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The Readings.

Numbers 21.4-9

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

John 3.13-17

No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

 

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon James Wilson.

 

The Prayers

Let us pray to the Father through his Son,
who suffered on the cross for the world’s redemption.

Fill with your Spirit Christ’s broken body, the Church.
Give to people everywhere a deep longing
to take up the cross and to understand its mysterious glory.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Bless those who lead the Church’s worship.
In the preaching of the word
and the celebration of the sacraments,
draw your people close to you.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Give your grace to those who preach your word to the nations.
Help us to witness to the faith we have received
by our words and in our deeds,
and daily conform us more and more to Christ,
that we may glory in his cross.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Look in your mercy upon the world you loved so much
that you sent your Son to suffer and to die.
Strengthen those who work to share
the reconciliation won at such a cost upon the cross.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Bring healing by the wounds of Christ
to all who are weighed down by pain and injustice.
Help the lonely and the betrayed, the suffering and the dying,
to find strength in the companionship of Jesus,
and in his passion to know their salvation.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Welcome into paradise all who have left this world in your friendship.
According to your promises,
bring them with all your saints
to share in the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection.
By the Saviour’s cross and passion,
Lord, save us and help us.

Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy on us.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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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

‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour 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 for ever.’

 

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Dr Beth Keith. 

 

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

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

We give you thanks for the gift of Mary, after whom this church is named, and thank you
for giving her to us to give birth to your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. We give thanks for
all the people who passed through this church yesterday for the Horticultural show, and
hope we may see some of them again, once they have seen how beautiful the church is.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the church worldwide, that all who call themselves Christians may serve you
as best they can, and serve your people in whatever way they can. We pray for our
diocese, our bishops and all who serve you in whatever capacity. We thank you for our
partner churches, St John’s and St Mark’s, that we may grow ever closer in our
partnership.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for our city of Sheffield. We give you thanks for Walkley, for all the organisations
in our area, our schools and teachers, and ask your blessing on St Mary’s School, as they
start the new school year. We ask your blessing on all the students soon to return to our
city.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for Katherine baptised today, and for Alison who was licensed last Monday. May
we as a congregation always give them the support they need.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time, and remember in our prayers all who work in the
National Health Service and carers. We pray they may always be strengthened to carry
out the tasks they need to undertake. We pray for all known to us in special need of your
saving grace….
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

We remember before you all who have died recently, and those we have loved and known.
We pray for all who are with your in your tender care.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, John and Mark and all your saints, we commend
ourselves and all creation to your unfailing love.

Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers
for the sake of your only Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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The Readings.

Ecclesiasticus 10.12-18

The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;
the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.
For the beginning of pride is sin,
and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,
and destroys them completely.
The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,
and enthrones the lowly in their place.
The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,
and plants the humble in their place.
The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,
and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.
He removes some of them and destroys them,
and erases the memory of them from the earth.
Pride was not created for human beings,
or violent anger for those born of women.

Luke 14.1, 7-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’
He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’

 

 

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

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

Many years ago, as a young person, then a teenager, I used to go to the theatre on a semi regular basis. I would normally be taken by my mother and we would go with a friend of mine from orchestra and her mother. It’s long enough ago that I’m not sure I can recall any of the plays we saw, though I expect they included some Shakespeare, mum having had a passion for English Literature. What has stuck in my mind was the inevitable discussion around who was going to pay for the interval drinks. There would be a bit of back and forth with phrases uttered such as “No, no, I’ll get these” Or “You got them last time”. Eventually the dance would conclude, and I could finally drink the lemonade I’d been waiting for. This dance would be repeated again on the next trip, I assume the other person ended up paying, though I confess to not keeping a record. Reciprocal hospitality was maintained.

This memory surfaced as I finished reading the passage. We might like to thing our society has changed vastly from the Roman Empire of Jesus’ day. In some ways it has, but perhaps not as much, or as permanently as we might like to think. Slavery is no longer legal or an accepted part of life, though it’s still present, often unnoticed, in places like nail bars, car washes or the garment industry.

