Saint Patrick’s Breastplate


This morning we sang, for the offertory hymn, Saint Patrick’s Breastplate. Partly this was because it was a suggested hymn for this Sunday from the Royal School of Church Music, but also because it’s probably my all-time my favourite hymn. Sadly, these days most hymn books omit two verses, one of which is my favourite verse. Today we sang the shorter version, but we shall sing the whole hymn on Trinity Sunday in procession. Here’s a recording of the shorter version that we sang today.

The hymn is a translation from the original by Mrs C F Alexander. She also wrote All things bright and beautiful which is one of my least favourite hymns, but she can be forgiven as she also gave us this masterpiece of hymnody.

What I said this Sunday for the 1st Sunday in Lent


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This week the gospel reading is the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. However, I felt led to talk not about the reading but to address how we should be approaching our keeping of Lent in general. Here is what I said.

There are three signs that you are getting old. One is memory loss. I can’t remember the other four.

What’s your memory like? A few years ago scientists undertook some research done into memory and age. They wanted to find out at what age your brain starts to malfunction. And it’s younger than you think. They discovered that your brain starts to malfunction, mainly because your brain cells start dying, once you reach the age of 40. At that age you can expect to start getting that experience of walking into a room and forgetting why you did, or of going to the fridge and opening the door and then standing there like a lemon thinking “why on earth have I opened the fridge door?” The only comfort you can take from knowing that your memory is fast disappearing is that everyone else over the age of 40 is just as bad and is in the same boat. Continue reading →

What I said on Sunday – Transfiguration Sunday


Last Sunday was the Sunday Next before Lent, also known as Transfiguration Sunday as the gospel reading is the transfiguration of Jesus. Here’s what I said – apologies for it being a little late this week!

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Luke 9.28-36

You know what it’s like! Some friends invite you round for a meal. And what do they do? They get out the photo album. Or if they’re technologically savvy they show you the photos on the TV screen. First it’s the holiday photos. And then it’s the photos of the children. And you struggle to pretend that you’re really interested – your eyes start to glaze over and you keep saying, “Yes, that’s really nice …” without meaning it. Well – this morning we’re going to have a look at a photo album. Continue reading →

Munch with Music – Feb 6th


Our monthly free lunchtime concerts resume this coming Wednesday (February 2nd) following the Christmas break.

This month we welcome Stephen Reck for a concert of classical guitar. Stephen is regarded as one of the foremost players of a new generation of classical guitarists emerging from Ireland. As a soloist he has performed extensively in the UK, Ireland and America. He has received excellent reviews for his popular CD Saudade from Classic FM magazine and American Record Guide.

All welcome – coffee provded free from 12.15pm – performance from 12.45pm to 1.30pm. Bring you own lunch if you wish.

What I said this Sunday – Epiphany 4


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Just as things are getting back to normal following Christmas, Epiphany and post-Christmas week off, I find myself ‘playing away’ at St Paul’s Church in Woldingham. St Paul’s is in our team and is currently in interregnum. There were two baptisms in the service as well!

Luke 4.14-21

For any minister preaching your very first sermon is a nerve-wracking experience. After that it gets more difficult. Continue reading →

Further weather update for 20th


Having consulted with our church warden and taking into account current conditions and the forecast the final decision on services tomorrow is:
8am: CANCELLED
10am: Will go ahead as normal
6pm: CANCELLED

Mobile Blogging from here.

Weather update for 20th


Unless the weather gets substantially worse 8am and 10am masses will go ahead as normal this Sunday. 10am might be said rather than sung if we have problems getting our organist here from Redhill.

As things stand choral evensong is still on but it might prove impractical to get choir, organist et al, if the promised further snow materialises.

Watch this space for developments!

Mobile Blogging from here.

Sunday after Christmas – what I said


The Sunday after Christmas is also the Sunday following the feast of Saint John the Evangelist, so we celebrate Saint John and Chrismas combined! We used the readings for the feast of Saint John, hence the gospel reading. I should also add that I am grateful to The Times Newspaper for its reporting over the Christmas period, without which this sermon would not have been possible, as the quotes from newspapers of the past came from its pages – well worth the subscription!

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John 21.19-end

As we gather here today, we look back over a week that has seen three special birthdays.

This week saw a momentous birthday, one very important one for us to remember today. 131 years ago this month the foundation stone of our church was laid. And a year later, on 27th December 1882, the new parish church of Saint John the Evangelist was consecrated – 130 years old this week. And how times have changed over the years for the Church – both for St John’s and for the Church of England as a whole. Today perhaps our biggest issue is when we are going to get women bishops. We already, of course, have women priests. Yet even relatively recently such concepts would have baffled the people who sat in the pews at St John’s.

Let’s go back to the early days of Saint John’s, over a hundred and twenty years ago.  A woman’s place was most definitely in the home, and not in the house of bishops. In 1895 the Isle of Man Times gave the following advice:

Don’t argue with your husband; do whatever he tells you and obey all his orders. Continue reading →

Midnight Mass – and what I said


A very happy Christmas to you all. Here’s my midnight mass sermon for this year.

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John 1.1-14

It’s good to see you all here this evening. You obviously all made it through the end of the world in one piece. After all, there were those who were saying it was all going to end on Friday. On the 21st December the 5,125 year calendar of the ancient Mayans came to an end and some were predicting that the world was going to end after being hit by a rogue planet. It would certainly have been spectacular. I assume that those who were really convinced that the end of the world was nigh didn’t bother buying any Christmas presents this year, and have now had to rush out and buy them all at the last minute. I think the best, and most understated news headline, posted on Friday afternoon on the CBS News website, was: Mayan calendar ends; world doesn’t. Continue reading →