Sermons And Gubbins

This sermon was given at our Evensong service on Sunday 14th January 2017. The New Testament reading was Hebrews 6:17-7:10 .   The Bible, as we know, is full of all sorts of weird and wonderful characters. There are those that are more well-known, like Jonah , who was famously swallowed by a big fish, or the giant Goliath , slain on the battlefield by the young David; and there are those that are more obscure, and therefore, perhaps more tantalising – Balaam , the prophet, who had a talking donkey, or the wicked Simon the Sorcerer encountered in the book of Acts, who, according to apocryphal sources, was a powerful wizard, with the ability to fly. One of the more mysterious characters, though, was mentioned in our New Testament reading this evening – Melchizedek , the King of Salem. Our reading from the book of Hebrews goes some length in explaining why he’s seen as so mysterious. It brings together the only two references to him in the Old Testament – a passage in the bo...

This sermon was first given at our Epiphany service on Sunday 7th January 2018. The gospel was Matthew 2:1-12 . I am quite sure you’ve heard the joke about imagining if, instead of three wise men, there’d have been three wise women in our reading today? They would, of course, have planned their journey well ahead, got directions to the stable instead of to King Herod’s gaff, turned up in time to actually see the child as a baby, rather than – as is currently assumed – roughly two years later, made a casserole, and brought useful gifts, like nappies, baby clothes and a Moses basket. Gold, frankincense & myrrh - the more traditional gifts of the magi...   Things would have all gone that much smoother for the holy family in those early days if that were the case, wouldn’t they? That’s not how the story goes, though. No. Instead of that, we are told about the visit of the magi; mysterious astrologers from a pagan religion (probably Zoroastrianism), with their...

This poem was given in place of a sermon at our 10:15 service on Christmas Eve. It's (obviously) based on Clement Clark Moore's famous poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas .  I hope you enjoy it. ‘Twas the day before Christmas, and all o’er the world Every grown-up was busy; every boy, every girl. The stockings weren’t up yet, the mulled wine not yet spiced, The presents unwrapped still – <gasp!> – the cake’s not been iced! Church-goers were dotted alone in their rows Whilst shopping lists higher thoughts in their heads o’er-imposed. And mum’s getting frantic, and dad’s getting ‘merry’ And – oh no, no, no! We’ve just run out of sherry! And out in the towns, packed shops fill up their coffers As last-minute shoppers vie for last minute offers. Home, quick! Put lights up, to compete with our neighbour; But somewhere else, now, a teenage girl is in labour. And she’s waited – her advent has been 40 weeks – And she thinks of the child that she be...

This sermon was preached at our Sunday morning service on November 19th. The Gospel was Matthew 25:14-30 ; commonly known as The Parable of the Talents. In the news recently had been fresh allegations of tax avoidance by the rich, royal and famous , including particular stories of the Queen's Duchy of Lancaster estate having invested in BrightHouse ; a rent-to-own company, accused of irresponsible lending . In researching this sermon, I am indebted to  this sermon from 2007 I found online when looking up an interpretation that fit a more- Liberation Theology perspectice. I hope you enjoy...  # Apprentice Theme Music # Dum, da dum, da dum, da dum, da dum, da dum, da dum DUUUM NARRATOR:            Previously on the Apprentice…  Our three remaining candidates were all given large sums of Lord Shudder’s own personal wealth whilst he went away on a business trip. The dividing of the money was determined by how many tasks th...