Sunday's coming!

Dec 26th Isaiah 63: 7-9 Matthew 2: 13-23 So here we are, caught between Christmas and New year. The bin is full of wrapping paper, we’re wondering quite where to put the presents and looking forward to al those delicious left-overs of Christmas dinner. The new year beckons and we wonder what 2011 might bring us: and in our papers we read stories of political unrest in Korea & Pakistan, of the terribly sad deaths & diappearances and the unhealthy scrum of the sales…what happened to the story – just yesterday of peace on earth and good will to all people? Matthew, bravely, tells us what happens immediately after the magi have returned to the East. Here is the unsavoury part, the bit that gets missed out of our Carol services. Joseph is warned to flee to Egypt, and Herod in his fury orders the massacre of all the boys aged two and under in the whole region in his attempt to rid himself of the threat of this rival so-called ‘king’ of whom the magi spoke. Some of the most compellin...

Yes, it's short - do I expect complaints on christmas morning? NO. Christmas morning You might have felt that the whole week has been building up to this morning – that’s certainly the way it’s been in my household! – but for the modern-day Magi – those who like to watch the stars and planets, the big event this week was the lunar eclipse on Tuesday morning. At about 6.30 in the morning, the moon passed into the shadow of the earth & so for a little while went first a coppery-colour & then quite dark – until reappearing as the relative positions of the earth, moon & sun, shifted. No, I didn’t get up at 6.30am – but there was some wonderful footage on the BBC website – and a very excited astronomer describing what we could see. He said ‘there’s the moon, a quarter of a million miles away; and you can also see Venus, very brightly – 46 million miles away. And in the opposite half of the sky there’s Saturn, a billion miles away. It’s at a time like this we can see our plac...

Not sure I have time to post everything I'm saying over the next, mad 48 hours: but here's this evening's reflection: Christmas Eve. It’s been a hectic few weeks, hasn’t it: and I’m sure I’ve complained as loudly as anyone - so much to do, so much to plan and think about, constant lists.. and then the snow to make everything that bit more difficult! And then the blessed Angels sing ‘Peace on earth’ – and we wonder how to even get a moment’s peace, let alone how to pray for peace for our mad world. I’ve got an uncle who is forever sending me emails of jokes & little quotes & things. This was one of his better ones: a wonderful quote from a 7 year old named Bobby: "Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." It’s really tempting to spend a few minutes giving you a talk that goes ‘never mind all the presents & cards & decorations & stuff’ the REAL meaning of Christmas is this – the birth of Jesus....

So, here's the bones: Matthew 1: 18-25 Then 'Joseph's story' Well, everyone knows the story of Mary & the angel. But you can’t blame me for not believing it at first. I’ve seen it before, you know, some of my friends... Betrothed a long time and – well, they get a bit impatient and accidents happen & they get married pretty quickly. But we weren’t like that – Mary & me. We were content to wait, do it right. Then she came & told me about the baby. I was devastated. Well, I knew it wasn’t mine – so I naturally assumed it was another man. ‘Let me tell you about it’ Mary said – I didn’t want to hear it – I didn’t want to know who it was and how much she loved him more than me, and how sorry she was for letting me down & hurting me. I didn’t want to hear her say anything.. I just wanted to get away. I stormed out & left her standing there shaking her head. My brother said to me ‘Have her stoned – her and her fancy man – whoever he is – that’s the law...

I've been looking in particular at Matthew 1:18-25 which gives the birth of Jesus very much from Joseph's point of view. I'm thinking of balancing it (as the gospels do) with Mary's point of view, and then bringing us to our own point of view, as we look at some fairly simple questions: what will this birth mean? - shame & scandal; or life & hope? what should I do - run & hide? grin & bear it? listen to what God's messengers are telling me? where is God in this? sorting out the mess? causing it? right in the midst of it? If I have time (hah!) I think I'd like to write reflections by Mary & by Joseph, with time to think in between & then a concluding reflection bringing it 'home'. Oh yes, and I have a wedding on Saturday & 2 carol services on Sunday to finishing organising too!

