Curate Conundrums

  In the words of the great twentieth century mystic and spiritual writer, St Robbie Williams; I sit and wait, does an angel, contemplate my fate? And do they know the places where we go, when we’re grey and old? Yes that’s right today’s sermon is on my specialist subject, cheesy pop music from the nineties. No today we’re going to have a chat about angels, as we’re celebrating Michaelmas, or as the CofE calls it Michael and All Angels. Why are we talking about angels? Why do they matter, what’s important about them, I hear you cry, well buckle up, because hopefully we’re going to explore some of that over the next few minutes. The word angel appears in the Bible over ninety times. Can anyone tell me some times when angels appear in the Bible? ·          Appeared to Gideon ·          Visited Abraham   ·          Took Elijah up to heaven · ...

  Michaelmas, God’s Protection and Mystery Today is Michaelmas , the day when the church celebrates Michael and all the angels of God. I wonder what your views on angels are? Perhaps that song by Abba is playing in your head right now? I mean I find them a bit confusing, not Abba obvs, but angels; and biblically accurate angels are often absolutely terrifying. This from Ezekiel: 4  As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually, and in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber.  5  In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form.  6  Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.  7  Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze.  8  Under their wings on their four sides they had human ha...

  Now don’t tell anyone, because I have a reputation to keep. But I love Christmas. This is my third Christmas as an ordained person. Before I was ordained I worried that I would be unable to celebrate Christmas. I would end up being bitter, and busy. The way I celebrate Christmas is different. Christmas time is certainly much less relaxing than it was. I don’t get time off like many others; I do have to go to lots of things I don’t want to go to, like church. The core of Christmas hasn’t changed for me. That sense of love. The incarnation of Jesus still happens, and I still get to eat Christmas Dinner! Back of the net! But now I have an excellent excuse to have it cooked for me. Oh, I’m working, I couldn’t possibly come to you. So in some ways Christmas is better. I’ve discovered Christmas in a very different way, and deepened my knowledge and sense of what it means. That’s been a gift and a surprise. This time of year is all about gifts and surprises . It’s certainly been...