Curate Conundrums

  " There may be trouble ahead, but while there’s moonlight, and music, and romance, let’s face the music and dance!” Or something like that anyway. So we’re here, the first Sunday of Advent, or as I like to call it, clergy meltdown season… In our modern commercial world the season of Advent often gets sucked up into the pre-Christmas excitefest! And yes Advent is about preparing for the coming of the saviour. But Advent is a season in its own right. Here’s what Times and Seasons, the Church of England seasonal liturgical handbook, which I’m sure you’ve all read cover to cover, says about Advent. “Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming (adventus) of Christ in his incarnation, and also looks ahead to his final advent as judge at the end of time. The readings and liturgies not only direct us towards Christ’s birth, they also challenge the modern reluctance to confront the theme of divine judgement.” Or to put it ano...

This sermon is based on the above bible readings and the book 'Elmer' by David McKee  Elmer is an unusual elephant, he’s not elephant coloured, in fact he stands out from the crowd, and although he’s much loved by his herd, he still feels bad about being different. I just want to blend in he thought, I want to be normal like the rest. But Without him, and his sense of humour and his colour, life is very dull for the elephants. Life is dull without variety, and the story of Elmer is one I really identify with. Elmer is who he is, the fact that he’s patchwork coloured is not what makes the herd love him, but it’s his personality, who he is that makes him loved. Even when trying to fit in, he can’t help but be himself. I’m gay, for many years I hid this from myself, and from all the people around me. It made me violently unhappy, I couldn’t see that I was loved exactly for who I am, that being a bit patchwork, a bit different was okay. From what I saw in societ...

God Feeds All, People Are Not Expendable The comedian Jimmy Carr was talking about the feeding of the five thousand on QI, he said ‘the feeding of the five thousand? ‘There’s five thousand people, and they went, there’s some bread and fish, I reckon that was about four and a half thousand people saying, what we got? Bread and fish? Nah I’m alright thanks.’ David Mitchell then responded “Out of five thousand people only two of them thought to bring any food… The other side of it is there are 4,998 idiots… And Jesus doesn’t make them learn a lesson from that!” I think they’re missing the point slightly. This isn’t about teaching anyone a lesson, this isn’t about God begrudgingly doing something. God is generous, and in unexpected places, with unexpected people.   What do you think about this story, do you reckon it happened? It was clearly a story that was really precious to the early church. This miracle is the only one in all four gospels, so I think it probably did...