Think of the most beautiful place you’ve ever been to. Now that place is part of creation. And Paul is saying that it’s made in Christ, through Christ and for Christ. And you and I part of that creation too. Which means that you and I are created in Christ, through Christ and for Christ.
Are you comfortable with the notion of being a witness to Jesus? Especially after the last nine months of the pandemic that have been so gruelling. For my part, I know that I’m meant to say, yes, let’s go for it! But in truth, I’m a little bit hesitant about it. My reaction is more like, well, that’s a jolly interesting idea, let me think about it and I’ll drop you an email some time…
So they’d shut down our primary place of worship. No longer were we able to gather and be in the presence of God. In fact, not only that, we were turfed out. Forced to live in a strange new world, one that was deeply disorientating. This is the new normal, some said.
You’re in the queue, outside the supermarket. Everyone’s standing two metres apart, waiting patiently. You’re exhausted. Physically and emotionally. Suddenly a sports car screams by… Read More »Homily — Luke 14 1-11
Christchurch Parish Website May 2020 A favourite poem of mine is by Seamus Heaney. The poem itself doesn’t have a title. It’s simply no. 8… Read More »Living the tension
Christchurch Parish News, April 2020 What is the one thing upon which you base everything else in your life? For example, in recent times, human… Read More »Looking back to our future
Sung Eucharist and Matins, Christchurch Priory, 15 March 2020. This was part of a series of sermons where the vicar asked those who regularly preach… Read More »Sermon for Lent 3
Christchurch Parish News, March 2020. Over the last couple of months, we’ve been looking at the first commandment (here and here): the one which tells… Read More »The Idolatry of God
In last month’s piece about the Ten Commandments, we noted in particular that the one that comes first is that we are to have no… Read More »First things first
The story goes that prior to giving Moses the Ten Commandments on Mt Sinai, God was having second thoughts. He was about to hit the… Read More »The Order of The Ten Cs
How will we reply to the greatest invitation of all this Christmas? This is a time of year when we often find ourselves needing to… Read More »Making space
Sung Eucharist and Matins, Christchurch Priory, 20 October 2019 Genesis 32.22-31 2 Timothy 3.14- 4.5 Luke 18.1-8 ‘Then Jesus told them a parable about their… Read More »Sermon for Trinity 18
What’s the one thing we need in order to be church? This autumn marks the 20th anniversary since the completion of the Priory Church Nicholson… Read More »It’s a privilege
Sung Eucharist and Matins, Christchurch Priory, 4th August 2019 Ecclesiastes 1.2,12-14; 2.18-23Colossians 3.1-11Luke 12.13-21 It happens all too often, sadly. There’s been a family falling… Read More »Sermon for Trinity 7
Relax: why the gift of sabbath has never been more vital. Every year, nearly all of us go on a holiday, with many of us… Read More »The importance of rest
What the story of SS Uganda can teach us about what it means to be the church. Christchurch Parish News, July 2019 Back in the… Read More »All aboard!
Sung Eucharist and Matins, The Priory Church, 23rd June 2019 Isaiah 65.1-9 Galatians 3.23-29 Luke 8.26-39 The sun is shining and as you walk by… Read More »Sermon for Trinity 1
Summer fitness tips with a difference! Christchurch Parish News, June 2019 I am a reluctant convert. For at least a couple of years my wife,… Read More »Step by step
Christchurch Parish News, May 2019 What does it mean to be a church that takes the Bible ‘seriously’? A few years ago, a church noticeboard… Read More »What kind of church are we?
The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday, The Priory Church, 18th April 2019 Exodus 12.1-14Psalm 116.1, 10-171 Corinthians 11.23-26 John 13.1-17, 31b-35 ‘I give you a new… Read More »Sermon for Maundy Thursday