Be united in the same mind and the same purpose
November 30, 2008 by James
Advent Sunday 2008 – (30th Nov 2008)
Be united in the same mind and the same purpose (1 Corinthians 1:10)
On the first day of the new church year, James preached on vision, hope and action for us as the body of Christ at St Mary’s over the next two years:
Readings: Isaiah 64.1–9 1 Corinthians 1.3–9 Mark 13:24-end
Lord, help us to long for you, to seek your face, and to trust in your Spirit. Amen.
Right. I promised you vision, hope and action for the next two years, and that is what you are going to get. I’m going to be a lot shorter than Eastenders, so please don’t drift off, I have some important stuff to say. The churchwardens will be watching with their sticks.
Though I studied some economics at university, I was not very good at it. But I do remember my tutor saying that the important thing is this: ‘You need to know where the bits go.’ And so I offered some pies to our church council a couple of weeks ago, and now I offer them to you with added years and Christ.
These are not mince pies as part of the headlong dash through Advent towards festivity and excess, oh no. These are pie-charts. I offer them to you today because this is Advent Sunday, the first day of the new church year, and a season – against the flow of much of our culture – of stillness and reflection, of waiting and longing. And because after two years as your vicar, I am ready to offer you and to lead our church in a clear vision for the next two years. Please click here to view the pie charts. Read more
The Church in Mission and Worship (Romans 16)
November 23, 2008 by Simon
A flight of fancy to conclude our journey through Romans:
My brothers and sisters, God’s people in Sanderstead,
Paul’s Plans (Romans 15:14-33)
November 16, 2008 by Simon
I’m going to begin this morning with a modern quotation that sets our penultimate passage from Romans in context. You’ve got it on a slip of paper so that you can stick it in your bible or on your fridge or on the inside of the front door so that you can see it when you go out. Here’s the quote – if it’s the only thing you remember from this morning, that’s fine by me:
“It is not the Church of God which has a mission in the world: it’s the God of mission who has a Church in the world.” Read more
Living Together as the Weak and the Strong (Romans 14:1-15:13)
November 9, 2008 by Colin
Living together in harmony is probably what people are worst at. I wonder if it would be easier if we were all the same – but it’s hard to imagine how dull life would be. Twice a year I volunteer to shake a bucket at Victoria or Waterloo railway stations for a favourite charity – and, as I see all those hundreds and hundreds of people, I am always amazed by two things. Firstly, although there are so many, how is it possible that I don’t know any of them, and secondly - the fact that every single one of them is completely different. (Of course the thing that really amazes me is when someone stops to put a pound in my bucket). Read more