Jesus | Gathering up https://wjhoward.co.uk Thu, 18 Feb 2021 13:01:29 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.6 Sermon for Trinity 11 https://wjhoward.co.uk/sermon-for-trinity-11/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sermon-for-trinity-11 https://wjhoward.co.uk/sermon-for-trinity-11/#respond Sun, 23 Aug 2020 20:00:00 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=616 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.

The post Sermon for Trinity 11 first appeared on Gathering up.]]> https://wjhoward.co.uk/sermon-for-trinity-11/feed/ 0 Making space https://wjhoward.co.uk/making-space/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=making-space Sat, 30 Nov 2019 13:07:37 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=407 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 make space. For example, when we have to squeeze a couple of extra chairs around the table to make room for old friends we haven’t seen in ages; or when… Read More »Making space

The post Making space first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Sermon for Trinity 18 https://wjhoward.co.uk/sermon-for-the-eighteenth-sunday-after-trinity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sermon-for-the-eighteenth-sunday-after-trinity Mon, 21 Oct 2019 13:20:19 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=411 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 need to pray always and not to lose heart.’  In a few minutes, as part of our worship this morning we’re going to say the Lord’s Prayer together. ‘Our Father,… Read More »Sermon for Trinity 18

The post Sermon for Trinity 18 first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Sermon for Trinity 7 https://wjhoward.co.uk/sermon-for-the-seventh-sunday-after-trinity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sermon-for-the-seventh-sunday-after-trinity Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:04:49 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=392 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 out over money. One son hasn’t got his fair share of the inheritance, or what he thinks is his fair share, and so calls out from the crowd for Jesus… Read More »Sermon for Trinity 7

The post Sermon for Trinity 7 first appeared on Gathering up.]]> All aboard! https://wjhoward.co.uk/all-aboard/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=all-aboard Mon, 01 Jul 2019 10:12:40 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=374 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 1970s, my brother went on a school trip on a steamship called Uganda. The exotic name caught my young imagination and having heard how enjoyable his experience had been on… Read More »All aboard!

The post All aboard! first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Sermon for Trinity 1 https://wjhoward.co.uk/sermon-for-the-first-sunday-after-trinity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sermon-for-the-first-sunday-after-trinity Mon, 24 Jun 2019 16:08:52 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=371 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 the school playground, you hear the sound of laughter and the shrieks of excitement as the children enjoy the last few minutes of break time. What you may not notice… Read More »Sermon for Trinity 1

The post Sermon for Trinity 1 first appeared on Gathering up.]]> What kind of church are we? https://wjhoward.co.uk/what-kind-of-church-are-we/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-kind-of-church-are-we Mon, 29 Apr 2019 22:22:33 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=359 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 caught my eye. In big blue capital letters, it read: ‘This is a Bible-believing church!’ Underneath that confident statement, in only slightly smaller type, were the words, ‘We are a… Read More »What kind of church are we?

The post What kind of church are we? first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Lenten reflection: ‘warts and all’ or Facetune? https://wjhoward.co.uk/lenten-reflection-warts-and-all-or-facetune/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lenten-reflection-warts-and-all-or-facetune Fri, 01 Mar 2019 10:55:01 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=333 Christchurch Parish News, March 2019 In 1656, when sitting for his portrait, Oliver Cromwell insisted that the painter, Samuel Cooper, depict him ‘warts and all’. This stringent command would appear to be in sharp contrast to the prevailing zeitgeist of our own time, when many of us fine-tune our online appearance using filters and specialist… Read More »Lenten reflection: ‘warts and all’ or Facetune?

