Sermons And Gubbins

This sermon was preached at our Sunday morning service on 29th August 2021. The Gospel was  Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23   Hope you enjoy reading it! “There is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile”. What an odd Gospel to hear in these days of Coronavirus, whilst we sit here in our masks, trying so diligently to contain the spread of this disease that we heard only  earlier this week had returned into the top ten causes of death in England in July  (that’s an odd top ten to hear about, by the way. I wonder if they announce the countdown to number one over the music for Pick of the Pops?). Also in our Gospel, Mark calls out that the religious authorities had noticed – and taken afront at the fact that – Jesus’ disciples were eating without first washing their hands. I think I’m with the religious authorities here; I don’t know about you? I’m sure the hands of the UK have never been as clean as they have been over the past two years. I mean, for me, the song ‘...

This sermon was preached at our Evensong service on the first Sunday of Lent 2018 (Sunday 18th February). The Old Testament reading was taken from the book of Genesis, chapters 2:15-17 and 3:1-7 . Today is the first Sunday in Lent; the start of our solemn journey with Christ towards his cross. During these forty days, we might choose to fast, or devote more time to prayer and Bible study. Perhaps you might have started a book of Lenten devotions? We probably should also be using this period of time to look at our lives, calling to mind the exhortation of Wednesday just gone – “ Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin, and be faithful to Christ. ” It’s appropriate, then, that, as we contemplate our failings, and turn away from sin, we at this point turn the pages of our Bible to contemplate the first sin. It’s appropriate that here, at the  start  of Lent, we have heard a story from the start of  time .  It’s ...

This sermon was preached at our Evensong service on Sunday 15th October. The New Testament reading was 1 John 3:1-15 . Every Sunday, we start our Evensong service with one of a number of set sentences. I must be honest, sometimes I pick the sentence based on a whim or a gut feeling; sometimes I look through and try to find one that is appropriate for the tone of the rest of the service and the sermon, and sometimes, I completely forget until the time comes to read one out, and I just pick the first one my eyes hit upon – nobody tell Huw, ok?! This evening, however, picking the appropriate sentence was what is known as a ‘no-brainer’. Very little decision had to go into choosing the right introduction for tonight. It was the only sentence with which I could start this evening’s service. I’ll repeat it now: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse ...