Blog

  • The University Sermon – University of Oxford – 23 February 2025

    I glanced up from my desk as I sat down to write this sermon and gazed at an icon that has been on my wall for the last 8 years. It is obviously an icon showing the garden of Eden. A green background. Two figures stand on either side of the tree of knowledge. Although…

  • Divine Dating – the Mysterious Art of Finding A New Cleric

    How does God speak? Is it in the words of a CV or by judging the style in which it has been laid out? Would one font convince you to put someone on a shortlist and another make you put the application in the reject pile? Is it through the checking off of tick-boxes on…

  • Predictions 2025

    Good results for Nigel Farage following the English local elections in May. Terrible results for Conservative Party. No progress towards the marriage of same-sex couples in the Church of England Turbulent year for WordPress, which powers about half of the internet. 2025 will be the hottest year on record. No trade deal for UK with…

  • Scottish Episcopal Kalendar 2026

    For years now, I’ve produced a Kalendar for the Scottish Episcopal Church with all the bible readings set out for the year. This year’s Kalendar is available online so that anyone can download it and print it out for themselves. It is available right here: Scottish Kalendar 2026 Anyone who would like to make a…

  • How were my Predictions last year?

    Time to check out how I did with the predictions I made on New Year’s Day 2024. 1  General Election in UK – Labour landslide. PM – Sir Keir Starmer. (No great change in policies from the Tory government that Labour will replace). Yes – fulfilled in every way. 2  US politics will continue to…

  • Sermon for Janey Godley

    She said, “I’ve been making lists”. I said, “Oh, right. Is that lists of people that need to be invited to the funeral?” She said, “Naw – not that” Someone came into the hospice room for something and we were distracted.   I know that some of you might be a little surprised to find…

  • Finding a place to be

    I heard of another church that is due to close this week. It is in a place some distance from me but a church community that I once knew and like many church closures, it seems incredible to me that this particular one is closing down. As it happens it is one of the very…

  • The Beatitudes of Livestreaming

    Blessed are they who livestream their church services for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs to share with others and they know it. Blessed are the sick and the dying in churches which livestream for they shall be comforted by still being able to be part of their congregations in addition to receiving the personal…

  • Farewell to Oliver Brewer-Lennon – a sermon preached on 18 August 2024

    Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost ends of the earth. When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of…

  • David’s Lamentation – a sermon preached on 12 August 2024

    David the King, was grieved and moved He went to his chamber, his chamber and wept And as he wept, he wept and said… Oh, my son, oh, my son Would to God I had died Would to God I had died Would to God I had died For thee, oh Absalom, my son, my…