The post Lenten reflection: ‘warts and all’ or Facetune? first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Sermon for Lent 4 https://wjhoward.co.uk/sermon-for-the-fourth-sunday-before-lent/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sermon-for-the-fourth-sunday-before-lent Sun, 10 Feb 2019 22:35:56 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=324 Sung Eucharist and Matins, Christchurch Priory, 10th February 2019 Isaiah 6.1-end1 Corinthians 15.1-11Luke 5.1-11 Good morning everybody. I was going to start with a question but instead, let me begin this way. When we gather together like this, Sunday by Sunday, the tradition that we’re a part of expects that in our act of worship… Read More »Sermon for Lent 4

The post Sermon for Lent 4 first appeared on Gathering up.]]> In-between times https://wjhoward.co.uk/in-between-times/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=in-between-times Fri, 01 Feb 2019 08:05:51 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=278 Christchurch Parish News, February 2019 As we prepare for a later Lent, I ask what it means for us to live faithfully in the here and now. This year, Easter is almost as late as it can be. Falling at the end of April, we have to wait until the second Sunday in March for… Read More »In-between times

The post In-between times first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Living together in unity https://wjhoward.co.uk/living-together-in-unity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=living-together-in-unity Tue, 01 Jan 2019 09:48:23 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=182 Christchurch Parish News, January 2019

A reflection on Psalm 133 as we prepare for the week of dedicated prayer for Christian unity.

The post Living together in unity first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Sermon for Advent 2 https://wjhoward.co.uk/sermon-for-advent-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sermon-for-advent-2 Sun, 09 Dec 2018 18:36:20 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=7 Sung Eucharist and Matins, Christchurch Priory

It’s God who graciously makes the first move and comes to us. No matter the mess we’ve made of things.

The post Sermon for Advent 2 first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Darkness to Light https://wjhoward.co.uk/darkness-to-light/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=darkness-to-light Sat, 01 Dec 2018 10:12:25 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=22 Christchurch Parish News, December 2018

A personal reflection on the hope of Christmas, even when times are difficult.

The post Darkness to Light first appeared on Gathering up.]]> King of Hope https://wjhoward.co.uk/king-of-hope/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=king-of-hope Thu, 01 Nov 2018 10:48:01 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=45 Christchurch Parish News, November 2018

What does Christ’s Kingship mean for us today?

The post King of Hope first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Reflecting the Light of God https://wjhoward.co.uk/reflecting-the-light-of-god/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reflecting-the-light-of-god Sat, 01 Sep 2018 11:06:10 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=55 Christchurch Parish News, September 2018

What do we mean when we say we believe in God as described in the Bible?

The post Reflecting the Light of God first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Sermon for Trinity 5 https://wjhoward.co.uk/sermon-for-trinity-5/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sermon-for-trinity-5 Wed, 18 Jul 2018 23:25:32 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=70 Sung Eucharist and Matins, Christchurch Priory

‘Having faith in Jesus is what it’s all about. But it’s not something that comes easily to us— most of us, at any rate.’

The post Sermon for Trinity 5 first appeared on Gathering up.]]> What do we believe? https://wjhoward.co.uk/what-do-we-believe/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-do-we-believe Sun, 01 Jul 2018 07:00:31 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=74 Christchurch Parish News, July 2018

A new report reveals striking insights into the range of different beliefs within any UK church. What does this mean for us?

The post What do we believe? first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Does the Trinity really matter? https://wjhoward.co.uk/does-the-trinity-really-matter/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=does-the-trinity-really-matter Fri, 01 Jun 2018 21:59:36 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=100 Christchurch Parish News, June 2018

If it were not for the Trinity, we would not know what it means to pray as Christians

The post Does the Trinity really matter? first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Lost in the clouds? https://wjhoward.co.uk/lost-in-the-clouds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lost-in-the-clouds Tue, 01 May 2018 08:21:22 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=105 Christchurch Parish News, May 2018.

The importance of the Ascension when proclaiming Jesus is Lord.

The post Lost in the clouds? first appeared on Gathering up.]]> Let down your ropes https://wjhoward.co.uk/let-down-your-ropes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=let-down-your-ropes Sun, 01 Apr 2018 00:24:55 +0000 https://wjhoward.co.uk/?p=116 Christchurch Parish News, April 2018

An Easter reflection on Jesus’ healing of the paralysed man.

The post Let down your ropes first appeared on Gathering up.]]>