What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Sermon preached for Lent 1, 2013

    Here’s the video.


    And here is the text:

    One of my favourite stories about St Mary’s is one that I’ve heard several versions of. It concerns one of my predecessors as Provost here.

    He had been here for a couple of months and thought that things were going OK. And then suddenly a letter appeared from a member of the congregation. (It may be that person is still here and just about to write to me in similar terms, so I’m taking a risk in telling this story).

    The gist of the letter was that its author listed the many ways in which the worship of the congregation had changed in those three months.

    See here, the letter writer wrote – see all the changes that you’ve made.

    And in the letter there was a list. In the version of the story I like the best there were 90 points listed but I don’t know whether we should allow a little bit of exaggeration in the telling.

    And the Provost in question had to confess (more…)

8 responses to “Passion Sunday Sermon”

  1. Allan Ronald Avatar
    Allan Ronald

    Thank you for this excellent sermon.

    Reply
  2. Pam Avatar
    Pam

    Thanks for this sermon Kelvin. I now know more about spikenard than I did (which was nothing much!). And I also like the Gandhi reference.

    Reply
  3. Diarmuid o Avatar
    Diarmuid o

    Very thoughtful.. Love the Quote on the smell of justice.. Love etc. thank you!

    Reply
  4. RevRuth Avatar
    RevRuth

    According to my sources spikenard is a sharp smell, somewhere between mint and ginseng. Now you see, I had it more myrrh like, more heady. But I can see that mint and ginseng would be better at covering up rotting body smells.

    Reply
  5. kennedy fraser Avatar
    kennedy fraser

    Our associate priest (Bryan Owen) managed to get a spikenard candle for his sermon on Sunday

    Reply
    1. kelvin Avatar
      kelvin

      AND WHAT DID IT SMELL OF, FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE?

      Reply
      1. Ruth Avatar
        Ruth

        As it’s the same family as Valerian, it may smell strongly of smelly feet – and (like Valerian) send cats into a state of frenzy…..

        Reply
  6. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/SPIKENARD-ESSENTIAL-Nardostachys-jatamansi-10ml/dp/B002RJL4C0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363812646&sr=8-1

    Reply

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