Engaging with working class culture

My friend and fellow vicar, Steve Cook and I, led this seminar (left)  at Trinity House (the diocesan offices) at which Sir Simon Hughes was our guest speaker, which was attended by clergy from our diocese and across the river, and by our own Diocesan bishop, Bishop Christopher.

Connecting with working class people is a key challenge for the Church of England and it overlaps with the project to further the work of evangelism in social housing estates across the country.

Simon Hughes brought to our seminar his 32 years experience as MP with Bermondsey, during which time he engaged so successfully with the hopes, dreams, and needs of the working class people of the constituency.

He brought us great wisdom from his depth of experience us and challenged us to get out there and make contact with people - not least on the doors, which the politicians all do, and and which Simon has contantly exhorted the church to do much more than it does at present.

It was a great afternoon - more of a discussion starter, that the solution of a problem, but it gave much food for thought, and shortly Steve and I will be meeting to consider how to take this vital work of mission forward - vital if the Church of England is to truly live up to its aspiration to be the church of all the people of our nation.

Sir Simon in full flow