Sermons

When I read through today’s Gospel reading to prepare for my sermon today, the word that came to mind was ‘compassion’.  That word leapt out at me as I read how Jesus invites his disciples to come away and rest after all they have done and taught.  He is mindful...

The theme of my sermon today is what is meant by being set apart. In today’s Gospel reading we learn that by the Sea of Galilee Jesus invites his disciples to leave the crowd behind and go with him into a boat. The disciples are being set apart from the...

At the heart of our worship and how we praise God is music. Most churches, indeed most religions set a great deal of store by the importance of music. We begin our Annual Summer Music Festival today, and in recognition of this celebration of the musical gifts in our midst...

The biblical story opens with God speaking order into chaos, creating the heavens and the earth. But what is meant by “heavens” and “earth”? In Hebrew, the word “heavens” literally means “the skies.” In modern English, we usually use the word “earth” to refer to the whole planet or globe, but the Hebrew...

‘The whole earth is full of his glory’ the seraphims chorus to each other in that celestial vision we heard first today from the prophecy of Isaiah. We’re so familiar with the text of the Sanctus that passage inspired, and which features in every Eucharist service, that we easily overlook...

May I speak in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit Despite all the horrors of our world, with its wars, malpractice, and onslaught on the climate, I believe that when we look at the manifestations of nature that surround us, such as the spring flowers...

When I was growing up, Reverend Rankin’s sermons featured on high days and holy days, when he would tackle mysterious or difficult Bible passages by swerving disputatious detail in favour of the main message. “The main thing is the plain thing”,he was fond of saying, “It will also get us...

Is this country in decline?  This was a question raised in a Question Time I watched recently on television.  The general view was expressed that it is, and for a variety of reasons.  There has been the effect of the pandemic, some adverse effects on the economy post-Brexit, the war...

The theme of my sermon today is trust. How often have you heard the expression ‘trust me, I am a doctor’.  The doctor is asking you to have faith in her or his ability to heal you by advice and the recommendation of surgery if needed.  It is up to...

One great advantage still enjoyed (for now at least) by the Church of England, and which I believe it ignores at its peril, is that it is there for everyone – whether or not they happen to be ‘signed up’ members. We see that in the focus for national celebration...

The theme of my last sermon was war.  So, I thought by way of contrast that as we are in the fourth Sunday in Advent, looking towards the imminent birth of Christ, I would preach on the theme of peace. I found it more challenging to reflect upon peace than...

Today is the Feast of Christ the King, or – as our Roman Catholic friends call it, with characteristic flair – the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. It’s the final Sunday of the Church’s year, and the culmination of what has become known in the...

‘The day of the Lord is at hand’, asserted the Old Testament prophet Zephaniah, and if you glance through it, you’ll notice that in the New Testament Epistle offered for today, St. Paul, writing to Thessalonian Christians, holds pretty much the same view: ‘the day of the Lord so cometh...

                In today’s first lesson, Micah hears the nations of the world saying: Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of...

War is very much in the news at the moment.  The war in the Middle East and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  You could say that the whole history of mankind has been one of conflict between nations.  It has also been a history of civil war and tribal enmity...

Take him, earth, for cherishing, to thy tender breast receive him. Body of a man I bring thee, noble even in its ruin. Once was this a spirit’s dwelling, by the breath of God created. High the heart that here was beating, Christ the prince of all its living. Those...

Today’s Gospel is the immediate continuation of last week’s. There Simon Peter in a moment of extraordinary insight understood, or so we thought, who and what Jesus was – in his words then declares “The Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Today, following Mark’s order of things, St Matthew...

Welcome to Harvest Thanksgiving 2023 this Sunday, Trinity XV, where every portion of the order of service points to the power of giving thanks. For example, the liturgy for The Blessing of the Harvest Gifts rejoices that: ‘springtime and harvest shall not cease’and neither should our thanks, as ‘All things...

The theme of my sermon today is concealment.  Is concealment wise or unwise? Does it bear fruit or is it destructive? In today’s Gospel reading we learn from the words of Jesus to his disciples that he does not want them to tell anyone that he is the Messiah, the...

It is absolutely wonderful to be here on what I really do think is my last Sunday with you all! Never say never, but there really is no other date in the diary (in the foreseeable future)! Well, the gospel reading we had today is one that has caused some...

From St Luke, chapter 9: v 28 and 29 “And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James and went up to a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment...

Following the Parable of the Sower last week images of seed-time and harvest continue: Jesus is clear “the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.” Before we look at the Gospel passage, and as we have not been reading much of Romans so far since...

My father, whom I am sorry you did not know, because he died about a year before we came here, was full of funny sayings, which continue make me smile when I think of them. Dad would not eat pork, ham or sausages without English mustard, French would not do...

Last weekend I spent some time with a farmer relative. He’s the son and grandson of generations of farmers who loves the land enjoys explaining what his life and work consists of. His favourite occupation is using his rather splendid tractor to plough, tend or drill his fields. It’s so...