By John Cole

6 - Inner Urban Area

Inner urban areas are often curiously reminiscent of the deep rural situation - a fairly static population capable of discovering an identity around some kind of community house (it need not be a church) in a very tiny area - maybe no more than seven or eight streets.

The difference usually lies in the insecurity and lack of roots of the urban dwellers, compared to the countryman’s long history and links with the land. Most inner urban areas, of course, continue to be impoverished, their people relatively powerless to improve their lot. Often their difficulties are compounded because they are instantly recognisable - from the colour of their skin.

Two other strands of inner urban life contrast sharply with this picture of the self-contained if down-trodden urban community: a) ‘bedsitter-land’ - where there is constant mobility; b) in our bigger cities a new generation of very upmarket urban villagers: the so-called ‘Yuppies’ .

A church which draws its congregation from the locality in areas such as these will certainly be ‘local’ - but many find it is in fact serving a very small neighbourhood indeed. If it wishes to serve other neighbourhoods, it must sub-divide itself into separate small neighbourhood groups.

Sadly, however, many churches in inner urban areas draw their congregation from everywhere except the immediate locality. They would probably make no claim to be local. Only commuting members of Anglican churches might be uneasily aware of the tension between being the church for the congregation and being the church for the locality. The same tension may well be quietly crucifying their Vicar! Usually the only communication these churches have with the locals is to barricade themselves against vandals.