25 October 12 noon I think when someone dies so full of years as June did it can, perhaps surprisingly, come as a bit of a shock. We had grown used to her being part of our lives for so long that we had to some extent thought that she would always be around. […]
Isaiah 55.1-11, Mark 10.46-end Today is Bible Sunday, a day when we give thanks for the bible, celebrate it and particularly remember those people and organisations that work to promote the bible, among them our own Hamish Bruce who of course works for the Bible Society Our readings today (OTanyway) is especially for Bible Sunday […]
Praying for Creation James 5.13-20, Mark 9.38-50 The picture on the screen shows Växjö cathedral in Småland Sweden. As you know, Oxford diocese is twinned with Växjö diocese. This time last week we were there visiting our daughter. Like us the cathedral is marking the season of creation and its newsletter encourages members to […]
Amos 7.7-15, Mark 6.14-29 Amos and John the Baptist I want to talk about prophets this morning. It’s a big topic and I can only consider a few aspects in a sermon. I’m also aware that prophets can be controversial and that we won’t all necessarily have the same view of them, so hold […]
Romans 8.12-17, John 3.1-17 Having worked our way through Easter, Ascension Day and, last Sunday, Pentecost, we are now celebrating the Trinity. This is not another event, but the start of exploring the new dimension in which we are to live our ordinary, everyday lives, following the breath-taking events of Easter. Appropriately enough the church […]
Luke 24.44-end, Acts 1.1-11 Looking up Ascension Day sermons on my computer I discovered that I’ve preached a number here, and so I’ve probably said most of what can be said about the background to the Ascension – the significance of mountains and links with OT epiphanies like those to Moses and Elijah on Sinai […]
Making connections We’ve been considering what constitutes good news in our preaching recently, mainly focussing on our readings from Acts. I’ll continue that today, but with some reference to our gospel. What I want to consider is how the good news generates connection. Connection. Jesus says one of his ‘I am’ statements in our reading […]
Mark 11.1-11 I couldn’t help but notice parallels between the events of Palm Sunday and our return to our church building this morning. Just like those Jews entering Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, eager to celebrate their most important festival, the Passover, here we are at the start of Holy Week anticipating the celebration […]
2 Kings 2.1-12, Mark 9.2-9 Today is the last Sunday before Lent starts. Given the rigours of lockdown and Covid I decided not to talk about giving up things or denying ourselves; just accepting that we are where we are is giving us plenty of opportunities for that this year. This happens to be a […]
Mark 13.24-27 Happy New Year! Advent marks the start of the church new year. Our 3 year lectionary covers a different gospel each year. It’s Year B now and we move to the gospel of Mark. We’re near the end of that gospel this morning in what is sometimes called ‘the little apocalypse’, or bible-speak […]