13th September 2026 10.30am – The 15th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on September 13, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Colossians 1.15−20

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Matthew 8.23–27

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon

By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry!

I expect you recognise those words - the first verse of William Blake’s poem
The Tyger!

In the following verses, Blake poses a question. If God created the tiger – a
magnificent but ferocious and frightening beast – what does that tell us about
God and his creative work?

Blake goes on to picture God as a blacksmith, hammering out the shape and
sinews of the tiger in some deep, distant and fiery furnace.

But what is this God that could bring into being something so terrifying as a
tiger?

And then comes a verse which, when I first read it as a fifteen year old,
completely knocked me sideways. He writes this:

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water’d heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Did he who made the lamb, make thee?

Can the one who made something as innocent and gentle as a lamb also
have brought into being a creature as terrifying and violent as a tiger? And did
he smile? Was he pleased?

Blake doesn’t answer these questions but he does make us stop and think
about the creation – in all its aspects – the gentleness of the lamb; but also
the ferocity of the tiger – and the tiger stands for all aspects of nature that are
terrifying and violent. Nature red in tooth and claw. Earthquakes and storms
at sea.

We need to think about this because otherwise we could have a cosy but
inadequate understanding of God and nature and our place in nature.
Something we see in some favourite Christian hymns. Hymns like
All things bright and beautiful.

Lovely hymn, lovely tune. But it teeters all the time towards the sentimental:

Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
he made their glowing colours,
he made their tiny wings.

And it can lead us, subconsciously perhaps, to suppose that God made the
natural world as a sort of stage on which our human lives are played out.
Ours is the important story. Nature is just the scenery and the props that we
can manipulate any way we want.

But there is more to nature than things bright and beautiful. There is also the
tiger. And there’s nothing about tigers in All things bright and beautiful –
though in fairness, the hymn was written for children.

Blake’s poem makes us think then about nature in all its aspects. Because if
we are serious in saying that God is the creator of all things, then that
includes the tiger as well as the lamb. And we do think God created all things.
We shall say so shortly in the creed.

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.

In the world into which Jesus came, that idea that there was one God who
made all things in heaven and earth – that was a minority belief. It was the
faith of the Jews, but it was not what most people around them believed. The
pagan world was full of gods and goddesses who could be held responsible
for this or that in the natural world. But Jews believed, as we believe, in the
one creator of all that is, seen and unseen, responsible for everything.

And because we human beings are only one small part of God’s creation we
must suppose that he has a purpose for the whole of it, and not just for our
human story, or just for the parts we are comfortable with – the lamb but not
the tiger.

And that brings us to the disciples in the boat with Jesus on the Sea of
Galilee. This is their wake up moment. When Jesus emerges from sleep and
speaks, they have to ask themselves: ‘Who is it that can rebuke the winds
and the sea?’ And the answer is clear: Only the one that made heaven and
earth, can do this. And in that moment the disciples’ understanding of who
Jesus is must change.

Christ is one in whom all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.
Therefore, as the psalmist says, though the waters rage and swell, we will not
fear. Because our God is the God who holds the whole of creation in his
hands, the tiger and the lamb.

6th September 2026 10.30am – The Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Eucharist

Posted on September 6, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 61. 10 - end

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.

Luke 1.46-55

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

The Prayers

Let us proclaim the greatness of the Lord
and rejoice together in the God who saves us.
Lord, you do great things for us:
Holy is your name.

Your prophet of old foretold a day when a virgin would conceive
and bear a son who would be called God-with-us.
Help us to look forward to your deliverance
and to seek the fullness of your kingdom.
Lord, you do great things for us:
Holy is your name.

Your angel declared to Mary that she was to be
the mother of the Saviour.
Help us all to be open to your word
and obedient to your will.
Lord, you do great things for us:
Holy is your name.

Mary rejoiced with her cousin Elizabeth and sang your praise,
‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.’
Help us to live joyful lives that sing your praise.
We pray today for Hanna and Mariam
Lord, you do great things for us:
Holy is your name.

Mary bore a son of David’s line,
a king whose reign would never end.
Bless all the nations of the world with Christ’s gift of peace.
Lord, you do great things for us:
Holy is your name.

The child Jesus grew in wisdom and stature
in the home of Mary and Joseph.
Strengthen our homes and families,
and keep under your protection all those whom we love.
Lord, you do great things for us:
Holy is your name.

