preaching

Lately I have posted in WordPress. Here is the opening from the latest sermon.

Last week we heard the story of Thomas, and today we heard that Jesus said to the disciples, “‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?’” I would like to say that we should take courage from these rather accusing questions Jesus asked his anxious disciples. …

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Other sermons are available

Since arriving in Slimbridge, I have been saving my sermons and producing them on my website. A number of different ways of presenting them have happened. Here is a listing of the earlier sermons.

Sermons before using WordPress

Some sermons

Here are the openings for some sermons as they are being kept on these pages.

Low Sunday, Easter ii

Today we are gathered on what is often called “Low Sunday” – when congregations are reduced dramatically and there seems to be a dearth of priests. I think it is because all the celebrations of Easter have exhausted the people of God, both worshippers and their leaders. So many want to have “a day off” – the congregations want to take some time away from church and many of our priests have taken this Sunday off to have their holiday.

Where do they all go? Have they all hidden themselves behind locked doors like the disciples? But our reading from John tells us we can’t hide ourselves away – Jesus will appear when we least expect it, even when all the doors are locked and we have a sense of security against all our fears. …

Good Friday

Standing at the cross . . . …

Fourth Sunday of Lent

As they used to say, are you comfortable, so let us begin, as we “listen with mother” today, Mothering Sunday.

“Woman, here is your son.” What a verse we have from the gospel this morning! Jesus looks down upon the Mary’s gathered at the foot of his cross and speaks these enigmatic words. These words give all of us a great deal to think about, don’t you agree?

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Lent iii

I would like to paraphrase some words from Paul’s letter which we read this morning.

For some demand signs and others desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to the former and foolishness to the latter, but to those who are the called, everyone who are called, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Everyone who is “the called” gets the best of everything, don’t they? But who are the called? Do some of us want only miracles which speak of some unearthly power? Do others among us want only revelatory pronouncements that will become statements which will never be questioned? The third way denies the power of the crowd, some of which are seekers of the magical and the others who rely on the words whispered by no one, both ways are flawed, don’t you think? For both ways take away one’s autonomy, one’s own self. After all, I have no part in the crowd’s deliberations. The crowd will take over my whole being, if I let it. Either the miraculous or the siren song becomes the arbiter of all I would do in my everyday, normal life in the world. One or the other part of the crowd will overwhelm me.

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