After the Fire: Finding words for Grenfell

In the immediate aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, the local parish church became a focal point of the relief effort, and a gathering place for a traumatised community. In the months that followed, it worked closely with other community and faith groups to provide a compassionate network of support. In this bold and prophetic challenge, Alan Everett shows that the church's response was possible only because it had opened its doors long ago, building relationships with the most marginalised in the community. Its effectiveness was born out of a patient, faithful, unheroic ministry that is all too easily underestimated. Through gripping reportage and searching theological reflection, After the Fire demonstrates how parish ministry can be a living symbol of God's love, and a vital sign of hope.

About the Author :
Alan Everett is the vicar of the parish of St Clement Notting Dale and St James Norlands, in which Grenfell Tower is situated.

Review :
'The Grenfell Tower fire represents the manifestation of the way in which the poor and the powerless are disregarded in our society. Alan Everett is an astute and reliable witness of the fire and its aftermath. To read his book is to understand the unique value of community volunteers, either spiritual or secular. Alan tries to find words for Grenfell and does so better than anyone else I’ve read.' 'The Grenfell disaster continues to shock and horrify us. Since that terrible night, Alan Everett and the team at St Clement’s have been at the heart of the long process of recovery and healing. This powerful book does not just give a unique perspective on the flow of events. It also looks forward and reflects deeply on theology and the role of the church in sustaining community.' 'Grenfell looms over our moral imagination as starkly as it does over the landscape of West London. Alan walks us through the agony of the fire and its aftermath, and explores what the fire shows us about faith, and what faith has to say about the fire. Moving, shocking, perceptive, honest: After the Fire is a beautiful reflection of a terrible moment in our common life.' 'Alan Everett writes with a calm passion and simple clarity as he gives a moving account of the Grenfell Tower fire. The story of that terrible night and its aftermath is combined with profound reflections on the abiding value of faith and the parish system as part of the often undervalued bedrock of our social fabric.' ‘After the Fire is an important documentation of the tragic fire that engulfed the Grenfell Tower in the early hours of 14 June 2017. Alan Everett eloquently articulates the situation that changed the community in North Kensington. His book will remain an invaluable reference for researchers and for those interested in understanding the role of the community in responding to emergency situations.’ 'Alan Everett writes with an authority that stems, not simply from witnessing that grievous situation, but from sustained pastoral commitment to the community he describes so fluently. This ‘cry from the ground’ is both a powerful work of advocacy and a testimony to the parish church’s unique and ongoing place in contemporary Britain.' ‘… words are simply inadequate to describe the horror, indescribable pain and continuing trauma of the community and survivors of Grenfell. But somehow in this searing and personal account from the moment the fire was raging, Alan Everett has managed to find the words and the wisdom to weave a profound story of suffering, community and the small beginnings of hope for something better.’ ‘… utterly faithful to the reality of what happened last summer, Alan Everett articulates the essential importance of the locally rooted faith and community institutions that emerged alongside an army of local volunteers to lead the relief effort in the total absence of any early official response … Alan Everett’s reflections on what it means to be parish priest, the richness of community relationships, the importance of solidarity in responding to trauma and beginning the process of healing contain lessons for all those engaged in local ministry, and demonstrate the unique ways in which a parish church can be equipped to do this.’ ‘After the Fire is a compelling, unsparing and scrupulous account of the Grenfell Tower disaster and its aftermath, informed by Alan Everett’s commitment to the idea of the parish and the local. Essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of urban ministry.’