The apostle John saw a vision of a woman in heaven,
robed with the sun.
Bring us with all those who have died in the faith of Christ
to share the joy of heaven with Mary and all the saints.
Lord, you do great things for us:
Holy is your name.

At the foot of the cross of Christ stood his mother,
and from the cross she received his lifeless body in her arms.
Give comfort and healing to all who suffer
and all who watch the suffering of those they love.
Lord, you do great things for us:
Holy is your name.

Almighty and everlasting God,
your handmaid Mary magnified your name
and rejoiced in your saving love:
trusting in that same love,
we ask all these our prayers
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

30th August 2026 10.30am – 13th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on August 30, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Romans 12.9-end

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 16.21-end

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

‘For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.’

The Sermon

By Catherine, Reader at St Marys.

Our prisons are full. So some prisoners are being let out earlier than usual.

People are concerned, especially the victims of their crimes. If prisoners
haven’t served their time, has justice been done? Are they safe to be released?
Has there been enough time for rehabilitation? News stories like this can be
scary. How can we keep our communities safe? How can we ensure offenders
are sentenced appropriately?
I recently read of a pilot scheme running in two prisons, based on Scandinavian
methods. Things are being done differently on the selected wings. So, for
example, the walls of the wings have been painted a calming colour. There are
house-plants, a well-stocked library, a garden, a gym, a pool table and a café.
Prisoners can join a choir, take dance lessons or play the piano. When it’s a
prisoner’s birthday, they get a card from the staff. Staff and inmates get
together each week over a cup of tea to discuss how things are going.
Is this trial happening in low security open prisons with model prisoners? No.
It’s happening in Wandsworth and Pentonville, two of the most challenging
prisons. And the prisoners picked for the trial are chosen completely at
random.

I was reminded of this article when reading today’s passage from Paul’s letter
to the Romans.
The passage is a good summary of Christian discipleship: Paul tells the Roman
Christians to be genuine and generous with their love. They should do what is
good and hate what is evil.
Charity begins at home. They should support each other whether times are
good or difficult. They are to provide for each other’s needs, whatever their
social status.
Charity begins at home. But then Paul says “now look beyond your immediate
circle of fellow-believers. Care for strangers – people you don’t know, people
from other lands, communities or backgrounds.”
Charity begins at home. It then extends to (perhaps benign) strangers. But
then, Paul says: “Extend your love further still – extend it to those who have
actively done you wrong”.
A large part of this passage focuses on caring for this hardest group of people to
love. Don’t react with evil if someone has treated you evilly, but instead think
of what is best for the whole community. It is God, not you, who is the
ultimate judge. So, if an enemy is hungry or thirsty, give them food and water.
Paul uses a rather curious image of how doing so is like heaping burning coals
on the enemy’s head. Does this mean that providing food and water will be
killing the enemy with kindness, and that’s how they will be punished?
No. In a society where you need fire to cook your food and keep your house
warm, burning coals are a good thing. If your fire goes out, you pop next door
and ask for some burning coals to get it going again. Thus your neighbour
helps you to live and thrive.
So, by meeting your enemy’s basic human needs, you help them to live, to
thrive. You give them the chance to repent and become the best version of
themself they can be, the person, indeed, who God wants them to be.

Which brings me back to the Scandinavian approach being tried in Wandsworth
and Pentonville prisons.
Early results of this trial has shown nearly half as many assaults as in the rest of
the prison. Self harm is down by 57% and disorder by 62%. There has been
almost no problem with drugs. So it seems that the trials are working well in
rehabilitating the prisoners. And things are better for the staff too. Staff
sickness rates have halved and staff retention rates are much longer than
elsewhere in the prison.
And all this because someone thought it was a good idea to treat prisoners as
human beings.
So what can we take away from this today?
Well firstly, we should note verse 18. Paul says “If it is possible, so far as it
depends on you, live peaceably with all”. There may be times when it is not
possible, or indeed, wise, to interact personally with someone who has caused
us harm.
But we can speak out for humane and decent treatment of those in prison. We
can urge our politicians to fund meaningful activities within prisons, so that
prisoners have the best possible chance of rehabilitation.
And we can support the work of organisations which provide alternatives to
prison. Indeed we are already doing this at St. Mary’s. The Community
Payback team currently provide regular help with our cemetery maintenance,
for example.
And in doing so, we play our part in bringing about God’s kingdom here on
Earth.

The Prayers

Prepared by Kath, Reader at St Mary's.

God our Father, hear us when we pray to you in faith.