... here are the notes from Sunday's sermon at the adult baptism. It seemed to make sense to people. I hope so. I have to confess I’m getting to the stage when I’m losing track of what day it is. Twice last week I thought it was Friday when it wasn’t – once on Wednesday and once on Thursday. The problem with these days as Christmas is getting closer is that they’re all a bit the same – loads to do, a mixture of writing cards, opening cards, writing more cards, buying and wrapping presents, thinking about food & drink and (for me at least) preparing lots of services. I may not know what day it is – but I know it’s very nearly Christmas – the signs are all around in The TV adverts, the shops, the music, the lights & trees... it all seems to have come round incredibly quickly. We are all filled with expectation & excitement... or apprehension & dread, depending on your psychological make-up. It’s soon going to be Christmas. So I’d forgive you for wondering why we have...

Yes, posts are getting later. Yes, it's my "busy time". No, I'm not ready for Christmas - but then, I feel like coming over all deep & theological & saying 'I'm not meant to be ready yet - it's still Advent'. So this week's readings are: Isaiah 35:1-10 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11 Challenge number one is that we have one of our 'Creative church' services this week (when we try to present the Word other than simply by someone reading all 3 readings as the 'Readings', and invite people to respond in some other than simply by listening and coming forward for communion). Challenge number two is that we have a baptism of an adult (sprinkling, not full immersion) this week, and so potentially have people there who wont be too clued up on the first Isaiah and how important the later redactions of the text are. Challenge number three is the usual one about passages from later in Jesus' (and John the Baptist's) life being use...

So for those who like to play 'spot the difference' - the end is quite changed! Advent 2: Isaiah 11: 1-10, Matthew 3: 1-12 Of all the characters we might find on our Christmas cards – Mary, Joseph, Kings, Shepherds, angels… I have never once seen one with an image of John the Baptist. Of course at the time of Jesus’ birth he would only have been a baby himself, but although he’s recognised as a prophet who points us to Jesus the Christ, he’s really not the stuff of Christmas cards – wild, scary, with a rather daunting message of repentance. In fact just this week a friend sent me a picture of John the Baptist looking suitably wild & woolly and saying ‘Merry Christmas you brood of vipers. Now repent’. Not available in all good card shops anytime soon. John’ message isn’t an easy one. “Choose” says John – choose to repent and be baptised or choose to perish. And don’t think you can hedge your bets by being baptised but not really changing anything else about your life: to the...

If anyone reads this sermon you might think there's a funny jump from the penultimate paragraph to the final one - yes, I think so too: but I'm not sure what else i want to say just yet - think I need time away from it & then will come back & see whether something comes. You might also notice that I've not gone with the 'stump of Jesse' or the 'wilderness' theme (see posts below).. perhaps I should have! Advent 2 : Isaiah 11: 1-10, Matthew 3: 1-12 Of all the characters we might find on our Christmas cards – Mary, Joseph, Kings, Shepherds, angels… I have never once seen one with an image of John the Baptist. Of course at the time of Jesus’ birth he would only have been a baby himself, but although he’s recognised as a prophet who points us to Jesus the Christ, he’s really not the stuff of Christmas cards – wild, scary, with a rather daunting message of repentance. In fact just this week a friend sent me a picture of John the Baptist looking suitably w...

Have just been thinking about wilderness, largely because I read this Jesus' story ( as told by Matthew) begins with the genealogy, but also with the wilderness. jesus' ministry starts with 'you are my beloved son' but then Jesus is sent to the wilderness. Even creation itself starts with wilderness and then the naming of humanity. Is there something about the desert, the bleak place, the emptiness that helps us to take in what this sense of being one of God's own people really means?

