Trinity 5: It’s the way he tells them. Matthew 13.1-9,18-23 “The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ … But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed … Read More
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” Matthew 11: 16-19, 25ff Jesus was not happy. “You’re like a bunch of spoiled children, unhappy with whatever is offered you. You want it all your own your way. John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking and you said he was possessed by demons. I come eating and drinking … Read More
Parish Magazine ~ July 2020 Due to the Coronavirus ‘Lockdown’ of March 2020 onwards, the Parish magazine is published mainly online and only a few copies printed for archival purposes. Our clergy have been writing by email to members of the congregation, and the content appears here. Trinity Sunday Dear friends, Time rolls onward as an inevitable stream, and even … Read More
How welcome are you? What’s your hospitality like? Matt.10: 40-42 We love a good party here at St Mary’s. The Parish Dinner at the Golf Club in January, the Parish BBQ in June, Coffee Mornings each month, a Fellowship Christmas lunch and a summer picnic. Not to mention coffee before the monthly concerts, coffee after services and many other events … Read More
Priest’s Blog ~ June 2020 ASK: Trinity 2 Dear Friends, Well it has happened, Gordon has gone from our everyday lives. Gone but will return for the real leaving and the presents and the party. We wish him, Jessica and Maria well in their new life in Rochester and in their new home. Life, as they say, must go on, … Read More
Trinity 2 ~ If you thought it was going to be easy, think again. Matthew 10:24-39 It’s human nature, we like to cherry pick the Scriptures that are easy to read and resonate with us because they have brought us comfort; they have remained with us through the ups and downs of life. But there are other Scriptures that are … Read More
Priest’s Blog ~ June 2020ASK: Trinity 1 Dear friends, I hope the past week has been good for you and that you remain safe and well. Apart from pounding the pavements of Bush Hill Park ours has been much the same as every other in this very strange time. But there have been a couple of little highlights. On Monday … Read More
Trinity Sunday May I speak in the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Trinity Sunday is the only Sunday in the Christian year devoted to a doctrine. At a time when our country is haunted by the Global Pandemic of Corona virus, to focus on a complex doctrine may seem to be out of place. But seeking … Read More
Parish Magazine ~ June 2020 Due to the Coronavirus ‘Lockdown’ of March 2020 onwards, th Parish magazine is published mainly online and only a few copies printed for archival purposes. The Vicar has been writing by email to members of the congregation, and the content appears here. Easter 4 – May 3rd 2020 Dear Friends, Perhaps this saying is familiar … Read More
Pentecost 2020 What is the Holy Spirit doing today? I mean, today, now? If we take the doctrine of the Holy Trinity seriously, and the story of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit cannot simply be treated as some kind of icing on the Easter Cake, a sweet purveyor of eternal hope, goodness and truth. Over the years, some traditions in the … Read More
Vicar’s Blog ~ May 2020 ASK: Pentecost Dear friends, Nearly twenty years ago, just after the Millennium had inspired us in all sorts of ways, folk began to notice that over the horizon was the year 2020. Not quite palindromic, it is a double number, of promise, and of course, of vision. With eyesight so much in the news this … Read More
“Wait,” “stay here,” “don’t leave,” Jesus gave the disciples these instructions: “wait,” “stay here,” “don’t leave”. Jesus had ascended, gone to be with his Father. The disciples were left in the middle of this incredible gap. They had witnessed the death of their beloved friend and teacher; experienced the death of all their hopes and dreams. Only to be astonished … Read More
Vicar’s Blog ~ May 2020 ASK Easter 7 Dear Friends, Another Bank Holiday weekend at home arrives swiftly on the tails of the last one. I do hope you can enjoy it in some way. Last week I talked about inching forward – perhaps this was ambitious and I should have used the lesser measurement of a centimetre, Brexit notwithstanding! … Read More
Domenico Morelli Noah’s Dankgebet (Thanksgiving) The Rainbow Genesis 8.20-9.17 Have you joined the new religion? I don’t mean the online worship, streaming services, virtual choirs and orchestras and WhatsApp contact groups. I expect many of you have done that and a good thing too. This is the old religion, done anew. It’s all very creative and exciting (to some), and … Read More
Vicar’s Blog ~ May 2020 ASK: Easter 6 Dear friends, Another week of lockdown passes, and we now hear that London has moved from being one of the worst-infected areas of the country to the lower end of the scale of suffering. We can be thankful for small mercies, without complacency or lack or realism. As with everything else we … Read More
Vicar’s Blog ~ May 2020 Easter 5 Dear Friends, I hope and pray the bank holiday is treating you well and you are getting some sunshine! This has become a weekly weekend missive, and now we have passed forty days and nights of lockdown, we are becoming used to being a parish church connected more virtually than physically. The fact … Read More
The Collect of the Day is said or sung. Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: grant that, as by your grace going before us you put into our minds good desires, so by your continual help we may bring them to good effect; through Jesus … Read More
Jayne Buckland is having a tough time in and out of hospital, but has had some remarkable healing as well as illness. She sends this greeting to us all: Thank you to the Care and Prayer Group and friends at St Mary Magdalene who have kindly included me in their prayers. The past weeks in hospital have been challenging, it helps … Read More
‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. John 14: 1-14 ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God believe also in me.’ Amen. This reading from John’s gospel, has given bereaved loved ones comfort, during the many funerals I have attended and, during the many more I have led, yes a great deal of comfort and hope. On … Read More
The Magazine is available on the Church Website here. If you know of anyone who would like a hard copy, please let me know. The Sermon is at: https://stmarymagdalene.church/sermons/ If you would like to join in with a daily prayer video for a minute or so each day, then I commend to you the ‘Daily Prayer’ on the Rochester Cathedral … Read More