We give you thanks for this day and the many gifts you give to us. Help us not to take any of these for granted. May we truly appreciate and care for our world and all with whom we share it both now and in the future.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for your church throughout the world, especially for our sisters and brothers in places where they are not yet free to worship you openly.

We pray for all here at St Mary’s, at St Mark’s and at St John’s, both lay & ordained who work so committedly to sustain our churches and to serve our respective communities. Be with us and look kindly on all that we try to do.

Father, we ask your blessing on our well dressing, our patronal festival and the Walkley Horticultural Show, all of which will take place here in the coming week. We pray that the well dressing will be a wonderful opportunity for people of all abilities to come together to share in gentle, creative work and conversation and that the end result will be enjoyed many people.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We continue to pray for our very troubled world, for all peoples, communities and nations who are going through dark and difficult times. Lord please do not let us lose hope that we can resolve our differences peacefully and make the world a better, more just and compassionate place for everyone. Especially we ask you to protect those who put themselves in harm’s way for the sake of others.

At this time we pray for the people of Nepal and those visiting that country who are caught up in the terrible flooding and mud slides that have devastated such a large area and caused such great loss of life, homes and livelihoods. May they receive the help and comfort that they need.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer

Five years on from the Taliban retaking control of Afghanistan, we pray for the people of that country who are struggling to survive. Especially we pray for the women and girls who suffer ever greater repression. We pray for enlightenment and a change of heart by those in power so that all the people can live and flourish.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for all children and people in education and training as they return to their studies after the summer break, especially the youngest children starting school for the first time. We pray also for those newly entering the world of employment. Father be with them as they find their place and settle into new roles, experiences and opportunities to grow in knowledge and confidence. May there be meaningful work for everyone who seeks it.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill or unwell at this time. May they be lovingly supported as they navigate the changes and challenges they face as a result of their illness. We pray also for those who will be alongside them that they too will be supported, cared for and appreciated. We pray for all who are lonely, that they may find the companionship they long.

In a few moments of quiet let us call to mind anyone known to us who is in particular need of our prayers and let us also bring before God our own needs and concerns.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We remember those who have died, some recently and some long ago. May they rest in peace and may all who mourn and miss them be comforted and find their own peace.

We give thanks for the life and work of Dolly Parton who used her own early struggles in life to help others overcome their difficulties and challenges. May her family, friends and fans be comforted and cared for in their loss.

Again in a short time of quiet we remember our own loved ones who are no longer with us.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ,

Amen

23rd August 2026 10.30am – 12th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on August 23, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Romans 12.1-8

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Matthew 16.13-20

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

The Sermon
Prepared by Kath, Reader at St Mary's.

I think it would be hard for anyone, unless they lived in complete seclusion or denial, to be unaware that our world is a very troubled place right now. Granted there have always been troubles somewhere and no doubt there always will be, but over the last few years and even more so over the last few months, the number of bad situations and the pace at which they appear to be developing seems to have accelerated massively. At least that’s how it feels when we follow the news and current affairs programmes or even as a result of our own experiences. With wars, mass migration, climate change and the effects of extreme weather conditions, shortages of money, food, housing and work, natural disasters, political strife and so on all happening at once, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and tempting to think “I am so small and the issues are so enormous, what possible difference can I make? I’m not wealthy or powerful and even many of the people who are seem to be struggling to make any impact for the better, so what can I do?” This can be disheartening to say the least and leave us feeling powerless.

Well, in the face of such worrying questions, I think we can take heart from both our readings this morning. In the passage from St Paul’s letter to the Romans he first of all urges Christians not to be “conformed to this world”. For us I would take that to mean that we don’t just go along with things because that’s how they are and it’s easier. He says “be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect.“ Well I think that pretty much speaks for itself and applies just as much to us today as it did to the Romans. Our faith gives us a good, solid grounding from which we can discern right from wrong and work out how we should behave in even the most difficult and complex of situations. Paul then goes on to remind us that each and every one of us has been given gifts and abilities which we should use accordingly and that we should work together. “We, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” In other words by using our talents and what we have, we can make a difference for the better, and by working together we can greatly amplify that difference.

