Sermons

Much though, as some of you will know, Lent is my least favourite season in the Church’s year, it is at least mitigated in Year A by these three gospel readings from John on these last three Sundays before we get to Holy week: The woman of Samaria last week, the man born blind today, […]

Lent 2 Lovers of the adventures of Bilbo and Frodo will be familiar with the poem: The Road Goes Ever On The third version is spoken by Bilbo in Rivendell after the hobbits have returned from their journey. Bilbo is now an old, sleepy hobbit, who murmurs the verse and then falls asleep. The Road […]

“Today’s trouble is enough for today.” *********** What are we to make of Jesus’s teaching? “tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” This doesn’t sound very encouraging. And maybe not very responsible? Can it be good news? In the year of Matthew, we have momentarily dipped into the Sermon […]

Sermon Epiphany 4: Water into Wine, Message of Cross is Foolishness; Elijah and Widow of Zarapheth The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy […]

“Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” Matt. 4:19 Many, many years ago, when I was 18, I went to make my confession at Christmas. After hearing my confession the priest said, “Go and visit the Fathers at St Augustine’s, Penhalonga. You will like them.” I had never heard of them. So […]

Sunday 18th January 2026 – Upper Church CR Epiphany 2 (Week of Prayer for Christian Unity) (Charles Gore) Jn 1.29-42 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God. Father, those thought and words which come from you, will you take them and bless them and those thoughts and […]

It can happen to us that we are staying in a strange boarding-house and need to get up in the middle of the night. We fumble our way along the corridor looking for  a light-switch, and fail to find it. But we make our way by the moonlight streaming through the windows. Next day in […]

The Poor have good news preached to them. (Matt 11:5) What is that good news? In this story it is that “the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up.” Luke’s version at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, in the synagogue in […]

“May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power”. ****************************** It is often remarked that many today long for the simplicity, resolve and effectiveness of the strong man, almost whatever the aim and whatever the methods. Christ the King – celebrated for the 100th time this year – puts […]

Luke 20.27-38 Beethoven wrote nine symphonies. His ninth is so stupendous that you couldn’t imagine what could possibly follow it. Imagine someone discovers a long-lost score of his 10th Symphony, and a friend of yours has just been to the first performance. Your friend tries to describe to you what the music is like. The […]