Sermons And Gubbins

This sermon was given on the morning of Sunday 11th August 2024, after a week of riots and counter-protests in the UK. The New Testament reading was Ephesians 4:25-5:2 . This morning’s Gospel is about bread. When we get to August every third year, we get John’s Gospel, and for about 6 weeks, we go through John Chapter 6, during which we talk a huge amount about bread. If you come to church in August this year without having had your breakfast first, you’re going to get hungry! I’ve actually preached in this slot both times over the last six years. Today marks my third sermon with these same readings. So, I hope you’ll forgive me if I don’t actually preach on the gospel at all today?  Don’t worry, Caroline is preaching next week, and I’m sure she’ll cover the Gospel – unless she throws in a wild card? Instead then, for today’s sermon, I’d like to turn to our New Testament reading, from the letter to the Ephesians. There’s all sorts of scholarly thought about this letter that I don’t...

This sermon was given at our morning service on Sunday 10th September. The Gospel was Matthew 18:15-20 . I hope you enjoy reading it!   Are you listening? No, but are you listening? That’s what Jesus is asking us this morning. Listen – there’s that word again – listen to his words from our Gospel again and see how often that word comes up:   “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector.”   So – are you listening? Not necessarily to me prattling on up here on a Sunday morning. I’m not particularly bothered about...

T his poem was composed for the second meeting of our poetry group. We were set the theme of 'Manchester: the place we call home'. I decided to find the most common languages spoken in our city; it is, after all, an adopted home to people from all around the world. Apologies to anyone who speaks these languages... I've made my best attempt (using Google Translate) to ensure the phrases are correct! I hope you enjoy reading it (my attempt at a phonetic translation is below the poem, including the languages for each line) Manchester یہ   شہر   ہمارا   گھر   ہے۔ هذه   المدينة   هي   بيتنا ਇਹ   ਸ਼ਹਿਰ   ਸਾਡਾ   ਘਰ   ਹੈ Magaaladani waa gurigeena 这座城市是我们的家 આ   શહેર   આપણું   ઘર   છે এই   শহর   আমাদের   বাড়ি Ev bajar mala me ye این   شهر   خانه   ماست Esta ciudad es nuestro hogar Αυτή η πόλη είναι το σπίτι μας Acest oraș este casa noastră Це місто наш дім To miasto jest naszym domem Cette vi...

This sermon was first given at St Michael's Church, Middleton , and then at All Saints, Rhodes, where I was invited to preach to both congregations on Sunday 28th August. The parish has been following a theme of Community Living, as taught by St Benedict in a recent sermon series. The Gospel that morning was Luke 14:1,7-14 . I hope you enjoy reading it! I’d like to start this morning by offering my thanks for inviting me to preach to you all today. Jenni tells me that you’re nearing the end of a series of sermons drawing upon the teachings of St Benedict on community living, in preparation for your away-day in just a few weeks’ time, and then following that, that you have a meeting on 22 nd September to discuss the idea of being a ‘mission community’. I hope my sermon this morning plays its part amongst the rest of the preparation you’ve been doing to generate some thoughts and ideas as together you plan this next exciting stage that God has in store for you all. I also hope ...