Freedom Centre Choir, at All Saints Peckham. For songs of praise on BBC

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FCI -'it is well with my soul'

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Freedom centre choir getting ready to sing 'it is well with my soul'

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All saints lit up for songs of praise recording monday night

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No space for the vicar's car... Before BBC live broadcast

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Ancient and modern

Victorian school Hall of All Saints and the HD outside broadcast satellite truck for tomorrow morning.
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Ka-yo - the talent show !

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Ambassadors in sports lead the football -GLP 2010

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GLP. Turning over allotment on the estate

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Pelican- bank holiday monday

A break in the weather!
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Locking Church on Sunday

This morning I am going early to church to LOCK IT!

yes - you heard it here first - as part of Godlovespeckham we will be holding all our services outdoors today in order to have services for those who usually don't make it to church. live rapping, gospel choir, testimony and BBQ for everyone...

God Loves Peckham 2010 - Day 1

Many people look for love, but love is looking and laying down His life for them.

As I stood in the playground area of the Pelican Estate in Peckham today, surrounded by children playing, and listening to Jerry, a rapper and parable-weaver from the Carolinas rhythmically speaking of 'looking for love' I was reminded about how important it has been for us, as a church, to spend decent amounts of time, energy and resources sharing love in practical ways with our local residents. Love isn't local, but this is where we see it, feel it, understand it, know it.

Here's part of an update from one of our practical team leaders today who was tasked with gardens and cars -

great day today...

1) So, we washed 6 cars from exhaust to front headlight. Suds, clean water and dried! :D

2) We weeded, tidied up and de-mossed 5 gardens

3) We dug out a fruit tree and re-planted it

4) We did some of the council's work by clearing a 10 metre stretch of weeds and dying plants by the side of a house on side of Talfourd Road.

All this alongside fascinating conversations, and meaningful relationships renewed and built.

We gave away 120 coffees, countless cakes and other refreshments, had well over 30 children involved in activities all afternoon in one area, over 40 in another.

We have painted a sitting room, are starting work on other rooms, and have played football, painted faces, run two successful nailbars and had a cardboard car competition.

Add to this a comment about quality - the team have been cheerful, willing and excellent, caring for one another, and living out a life of sacrifice and genuine compassion - so there are many fewer 'strangers' than there were this time yesterday. It made me so happy to feel part of something so positive - truly the church is a building made with living stones.

Tomorrow, I, the vicar, will be locking my church doors in time for the services! Instead we will be meeting for our worship in the streets. rain is forecast, which will be challenging - but we are so looking forward to it. A resident is letting me take photos from the 11th floor of Crane house tomorrow morning as we get ready, another is allowing us to run our power cable from her flat. Our gospel choir is ready, and so are at least 2 rappers. I'm looking forward to it.

Residents at the pelican cafe

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Pelican ready

The Pelican estate, now fully prepared. Children beginning to wind their way out of homes, cars being washed, rooms being painted, free capucinnos being made... And the sun is out.
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Mission team

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We're in a mission team. JJ and Zac are ready...

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