Readings for this week are: Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-13 Matthew 3:1-12 All of which seem to speak of continuity, of descendants, of relationship over time. Where are we in this succession? I am reminded of a recent morning spent mooching around Canterbury cathedral, where the windows depicting the figures of Old & new Testament were described as an early version of 'who do you think you are' - linking the monks in worship with their roots in the people of God. I also notice that December 1st commemorates Nicholas Ferrar, deacon of Little Gidding and founder of a religious movement there, devoted to prayer and study of the scripture. Before his death he said to his community: `It is the right, good old way you are in; keep in it'. I think I'm minded to say something about our true roots, our true way, our real 'tradition' in Christ: at this time of year when we tend to think about family & friends & where we have come from only in terms of our littl...

Advent Sunday Isaiah 2: 1-5 Romans 13: 11-14 Matthew 24: 36-44 It’s coming. You can’t stop it. You can’t slow it. You can’t avoid it. You can’t escape it. It’s coming and it will catch you up and engulf you & there is nothing you can do about it. No, for once I’m not ranting about the impending celebration of Christmas: I’m talking about the love of God, the presence of God, the reign or kingdom of God. Advent Sunday is about the start of the season when we get ready for what God does at Christmas. It is about shifting our attention away from ourselves and from human activity and looking for what God is doing and will do. If there is a pithy Advent message today, it is stop trying so hard and doing so much and simply accept that God is coming to you – nothing is required of you except to accept it! I’m reminded of the hoary old preacher’s story fo the 5 year old boy who got lost out in the forest near his home. As ot grew darker and darker and as the temperature and then the snow s...

Christ the King : Colossians 1: 11-20; Luke 23: 33-43 This week we have heard the news of the engagement of Prince William, our future king, and Kate Middleton. I couldn’t help thinking that the plans of a couple who have been together for 8 years to get married next year is hardly ‘news’ – but of course as it’s William then this is a Royal Wedding we’re talking about – and Kate becomes, on marrying him, a prospective queen. I even heard the comment made that their years together so far have helped to give Kate an insight into ‘how the family works’. She needs to know what it will mean for William to be King; to understand the responsibility, the expectations, the role. I imagine that how you feel about royalty will colour how you feel about the news: is it a great source of national celebration, a wonderful excuse for a party, or a terrible waste of public money and time? As we stand on the threshold of Advent, the lectionary invites us to think about royalty, too, and to consider...

Well the end of the liturgical year: Christ the King. I like this chance to take stock before we're catapulted into the madness of Advent & Christmas. Before we get too carried away with babies in mangers, let's not forget that the one who is coming is Christ the Lord of all. Readings are: Jeremiah 23:1-6 Colossians 1:11-20 Luke 23:33-43 God will raise up a shepherd from the stock of David. He is the image of the invisible God first-born of all creation. The crucified one is recognised as king. Plenty of food for thought there...

Today is, of course, Remembrance Sunday . We may be caught between many different feelings: some may wear a red poppy to honour those who fought – especially those who didn’t return. Others may wear a white poppy to pledge themselves to peace. Some may want to look back and thank God that ‘our boys’ won and that this country remained free. Others may want the freedom to be proud of ‘our boys (and girls)’ who are fighting today without facing an accusation of racism. Some may want to remember the victory of self-sacrifice… and others want to be able to forget the horror of war. Caught in the complexity of all these many feelings, it is tempting to focus on the reading we heard from Isaiah – looking forward to a time when God will create a new heaven and a new earth – with love and peace and prosperity for all people. This is a fantastic reading to remind us that life will not always be this hard and that in the end God will sort it out. But the letter to the Thessalonians gives Paul’s ...

This week's readings: Isaiah 65:17-25 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19 Today I led a reflection on these readings for a meeting, based on the gospel reading. I think this will be my starting point for Sunday - which also needs to bring in Remembrance! : We are caught between realism & the hope of the gospel. Jesus says to his followers quite clearly – don’t get carried away by the splendour of the temple – the fine stones and ornaments. Don’t put your trust in your fine building – because it won’t last. In fact, the Temple was destroyed by the Roman army about 40 years later – but even if that hadn’t happened, it would be hardly be as good as new, 2,000 years on – buildings can’t last. So if we can’t put our trust in buildings, in solid bricks & mortar, what can we trust? People? Jesus says “Take care you are not misled. For many will come saying ‘ I am he’ and ‘the time has come’. Do not follow them”. So however charismatic a leader, or whatever the claim they make for ...

