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A Sermon for the Festival of Holy Innocents

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This sermon was written for our Sunday morning service on 28th December; the festival of the Holy Innocents . The Gospel was Matthew 2:13-18 . I hope you enjoy reading it! May I start this morning by wishing you all a very happy Christmas!   After this morning’s Gospel reading, that sounds a bit incongruous, doesn’t it? Herod learnt that he had been tricked by the wise men, and so set out and killed all the infants in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or younger. Happy Christmas everyone! What a way to begin our Christmas season – mass murder and infanticide.   This part of the Christmas story is one we often gloss over. It does not – for obvious reasons – make it into our nativity plays. It does not feature in our crib scenes. It does not align with the message of peace and joy and hope that comes with the birth of the Christ child. As such, it may not be one that you’re that familiar with. Let me provide a synopsis:   The magi have visited He...
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The Adventure

This poem was written for Advent 2025. I tried to turn in themes of waiting, urban life and ancient wisdom. I hope you enjoy reading it! The Adventure Now is not the time. The sky is thick cement But the buildings shine  like the sun is aching to be set free from breeze-block and reinforced glass. The angels in the architecture are moments away from singing An overture to crack the concrete heavens. Their wings almost twitching as they noiselessly clear their marbled throats. But not now… Not yet… Now is not the time. Now, the world is silent. It is more patient than I. Have you ever heard silence echo? The shutters not yet opened. The fluorescence inside the buildings almost beginning to flicker. The first tinglings of a hum. The faintest hint of incense. Not yet… Not yet… Every movement is considered. Every sound has meaning. Forecasts and prophesies  Carried fresh on gale-force winds. North Utsire, South Utsire Isaiah, Zechariah  Lundy, Fastnet, German Bite Malachi and...
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