Archbishop Jonathan Blake

The Most Reverend Jonathan Blake, Presiding Archbishop of the Open Episcopal Church B.A. (Hons), Dip. Pastoral Studies. Mobile: 07767 687711 www.bishopjonathanblake.com archbishopjonathanblake@gmail.com www.openepiscopalchurch.org The Church is a member of The International Council of Community churches and the World Council of Churches. Married and a proud Dad.

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Location: London, Kent, United Kingdom

Gassed Tehran, seized Kabul, helped Mother Teresa, funded TB hospital, priest 1981, went Auschwitz, wrote on Parliament, convicted, began 1st inter-faith NHS chapel, 12 yrs Anglican cleric/vicar - left, baptised 1000's in homes/Mt Snowdon/at circus, wedding underwater, wrote ‘For God’s Sake Don’t Go To Church’, nailed 95 Theses 2 Canterbury cathedral, arrested, co-founded the Society for Independent Ministry, consecrated a bishop, co-founded the Open Episcopal Church, did 1st gay wedding on morning TV, sued Associated Newspapers, co-consecrated 1st women bishops 4 England,Wales,Scotland, accommodated the homeless, posted Mass/took it 2 sex workers, elected Archbishop, arrested 4 climbing with sons,founded ‘When No One’s Watching',made ICV, did Jade Goody's wedding,invited 2 Downing St, wrote 'That Old Devil Called God Again', conviction 4 campaigning against child abuse quashed on appeal, convicted 4 successful blogging 2 stop paedophile. His Christmas Lights raising £79,000 4 Water in 4 Gambian villages. Published "The Tales of Henry the Lovable Hedgehog", the SAFE New Testament + Psalms + radical Book of Common Prayer, ordained priests for UK,US,Thailand,Spain,Ireland

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

ROUGH SLEEPING

Strange thought that I might have been offering help to Prince William!

On these coldest of nights, as I trekked the streets, offering whatever help I could to the homeless, I encountered the array of complex and confusing social, emotional and personal life stories that comprise London's cardboard sleepers.

The extremes of courage, depravity, hope and resignation, all tumbled into the unpredictable reality that the Prince found, almost being mangled by a street cleaning machine.

Susan ( name changed ) was the saddest. After years of abuse in childhood and local authority care homes she had spent 15 years on the homeless circuit. Her body was wasted, her teeth gone, her skin sore covered and heading towards that horrific statistic that the average life expectancy of a rough sleeper is 45.

She was desperate for food and a warm drink and we made our way along the strand towards Macdonalds. Every so often she would spy a discarded but of a cigarrette, still glowing and retrieve it for the last few puffs.

Christmas, in the bleak mid winter. We must remember that the babe is still homeless.

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