Stand firm (2 Thessalonians 2: 1-5, 13-17; Luke 20: 27-38) Do you ever think about this church in 20 years’ time? or even 10 years’ time & wonder ‘What will it be like?’. I hope it won’t come as shocking news to anyone here that the church as we know it is changing. We know that numbers here on a Sunday are not what they were, let’s say 20 years ago. I can tell you that increasingly when I talk to couples getting married, about what hymns they would like in the service they don’t just say ‘I’ll ask my mum’ they say ‘I’ll ask my gran’. We are all getting older, of course – but research tells us that the average age of our congregations is rising. The church is changing. The church as we know it is dying. But the church of Jesus Christ is nearly 2000 years old: and in those 2 millennia it has changed time and time again – new movements have been born, and died, but the Church is (as a friend of mine put it recently) ‘theologically indestructible’. She meant that although the form of...

So is it the lack of sunshine on my pineal gland, the shortening days, or the putting away of Summer sandals & breaking out of Winter boots - but I'm feeling gloomy. Actually it's none of those things, it's most likely the fact that one of my churches is having a wobble about existence. It doesn't matter which one it is - all four could point to falling numbers on Sunday mornings, lack of people to do jobs, wondering how to be relevant to the world around... you get the picture. The problem (I am told by a wise friend) is the Decline of the Christian Church in the West. Please note the capitals - this is a BIG phenomenon and as such it is not my fault. But I am the one who will get up on her hind legs on Sunday to preach the gospel to people who are worried about the future. So what to say? The readings are: Haggai 1:15b-2:9 or Job 19: 23 – 27a; 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-5, 13-17; Luke 20: 27-38 At first sight the OT & Epistle look like 'keep on going' kind o...

"Only" the 8am service to preach for this week - so here's the notes... Luke 19: 1-10 ‘The son of man came to seek and to save what is lost.’ Not ‘who is lost’ but what is lost. Yes, Jesus had come to save Zaccheus, but it wasn’t that Zaccheus was thoroughly bad and lost whilst everyone else around was thoroughly good and OK. Jesus has come to save what is lost – the bits of Zaccheus that had gone astray. And Jesus had also come to save the lost compassion of the crowd around Zaccheus, to show them that this man wasn’t beyond redemption, and that maybe they needed to be ready to love the sinner amongst them. Jesus comes to save what is lost, and this is good news for us – there are bits of our lives where we feel lost, things we know we have got wrong - and Jesus has come to set things right. That’s the saving bit – putting right what is wrong, bringing hope where there is hurting. But Jesus also says he comes to seek – to look deeply where other have only glanced and d...

Readings for this week: Joel 2: 23-32 Luke 18: 9-14 Stung by an article on Friday's "Women's Hour" (on Radio 4) that sermons never deal with the political realities - I've taken the current political situation as my starting point this week - we'll see how it goes! Pharisee & tax-collector. So finally this week we have heard where some of the cuts are going to fall as the coalition government tries to reduce the deficit. Inevitably comparisons are made: who will be hardest hit? who will get away with minimal changes to their lifestyle? and the question to which we all want the answer – how will this affect me? It is human nature to be concerned about ourselves and where we stand in relation to others. We would not have survived as a species if we had no concern at all for our own well being. But as people of God we need to be concerned for others, as well as ourselves, and we should beware any thinking that makes us believe that we are a cut above others....

I'm off to a 3-day meeting: so this had to be done early. I'm sure I will want to come back to it before Sunday - but these are my thoughts thus far: Oct 17th: 
Genesis 32:22-31 
Luke 18:1-8 One of the problems with listening to any Bible readings is that our minds can be so full of other issues. I wonder what’s bothering you as you sit there listening this morning. Perhaps you’ve been worrying about a member of the family – an elderly relative with health problems, or a younger one in financial difficulty; perhaps you’re worried about your own health, or fearful of the future in some other way. Perhaps you’ve confided in someone else or maybe you’re the only ones who knows what it is that you’re bothered about. With all this potential for distraction going on in our minds and in our live, who are we meant to listen to the Bible? And what can it possibly have to say to us, even if we do manage to still our internal storms for long enough to let the Bible speak to us. Perhaps ...