A real example of this has taken place right here in St Mary’s. Not that many years ago the congregation had gradually dwindled from sixty plus on a Sunday morning to the low twenties in number. It mirrored a national decline in churchgoing but even so, it was very worrying. I know numbers aren’t everything, nor should they be but realistically it’s hard for very small congregations to survive, especially with the upkeep of an old, listed building and all the formalities of running a church properly with a very small team. We could have given up, but we didn’t. In spite of the many difficulties we faced we kept on working together, using our collective gifts and abilities and bit by bit we have grown because, you’re all here, bringing with you even more gifts, abilities and talents and just by being who and what you are this adds to the richness and diversity of our worship and our community. The fact that we have survived has an effect on the wider local community. They may not come to services or not be believers but they do enjoy and benefit from the many and varied activities and events that take place here providing companionship, friendship, hospitality, creativity and opportunities to serve. We are an anchor within this community, helping to maintain its identity and character. We together, are all a part of making this happen. Relatively speaking we are still not a big church and probably never will be but perhaps that’s no bad thing because we have been able to discern and respond to the needs of the people who find their way here and make this place their home. Our home in God’s house.

I mentioned at the start that we can take heart from both our readings. In the one from St Matthew’s gospel we hear how Jesus says he will build his church on Peter who he describes as a rock. We know from all the stories in the bible, that although Peter loved Jesus with all his heart, he often misunderstood and got things wrong and when it came to the ultimate test he denied that he even knew Jesus. And yet, Jesus did entrust his church to Peter and as he said, nothing would prevail against it. However hard and sincerely we try though, like Peter we will never get everything right so I personally find the fact that he was a fallible human being very encouraging. He is the torch bearer for the rest of us. In the same vein, I really liked a line from Shan’s recent sermon, “We bring what we have, not what we wish we had”. In spite of our imperfections and shortcomings we can and do make a difference and together we make an even bigger difference. Progress can be very slow or seemingly nonexistent at times in both church life and the issues of the wider world but we are not powerless and we do have a voice. We have to raise our eyes above the current difficulties and continue to dare to hope that things can be better. So however tempting it may be, may we not give up on what is worthwhile, on what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Amen.

16th August 2026 10.30am – 11th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on August 16, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Romans 11.1-2a, 29-32

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

Matthew 15.21-28

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

The Sermon
Prepared by David, Reader at St Mary's.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Today’s readings are likely to challenge us at least as much as they comfort us.

Our Gospel paints Jesus as a callous, sectarian, judge. Someone whose attention, mercy and grace are for an elect few. His description of the Canaanite women, her daughter, and by extension all non-Jews, as dogs, would have been offensive. The Canaanite woman persists, indeed she takes Jesus’ insult and turns it back against him. One has to wonder what Jesus makes of this. He is normally the one delivering the pithy retorts, not receiving them. Jesus appears impressed with the woman’s faith and her daughter is healed.

This interaction raises a number of questions for me. Any of these could be the subject of a whole book, nevermind a sermon.

Did the woman change Jesus’ mind? Did her persistence, quick wit and ultimately her faith, move Jesus to a healing he wasn’t already going to perform? Or was Jesus going to heal the daughter regardless? Neither of these readings is particularly palatable. Neither sound like the Jesus I have come to know and follow.

If Jesus’ interaction with the woman changed his mind, how does that feel to those of us whose loved ones have not been made well, despite our persistence, theological sparring with God in prayer and our faith?

If Jesus was going to heal the daughter regardless, why make the woman jump through a rather degrading interaction? Something doesn’t make sense.

I find it helpful to approach this episode by recollecting that Jesus’ disciples are on a learning curve. That’s part of how we get to learn with them. And that the Gospel according to Matthew is written with a contemporary Jewish audience in mind.

But let’s not fall into the trap of thinking that because Jesus was Jewish, and his disciples, and the audience of this Gospel, that Jews (in any time) have a monopoly on xenophobia and boundary-keeping. Many nations, including all of ours, have put themselves at the centre of the universe.

The disciples have asked Jesus to send the woman away. She is a Canaanite, she’s also making a lot of noise. They attempt to exclude her. It doesn't work and she gets what she wants, her daughter is healed. Regardless of the exact mechanism, God’s mercy and grace are extended to both her and her daughter. Both the disciples and the early recipients of Matthew’s Gospel are challenged to recognise the extension of God’s mercy and grace to the gentiles.

Our reading from Romans acts as a counterpoint to our Gospel.

The lectionary misses out a large chunk of Paul’s argument—admittedly a rather rambling one. Paul uses the metaphor of vines, just as Jesus did. He speaks of grafting branches onto roots without removing the existing branches.