We don’t normally deify the political leader in the way Roman Emperors were. Though this has happened occasionally in the last 2000 years, normally with terrible results. May Russia, North Korea and the United States of America take note.
Back to hospitality. The guests at the meal in our Gospel reading would have been invited with the expectation that they would reciprocate in turn and invite the hosts to a similar event. If you couldn’t do so you would be judged and loose perceived status and definitely not be invited to such a meal again.

Jesus turns this on its head. “Do not invite your friends, or brothers, or your relatives, or rich neighbours.” All people who will invite you back in return. But instead he says “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.” People who in Jesus’ day would have never been in the position to host a dinner party.

This should make us question our own motives for offering hospitality, as individuals, families and a community. Are we offering an open table to others, without thought to receiving in kind? Are we as church welcoming to all and not unconsciously excluding others? But also our motives for accepting hospitality. Do we seek to be upwardly socially mobile?

Questions to ponder.

Meals like the one described would often be held around a U shaped table, with the most important guests at the centre of the U, and the least important at either end. Jesus makes it clear that we should be humble, expressed in the parable as taking the lowest seats at the end of the table. Sometimes easier said than done, when modern society tells us to believe in ourselves. We can do anything. Not that there is anything wrong in believing in oneself. But it’s very easy to stray from confident self-belief where we are comfortable in the knowledge that God loves us and cares for us. When we do we can end up self-centred and egotistical.

The Church of England has a complicated relationship with this parable.

On the one hand in the last few years it has released a vision document for the church in the 2020s called “Simpler, Humbler, Bolder”. So one might expect it to be humbler in this decade than it perhaps has been. It has certainly been rightly humbled by repeated safeguarding failures.

Part of my last role at the Cathedral was preparing invites, guest lists and seating plans for various civic services. I did this with a copy of Debrett’s Correct Form close to hand. A fascinating book which includes, alongside correct forms of address, the order of precedence.
This is essentially a hierarchical list of all the most important people in the country which informs how people are seated at services, dinner parties and in what order they would enter and leave a function. The King is at the top, followed by certain members of the Royal family, next comes the Archbishop of Canterbury (vacant), the Lord Chancellor (currently Shabana Mahmood), the Archbishop of York, then the Prime Minister. When you’re so high up the list, its unsurprising that archbishops have sometimes forgotten the humbler part of simpler, humbler, bolder.

As you may know we’re looking for a new Archbishop of Canterbury at the moment. The process is probably nearing it’s conclusion. I would suggest that the next incumbent could do worse than choose todays reading for their installation.

The Prayers
Prepared by Kath.

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

We give you thanks for the many wonderful gifts you have given us; our lives and the incredible world we live in. Help us to truly appreciate all that we have to look after our world for this generation and the generations to come.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Father, we pray for your church throughout the world and for those of other faiths who worship you. Now, more than ever, help us to seek ways to live together peaceably and respectfully in your name rather than clinging to what divides us. Help us to remember that we are all your children.
We pray for our Bishops, Pete and Leah, for the diocese of Sheffield and for our mission partnership churches of St Mark’s, St John’s and St Mary’s. We give thanks for all who give so generously of their time, talents and resources to make them the special, welcoming and nurturing places that they are.
We pray for those who are to be confirmed here Monday evening and for Alison as she is licensed to St Mary’s. We give thanks for her ministry among us and look forward to working and worshipping with her in the future.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We continue to pray for our very troubled and turbulent world in which already terrible situations get ever worse. We pray for all peoples who are caught up in and suffering because of wars, oppression and need. As so many of us feel helpless and powerless to end these situations, Father, guide us and especially our leaders to know what is right and strengthen the nations to work together for it, so that everyone can live in peace. Please be with all who are courageous in standing against tyranny and corruption and help us to value and defend the freedom and liberty we have rather than taking it for granted because it really is precious and we are in danger of losing it. Help us not to give in to the temptation of supposedly easy but deeply flawed courses of action.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill and those who are nearing the end of their lives. May they receive the care, comfort and compassion they need. We pray for those who accompany them on their journey who also need our loving care and support.
In a moment of quiet let us call to mind anyone known to us who is in special need of our prayers at this time and let us also pray for ourselves and our own needs and concerns.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We remember all who have died, some recently and some long ago. We pray that they are at peace and that those who love and miss them will be comforted in their loss. We pray for the victims of the latest school shooting in the United States and for all those affected by it and we remember the journalists killed in Gaza while trying to rescue injured colleagues.
Again in a short time of quiet let us remember those special to us 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.

