Following Jesus all the way to Bermondsey

It was his second Bermondsey engagement in under a week when Jay Colwill (left) came to speak at today's men's breakfast at St James. 

Earlier in the week, Jay, who is the new Director of Mission and Evangelism for our diocese, living (as it happens) in Bermondsey, spoke to the Bermondsey Deanery Synod at St Katharine's Church, Eugenia Rd,  Bermondsey.

He told us a bit about the story of his life  and about his work for the Diocese, as well as encouraging the parishes of the deanery to get stuck in to the work of the deanery, all done with great passion and an infectious enthusiasm that had us raring to go.

Earlier in the week: at the deanery synod

Today at the Men's Breakfast Jay told us a bit more about the story of his faith.

He told us what happened when as a new Christian, and a 15 year old boy in a toughish school, a teacher asked all those boys who were Christians to put their hands up. No one did, until Jay realise he had to. So he did. (And the teacher kind of mocked him but he did it anyway).

Next he signed up with the Mission to Seamen, expecting an exotic far east posting, but God sent him to work among the dockers and seamen of Southampton,  and then one day said to Jay: 'I want you to be a priest.'

A fruitful ministry in several parishes followed, and then came the posting to Southwark.

To the men at the breakfast Jay encouraged everyone to take one step further in their journey with Jesus or to Jesus, wherever they presently were.