St Frideswide Sermons

Here can be found sermons given at services at St Frideswide's church.

2019

2018

  • Sunday next before Lent. The gospel reading we have just heard describes something that took place during Jesus' final journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, so it is very appropriate for this time as we journey towards Easter. Somewhere on his journey came this extraordinary event which we call the Transfiguration.
  • 2nd Sunday of Lent. If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
  • Tuesday of Holy Week. Amongst those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
  • 2nd Sunday of Easter. O how good and pleasant it is, when a family lives together in unity! It is like fine oil upon the head that runs down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, and runs down upon the collar of his robe.
  • 6th Sunday of Easter. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world.
  • Trinity Sunday. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
  • 2nd Sunday of Trinity. Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.
  • 3nd Sunday of Trinity. In the Gospel today Jesus looks for ways to tell us about the Kingdom of God; about the way that, just like a plant in our garden, it grows even when we don't know how; about the way that it comes from such tiny beginnings, about the way that it grows to welcome and shelter us all.
  • 6th Sunday of Trinity. I feel sure that they share with Ezekiel, Paul and the early Apostles the three-fold pattern that we see in these readings of encounter, calling and obedience.
  • 9th Sunday of Trinity. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, ... what is the breadth and length and height and depth
  • 11th Sunday of Trinity. This week I binged listened to The Home Babies - a series of eight episodes from BBC Radio 4 reporter Becky Milligan on the Tuam Mother and Baby Home that operated from 1925-1961 in the Republic of Ireland. It was not easy listening.
  • 16th Sunday of Trinity. When was the last time you were disappointed? Was it a book you were looking forward to reading, but it wasn’t as good as you hoped?
  • Harvest Festival. Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
  • 19th Sunday of Trinity. When I read the passages from Scripture that you have just heard, I thought O dear! I really have drawn the short straw this time.
  • 21st Sunday of Trinity. It’s a passage about misunderstanding. And misunderstanding things is very easy.
  • Remembrance Sunday. The 11th of November 1918 marked an end and a new beginning. An end to war, as far as Britain and France were concerned, the hope of a new era of peace.
  • Advent Sunday. Happy New Year! Don’t worry. I’m not accidentally preaching a sermon meant for the 2nd January. I’m wishing you a happy new Church year. Today, the first Sunday of Advent, is the gateway to the new year in the Church calendar.
  • 2nd Sunday of Advent. Once upon a time there was a wise king. He called one of his workmen to him saying, "Go into the far country and build me a house. The decisions of planning and design and of actual construction will be yours, but remember, I’m going to give this house as a present to a very special friend of mine."

2017

  • 1st Sunday of Christmas. When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.
  • Epiphany. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
  • 2nd Sunday of Epiphany. On being called by God.
  • 4th Sunday before Lent. Why do good things? Why tell the truth, help the stranger, avoid greed? Why try to live life with justice and truth and compassion?
  • 3rd Sunday before Lent. You have heard that it was said to those of ancient time, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement.
  • 2nd Sunday of Lent. I wonder how many of you have ever been challenged about whether you are a 'born-again Christian'?
  • 2nd Sunday of Easter.Jesus said to them...’Peace be with you. As my father has sent me so I send you.’
  • 4th Sunday of Easter.The Good Shepherd is the main theme of chapter 10 of Saint John’s gospel, and today we heard the beginning of that chapter.
  • 5th Sunday of Easter.Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.
  • 6th Sunday of Easter. In the last few weeks, at Morning Prayer, we have been reading the story of the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land.
  • 7th Sunday of Easter. They said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven'
  • 1st Sunday of Trinity. Today we are beginning a big block of what the church calls Ordinary time, where the theatricality of the fast moving colour changing drama of the rest of the year is rested. Let us all aim to absorb the wisdom found in this solid, stable phase of the church’s year.
  • 2nd Sunday of Trinity. As the coach crawled along, I looked north, and beyond the smart, tree lined streets of white stuccoed houses, could be seen Grenfell Tower, a grim shape looming over the landscape with its blackened walls and shattered windows.
  • 3rd Sunday of Trinity. 'As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.'
  • 4th Sunday of Trinity. 'For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.'
  • 5th Sunday of Trinity. It is very good for us to focus on God’s gifts in creation and our care for the natural world. This beautiful planet is a gift from God
  • 6th Sunday of Trinity. 'I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name for ever.'
  • 7th Sunday of Trinity. The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.
  • The Transfiguration. He described the mission of the church (and therefore of every Christian) as being a 'Signpost to the Kingdom of God and a Mirror of its life'
  • 9th Sunday of Trinity. Paul writes 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Peter, in our gospel reading, does call on the Lord, and is saved ...
  • 11th Sunday of Trinity. We (...) are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
  • 13th Sunday of Trinity. As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
  • 17th Sunday of Trinity. The Parable of the Tenants
  • 19th Sunday of Trinity. Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's and to God the things that are God's.
  • 1st Sunday of Advent. The country is devastated. A horrifying plague sweeps England and over fourty percent of the population is killed. ...
  • 1st Sunday of Christmas. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

2016

  • 2nd Sunday of Christmas. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth
  • 1st Sunday of Epiphany. Our family is a little bit addicted to the US TV series called The Big Bang Theory ...
  • 4th Sunday of Epiphany. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal
  • 1st Sunday of Lent. Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
  • Passion Sunday. The wild animals will honour me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.
  • 3rd Sunday of Easter. Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs'.
  • 4th Sunday of Easter. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.
  • 5th Sunday of Easter. One theme in today’s readings is discernment -- trying to hear, to understand what God wants of us.
  • Ascension Sunday. Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven
  • 8th May. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
  • Pentecost. Our New Testament readings today tell the amazing story of the gift to us of the Advocate, of God the Holy Spirit, coming to transform the lives of the friends of Jesus and our lives too.
  • Shei's first Mass. The trail rears its head, stretching far into the distance. Early in the journey bands of pilgrims sung with joy and hope. Passing walkers shared insights, inspiring tales and tasty morsels, and talked eagerly of sanctity.
  • 10th July. But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbour?'
  • 7th August. It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
  • 18th September. The main story is about a rich man who had a manager or steward, who had been put in charge of an estate, but who was summonsed, accused of mismanagement, perhaps dishonesty, perhaps incompetence, or both.
  • 23rd October. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
  • All Saints. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever — for ever and ever.
  • 13th November. Do not be afraid; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.
  • Christ the King. Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom'.
  • 2nd Sunday of Advent. ... with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
  • 3rd Sunday of Advent. When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to Jesus, 'Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?'

Services & Sermons