Author: stuart

  • A Harvest Inquisition

    Is what we are doing life giving? Now this might seem a bit like the Spanish Inquisition, well I hope not a real one but perhaps a Monty Python one. Of course no-body expects the spanish inquisition, especially in a sermon, but their chief weapon is surprise. Surprise and fear, are their two chief weapons…

  • Entertaining Angels

    Entertaining Angels

    Whilst I was writing this for Michaelmas, Chris, a Pilgrim from Poland on his way to Ireland called to ask for hospitality…  Timing… ! Entertaining Angels is the title of the 1996 film about Dorothy Day founder of the Catholic worker movement and 1920’s and 1930’s social activist.  It can be regarded that what she…

  • Seasoning the Spirit

    Seasoning the Spirit

    Sunday 27th September 2015 I remember someone recalling a conversation with their builder.  It went something like this: ‘Could I trouble you for a cup of water?’ ‘But of course.’ ‘Thanks very much.  I wonder, would it be possible to have hot water?’ ‘Yes, of course, not a problem.’ ‘That’s really kind, thanks.’  ‘Um, I…

  • Where is the Love?

    Where is the Love?

    So, where is the Love?  Bart Simpson once said: “If you don’t watch the violence you won’t get desensitised to it.”  An ironic jibe from a cartoon which often portrays in a cartoon within a cartoon the ‘Itchy and Scratchy show’ A cartoon mouse finds ever more inventive ways of destroying the cat.  There is…

  • open mouth, insert foot

    Oh Peter: Open mouth, insert foot. One might be inclined never to preach again listening to the reading from the letter of James and perhaps after this experience that might be welcome. I’ve always been quite taken with the Quakers and search out a meeting from time to time when possible. Real silence is impossible…

  • Walking together for Creation Time

    Walking together for Creation Time

    The Orthodox Church year begins in September.  The first month, until the feast of Francis, patron of all things ecology, is dedicated to creation.  It is especially important to remember Creation Time this year as the worlds’ leaders prepare to meet in Paris in November for the 21st attempt to make a universal climate agreement. …

  • A moment of Christ

    Olives. Bread. Everlasting, old. New, creation. Grown. Baked. Plucked down from a tree. Crafted by hands. For a Bitter Sweet moment. Left to mature. Worked into shape. Becoming a moment of life. As a moment of grace – like Christ on the earth. Like all beautiful partnerships; The two do not belong together for long.

  • peace on our feet

    peace on our feet

    How comfortable are we right now?  I’ve never been particularly comfortable in a church – building or otherwise.  That has little to do with the fact that I’ve not yet found a pew comfortable for more than five minutes at a time.  But perhaps that is good.  We can become too comfortable in church.  We…

  • Jesus the Migrant King

    Jesus the Migrant King

    Jesus is the Migrant King. Tonight at 5pm on BBC1 Songs of Praise will be broadcast featuring the makeshift Church at Calais on the migrant camp. Occasionally someone will do a radical thing. The usual accepted ‘British’ policy is to reign them in quickly until they cave in and conform. Alternatively, if you read the…

  • Be Like the Bees

    Be Like the Bees

    Reflecting on John 6.35, 41-51 What does it mean to live in the light of this Gospel reading, and indeed to live a life that Jesus leads us to? How do we live as people who believe that the way of Jesus is the way to the Bread of Life? It takes us a little…