A Sermon on Not Leaving Leadership to Chance

I have never been asked to be a ballerina. I have never been asked to attend time trials as a hopeful for the Olympic rowing team. I have a bad back and two left feet. No one has ever asked me to consider whether I might appear on one of those quiz shows which are reserved for the extremely intelligent. No one has ever asked me why I am not a boxer, or a chef or an accountant. Those people who know me would know that a disaster would not be far off if I sought to undertake any of those activities. It would not just be me who ended up in a mess, but all those who relied on me to undertake those tasks on their behalf.

A Sermon on the Coming of the Holy Spirit

When we hear the word ‘Pentecost’ most of us probably presume that it is a Christian word – a word that was developed by the first Christians to point to the coming of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. We might be surprised to know that the word ‘Pentecost’ in its original usage refers not to our Christian celebration, but to a much older Jewish celebration called ‘Shavu’ot’ or the ‘Feast of Weeks’.

A Sermon on the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church

Life in my household has been overtaken by the birthdays over the last few days, and it isn’t over yet. Malachi celebrated his seventh birthday on Friday, and Isaac will celebrate his ninth birthday on Tuesday, and between them (with their two other younger brothers in full agreement) they have managed to hatch a plan to ensure that their combined birthdays last for a whole week! As we have been celebrating these birthdays, I have been thinking back to the wonderful beginnings when they were welcomed (as babies) into the world and into the family.

A Sermon on the Hope of our Ascension with Christ

It was business as usual for most of us today. There was no special holiday to celebrate this great Festival of the Ascension, no particular traditions, and family gatherings as there are for many of us at Christmas and Easter. Most of us were probably not particularly conscious of Christ’s ascension to heaven as we went about our busy lives.

A Sermon on Priesthood at Fr Chris Yates’ First Mass

One of the questions that has regularly challenged me since my arrival in the Diocese is the question that goes something like, “is there a place for God, for Christ and for the Church in Australian society at all anymore?”   In various ways I suspect that many of us who have made a commitment to the life of the Church, in response to God’s overwhelming love for us,  have been faced by that question at some time or another,  whether we are willing to admit it or not.  Speaking as an Anglican in the Diocese of Newcastle I find myself asking that question specifically of the life of our Diocese.

A Sermon on the Surprise of Easter

Christ is Risen!  Alleluia!  Christ is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!

A young man rose from poverty and obscurity, to a place where he was known throughout the land, to a place where he had prominence and influence.  Crowds of people gathered wherever he was. They were fascinated by the things that he said, fascinated by the message behind his words.

A Sermon on Receiving Sight and Sharing Light

Have you ever had one of those experiences when because of something that someone has said or done, or because of something that you have read or experienced it feels like the light bulb has suddenly been turned on?  One of the great joys of having a household of young children (as it is for me) or perhaps being in close proximity to grand children as it is for some of you, is that those little light bulb moments are happening for children all of the time.

A Sermon on Families on the Day of the Annual General Meeting

I am not able to be all of the things that my sons want me to be.  It is a good job that I know that, and that I am honest and realistic about that with myself and with them.

A Sermon at the Start of the Season of Lent

We live in a world of many questions.  Some of those questions have one answer; some of those questions have many different answers depending upon who you ask; and some of those questions seem to have no answers at all.

A Sermon on Living Life to the Full

What kinds of images were conjured up in your mind by the word ‘hell’ when you heard it in the Gospel reading a few moments ago?

A Sermon on Being the Light of the World

I do not know if any of you have heard of the Amish.  A few years ago I was fortunate enough, during a visit to New York, to visit an Amish community for the first time on their farms in Pennsylvania. The Amish arrived in America after migrating from Europe in the Eighteenth Century, and the lives which they live now are virtually unchanged from the lives of their ancestors. They are caught in a self-imposed and self-regulated time lock.