Has anyone here ever grafted a tree onto root stock? No, I haven't either/Okay, well you may know this next bit better than me. It's a process that's delicate and requires a lot of care and skill. We have in our garden an apple tree my uncle has grafted in order to preserve a particular variety -- a favourite of my grandmother -- using suitable root stock. When this is done, typically, all the existing branches are removed so what is grafted can benefit from the vigorous roots. The new flourishes at the expense of what was there before.

It is much rarer to leave existing branches in place. That's why Paul's metaphor is all the more powerful. It goes against conventional wisdom and makes us stop and assess what's being suggested. There is clearly something of worth in the existing branches and fruit can be borne from them as much as from the new branches.

Paul is using this metaphor to talk about the relationship of the Church to the Jewish people...

He is making clear that Christianity does not eclipse or replace the people of the first covenant, people God chose.

Why is this an important message for us to hear today?

The history of Jewish Christian relations is a turbulent one. Some New Testament texts, including the Gospel according to John, have strong overtones of anti-Jewish attitudes. It is easy to fall into the trap of othering a group of any kind. Christians have a particular history of derogatory attitudes and actions towards Jews, including blaming them for Jesus’ death. Paul is clear that that's a mistake. If we spend more time sitting with the Passion story, we see how nearly everyone deserted Jesus. We must accept that we occupy the place of Christ's accusers due to our own rejection of his ways.

Being branches of the same vine, we are siblings under God.

If the Canaanite woman teaches us that God's grace and mercy exists in abundance and there are enough crumbs to go round, Paul reminds us that it is not the sole preserve of Christians. These are deeply theological texts, wrangling with a complex inherited relationship. The pushing at boundaries can and should remind us to be thoughtful about how we relate to others in society, and to be careful not to let our prejudices translate into habits of violence and exclusion.

9th August 2026 10.30am – Eucharist for the Feast of the Transfiguration

Posted on August 9, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Daniel 7.9-10, 13-14

As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

Luke 9.28-36

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

The gospel reading today reminded me of a wedding I once took in my last
church as a vicar. As the bride walked down the centre aisle the bridegroom –
a Ghanaian - turned to look at her, and said out loud: ‘Glory’. ‘Glory’!

In religious contexts ‘glory’ crops up all the time. The angels sang it when
Christ was born ‘Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on
earth’. We sang it at the start of the service: ‘Gloria in excelsis.’

But what did my bridegroom mean when he saw his bride and said, Glory?

I’d met them during the week for a rehearsal. Jeans and tea shirts and hair all
over the place. Same people. Same personalities. But he wouldn’t have said,
Glory. He needed to stop and really look at his bride and think. And when he
did, he said, Glory.

I think what he meant was something like this: Now I really see how lovely
she is. It wasn’t just the clothes or even her physical beauty: it was the way
her loveliness as a person was now mirrored by the lovely dress, the flowers
and the splendour of the whole occasion.

Of course, he already knew she was a lovely person. But on that day as she
walked down the aisle there was no question about it: he saw her as the
lovely person she really was, everything said it. She was transfigured before
him and he couldn’t help himself, he said, Glory.

We’ve just read about the transfiguration of Jesus. Peter, James and John
are on a mountain with Jesus. They knew who Jesus was. Just a week before
this Peter had boldly said: ‘You are the Christ of God’. But suddenly, here on
the mountain, the full force of what they know is brought home to them as
they see Jesus fully for who he really is – he is transfigured. Glory!

The experience on the mountain – lets call it a vision - is quite overwhelming.
Jesus is understood as the one who comes to fulfil the most sacred parts of
the Jewish faith – the teaching of the Law given by Moses, and the teaching
of the Prophets – Elijah is the greatest of the prophets.

Dorothy Sayers says somewhere that we human beings cannot bear too
much reality. If this is a moment of reality for the disciples – a glimpse of
Christ’s glory – they can only bear it for so long. The cloud comes and it all
passes. But they won’t forget that moment. And when they think about it they
will probably say to themselves, Glory.

I think we all need some such moments of glory in our religious lives. We all
need some moments when we are overwhelmed by the sense of the
presence of Christ, overwhelmed by a recognition of his graciousness, his
loveliness – in caring for us, in loving us, in forgiving us, in being for us and
with us.

It may only be a glimpse. That’s partly why we come here Sunday by Sunday.
We let ourselves get caught up in the worship – in the prayer, in the
quietness, in the singing, in the receiving of bread and wine, even, too in the
fellowship afterwards – in all or any of these, we can have those glimpses of
Christ’s glory.

