Tag Archives: Donnelly

The Other Sheep

A sermon on John 10v11-18

Our Gospel reading places us as a sheep belonging to Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Those who have been coming for a while know that I sometimes like to start my sermons with a joke, just to wake everyone up if the readings were dull or no one knew the last hymn.

I try to find a joke that somehow cleverly fits the theme of the sermon. This week I was trying to find sheep jokes and failed to find anything remotely relevant. But this is Marathon Sunday, and lots of our regulars are cut off or at least have their transport here disrupted… I was tempted to treat it as a teacher treats the last day of term and suggest that you all just “bring in games.” I have no excuse for the following jokes, other than that I am bringing in games!

So: What do you get if you cross an angry sheep and a moody cow?

“One Size Fits All” Spirituality

The Tax Collector and the Pharisee Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that IContinue reading ““One Size Fits All” Spirituality”

God & Money

Luke 16.1-13 (This is a sermon delivered at St. John’s this Sunday.  The good people of the Ascension will have heard the stories before…) There is a story of a woman who had been used to enjoying every luxury, and all respect.  When she died, the angels bore her up to heaven.  An angel wasContinue reading “God & Money”

Mary, Martha and the Good Samaritan

Luke 10.38-42 38 Now as Jesus and his disciples went on their way,  he entered a certain village,  where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary,  who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by herContinue reading “Mary, Martha and the Good Samaritan”

The Science & Theology of Creation

This year we have been observing the Season of Creation. We have talked about the world, we have considered humanity, made in God’s image, and today I want to give a thought to science. Too often when someone talks about the ‘theology of creation’ the conversation instantly moves to the supposed debate between sciene andContinue reading “The Science & Theology of Creation”

Paralympics in the season of Creation

There was story going round about three men who wanted to get into the Olympics but they hadn’t been able to get tickets. They came up with a plan to pose as athletes: the first man picked up a manhole-cover, tucked it under his arm and walks to the gate. “Corsini, Poland” he said, “Discus”,Continue reading “Paralympics in the season of Creation”