In one of his pandemic updates a few days ago, Governor Cuomo said this: “The impact that COVID has had on the physical and mental health of many New Yorkers cannot be overstated.” Today, we turned our clocks back one hour and, for a brief moment, the mornings will seem brighter. But as we move […]
Sermon Topic: Annual Appeal
Annual Appeal 2019 - Strategic Planning
Last Sunday was Remembrance Sunday and, at 4pm Choral Evensong, we commemorated the 75th anniversary of D-day during the Second World War. In my sermon, I talked about the importance of remembering our war dead and the sacrifice that they made for their country and for the cause of peace and justice. I find it […]
All Saints’ Sunday
I want to begin by thanking Fr. Turner for his invitation early this year to preach this fall at Saint Thomas and for offering me choices about occasions. Thank you, Father Rector, and it is joy to be here on All Saints Sunday. When this invitation was set up, neither Carl nor I knew that […]
Annual Appeal Sermon Series: Children and Families
Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear, Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here. Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea, Stories of Jesus, tell them to me. -W. H. Parker, 1845-1929 I remember the musty smell of an old book shop, the creaking wooden floors, […]
Heart Speaks unto Heart: O Sing to the Lord a new Song
Today, in Rome, something remarkable is happening. A former Church of England Priest who, with his Oxford friends ushered in the catholic revival in that Church and who, later, became a Roman Catholic and a Cardinal, is being declared a Saint. It is remarkable because John Henry Newman is the first Englishman born since the […]
Take Courage
“Hell is real.” A billboard stands beside the interstate highway in Ohio, partway between Columbus and Cincinnati – pronouncing in its tall red and white letters on a stark black background an equally stark message: “Hell is real.” I think of that billboard fondly now. Yes, fondly. It reminds me of the strangeness and the […]
"My Life is hid in him that is my treasure."
There is a great sense of irony that today’s readings challenge us to think about greed and dishonest wealth on a day when the Rector of a Church is charged to preach about raising money! So, let’s immediately face up to this hard saying of Jesus, ‘you cannot serve God and wealth.’ In other words, […]
The price of greatness is responsibility
Coming back from my vacation this summer I watched the film ‘Darkest Hour’ on the plane. If you haven’t seen it, it is a film about Winston Churchill’s rise to become Prime Minister of Great Britain at a time when it looked certain that the war would be lost. A very complex personality, Churchill had […]
My pledge will manifest my gratitude.
A few days ago we celebrated the Feast of St Michael and all Angels. It is a wonderful feast and I love the collect especially; it begins, “O Everlasting God, who hast ordained and constituted the ministries of angels and men in a wonderful order…” Angels are not the same as human beings but they […]