We need them, because like the disciples, if we are going to go on living and
suffering and dying we need glimpses of glory to encourage us along the way.

You see, what the gospel for the day did not include – it stopped short – was
what happened next. They came down from the mountain, heads still
throbbing with excitement and hearts still glowing with joy, and what do they
encounter: a boy convulsed and in great distress. His father cries out in
anguish, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look upon my son, for he is my only child…’

There’s a picture by one of the Italian masters, Raphael, of the
Transfiguration. It shows at the top of the canvas Christ in glory with his
disciples on the mountaintop. But at the foot, the possessed boy in agony. All
is peace above, all is chaos below.

Peter tries to keep things going on the mountain by suggesting they build
three dwellings - he hardly knows what he’s saying. But Jesus ignores him,
for he knows that much as we might like to prolong moments of
transfiguration, we do have to come down from the mountain, and confront
whatever lies before us on the plain of day to day living.

But we come down different people – more prepared for what life brings,
because those glimpses of Christ’s glory will sustain us.

The Prayers

In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ,
let us pray to the Father.

Lord of glory, it is good that we are here.
In peace we make our prayer to you.
In trust we confirm our faith in you.
Help us to set our faces steadfastly to where you would have us go.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.

Lord of glory, look with favour on your Church,
proclaiming your beloved Son to the world
and listening to the promptings of his Spirit.
May she be renewed in holiness that she may reflect your glory.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.

Lord of glory, look with favour on the nations of the world,
scarred by hatred, strife and war.
May they be healed by the touch of your hand.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.

Lord of glory, look with favour on those in need and distress,
suffering as your Son has suffered
and waiting for the salvation you promise.
May the day break
and Christ the Morning Star bring them the light of his presence.
Lord, look with favour.
Lord, transfigure and heal.

Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

2nd August 2026 10.30am – 9th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on August 2, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Romans 9.1-5

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Matthew 14.13-21

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

26th July 2026 10.30am – James the Apostle – Eucharist

Posted on July 26, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Acts 11.27-12.2

At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius. The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers^* living in Judea; this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.

Matthew 20.20-28

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Prayers

Encouraged by our fellowship with all the saints,
let us make our prayers to the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Father, your Son called the saints to leave the past behind them
and to follow him as his disciples in the way of the cross.
Look with mercy upon those whom he calls today, marks with the cross
and makes his disciples within the Church.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son told his disciples not to be afraid and at Easter breathed on
them his gift of peace. Look with mercy upon the world into which
he sent them out, and give it that peace for which it longs.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son formed around him a company who were no longer
servants but friends, and he called all those who obeyed him his
brother and sister and mother. Look with mercy upon our families
and our friends and upon the communities in which we share.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son sent out disciples to preach and heal the sick. Look with
mercy on all those who yearn to hear the good news of salvation,
and renew among your people the gifts of healing.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Your Son promised to those who followed him that they would sit
on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and would share the
banquet of the kingdom. According to your promise, look with
mercy on those who have walked with Christ in this life and now
have passed through death.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Almighty God,
Grant that your Church
may faithfully hold and make known
the faith that has come to us through the apostles,
that with them and all your saints
we may inherit the glories of eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

19th July 2026 10.30am – 7th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on July 19, 2026July 26, 2026 by St Mary's

The Readings

Romans 8.12-25

So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43

He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Now that the England football team is out of the world cup, if I want to
depress myself, I have to fall back on our local newspaper, the Star.
Reading the Star you would think that half the population of Sheffield has
either met with some tragic accident while on holiday or are criminals. I
suppose it is a reminder that life does not always run smoothly and some
people are always ready to take criminal advantage of the rest of us.
Jesus seems to be getting at this in the story he tells in today’s gospel.
We look at life rather as a farmer looks at his fields. The farmer sees weeds
growing alongside the wheat. Our lives are similarly a mix of sickness and
health, good and bad. Why is life like this? Jesus does seem to be suggesting
that life not only is, but will, perhaps must, be like this, to the end of time itself,
until the harvest.
I think we can understand what Jesus is getting at if we lay alongside this
parable, this story, another one. Not a parable Jesus told but a parable Jesus
knew. A parable all Jews knew. One we know as well. One of the first in the
Bible, the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
In that story – and remember it is a story, not history – a story that helps us
understand some aspects of our lives now – in that story the man and the
woman look at the garden just as the farmer looks at his field. But unlike the
farmer’s field, there are no weeds in Eden. Life is idyllic – no weeds, no work,
no sickness, no crime. They want for nothing. Save one thing. Freedom.
Independence. Autonomy.
They are not free to make decisions of their own because they live all the
time under the direct gaze of God, who walks about the Garden in the cool of
the day, like a patrolling and over-protective parent.
Their’s is a doll-like existence. If they are to be free, they have to have their
eyes opened to realise that if they are to grow up, make their own decisions
and choices, they have to leave the Garden. They have to go east of Eden,
away from the visible presence of God.
In the story, this can only happen if they eat the forbidden fruit. Doing that
opens their eyes. They become, we are told, like God, knowing good and evil
– which is why the rabbis don’t think of what happens in the Garden as a fall,
as Christian theologians have tended to do. How can becoming like God, be
a fall?

