John Pridmore

For the many thousands of clergy, readers and lay preachers who, week by week, seek inspiration as they prepare sermons on the lectionary readings, here is an expert, wise and extremely down to earth guide. A companion to the main volume covering the Sunday readings in years A, B & C, this invaluable volume covers all the principal feasts and festivals that do not, or do not necessarily, fall on a Sunday - major saints' days, holy days such as Christmas Day, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Ascension Day, other special Sunday celebrations such as Mothering Sunday, Bible Sunday, Harvest Festival, Remembrancetide and more. John Pridmore's outstanding gifts as a preacher and writer were learned in Cambridge where he taught theology and the hard reality of the East End of London where there was absolutely no room for platitudes or escapist readings of the Scriptures. Wisdom, strongly tempered by reality, shines out from every paragraph. Many such lectionary commentaries and companions exist already, but John Pridmore's contribution to this genre will be widely welcomed.

For the many thousands of clergy, readers and lay preachers who, week by week, seek inspiration as they prepare sermons on the set lectionary readings, here is an expert, wise and extremely down to earth guide. He may have a PhD and have taught at the University of Cambridge, but John Pridmore's preaching skills were forged in a parish in one of the most notorious areas of London's East End where there was absolutely no room for platitudes or escapist readings of the Scriptures. He quickly learned that in such a context, the Bible actually did have some real, gritty meaning for today or it had none at all. With this approach, and with his outstanding gifts as writer, he has written on the lectionary readings each week in the "Church Times" for the last three years. Wisdom, strongly tempered by reality, shines out from every paragraph as he skilfully explores, interprets and applies the set readings. Many such lectionary commentaries and companions exist already, but John Pridmore's contribution to this genre will be widely welcomed.

Out of a situation which many would give up on, John Pridmore writes a captivating, moving, funny and self-deprecating account of life as an inner-city priest in one of the most deprived parts of London. His jottings, he says, are a collection of the absurd, the poignant and the comic. They are emphatically not a record of 'good practice', he insists, but anyone countenancing working in a city parish will find more wisdom in this book than in all the theological volumes on the subject put together. For the last ten years John Pridmore has lived what he calls a roller-coaster life as vicar of an inner city parish that incorporates Britain's 'murder mile'. Police raids, gun and knife crimes are everyday events. In this unpromising soil, stands a vast, ugly and largely crumbling building which is the parish church. From here, John says his work is to suggest 'that Christianity might be true'. It's an uphill struggle, not helped by constant insistence on growth strategies and targets from an increasingly managerial church hierarchy. He is sure the bishop thinks he's doing a terrible job. Yet warmth and love shine from every page. No-one can fail to be moved by this extraordinary memoir.

He was a serious "Face" in London's East End - His jackets were tailored hold his machete and knuckledusters. - His Drug deals netted him thousands -He had a penthouse, sports cars and women - He nearly killed a man outside a nightclub - Then something extraordinary happened...