My sermon for Maundy Thursday


Here’s what I said on Maundy Thursday evening, at our wonderful mass with the washing of feet and the procession of the blessed sacrament to the altar of repose.

A little boy put on his shoes himself for the first time. His mother noticed that he had put the right shoe on his left foot and his left shoe on the right foot. So she said to him, “Timmy, your shoes are on the wrong feet.”
He looked up at her, rather puzzled, and said, “No, mummy, they’re definitely on my feet!” Continue reading →

What I said this Sunday – Palm Sunday


Here’s my sermon for Palm Sunday.

Matthew 21.1-11 (The Palm Gospel) and Matthew 27.11-54 (The Passion Gospel – short version)

In the run-up to Christmas people often say to me, “Christmas – it’s your busiest time of the year, isn’t it.” Well, the only answer to that is, “No, it isn’t!” At Christmas I spend a great deal of time going to things that other people organise – school performances, carol services and so on. It’s busy to an extent, but nowhere near as busy as the eight days that begin with Palm Sunday and culminate in the great celebration of the resurrection on Easter Day. Continue reading →

Munch and Music – 6th April


We are pleased to welcome to this month’s Munch and Music Martin Wright (Baritone).
The programme will include varied songs ranging from Handel to Rogers and Hammerstein and Martin will be accompanied by with Michael Barlow (Piano)
As usual the church will be open from 12.15 and light refreshments will be provided. 12.45-1.30pm performance. You are invited to bring your own ‘Munch’. Admission Free.

The Mom Song


Those of you looking for this week’s sermon won’t find anything. It being Mothering Sunday, and having lots of children in church, I had a Powerpoint on mothers and spoke ad lib. Instead, have a look at this video from Youtube – the Mom song.

The woman at the well


This Sunday the gospel reading in the Revised Common Lectionary is the Samaritan woman at the well. I alluded in my sermon to the fact that she is remembered as Saint Photini, with her own feast day, in the Orthodox Church. For those who would like a fuller account of her life, according to Orthodox tradition, you can read more about her at www.orthodoxchristianinfo.com, which also gives the following Orthodox prayer of Saint Photini:

Illuminated by the Holy Spirit, All-Glorious One,
from Christ the Saviour you drank the water of salvation.
With open hand you give it to those who thirst.
Great-Martyr Photini, Equal-to-the-Apostles,
pray to Christ for the salvation of our souls.

What I said this Sunday – Lent 3


Today’s gospel reading is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well from the gospel of John.

John 4.5-42

Billy Graham, the famous evangelist, has apparently led a far more blameless life, less open to judgement, than Jesus. Billy Graham has said that it is important as a Christian to be above reproach – quite right, as far as it goes. Continue reading →

What I might have said this Sunday – Lent 2


I wasn’t preaching this week, but I found this sermon that I preached on the same Sunday three years ago. The gospel reading is Nicodemus visiting Jesus by night. In the Genesis reading we hear about Abram being told to pack his bags and go off to a far country, and then Paul tells us that it was Abraham’s faith that saved him, not his works.

Genesis 12.1-4; Romans 4.1-5, 13-17; John 3.1-17

There is an old Chinese proverb:

He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.

We don’t, on the whole, like asking questions – after all, we don’t want to show how ignorant we are. Continue reading →

Farewell Service for Bishop Nick


The following message has been posted by the Diocesan Director of Communications:

Bishop Nick’s Farewell Service, before he leaves to become Bishop of Bradford, will be held in Croydon Parish Church at 6.30pm on Sunday 13th March. Everyone is warmly invited to this service, tickets are not needed so please just turn up. Bishop Nick’s last working day in the Diocese will be the 18 March and he will be Installed in Bradford Cathedral on the 21st May.

Bishop Christopher and Bishop Richard very much hope that many of you will want to join them at this service in praying for Bishop Nick and Linda, thanking them for all they have been and done during their time in Southwark Diocese and wishing them well for all that lies ahead.

What I said this Sunday – Sunday next before Lent


Here’s my sermon for the Sunday before Lent, often known as Transfiguration Sunday.

Matthew 17.1-9

There is a sign on the wall in the fracture clinic in East Surrey Hospital. It begins “I love the NHS” in that annoying way where someone thinks it’s really clever to replace the word love with a red heart. Continue reading →