There are weeks when the challenge of preaching lies in the abundance of important things to say; weeks when it is important to remember that no one can say everything every time – at least not in the amount of time traditionally allotted to a sermon here in this church. As a result, I am […]

‘Onward Christian Soldiers marching as to war’ sang the midwife as she pushed my mother into the room where she would give birth to me. Marching as to war, however, is not an image we like to use any more – there have been too many Christians marching to war over the ages, and there […]

SERMON—Pentecost 12—Such a Queer Thing In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, one God now and forever. Amen. Queer: strange, odd, curious, unusual, peculiar, transgressive, subversive. Christianity is such a queer thing. Consider the evidence. A god takes on human flesh. A virgin gives birth. A saviour triumphs by being humiliated and made […]

Whoever comes to me will never hunger, whoever believes in me will never thirst. It’s not that hard to feed people.  All it takes is food – Jesus proved that when he took five loaves and fed the crowd of 5000 – and we have so much more than only five loaves in this world […]

They said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. May I speak in the name of God… A hospital chaplain told the story of taking Communion round people on the hospital wards one Sunday morning.  The chaplain then reported back the refusals: ‘no thank you, I’m anglican’ was a […]

HOMILY—Pentecost 9—Enough for Everyone          In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity: Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Amen. Some weeks ago, I read a brief item in a magazine which said that world hunger could be eliminated if every person living in the First World, our world, gave 200 US dollars to make it […]

PREACHED AT CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, MONTREAL SUNDAY, JULY 12, 2015 Amos 7:7-15, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29 Benjamin Stuchbery The first time I came home after having been away at school was an odd experience. I remember having conversations with my parents in which I no longer felt like a child talking to a parent or […]

And he could do no deed of power there. May I speak in the name …. Power and success, weakness and failure, these are the themes for this morning.   Ezekiel is sent to speak the word whether he succeeds or not. Paul writes that it is when he is weak that he is strong. And […]

As usual, in preparing for this sermon, I read quite a few articles and commentaries on our Gospel passage. I was…let’s call it surprised, when only about 10% of them focused on the fact that the people receiving Jesus’ healing attentions in this passage are both women. And most of those noted only that Jesus […]

HOMILY—Pentecost 3—That Famous Mustard Seed “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?” In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity: Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Amen. I’ve learnt more about mustard and mustard seeds this past week than I ever thought I would, or probably […]

Great Spirit, may the words from my lips be ever pleasing to your ears. You who are before all else and who dwells in every object, in every person and in every place, we cry unto you. We summon you from the far places into our present awareness. (Prayer composed by Elder Noel Knockwood). Weliegsitpu’g. Welta’si na’ […]