I have had a complicated relationship with the Ascension. I am talking about Ascension Day rather than the Church of the Ascension – perhaps that’s another sermon there… As our regulars will have heard before, I was brought up a Northern Irish Baptist. Northern Irish Baptists make the sandal-wearing guitar-strumming Baptists of England look veryContinue reading “The ‘Truth’ of the Ascension”
Tag Archives: radical
A Place with no Outsiders or Believing the impossible
Isaiah 56:1-8 Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and do not let the eunuch say, “I am just a dryContinue reading “A Place with no Outsiders or Believing the impossible”
We are the Resurrection
Acts 2:42-47They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceedsContinue reading “We are the Resurrection”
Fulfilling the Law – a sermon by Margaret Offerman
The Law of Moses, the Jewish Law is contained in the first 5 books of the Hebrew bible and it’s both detailed and comprehensive. Some of the detail is quite extraordinary and suggests that the Israelites saw their God as above all a God of control. This is Leviticus chapter 11 verse 20: You mayContinue reading “Fulfilling the Law – a sermon by Margaret Offerman”
What is the Church?
Readings: Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40; John 1:29-42 Today I want to ask question “What is the Church?” Please close your eyes for a moment, and with your eyes closed I want you to visualise the Church of the Ascension. Take a few moments to form a mental image… How many of youContinue reading “What is the Church?”
Advent I (Why Advent is more grown-up than Lent)
Advent is here again, the season of chocolate filled calendars and trying to work out when is the best time to go shopping and the best time to put up our Christmas trees. According to the tradition of the Church, it’s also a time to take stock of our lives, a time of self-examination. It’sContinue reading “Advent I (Why Advent is more grown-up than Lent)”
“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”
Soul Gym?
2 Timothy 2.3-15 Once there was a man who went to play golf with his priest. He was on the third hole and only 3 feet away from the hole. He putted his shot and missed. “Damn it, I missed!” the man yelled. The priest replied that itContinue reading “Soul Gym?”
Angels to Some…
A Sermon for St. Michael & All Angels: One day God was looking down at earth and saw all of the naughty behaviour that was going on. So he sent one of his angels to go to earth for a time. When he returned, he told God, “Yes, it is bad on Earth; 95% areContinue reading “Angels to Some…”
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”
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