What a week it's been - 2 funerals, an art exhibition at one of the churches this weekend, and someone very ill ( but thankfully getting better) in hospital, on top of all the 'usual' stuff. Very little time to think about a sermon - so here's the notes for the 8am 'Reflection', then I must go back to the short sermon for the thanksgiving service (in which I've decided to use the Luke reading but also Mark 10: 13-16 - Jesus blessing the children). The gospel reading from Luke tells us of the 10 healed lepers – only one of whom came back to thank Jesus – and he was the foreigner, the Samaritan. I think I remember being taught in Sunday school that this shows we should always remember to say thank you. As I’ve got older I’ve taken this story as a great comfort when I’ve felt taken for granted. Even Jesus, who could heal people of leprosy, only got a 10% ‘thank you’ rate. But this time round, I was very struck by hearing this together with the Jeremiah reading....

Readings for this week: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 2 Timothy 2:8-15 Luke 17:11-19 For me there's something here about attitudes: God tells the exiles to get on and live in Babylon, and not to waste their years in pining for what they've lost. In the gospel reading, Jesus heals 10 lepers & only 1 comes back to give thanks. I think I want to go beyond the stereotypical Sunday school 'So you should always say thank you, children' to say that it is right for Jesus to heal all 10 even if only 1 thanks him - what's right is right, even if it's unmarked or unmentioned. I like the Timothy reading too: talking about our identity in Christ. I don't think we'll quite have time for all 3 readings - so may just go with Timothy & Luke (one of the services includes thanksgiving for the birth of a child). What does it mean to live as people touched by God's love in Christ - even if a lot of the time we don't notice it?

Ah, well - I'm being a Godmother again this coming Sunday (a great honour!) so won't be preaching. But I can heartily recommend this site here - I think it brings together a lot of the Lukan material we've been looking at over the last few weeks.

So here's the 'church' version: Rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31 1 Timothy 6:6-19) Jesus talks about a division between rich and poor. We know before we even listen to the news or read our papers that there is a huge gap between the poor of this word and the rich: in education, in life-expectancy, in health.. and so on. What should we do about this gap – ignore it? Thank God we’re on the right side of it? Or act.. and if so, how? In the letter to Timothy, Paul warns that those who are rich should be rich in good works. Particularly in this season of Autumn and harvest festivals, we remember to give thanks to God for all the riches we enjoy and in many places we combine that with some sort of charity giving to those who are less fortunate – the poor in this country or in others. So we have gifts here for the Cambridgeshire food bank, and opportunities at the harvest supper to make some money to help the people of Zimbabwe, and all through September we have been collectio...

Here's the diagram that explains the whole "I'm OK, you're OK" idea, which comes from Transactional Analysis:

This week I began the working week with a Ministries Committee meeting. Since I had to write a reflection for devotions i thought I might as well use the Gospel readings form the lectionary: Luke 16:19-31 So here is what I wrote - my plan is to adapt this for my congregations on Sunday - probably also bringing in 1 Timothy 6:6-19 Reflection Even as I was driving to the station this morning there was a discussion on the radio about the division between rich and poor and whether the current coalition government has been redistributive in its programme so far. We know there is a gap between the poor of this word and the rich: in education, in life-expectancy, in health.. and so on. Particularly in this season of Autumn and harvest festivals, we remember to give thanks to God for all the riches we enjoy and in many places in our churches we combine that with some sort of charity giving to those who are less fortunate – the poor in this country or in others. All of this is good – and maybe ...

