Sermons And Gubbins

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...

This sermon was given at our Sunday morning service on Sunday 19th March, when we celebrated Mothering Sunday. The Old Testament reading was  Exodus 2:1-10  and the Gospel was  John 19:25-27 . Did you know that today is not, in fact, Mother’s Day? That sounds like the start of a sermon from someone who forgot to buy a card for their mum today, doesn’t it? Thankfully, I remembered, and my kids remembered, so I don’t need to try to cover up anyone’s forgetfulness with a technicality – I’m really not sure it would go down well at all, and I would not recommend trying it! But, it is true though. Today is Mothering Sunday – not Mother’s Day – and from the perspective of the Church, there is a difference. Mother’s Day started in the US in the early 1900s, and it was originally a day for mothers to stand together and ask that their sons and husbands would no longer be killed in war. The day took off in popularity, transforming into a day to celebrate and be thankful for moth...

This sermon was preached on Sunday 4th July 2021; the morning after the England football team qualified for their first semi-finals in the Euros in 25 years! The gospel that morning was Mark 6:1-13 . In today’s Gospel we heard the story of what happened when Jesus – after travelling throughout nearby villages, towns and cities, performing miracles, healing the sick and bringing God’s good news – much like football, came home.   Coming home (well, I had to, didn't it?) You’d think that ought to be a joyous occasion, seeing family and friends again after so long, welcomed back to a home-cooked meal and perhaps even praised as the famous celebrity preacher everyone has been talking about, but… things were quite different.   Jesus, it seems, was none too popular back home. We all know this story – a favourite of many a teenage Christian: ‘a prophet is not without honour except in their home town’. Except this is actually more than a belittling; the people aren’t just d...

This sermon was first given on Sunday 2nd June, a week after the EU election results were announced. The Gospel that morning was John 17:20-26 . I’ve had a song stuck in my head most of this week. Does that ever happen to you? You’re just sitting there, minding your own business, and a few small seconds of a song pop into your head and keep going on a loop. It’s never enough of the song to actually entertain you, only enough to just make you think you might be starting to go mad, and that you might never think of anything else ever again. It’s called an earworm, which is a weird image when you think about it! They say that one way you can get rid of an earworm is to share the song with others… so, thank you all for the help you’re about to give me this morning! The song is by one of the most famous bands in the world, U2. I suspect you know it; it’s called ‘One’.   The first lines say this: Is it getting better, or do you feel the same? Will it...