Sermon Archives - St John & St Mark Church Bury

Hebrews to Dominic

Friday, August 16, 2019 stjohnstmarkchurchbury

Faith, says Hebrews, ‘gives substance to our hopes and makes us certain of realities we do not see’.

We have not seen Jesus, unless we have had a vision. We have not seen Jesus but at some level, in some way we believe in him and trust in him and see him as our friend and saviour.

And we cannot see God the Father, yet we can envisage God as our Creator and the one who breathes life into us.

We cannot see the Spirit. All we can do is to believe in the power of the Spirit, have faith in that power, and live.

The faith challenge

Monday, August 12, 2019 stjohnstmarkchurchbury

Picking up on recent media sound bites, faith seems to getting a much more negative vibe – “We’ve lost faith in the justice system”; “The country has no faith in politicians”.

Closer to home, in relation to Bury FC, “the fans have lost faith in the current owner”. Interestingly though the latest chairman statement calls us fans to hang on in there and have faith!

Our Christian faith is becoming more and more marginalised. Having faith – Christian or otherwise – is becoming a challenge – but wasn’t it ever so?!

Possessed by possessions?

Wednesday, August 7, 2019 stjohnstmarkchurchbury

My sister was once on a course for very important nurses. She was, at the time, the senior nursing officer for Cambridge and attended the course with matrons from all over the country – a fierce regiment of women.

During the night the fire alarms went off and gathered on the lawn of the house were these redoubtable ladies in dressing gowns and hair nets.

I asked my sister what she had taken out with her. Her reply – my glasses and my fags. Things important to her at that moment in time.

The art of hospitality

Sunday, July 21, 2019 stjohnstmarkchurchbury

Can I ask an indelicate question? Who here is in their 80’s? Or 90’s? Anyone older?

Today we have that wonderful picture of the 3 visitors who come to bring startling news to Abraham and Sarah. Well, more to Sarah actually. The news is that within a year, the 89 year old Sarah will become pregnant and have that long-awaited, long-promised child.

I’ll just let that sink-in a moment…

What kind of people?

Sunday, July 14, 2019 stjohnstmarkchurchbury

We’re being asked to choose: What kind of people do you want to be?

“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength”.

Moses says: is this how you want to be known? If so, you can do it. It’s within your grasp…

Heaven

Wednesday, June 5, 2019 stjohnstmarkchurchbury

For the Vicar of Dibley, heaven meant being surrounded by mountains of chocolate. And many think of heaven in terms of food and drink: heavenly food, heavenly wine.

For others heaven equals being physically pampered. Perhaps soaking in a hot bath with plenty of foam and unguents, surrounded by aromatic candles.

For yet others, heaven is being in a beautiful countryside with lovely views or lying on a beach soaking up the sun or listening to the music of J S Bach.

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