The Unjust Steward I spent the first part of this week at a gathering of ministers in the Eastern synod. Before I went I looked up the lectionary readings, hoping that while I was away I might be able to find some time to reflect on the readings, and so come home with a super-duper sermon for you all. My heart sank when I realized that it’s time for the parable of the unjust steward. So I thought I would be clever and pick the brains of my colleagues. For a few meals I’d ask whoever I was sitting with ‘Are you preaching on the unjust steward this week? – what did you make of it?’. After a while I sensed that people were becoming strangely reluctant to sit with me at mealtimes. In any list of ‘very hard sayings of Jesus’ – this parable has to be in the top 10 – if not No 1. OK – so here’s a killer start to a sermon: this parable is really hard to understand and even a group of people with quite a lot of theological training between them would rather not have to say what they think it me...

What a cracking parable Luke gives us this Sunday: Luke 16: 1-13 First thought - should I even try to preach on this? Second thought - I've just been learning about parables in general, so can I apply some of the general principles? a) Looking for the shocking and surprising, rather than the predictable meaning: and b)it doesn't get much more shocking than this. b) I'm also reminded that we should beware automatically assuming that the most powerful character in any parable MUST be God. c) In what context is the story first told? So.. well, it's certainly a shock that Jesus seems to commend the trickery of the steward - surely we expect him (want him?) to get his comeuppance from his boss - even if his 'creative accountancy' does win him some other friends. I'm glad I'm released from trying to imagine God as the 'boss' in the story. And as for context: this comes right after the story of the prodigal son - another wastrel who doesn't get the ...

A re-telling of the story, with all ages in mind : if I was telling it I think I would carry a broom! The lost coin – the woman’s story I’m sure you know what it’s like when you’ve lost something. That sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach and the maddening little voice in your head that says ‘it must be here somewhere – LOOK!’. You go round in circles, you look in places you know you’ve looked already, but you’re just getting desperate. The frustration, the sadness, the anger with yourself…where IS it? That’s just what I was like when I lost one of my silver coins. You might be thinking – one coin, big deal! – but it was a denarius, that’s one day’s wages for my husband, Eli. We’d saved up 10 of them, you see, 10 coins. Enough for a lovely trip away somewhere, or a really special meal for all our friends and family, maybe a great big rug.. we hadn’t really decided what to do with it. But we kept those 10 coins safe. Then one day I was counting them – I loved doing that, unwrap...

This Sunday is our Creative Church Sunday & although I won't be there (other duties call) - I was part of the planning. So here is our plan: Creative church celebrating new beginnings Call to worship: Let us worship God – who makes each new day. Hymn: 377 This is the day Prayer of approach How do we feel about any new beginnings we are (or someone known to us is ) facing? Apprehensive? Scared? Excited? Unsure? Afraid of getting lost? Story of lost sheep from Luke 15 (from point of view of sheep) Hymn: 92 Amazing Grace Prayer for others – written on ribbons, tied to cross as CD plays (Taizé “Jesus, remember me”) – can read prayer or name of person or place for whom you are praying – if you would like to. Story of the lost coin – from point of view of woman in story Offertory - chance to give thanks & give back to God Giving out pennies – shiny, attractive, small – something for you to take away to remember these stories of being lost and being found and of the God who n...

A 'Wordle' based on the sermon for today: if I can work out how to print it I'm going to do so for the 3 young people who might be at one of the services. title="Wordle: Following Jesus"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/2370546/Following_Jesus" alt="Wordle: Following Jesus" style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">

Luke 14: 25-33 ‘Anyone who does not hate their mother, father, sister and brother cannot be my follower’. Sometimes what Jesus says is so shocking that we might wonder whether we’ve heard it right. Jesus telling us to hate? My daughter Ellie happened to be in earshot as I was looking up the lectionary readings and heard me say “Oh boy!” – so wanted to know what I was reading. I read the gospel reading to her and her response was ‘Well then, Jesus is going to get some very strange people as followers”. If we take Jesus literally I think she’s right – only those who have been very damaged and hurt are usually in a position to say that they hate all their immediate family. So what is Jesus doing? What does he mean? Well, for a start he’s got us thinking and like any good Jewish rabbi he does that by shaking us out of our complacent rut and saying what we least expect to hear. All of Jesus’ listeners would have grown up with a good knowledge of the law: even in 21st century Britain most pe...