Paul Golder writes for the Brentwood Gazette
Patrick Sherring is one of our four lunchtime hosts on Phoenix FM – and his time spent in the community as a retired rector and teacher leaves him incredibly well connected and allows him to get some fantastic guests in.
Last week Patrick was visited live on air by both Dan Skeates and Ivor Moody.
Dan is the co-founder and director of Cool To Be Kind, a charitable organisation fuelled by the passion of dedicated volunteers committed to spreading support and kindness throughout the Essex community.
Dan came in to talk about The Rucksack Project, a movement which started on the internet to help those sleeping rough on the streets during the coldest time of the year. This very worthy appeal asks for donations of rucksacks containing sleeping bags, hoodies, thick socks, thermals, gloves and woolly hats which can be given to rough sleepers and give them a little help when it is needed most. More information about the group and its appeal can be found at c2bk.co.uk.
Canon Ivor Moody, Vice Dean at Chelmsford Cathedral talked about his current book, “Six More Songs: Further Reflections on Faith and Rock’n Roll”. It’s the follow up to his first book “Songs For the Soul” which took six iconic songs and discovered how faith and spirituality might be discovered nestling within the secular.
In “Six More Songs” Ivor continues this quest, reflecting on the need for different signs and symbols for a generation tired of or unused to the traditional rituals and expressions of faith and belief and to help us realise afresh the message and the relevance of the Christian Gospel for the church and society today.
I don’t want to give too many spoilers away about his choices but I particularly loved hearing about Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. It’s hard to think of a rock band with more accidental religious connections than Genesis, a band that Gabriel fronted until 1975. I’m a big fan of Gabriel-era Genesis and Peter’s solo work – he was the first artist I ever saw live, and I’m always up for any analysis of his incredible work.
Both interviews can be heard again at phoenixfm.com.
