Sermons And Gubbins

This sermon was given at our Sunday morning service on 29th June - St Peter & St Paul's Day. The Gospel was Matthew 16:13-19 . I hope you enjoy reading it.   In our gospel today, Jesus asks his disciples a question. Well, he asks them two questions actually, but I’ll stick to the first one for now. Jesus takes his disciples out of of their Jewish homeland, and into  Caesarea Philippi  – a place named after the Roman governor of the area, where the Greek god Pan was worshipped prominently, and there was a temple dedicated to Caesar himself, and Jesus asks his disciples what people are saying about him. “Who do they say I am?”, he asks, surrounded by all the trappings of empire, and pagan gods. Who does the world, scrabbling to hold onto the power it has, fighting political and religious wars, say Jesus is?     Today, the Church celebrates the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. We call today Petertide.  Two little dickie birds, sitting on a wall....

This sermon was preached at our Sunday morning service on 25th April. The Gospel was John 14:23-29. I hope you enjoy reading it!   Those of you who have been paying particular attention might have noticed that our Gospel readings for the last three weeks have all been centred around the events of the Last Supper. That seems a bit odd really, given we’re now six weeks post Easter. Didn’t we leave all this behind during Easter Week? Those of you who have been paying attention too, might find an element of repetition in what I say with Fi’s and Huw’s sermons from the last two weeks as well. But, sometimes, the best way to help someone understand something is through repetition. There’s a phrase often used in training and learning – tell ‘em, tell ‘em and tell ‘em again.   So, this morning, we’re getting told again!   But first, the context. As I said, we’re at the Last Supper, and Jesus has just told his disciples that he’s going away. He’s preparing them for...

This poem has been over ten years in the making, but it has only come together properly in the past couple of weeks. It was written as a response to our church poetry group theme of 'Prayer'. And this is my prayer for my children. I hope it resonates, and you're also more than welcome to lay claim to it! Prayer (For Isaac and Miriam ) May you be strong and independent May you always know your mind May you always make good choices  But most of all, be kind. May you always love the person you are May you find it easy to unwind May you always know where home is But most of all, be kind.  May you work hard at a job you love May you avoid the daily grind May you never find yourself in need But most of all, be kind. May you always stand up for what is right  May you never be undermined  May you have true friends who have your back  But most of all, be kind. May you be brave, but never foolish  May you leave your fears behind  May you soar and shine and chang...