Sermon preached on 29 January 2012

Here’s Sunday’s sermon. Quite a tricky gospel reading all about casting out a demon.

I do like being in a congregation where you can speak from the pulpit about exorcising the demons of the Bible and commanding them to be quiet, as Jesus did with demons. In some places, if you preached a sermon like this one, the Jenny Geddes’s of this world would be sharpening up their stools.

I did enjoy preaching this one. I did keep them hanging on to the end for a laugh, but it was worth waiting for.

Fifteen or so years ago, I was in training to become a priest. Now, there was much that was poor about my training and much that I disliked. It was one of the least creative times in my life and quite certainly, I think, the most unhappy period of time I’ve ever known.

However, sometimes I have to remind myself that there were some good things that happened to me during that time. There were new experiences that I had. There were new things that I learned. The fact that it was largely despite rather than because of those attempting to form me as a priest is something that I’ll probably never let go of. However, even then, some things that they asked me to do were good. [Read more…]

Tealights in Dublin?

Its not easy to work out what’s going on in Dublin at the Anglican Primates’ Meeting which takes place there this week. There does not seem to be much in the way of independent reporting of it. There don’t seem to be any leaks and side-briefings this time as has become traditional at these events. Why not? Is it because some folk have decided to stay away?

All I have to go on is the official Anglican Communion News Service Report.

Now listen….

At the start of Wednesday morning Eucharist, Primates placed, at the foot of the altar, symbols (including photos, food, pictures and other objects) that represented the major missional challenges of their Province. This was so that these local issues are front of mind at any act of worship throughout the week.

Sound familiar?

My goodness, its obvious what is going on, isn’t it. TISEC has been brought in to facilitate the discussions and the worship.

There will be tealights and silk scarves strewn across that chapel by the end of the week. You mark my words.

Expect the next bulletin to refer to an act of worship where different coloured glass beads were carefully placed around the altar by each primate (a pink one for +Kathryn, obviously) as a symbol of our unity in diversity.