Famous faces

I was walking down Oxford Street this week and I saw Lionel Blair. (Looking very well for a man in his late 70s - I have his autograph somewhere). I smiled to him and he smiled back. It's part of London life I guess. You do see people whose faces you recognise. I got on a bus with former Mayor Ken Livingstone the other day and sold Twmpath tickets to Cerys Matthews last week. A few weeks back on Hampstead Heath I spotted local girl Lynsey de Paul who I see about from time to time. In the past I've knocked the doors of the late Alan Coren, actor George Layton and others. I once gave a tract to Sue Perkins, who used to live in the next street. What is most difficult is the many character actors who live around here - faces you know but can't usually put a name to (eg Janine Duvitski - I looked her up, there are others and I don't even know what they were in).

Anyway my point is that it's a weird thing, one pretty much the result of TV and beyond. You know who they are but they don't know who you are. When I smile in recognition, they look back and think 'do I know this person?' It must be unnerving if you're not sure.

(I notice that all the people I mention are quite old. Am I just walking past the young and famous?)

Alan Coren

I hear that the broadcaster, writer and humorist Alan Coren died just over a week ago. He was 69. See here.

One of his passions in life was putting Cricklewood, where he lived for many years, on the map. Being practically in Cricklewood here that seemed a good idea to me.

Early in my ministry I did quite a bit of door to door work and one day I doorstepped Mr Coren who was in his dressing gown and about to have a bath I guess. Less familiar to me then I still recognised him as someone I had seen on Call My Bluff (TV quiz) and elsewhere - it happens from time to time. We exchanged only a few words and was quite friendly. I don't know if there were any gospel influences in his life. I'm certainly not aware of any profession of faith.

It is a reminder of how quickly time passes, how soon people are in their graves and how few are our opportunities of reaching people. We need to work now, to sow our seed while we can.