 

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

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The Readings.

Acts 5.12-16

Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem. Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he came by. A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

Luke 22.24-30

A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. "You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

 

 

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

When the lawyer asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus
asked him what the law told him to do? The lawyer replied: he should love
God, and his neighbour as himself. Jesus said this was right.

But the lawyer went on to ask: Who is my neighbour? Jesus replied with a
parable. The story of a Samaritan, not a Jew, who went to the aid of a Jew
who had been beaten by robbers and left at the side of the road. The
meaning could not have been clearer. Our neighbour is anyone who is in
need.

That is a very sweeping definition. Our neighbour is not just someone in our
extended family, or someone who lives down our street, or someone who is of
our race or religion, but anyone in need. We must do our best to meet the
needs of others, whoever and wherever they might be. It’s a tall order.

In today’s gospel, Jesus applies that principle to leadership. The disciples will
never be people with worldly power, but whenever they show leadership it
must not be the sort of leadership of those powerful men. They are only
interested in their own wants and will boss and bully others in order to get
them. Whenever the disciples step up and show leadership, it must be about
meeting the needs of others - service.

This value – meeting the needs of others – is something that the Christian
church has always had front and centre of its teaching. I’ll come back to it.

Last week, I met Fr Ron in his sheltered accommodation in Scarborough. We
chatted and agreed that old age brings few benefits. He is now 96. But the
one thing it enables you to do is to look back over your life and see it in some
sort of perspective. To see the changes that have taken place - which is very
hard to do when you are living through them. Not to grumble about them, but
to understand them.

I thought about one colossal change in this country that has happened in my
lifetime. We call, it secularisation.

But we easily misunderstand what secularisation means. We tend to think it’s
about people losing their belief in God – and that is part of it. Less than half
the population now say they believe in God. Many say they don’t. Some are
confused. Their faith is like a badly wired lamp. It flickers on and off.

But secularisation is about far more than the beliefs in people’s heads. It’s
about culture. It’s about the thousand and one things that influence all of our
lives every day as we live them.

What Fr Ron and I have seen over the course of our lives is the gradual loss
of a Christian culture.

For instance, when I was a boy, I went to Sunday school. So did more than
half the children of Britain. Not any more. But even if you didn’t go to Sunday
school, every school day began with an act of worship – again a thing of the
past. We sang hymns, we read Bible stories, we said prayers. Everyone knew
the parable of the Good Samaritan and what it meant, even if they didn’t go to
church. A Christian culture was formed and previous generations absorbed
the values of the Christian faith through it.

Central to that was the idea of meeting the needs of others – and this would
be reciprocal, mutual - for this is how we build each other up in love.

Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.

But what happens when the culture is no longer Christian? What happens
then to Christian values, especially love of the neighbour, of whatever race or
religion?

We shouldn’t complacently think the values will survive even if the religion
doesn’t. My life began with a culture across the sea in continental Europe that
completely rejected those values and saw the destruction of 6 million Jews.
Are we beginning to see the erosion of that central value, love of neighbour?

Does this explain why emergency service workers, nurses and shop
assistants can be attacked and abused?

Does this explain why asylum seekers, including children, can face furiously
angry people prepared to set alight the building they are living in? This is
hardly compatible with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Christian values were once absorbed through a common Christian culture.
Not any more.

Perhaps they now have to radiate out more and more from discrete Christian
congregations. Like ours.

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. Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council  

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The Readings.

Jeremiah 23.23-29

Am I a God near by, says the Lord, and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, "I have dreamed, I have dreamed!" How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back—those who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal. Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the Lord. Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

Luke 12.49-56

"I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, "It is going to rain'; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, "There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

 

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon James Wilson.

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

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

 

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The Readings.

Genesis 15.1-6

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." But the word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." He brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Luke 12.32-40

Jesus said, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. "But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."