Once their eyes are open, they have the possibility of making up their own
minds, choosing for themselves between good and evil and everything in
between.
But what the Genesis story seeks to bring home, is that choosing freedom is
not easy. We want freedom, independence. We are less sure about the
responsibility and accountability that goes with it. Which is why, in the story,
Adam and Eve have to be tricked into eating the fruit and having their eyes
opened.
But if they are to grow up, they must leave the Garden for a different context
– one that allows for choice. And that is a context that offers the possibility of
evil as well as good, that leaves them open to change and chance, good
fortune and ill luck.
In his parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jesus is making us think about
reality and why things are, and must be as they are, if we are to have
freedom. This is what God, who created all things, intended. But in a world
where many suffer, that cannot be said glibly.
But notice this, notice this: other flowers can blossom here, east of Eden,
which were unknown in the Garden.
When you no longer have God’s visible presence, you must cultivate faith.
When the future is not assured, hope can blossom. When people stumble
and fall, when death presents itself, the flowers of pity and compassion can
grow.
There are no guarantees that life will go well for us. But there are these
resources to help us through its ups and downs: the blessings of faith, hope,
pity and love. They can be ours. But only because we pay the price – weeds
as well as wheat. Until the harvest.

The Prayers
Prepared by Kath, Reader at St Mary's.

God our Father, hear us when we pray to you in faith.

We give you thanks for this day and the many gifts you give to each of us every day of our lives. Help us not to take any of these for granted, especially all the beauty that is in the world. May we take the time to see it and appreciate it with heartfelt gratitude. Help us to take better care of our planet so that future generations may enjoy it too.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for your church throughout the world, especially for our sisters and brothers in places where they are not yet free to worship openly.

We pray for all the team, both lay & ordained here at St Mary’s who work so committedly on behalf of us all and our community and for those doing the same in our sister churches of St Marks and St John’s. As Christians may we all recognise that we have a ministry, even if it doesn’t have a formal title and ask God to sustain us in our work for him and our fellow people.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We continue to pray for our very troubled and turbulent world, for all peoples, communities and nations who are going through dark and difficult times. Lord please do not let us hope that we can resolve our differences peacefully and make the world a better, more just and compassionate place for everyone. Especially we ask God to protect those who put themselves in harm’s way for the sake of others.

We pray for our own country as we begin a new chapter in our government. We give thanks for those who have served with sincerity, especially our outgoing prime minister, Kier Starmer and pray for all in positions of leadership and influence that they work together an act with integrity, humility, courage and compassion and a genuine desire to serve for the good of all. We pray that all who are courageous enough to enter public and political service may be able to work free from threats of harm and that we as citizens may play our part in protecting the democracy and freedoms we enjoy.

We pray for all children and people in education and training who have just completed their year of studies, especially the little children who have had their first taste of school. We pray that they and their parents and carers and their teachers will have an enjoyable summer break. We pray for those who will soon be entering a new stage of their education or transitioning to the world of employment.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Much as we enjoy the warmer weather of summer, we pray for all who find the current extreme heat hard to cope with and for those dealing with its effects on our wildlife and countryside.

In a few moments of quiet let us call to mind anyone known to us who is in particular need of our prayers and let us also bring before God our own needs and concerns.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember those who have died, some recently and some long ago. May they rest in peace and may all who mourn and miss them be comforted and find their own peace.

We remember Ann Widdecombe who has died in terrible circumstances. We pray that she is now at peace and that her family and friends will be comforted and cared for in their loss.

