Christmas and New Year 2015

Here are the sermons I've preached over the Christmas and New Year period:

First, The Donkey's Story - an imaginative retelling of the Nativity, from the perspective of the Donkey

Then, at Midnight Mass, I invited our congregation to think about why, 'on Christmas night, all Christians sing, to hear the news the angels bring'

On Christmas morning, we thought about the Face of God - shown to us in the face of a baby at Bethlehem

And then, finally, on New Year's Eve, we will think about the light that shines in the darkness, as we meet for our Watch Night service.

Advent 3 John calls for repentance

It's already the 3rd Sunday of Advent...and John the Baptiser greets us with an insult..."You brood of vipers"!  What are we to make of this, and of his call to radical repentance?  To read today's sermon on this topic, please click here.

Advent 1: Are we there yet?

To read today's sermon on the first Sunday of Advent, please click here

Camels, needles and rich young men...

"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven."

Is this true?  Do you agree?  Here's a link to my sermon of today on this topic... please click here.

Serving the Lord of the Harvest

God gives us SO much abundance.  But how do we use it, and the talents he has given us.  For ourselves?  For others?  For God.  Here is a link to today's sermon, which attempts to peel back some layers from those crucial questions... please click here

He who is not against us is for us

Here's today's sermon on Mark 9.38-41 - dealing with the sometimes fraught and challenging area of ecumenism.  Please click here to read it.

Take up your cross

What does it mean to 'deny yourself' and 'take up your cross'.  Here is a link to today's sermon on the topic...please click here.

Children and Dogs - The Syrian Woman

Here's a link to today's sermon about the SyroPhoenician woman, whom Jesus appeared to insult.  Quite a few parallels to today's awful circumstances for Syrians (the modern-day SyroPhoenicians).  Please click here to read it...

The Havant Passion and VJ Day Celebrations

Here's a link to my Sermon for the Civic VJ Day Service of last Sunday:  please click here

Here's a link to my Sunday morning Eucharist sermon, linked to the production of 'The Havant Passion'.  Please click here

The Mass, the Eucharist, Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper?

To read today's sermon which unpacks some of the meaning of this central act of worship, please click here.

The Death of John the Baptist

To read last Sunday's sermon on the Death of John the Baptist, including some challenging thoughts about 'prophets against profit' - please click here

What's Your Vocation

Over this last weekend, I've been giving thanks for the 10 years since my ordination.  Only a minor milestone compared to many of my colleagues - so I've not been making any fuss about it.  However, coupled with the ordination, on Saturday, of two of my very good friends, these occasions led to some rumination in yesterday's sermons about the 'vocation' of all Christian people.  To read yesterday's sermon on the topic, please click here

The World Hates Us

Here's a link to yesterday's sermon, which dealt, rather polemically, with Jesus's statement that the world hates us (Christians) because the world hates him.  It was also a sermon to launch the Big Build Campaign for St Faith's church...cunningly woven with the earlier discussion (I hope!).  To read the sermon, please click here

VE Day Address - the 70th Anniversary

Here is the address I gave today at the 70th Anniversary Commemoration of VE Day.  Please click here

Easter 3 - You will be My Witnesses

With an election galloping towards us over the horizon, I wonder what today's politicians would have thought of Jesus?  To read some reflections that include that question, here's a link to today's sermon:  click here

Mothering Sunday 2015

Does tomato sauce count as a vegetable?!  Many mothers hope so!

To read today's sermon for Mothering Sunday, please click here.

Deny Yourself, Take up your Cross and Follow Me

What is really meant by Jesus' saying that we should deny ourselves in order to follow him?

To read today's sermon for the Second Sunday of Lent, please click here.

Against the Motion: 'God is Dead'

Today (27th Feb 2015) I have been given 2/3 minutes to speak against the Motion that 'God is Dead' at the Havant College Debating Society.  Click here to read what I plan to do with my three minutes.  Does my (very brief!) argument persuade you? Do comment below the text itself.

Repent!

To read my sermon for the first Sunday of Lent, please click here

Dressing up...

Here's a shot of me and my Bishop, the Rt Rev'd Christopher Foster, at my 'Collation and Induction' as the new Rector of Havant.

Dressing up is such fun...and no-one does it quite like the good old Church of England!

Ash Wednesday 2015 - My First Sermon to St Faith's Havant as Rector

To read my first sermon, or rather 'homily', to St Faith's Havant, please click here.

The Baptism of Christ - My Last Sermon to the North End Portsmouth Team Ministry

To read today's 'swan-song' sermon to the good people of the North End Team Ministry, please click here.

Epiphany 2015 - Final Sermon to St Mark's Congregation

I'm about to embark on a new stage of my journey of faith (as I prepare to move to Havant)...and here's the parting sermon I gave today to the good people of St Mark's North End.  To read it, please click here