URBANarmy

The group that stays for discussion after Monday Drop in at Faith house is developing really well with Rob Bell's Nooma a good starter. I love the way Malcolm takes it all so literal and after a great discussion about anger and irritation he starts to make a point about RB's story involving him chasing a man who tried to break into his car. "The thing that I don't get is this...." We wait expectantly. "Why didn't he have an alarm on his car...!" What I really love is that his literal observations are always receieved by the group as if they are made by Gregory of Nyssa himself!

I'm really missing FH at the moment, I haven't been able to go for a few weeks, namely with Kate being away in South Africa. Above all I am missing the impact of Rob Bell who makes an appearance each week at the end of the session courtesy of his Nooma series of video shorts. A few weeks back we watch 003 Trees , I loved it, setting the whole concept of mission in its context of God's dream for his creation, a non platonic eschatology dominated by New Creation off set by Rob Bell planting two trees to signify the trees of life in Genesis and Revelation. As Rob Bell planted one tree followed by another cars drove past as he unpacked the two trees from the back of a pickup he unpacked for us and then planted strong themes of Life, Significance, Meaning, Eternity, Redemption. The thing is there is nothing that would convince me that Rob as he planned, wrote and produced his video had the clientele in mind that make up FH. I would love to see him debriefing following the 1...

You can tell that Jim is a big drinker, one thing you can't tell is how old he is. You can see a glint in his eye, while the street may be a rough place he enjoys life. He brought a book in tonight for a volunteer who he thought would benefit from reading it. Shane Claibourne's 'The Irresistible Revolution', Matthew clearly touched flicked through the pages. With a sigh he turns to us and says "I can't have it ... he has stolen it from a library !" After another closer examination .... "it's from a Quaker library, I'll have to return it!" Trying to encourage him to read the book I hear myself say... "...don't worry they wont say a word!!" Clearly something flawed in the sentiment, but nevertheless compelling. There was something more compelling from Jim. He prayed for us tonight, the staff and volunteers, he sobbed his gratitude to God for somewhere to go.

"...I looked up to the balcony. The Faith House Posse were there trying to catch my eye. Their waving and thumbs up clearly wouldn't be abated... My commissioning highlight this year was a solemn moment at Commissioning this year. The cadets, now Lieutenants had received their appointments, the General had spoken and an invitation to respond was made. People from all over Westminster Hall were praying, people responded and came forward to pray. One of my responsibilities is to help co-ordinate the response to those who come to kneel and pray, we try to do this discreetly. As the prayer meeting was coming to its natural conclusion I looked up to the balcony. The Faith House Posse were there trying to catch my eye. Their waving and thumbs up clearly wouldn't be abated by a discreet and polite acknowledgement, their frenzied 'look ... we are here' would ignore the pray meeting protocol until I waved back. Then as Commissioner Matear prayed, the 6 foot banner was unfur...

I like emails from out of the blue from strangers with who you suspect there is a kindred spirit. Even better when they out of the blue introduce you unsuspectingly to a quote that makes you think. Better still when they are from Austraila involved in mission and ministry that you wished were down the road! Anyway.... I wonder if Tolkien's quote is his idea of church? His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking, best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Tolkien The Hobbit Seems to me that Tolkien pretty much sums up Faith House and everything I love about the place!

I found it hard to look into the face of Simon Peter, not one of the star roles in the drama of the Easter weekend, but one of the guys at Faith House who has started to find his identity as part of the family, not least in that he is outrageously good at domino's! I found it hard because his face was a mosaic of dried blood, stitches and fresh bruises. I found it hard because words failed me. As we came together to share as a community of hope, I didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to say. Christine who has known Simon for longer took over knew what to do. Christine sat and became hope for Simon Peter as he drank his tea. I saw resurrection hope in this touch. Today, Easter Sunday was special. Whether it was where we started, in HMP Holloway or where it finished outside Faith House at the Street Party, hope was tangible. Tangible not in the singing of Easter hymns, the giving of daffodils or Easter eggs, but in the many ways we were in our very being resurrection...

Frederick Buechner says "When you find something in a human face that calls out to you, not just for help but in some sense for yourself, how far do you go in answering that call...?" There was something in Bob's face last night at Faith House that called out to me. The Quality Street was being handed around and someone decided to take the lion's share to Bob this was simply unjust. Bob took action rescued the sweets and brought them to the safety of the kitchen and explained the injustice. "Bob I've just seen the face of Jesus in you...!" I wasn't too sure about how he took this as he walked of with a 'whatever' kind of shrug! But something in his face called out to me. Paul Tillich apparently is quoted as saying "Here and there in the world and now and then in ourselves, is a New Creation". That deep desire for righteousness was to be found in Bob, I was left thinking how much a better place the world be for more of that!

