Sermons
Sermon: Third Sunday after Trinity, 7 July 2019, St John the Divine
Readings Isaiah 66.10-14; Galatians 6.7-16; Luke 10.1-11, 16-20 Preacher Revd Neil Summers Chapters 8-10 of Luke’s Gospel set out a very interesting – what we might call in today’s church jargon – ‘Mission Action Plan’. And it all sounds quite … Continue reading
Sermon: Third Sunday after Trinity, 7 July 2019, St Matthias
Readings Luke 10.1-11 & 16-20 Preacher Revd Alan Sykes Presently I’ll be talking about the gospel reading that we’ve just heard but first it’s confession time. Don’t fret, this is confession time for me, not for you. I’ll be the … Continue reading
Sermon: First Sunday after Trinity, 23 June 2019, St Mary Magdalene
Reading Luke 8.26-39Preacher Revd Alan Sykes I’m going to be talking this morning about our gospel passage, the healing of the demoniac called Legion in the country of the Gerasenes. And perhaps I should say straightaway that I’ll be taking … Continue reading
Sermon: Ascension Day, 30 May 2019, St John the Divine
Readings Daniel 7.9-14; Acts 1.1-11; Luke 24.44-end Preacher Revd Neil Summers The past week or so in British politics prove that sometimes things can change quite unexpectedly, and remarkably rapidly. Life itself is a process of constant change, isn’t it? … Continue reading
Sermon: Maundy Thursday, 18 April 2019, St Mary Magdalene
Readings Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Preacher Ruth Martin What is it about love? One of the most moving, deeply human and memorable human occasions is when individuals, knowing that they will die imminently, focus their … Continue reading
Sermon: Mothering Sunday, 31 March 2019, St John the Divine
When my own mum was still alive, I used to scour the shops for a card which celebrated Mothering Sunday rather than its relatively new incarnation, Mother’s Day. Today was never meant to be solely about mothers; its original meaning was more … Continue reading
Sermon: Sunday next before Lent, 3 March 2019, St John the Divine
In a predominantly rationalist and scientific age, some Christians of a more liberal and progressive stance find stories involving the inexplicable, like Jesus’s Transfiguration, which we’ve just read – or, indeed, the miracles – rather awkward. The temptation often is … Continue reading
Sermon: Second Sunday before Lent, 24 February 2019, St John the Divine
Readings Genesis 2.4b-9, 15-25; Revelation 4; Luke 8.22-25 Preacher Revd Neil Summers Within a long strand of Hebrew tradition, the sea was associated with evil powers. According to an ancient creation myth, when God made the world and separated out … Continue reading
Sermon: Fourth Sunday before Lent, 10 February 2019, St John the Divine
Readings Isaiah 6.1-8; 1 Corinthians 15.1-11; Luke 5.1-11Preacher Revd Neil Summers In the Bible, it is often the case that when God’s servants hear his call, it is accompanied by a profound awareness of their own unworthiness, even sinfulness. In … Continue reading
Sermon: Epiphany, 6 January 2019, St John the Divine
The Feast of the Epiphany comes at that time of the year when, for most people, the magic of Christmas has worn off. Last night was Twelfth Night, so the decorations are down and you are left with pine needles … Continue reading