A pair of urban pioneers:

Short review by Greg Smith of two autobiographies by key figures in urban ministry'

40 Years in Ministry in Liverpool - by Rev. Canon Neville Black

(self published)

This book talks about Neville Black's ministry as a Church of England Vicar in Everton and Toxteth from 1964 to 2004. Neville, whom I have known now for over 40 years, was born and went to grammar school in Bootle, and has spent his whole life in Liverpool. Following an evangelical conversion in his teens, and national service in the RAF, he married Val, and felt the call to ordained ministry in the church of England. Following selection, his bishop sent him to Oak Hill College, and told him not to bring his wife to London with him! 

After ordination Neville served in Liverpool dioceses for 40 years in parishes and various roles in Everton, Toxteth and the City Centre.  It was the epoch of Faith in the City, the 1981 Toxteth disturbances, the work of Bishops David Shephard and Derek Worlock to overcome sectarianism and bring urban regeneration to Merseyside. Neville's passion and key role was in training urban working class Christians for discipleship and ministry. He was the first lead officer of the Evangelical Urban Training Project (now Unlock) and was involved in the Northern Ordination Course, then founded in Liverpool the Group for Urban Ministry and Leadership (GUML). As a pioneer in relevant context based, non book adult Christian learning he should be honoured, and listened to for anyone concerned with training for urban ministry.

The book is full of stories, and above all of people, with many reminiscences about his colleagues and collaborators in Church and community. It is an important documentary source for the history of urban mission in the late 20th Century, Neville writes with warmth and honesty about the dilemmas and conflicts of his ministry, and about his own mistakes and failings He provides with each chapter some thought provoking questions for reflection, touching on gospel and culture, faith and learning, humanity and spirituality. Anyone involved in inner city and estates ministry will benefit from reading this book.

To purchase a copy of the book for £12.50 email nevilleblack55a@me.com or call on 07970235817

Jesus and Jellied Eels: Making sense of my life  by Bishop Laurie Green

Brimstone Press

As a strapline for this book I would suggest "Hard to believe - a Cockney lad became a bishop", though maintaining an ambiguity about how to read the hyphen in the phrase. I am a friend of the author, and moved into East Ham in 1975, soon after he left to prepare for ordination. Therefore I recognize the Cockney culture of the period, and some of the locations, pubs, schools, churches and people in the early sections of the book. I even knew the vicar of St Barnabas who recognised his call to ministry.  Since then half a century has passed and we have all learned a lot,

Laurie recounts with humour and serious reflection his journey over those years from parish ministry in Birmingham, to training vicars in the Aston training scheme, then back to East London and to his period of Bishop of Bradwell serving the churches and people of the Cockney diaspora in Essex.

In all that time Laurie has been a leading practitioner, theologian and inspiration of urban ministry and mission. The book is important for any Christian engaged in urban and estate ministry today. As someone who still identifies as an evangelical I don't agree in every detail with Laurie's, theology, ecclesiology and spirituality, yet have learned so much from him. In particular I share his emphasis on understanding the urban context, engaging with and discovering God incarnate at work in the lives of people and communities, reading the bible from the underside of society, his political passion for justice and conviction that ordinary urban people have much to offer in church and community.

It is an excellent read ; do buy it , enjoy and reflect on it.

You can get a copy at https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/christian-biographies/general-biography/jesus-and-jellied-eels-making-sense-of-my-life/