What became clear was that in these discussions the church seems to have lost its place of credibility in contributing to any ongoing discussion on social cohesion. I missed Faith House on Monday. I missed the opportunity to chat with those that society generally looks down upon. I missed the opportunity of sharing conversation and a cup of tea with those that bring quite a bit to my life. I missed the opportunity of being part of church that is totally up front and authentic, with no hidden agendas. I missed going out to support Estelle, Alex and Christine as they journey alongside girls that are looked at with an eye for what they can give sexually as an economic asset. I missed their stories of showing respect and value to a community that must be hollowed by knowing total exploitation. What I missed was being part of active engagement in community that is church and not a project that wont be funded by local or central government! The reason I missed it was I was in the Treasury i...

I started the mental maths of working the ages of each person that had died and felt the discomfort of each life, but one, younger than me The words of the carol hung in the air as the list went on. A respectful silence met each name, a name of someone from the street homeless community who had died this year. What made singing Silent Night followed by the roll of honour so poignant was that this carol service was for a community who knew these people and understood the fragility of life that the street brings. 1962 ... 1975 ... 1965 ... 1980 ... 1967 ... I started the mental maths of working the ages of each person that had died and felt the discomfort of each life, but one, younger than me. 1965 ...1982 ... 1970 ... 1972, something inside me felt intensely sad that the street had take its toll on these men and women who by and large were anonymous in their lives and certainly anonymous in their death. Or were they? I looked around the room and felt the corporate sadness. The list fin...

It isn't everyday you have the Calvinism vs. Arminianism conversation in the foyer of a 'brothel'. "So would you then be a Calvinist in your theology..?" He caught me a little unawares. "No ... essentially we fall more on the Arminian side of things when it comes to pre-destination" . His eyes lit up, "so how do you equate that thinking with scripture which clearly suggests that once we are saved we are always saved. What do you do with Romans 8 for instance?" Our conversation over the next 15 minutes rolled backwards and forwards as we discussed the consequences 0f free-will and choice. I've had these conversations elsewhere, but there was something a little more memorable about this debate. It isn't everyday you have the Calvinism vs. Arminianism conversation in the foyer of a 'brothel'. Dave became a Christian when he was a mercenary in the Congo and is the bouncer of one of the sauna's that Faith House reaches out to. I...

Despite crossing paths for over seven years, in one conversation I was struck with how little I knew Liam. I've known Liam for many years without really knowing him. Liam is often at Faith House and is the only familiar face from days in Poplar. Liam used to come into the corps for breakfasts and particularly enjoyed being family together on Christmas Day. It was fun to meet him at Faith House when I started helping out two years ago - a familar face, someone I knew. However despite crossing paths for over seven years, in one conversation I was struck with how little I knew Liam. Only now does he seem comfortable in telling me his unsurprising story of alcohol dependence, only now does he feel right letting me know how a visit to America and a bored evening in a hotel saw him make a wrong decision that has led to a ten battle with addiction to crack cocaine. Seven years on I hear the tragic tail of the consequence of that night of boredom. With a Irish lilt and a whimsical smile h...

I usher the city gent into the space I was holding and realise perhaps that wasn't what a minister of religion should be saying to a perfect stranger in the reception of a brothel" "Are you queuing mate..?" "No ... no .... no!" I stammer a little too quickly, I compose myself and continue "be my guest..." I usher the city gent into the space I was holding and realise perhaps that wasn't what a minister of religion should be saying to a perfect stranger in the reception of a brothel in London's notorious Kings Cross! Did I say brothel? I meant to say sauna and massage parlour, the youngish guy looks almost as nervous as me as he looks down a price list. The bouncer helps, "that's £20 to get in and £100 for the girl..." , the £20 is rung into the till, a towel is handed over and the guy disappears behind a door to have a break in his journey before heading to the home counties hinterland to his leafy suburb. Did I say 'br...

Mickey's smile faded as we talked, my voice became background noise as he slowly disappeared into his past. The conversation had been good, sparked from a childhood memory, we had laughed as Mickey recalled his scrumping pedigree as an eleven year old. Belly laughs accompanied the various adventures of his exploits as he 'stole' fruit from neighbours fruit trees to order from his jam making grandmother. "Good memories...?" I ventured. "Oh yes...." in a voice betraying a certain melancholy. It wasn't long before I regretted asking "So you have good memories of growing up then Mickey?" "Not really ..." the smile now gone, "... they were mostly bad." Later that evening Mickey showed me his plastic ankle jewelry, tagged for a crime he says was drink driving. As he left to electronically sign in to keep to his curfew, I thought of the Mickey's of this world whose fullness has been stolen by all that contributes to the b...

