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--> A sermon for Remembrance Sunday Amos 5.18-24 ; Matthew 25.1-13 Some words from our first reading this morning: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream”.   The prophet Amos has harsh words for those who gather for religious ceremony, but who do not allow their celebrations and rememberings to affect their daily lives.   God, says Amos, hates gatherings of people, especially religious gatherings, that neglect those who are in need.   God looks for justice and righteousness, in all our doings, so that they might form mighty waters, an ever-flowing stream. As we gather on this Remembrance Sunday, we gather to recall with gratitude and sorrow those who have died in war.   We remember those who have served in the armed forces, and those who continue to do so, with gratitude for the spirit of service that they demonstrate.   We remember those who have died, and those who continue to die, in ...

On Wednesday, Radio 3's Choral Evensong came from Derby Cathedral. You can find the service on iPlayer , or it will be repeated today at 3pm. Here are the prayers I wrote for the service.   The readings were Zechariah 7 and Mark 10.17-31 In peace, let us pray: In the evening of the day, we come to you, O God, bringing those we have met, for your blessing, our hurts for your healing, our sins for your forgiveness, our labours as our offering and our lives as our worship; we come to you through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who became like us, that we might become like him. Amen. We pray for the church throughout the world, for Justin our Archbishop, for Alastair, Bishop of Derby, for the church here in this place and wherever this service is heard. Lord Jesus, you give us the gift of eternal life; keep us from the love of riches and all that diverts us from your service; strengthen those who are persecut...

A sermon for the Feast of St Matthew.   2 Cor. 4.1-6 ; Matthew 9.9-13 “Follow me”, said the teacher to the tax collector sitting in the office.   And Matthew got up and followed.   Perhaps Matthew never know why Jesus called him.   Matthew ate with Jesus, laughed with Jesus, cried with Jesus.   Matthew became one of the Twelve.   He ran away when Jesus was arrested.   He hid when Jesus was executed.   He met Jesus when he rose again.   He was filled with the Spirit on Pentecost.   He wrote the Gospel that tells us of his call.   “Follow me”, said the teacher to the tax collector sitting in the office.   And Matthew got up and followed.   About a third of the way through the Gospel that bears his name, Matthew records the day that Jesus called him.   He records it in the middle of stories of healing.   From the middle of Chapter 8 to the end of chapter 9, Matthew records all k...

A Sermon for Trinity 12. Matthew 18.15-20 Let me start with a little quiz.   It’s very easy, simply try and tell whether these statements are true or false.   1.      Christianity is about following the teaching of Jesus. 2.      Christianity is based on God’s love for us, seen in Jesus, overflowing into how we treat other people. 3.      For the whole history of Christianity, Christians have never disagreed with one another. I’m glad you laughed! Christians do, in fact, disagree.   They have done since the very beginning of the Church.   The first major disagreement comes at the beginning of the sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, although there are lies creeping already at the beginning of the fifth chapter.   And of course, there are many stories in the Gospels of the 12 disciples, the pillars of the church, disagreeing with one another (normally about...

This afternoon saw a Pilgrimage from St Alkmund's church in Derby to Derby Cathedral via St Alkmund's Well. Here are three new prayers I wrote for evensong at the end of the festivities: Holy Spirit of God, who in the beginning did brood over the face of the waters, and bring all things to birth; we thank you for the gift of water, to sustain us, to refresh us and to make us clean. We pray for all those who lack access to clean water, and ask that your gifts would be shared throughout your world. O Spirit of life, O Spirit of justice, bring your life and justice to the whole of this your world. Amen. Spirit of God, stir up we pray in the hearts of all who live in this city of Derby, a desire to know and love you, a determination to serve our neighbours, and a commitment to the common good of all.  We join our prayers with those of Alkmund, who found in this city a place of sanc...

A sermon for Trinity 1. Jeremiah 20.7-13 ; Matthew 10.24-39 Meet Jeremiah.   Jeremiah comes from Jerusalem and he is a prophet.   He was called as a prophet when he was a boy, or at least a young man.   As his calling, Jeremiah speaks God’s word to the people of Israel, whether they want to hear it or not.   Mostly they don’t.   That’s probably because mostly Jeremiah’s message is one of doom and destruction.   He warns the people that they need to change their ways and return to God’s ways, and if they don’t then God will bring destruction on Jerusalem.   Jeremiah is not popular.   And today, Jeremiah is fed up.   He knows that he is hated.   He doesn’t particularly like speaking words of destruction and doom.   So today Jeremiah is fed up, perhaps a little depressed – after all, speaking doom and destruction at all times has to have some effect?   This is the effect of his calling. Jere...

     1. The BNP no longer have any MEPs Halleluia! But with far right gains across Europe, there is still much pause for thought.      2. Nearly 2/3s of the electorate didn't vote This is the really troubling factor.  In both the local and the European elections, most people didn't bother to show up and vote.  Voting is a right that was hard won, but which now seems an irrelevance to most people.  This is not a sudden phenomenon, unique to these elections.  It will need patient, long-term hard work to re-engage people with politics.  Unless and until this work is done, politics is dangerously becoming a minority sport.      3. The European Parliament has a democratic deficit I am instinctively pro-European, I believe in working with others.  I am a reasonably intelligent and fairly well-informed person.  But I still don't know how the European Parliament works, nor what it's real...

Review of Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson, Leading from the Second Chair: Serving your Church, Fulfilling your Role, and Realizing your Dreams (Jossey-Bass, 2005). I had heard much about this book before I read it, and it did not disappoint.   This is a common sense and helpful approach to being a leader when you are not in the position of power and control in an institution.   As an account of leadership, it recognises the leadership of an individual, is responsible in terms of the needs of the organisation and intentional in helping people to own what they are doing.   As a second chair leader in two different roles within the Church, and as a former first chair leader, I found this helpful.   As someone responsible for the development of clergy, I will often turn to this as a resource. Bonem and Patterson organise their reflections around three paradoxes.   Each reflects some of the tension of being a leader but not being i...