I have recently finished reading Joe Aldred's From Top Mountain in which he offers a fascinating account of his life date. Born in rural Jamaica (at Top Mountain) Joe came to England as a teenager. His life to and through the church has made major links between black and white within the British churches and includes many points of encouragement as to what is possible. At a fairly young age he became a Bishop in the Church of God of Prophesy and has followed an interesting route since then including the Centre for Black and White Partnership in Selly Oak, Birmingham, ministry at Cannon Street Baptist Church, Birmingham, and a long and continuing role at Churches Together in England.
I first met Joe in the nineties when he tutored me for the first part of my Masters studies through Sheffield's Urban Theology Unit. Since then we have met infrequently but regularly and I have always been inspired by my encounters with Joe - even though he persuaded me to talk about my perspectives on Pentecostals at a recent forum of Churches Together in England.
His stories encourages anyone who reads it to see something of the possibilities of life with God.
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