"Bedraggled, the guys looked on me with mild bemusement and compassion as the puddles gathered in and around by trainers where I stood." I'm beginning to enjoy getting around London on my bike. It usually feels great to get to Faith House having had the adventure of cycling from South London. I couldn't help but see the irony last week as I turned up dripping wet from the 6 mile cycle in torrential rain. Bedraggled, the guys looked on me with mild bemusement and compassion as the puddles gathered in and around by trainers where I stood. A couple of new guys looked with kindness and with a 'it's OK here' look as they began to make room for me to sit with them! I enjoyed that embrace. It comes to something when you have to ask if there are any spare trousers at a homeless drop in!! I had dried off by the time I shared a thought at the end of the evening. Derek was well stocked up on 'lucazade' and had his say. Pointing drunkenly in turn at each one o...

It's funny what relationships at Faith House do to you. Last time I was at Faith House I stood outside with Derek as he drunkenly smoked his roll up, we chatted. I liked being on the door when at youth club in Poplar, it was where discussions happened. This felt the same as we talked about what it is to be a minister, a Christian, and '...bl** dy cyclists'! Derek got to know me a little more and I got to know Derek that little more. We shared something of each other. I saw his lucozade bottle tucked inside his jacket, it is always there, ready. His supposed life line. He caught me looking at the bottle. I laughed, "Derek I love Lucozade ..." "You wouldn't like this Lucozade ..." his reply sharp. "It's a different colour to what I remember, is it new?". Derek looks up and says "No...!", "...perhaps I could have a sip", "NO - you wouldn't like THIS Lucozade ..!" I snigger and he knows I'm pulli...

mission is not want we magnanimously do for others but is about what we become together, bringing the kingdom into being. This is the reality of 'heaven on earth'. A regular feature at Faith House has been the development of a thought to round off the evening, each of the volunteers take a turn to share something of their thinking. This week it was my turn and I finished my thought by thanking the guys at faith house and by letting them know how much they bring to my life. "This has become an important part of my community; I don't come to Faith House to make cups of tea and give out fish finger sandwiches ... I come because I want to be here, I am who I am because of what you share of you with me... together we are community". Frank chips in, looks around at the 10 or so of us in the room. "I don't come because of the tea and fish fingers either, I come because it is important that I am with you all as well, you are family..!" Last week Frank manag...

More on Frank here . Frank's miracle continue. Once sleeping in doorways, now as the proud tenant of a one bedroom flat he tells us. "I can't believe it ... I have my own place with everything I need ... I sometimes think I don't deserve it." It is good to see his smile and something of his life coming together.

Derek sobbed from his very being, deep shudders of emotion. I felt them as I sat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. Estelle felt them as she held Derek's hand. The whole room at Faith House felt them as they watched on and listened. We'd heard a lot from Derek that night. Slightly the worse for wear he had pushed boundaries, let his agitation spill over into the group, patiently the men at the drop in gave him space to do his drunk thing in their community. His day hadn't been good, kicked out and banned from five other places he came to Faith House and he had something to say. Through the tears and the sobs he caught the attention the whole room. As he was kicked out of McDonald's a mother and a child ran after him with some french fries and a coffee. Something profound in that simple act of kindness hit Derek between the eyes and took him back to what he had read. "For fifty years I've been banging my head up against a brick wall, but now I know......

Camael does not really like to give too much away. He has been coming along to Faith House for several months and conversations usually come to an end when you ask him where he comes from. It is clear from his accent that he is from Eastern Europe but for some reason he is sensitive to anyone showing too much interest. Camael certainly enjoys his football and knows his stuff. A huge Man Utd fan who can talk with authority about fringe players and up and coming talent. Not only that he knows his La Liga from his Serie A. Camael came to life as we drank tea and talked about managers tactics, classic football from years gone by. I didn't dare bring this to an end by asking where he was from so I ask. "So Camael who'd you support as a kid?" " Steaua Bucharest...! the first eastern European team to win the European Cup final." he offers, "Romanian...?" With a sip of his tea and a smile he says "Of course" . It is interesting that thes...

"It's good to have you back Gordon, you know we've been really worried about you...!" It's been a while since I have been at Faith House. In fact it has been six weeks since I have been able to get along to what is an important part of my week. I've missed the characters that have become part of my life over the last 18 months, it felt good to be back, to chat and make tea and 2 sugars. These men haven't been far from my mind, particularly with how cold it has been recently. Images in my mind of some of them caught in the snow. Seemingly I haven't been far from their minds either. As we were finishing up Dylan gets my attention. "It's good to have you back Gordon, you know we've been really worried about you...!"