Have you ever noticed that Jesus says some terribly inconvenient things? The classic phrase here which was one of my mum’s favourites to say to us is, ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you’. Truly annoying, when your brother has been winding you up and you just want to whack him. And the truth is, the stuff Jesus teaches, the love he models, is this kind of relentlessly considerate and graceful behaviour that makes it very difficult to get your own back. It goes agai

Today’s readings are in danger of seeming a bit random and disjointed. We have a burning bush and Moses being reluctant, Paul writing about temptation and warnings, and Jesus debunking retribution theology and telling a parable about a non-fruitful fig tree. It was one of those weeks when I scanned over the readings on Monday and thought, ‘oh dear’. However, there are a couple of points to address just because they are bothersome. First, the idea that bad things happen to oth

It's purple season! The crosses are veiled, we have joined together in the great litany, the A word has been banished. Welcome to Lent. Lent is a pretty sobering season in the church year, which isn’t that surprising when you consider that it’s based on Jesus enduring 40 days of the devil tormenting him. That’s not exactly the model for a good time! And we don’t ease into Lent gently. Instead we begin straight away by confronting our own mortality.  On Ash Wednesday we receiv

It’s a running joke in our house that I don’t like flowers. This isn’t quite true - flowers are beautiful and I appreciate them. But the truth is that I have the opposite of a green thumb. I think it’s very inconsiderate of flowers to not all live for exactly the same length of time. As an arrangement ages, some flowers wilt sooner than others, meaning that you either have to constantly rearrange and whittle them down, or you end up with a scruffy looking bunch. I don’t like

You have been assigned a mission, should you choose to accept it. It will bring hardship, it will involve stretching your boundaries and being uncomfortable at times. This quest will colour every decision, and influence every choice. It is not to be undertaken lightly. But others who have gone on this quest have also reported findings of joy, fulfilment, and a deep sense of purpose. This quest involves slaying dragons, building networks of contacts, delivering messages, train

It’s the first Sunday after Christmas. Mary is exhausted. In the last few days she and Joseph have begun adjusting to life with a newborn, and not only that but they’re doing it far away from home and without their family support system around them. Their lives have changed forever, and who they are as people have changed too. They’ve become parents. They’ve acquired new identities. Of course, I doubt they have any inkling that they will be represented by children in nativity

“Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us.” The cream flowed to the bottom of the mug of coffee, then billowed up in liquid clouds, slowly dispersing and merging into the perfect coffee colour. Butter, sugar, flour, and eggs came together in the bowl under the speed of the mixer, going from separate ingredients to forming a smooth, silky cake batter ready for baking. During some heart-searching and prayer, a renewed sense of reliance on God brought a sen

You can’t have your cake and eat it too. But it’s the beginning of Advent today, so perhaps you can? Stay tuned to find out more… This week was the finale of this year’s season of the Great British Baking Show, which is my very favourite tv show. It’s cosy and delightful and full of wondrous food, some of which I’ve made myself, and some I know I’ll never summon the ambition to attempt! Each episode has three challenges, but the curve-ball is always the second challenge, wher

Nation has risen against nation, kingdom against kingdom, there are earthquakes and famines, and the zombies have emerged. It is the end of the world.  If you have made it this far and are alive here this morning, please stand up… You’re lost in the wilderness and you’re very hungry. You see some berries but aren’t sure if they’re edible. You can eat them, or walk on. If you walk on, stay standing. If you choose to eat them, please sit down. Unfortunately they were poisonous.

I’m going to ask you to think about three things today that are all connected. The first is, what is a Saint? The second is, where is the adversary? The third is, how do we respond? So, first, what is a saint? If I asked you to name ten saints, who comes to mind? Some of the most famous are Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Saint Francis, Saint Theresa, Saint Nicholas… and you may think of others. But what IS a saint? The word "saint" comes from the Greek word hagios , which means

Last Sunday we celebrated Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit in wind and flame, and often thought of as the birthday of the Church....

If you ask the internet what are the top three questions asked about God, the number two answer is, ‘why does God allow suffering?’....