Very sad news that one of the Church Of England's leading ministers the Dean of Southwark died from cancer at the end of last week.

www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/4963

Southwark Cathedral is probably the leading modern Christian church in the World because of its theology and liturgy which although Liberal has a true sense of the Wonder and awesomeness of our Creator God and that this demands a response and social action from Christians.

Southwark Cathedral welcomes everyone. It has a long association with the arts and music - and many famous musicians and theatre writers have found a spiritual home there. It is a vibrant place with simply stunning music and a welcome centre with great food and coffee and art displays which is always welcoming as well. The SHOP there is also full of great stuff and I was at a service there only two weeks ago "against Violence" ( run by the Metropolitan Police ) and am shocked that the Dean has passed away so quickly.

One of those people who made the World a better place and he was a Chaplain at Cambridge University and then Kings London before moving to Southwark. He was a big friend of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.......... The comments under the article say it all. His funeral is on Saturday.

Indeed a sad loss.

and for those who are Homosexual - he provided a great support to say that you could be Gay and a Christian. He took alot of flak for that from some "fundamentalists" who have not quite understood that the Gospel is about love

This is the "sermon" given on Sunday at Southwark by his friend and colleague and is a wonderful sermon about "loss" and "grieving" for someone and even has a nod towards "Four Weddings and a Funeral" - I have printed it off because I thought it was such a good and helpful sermon.

cathedral.southwark.anglican.org/sermons/an20101128

Losing a close member of family or friend or colleague or just someone you really admire is always very sad but life does go on for those of us who are still here....and we can still make a difference.