Again in a short time of quiet we remember our own loved ones who are no longer with us.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ,

Amen

12th July 2026 10.30am – 6th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

Posted on July 12, 2026 by admin

The Readings

Romans 8. 1 - 11

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Matthew 13. 1 - 9, 18 - 23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!” “Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

The Sermon
Prepared by Catherine, Reader at St Mary's.

Some years ago we enjoyed a television programme - “The secret life of 5 year-
olds”. About 10 small children spent a fortnight in a purpose-built school room
and outdoor play area. Cameras were hidden all over the place, and the
children wore microphones. They were given different challenges and
activities throughout the day. Some child psychologists hid in another room,
watching and listening to the children interact with each other (sometimes
collapsing in hysterics), and explained to the viewers what they thought was
going on.

In one episode they wanted to see how the children behaved in single sex
groups. The play area was set up with plenty of activities which could perhaps
interest, in particular, boys or girls. The girls were let in first. They quickly
found the dressing up area and got busy putting on clothes and make up.
Except one. She had discovered the dinosaurs. She asked each of the other
girls in turn to play dinosaurs with her, but they weren't interested. And she
wasn't interested in make up. No one wanted to play with her, and she got
upset.

Interestingly, when it was the boys’ turn, they played with both the dinosaurs
and the dressing up, and I don’t remember anyone being left out.

When you’re a child, sometimes your friends will play. Sometimes they
won’t. It’s that stark. Compromise is something 5 year-olds are only just
starting to navigate.

Only a handful of stories show Jesus interacting with children. He heals a few.
He blesses some. He gratefully accepts a boy’s offering of loaves and fish to
share with a crowd. And yet from today’s gospel reading it is clear that he
understands children well.

Jesus has watched children at play. He's seen their efforts to get other children
to join in. And he’s noticed two games in particular that the children of the day
play - wedding games and funeral games. In the wedding game the girls play
flutes, whilst the boys dance. In the funeral game the boys sing dirges and the
girls wail.

But sometimes the other children don't want to play. So the girls play their
flutes, but the boys won't dance. Or the boys sing, but the girls won’t wail. And
so neither game will happen. When the others won't join in your game you get
upset.

Children watch adults and they copy them. The wedding and funeral games
copy what the grown-ups get up to. The game is a mirror of ordinary social
life.

Jesus notices the way children watch and copy the adults. And now he uses the
children’s games to describe Israel’s response to God. God is inviting Israel to
join in the “Kingdom game”.

To join the “Kingdom Game” there are two things God wants Israel to do. The
first is to recognise where things have gone wrong, own their part in this, and
turn back to the way of God. The second is to celebrate the world that God has
given them, with all its good things, and enjoy it together.

John the baptist is the first to call Israel to the game. He is strict, lives frugally
and urges the people to repent. It’s a bit like the boys’ dirges in the funeral
game. But Israel’s people are suspicious of someone so sober and stern and
don't want to listen.

Then comes Jesus. He heals the sick, befriends the poor and likes a good
party. A bit like the girls’ flute-playing in the wedding game. But the people
are suspicious of him too, because he likes to have a good time. So they won't
join him either. No one wants to be part of the “Kingdom game”. And Jesus is
rather upset.

But all is not lost.

Jesus knows that while some children don’t want to play, others do. You just
have to find them. It’s like that with the “Kingdom game” too. Some people do
respond to John and to Jesus. They are like children keen to learn,open to
God’s forgiveness. And they’re not the supposedly wise religious leaders, but
ordinary, everyday people with receptive hearts. People who have struggled to
follow the strict lifestyles adopted by the Pharisees, with their impossibly
heavy burdens. People who welcome the chance to take on a light burden and
to learn from a caring teacher.

I can’t remember what happened next with the little girl and the dinosaurs in
the TV programme. But there were caring teachers around and plenty of other
activities to try. And maybe in time, she might have found some dinosaur
loving playmates away from the cameras.

So, are we ready to join in the “Kingdom game”? Let’s play!

St Marys Walkley

The Church on the Road: inclusive, eucharistic, a safe place to be with God

Category: Sermons

13th September 2026 10.30am – The 15th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

6th September 2026 10.30am – The Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Eucharist

30th August 2026 10.30am – 13th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

23rd August 2026 10.30am – 12th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

16th August 2026 10.30am – 11th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

9th August 2026 10.30am – Eucharist for the Feast of the Transfiguration

2nd August 2026 10.30am – 9th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

26th July 2026 10.30am – James the Apostle – Eucharist

19th July 2026 10.30am – 7th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

12th July 2026 10.30am – 6th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist