s a group of people whose life, work and example has truly inspired me. Their story starts back in 1890s, when Charles Howe, walking through the ‘notoriously rough’ Bonny Downs… Continue reading Radical faith, remarkable community: the real deal at Bonny Downs
‘Jesus’ blood never failed me yet’
Photo by Lennart Wittstock on Pexels.com In 1971 a film was made about people sleeping rough in the Waterloo and Elephant and Castle area in London. One piece of footage not used in the film was of an unknown homeless man singing these words: Jesus’ blood never failed me yet Never failed me yet Jesus'… Continue reading ‘Jesus’ blood never failed me yet’
‘A massive dose of truth’
Photo by MART on Pexels.com How would you respond if one of your children became seriously addicted to drugs and started stealing off you and their siblings to maintain their habit? I have often written on G+T about the importance of boundaries when supporting people affected by addictions. I have referred to this in the… Continue reading ‘A massive dose of truth’
Grace + Truth 