In this episode Al Roxburgh and Jenny Sinclair meet Angie Allgood, a social worker whose family roots in the Bonny Downs community shaped her vocation. Her family's generational faith taught her to see Jesus as a friend. Together with the East End tradition of extended family living, this fostered a passion for working with young people and others struggling with life. A moment of transformation came when she was led by the Spirit, through Isaiah 58, to give up statutory social work and focus on those in need within her own community. It was then that she learned from a homeless man about the “proper” way to help: rather than material provision or doing for, real healing comes through belonging and purpose. NewWay, a charity with a distinctive approach, then emerged. The “new way” involves a commitment to mutuality and accountability and a readiness to be vulnerable rather than transactional. Angie describes this as the purest and most authentic form of church. Angie isn’t a theologian, hasn’t been to seminary and isn’t ordained. She simply followed the Spirit.

Angie Allgood is the fourth of six generations to live in the same few streets of East Ham, in Newham, East London, UK. Angie has been a social worker for over 35 years, has founded two local charities and pioneered many community activities. Her current role is as the Director of a small local Newham charity she co-founded: NEWway supports single adults affected by homelessness, providing purpose, belonging and safety, joining with churches of all traditions and the people of Newham to restore lives affected by homelessness.

Links

For Angie Allgood:

https://newwayproject.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-allgood-535732164/?originalSubdomain=uk

For Alan J Roxburgh:

http://alanroxburgh.com/about

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alan.roxburgh.127/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecommonsnetwork

Books

Forming Communities of Hope in the Great Unraveling: Leadership in a Changing World (with Roy Searle)

Joining God in the Great Unraveling

Leadership, God’s Agency and Disruptions

Joining God, Remaking Church, Changing the World: The New Shape of the Church in Our Time

For Jenny Sinclair:

Website: https://togetherforthecommongood.co.uk/from-jenny-sinclair

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-sinclair-0589783b/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/T4CG

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TogetherForTheCommonGoodUK

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t4cg_insta/

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