 

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

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

I keep a dream journal. As the prophet Joel says, “Your old men will
dream dreams”, and whilst I’m not old I certainly dream! A relatively
common one I have is that I look up at a night sky that is
overwhelming in it’s beauty, stuffed with stars that you would never
see at night. When I wake up, this dream leaves me a little sad,
because I’m also an amateur astronomer.

I was reminded of this dream with today’s reading from Genesis. I
thought of Abram (before he became Abraham), standing under just
such a star-strewn sky. God says to him: “Look up toward heaven and
count the stars… so shall your descendants be.” At this point, the
astronomer in me kicks in with a reminder that with good eyesight
and a dark sky in the desert you’d probably expect to see maybe
3,000 stars, if that.

It’s a beautiful promise from God, but poignant – almost hurtful - in
the moment. Abram is elderly, childless, married to a woman of
similar age, and by every earthly measure, unlikely to become the
father of nations.

But, “he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as
righteousness.”

It’s one of the foundational moments of our faith—not because
Abram achieved something extraordinary, but because he trusted in
something beyond what he could see.

Fast-forward to our Gospel reading from Luke, and again, we hear
this invitation to trust. Jesus says “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it
is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.”

There’s something tender about that phrase ‘little flock’. It
acknowledges our vulnerability. We’re just a small band of sheep
trying to make our way. But, Jesus, our shepherd, says, “don’t be
afraid”.

Because the Kingdom isn’t something we earn. It’s something given
to us by the same generous God who made Abram the father of a
whole people.

Both Abram and the disciples are being called to live by trusting in
something that they can’t see or explicitly prove. They’re invited to
trust the promise, even when the present feels uncertain.

That is the Biblical definition of faith.

The reality confronting Abram and the disciples was indeed
uncertain.

Abram is old and has no child. The disciples live under Roman
occupation, barely surviving, risking all to follow an itinerant Rabbi
with some unorthodox beliefs.

We, too, face our own uncertainties—personal ones, like illness,
aging or doubt, and global ones such as climate change, conflict, war
and genocide.

And into that, God says: “Fear not.”

Now – God is not going to work some magic that immediately gives
us all the answers. Not because the path will be easy—but because
God walks it with us. Faith, as shown in both readings, isn’t about
having all the answers. It’s about saying “yes” to God even when the
outcome isn’t visible. Abram believed—and it was enough. Abram’s
trust - imperfect, questioning, but genuine - was enough for the Lord
to reckon him righteous.

One of the most striking things about both texts is this: God is the
one who moves first. In Genesis, God makes the promise. In Luke, it
is the Father’s pleasure to give us the Kingdom.

We sometimes believe - especially when we’re personally or
collectively ‘under the cosh’, so to say - that God’s blessings are
scarce, or that we must somehow do something that qualifies us as
being worthy of His intervention. But here we are reminded that
God delights in giving. He’s a generous God. He’s not reluctant,
doesn’t need convincing. We Christians are in the enviable position
of being asked to accept a gift already offered.

And the Kingdom Jesus speaks of isn’t some far-off future reality. It's
breaking into the world even now—through love, justice, grace, and
community. And we are invited to participate in it, not fearfully, but
joyfully.

Jesus speaks of servants waiting for their master - not in fear or
anxiety, but with watchfulness. Not wringing their hands, but
keeping the lamps lit, and being prepared! I’m reminded of a little
rule of thumb I use to help me deal with anxiety about situations. I
ask myself – have I done everything I can reasonably do at this time
to help me deal with this problem? If the answer is ‘Yes’, that’s it;
I’m ready – or as ready as I will ever be. If the answer is ‘No’ or
‘Maybe’, I will look to see what else I can do to prepare, rather than
sit and worry.

There’s a difference between anxious waiting and hopeful readiness.
One is exhausting, we feel powerless, we’re scared; the other is
energising, we’ve done what we can, so ‘bring it on’.

To live in Christian readiness is not to be constantly on edge,
worrying whether we’re “prepared enough.” Rather, it’s to orient
our lives around love, generosity, and trust—so that, whatever
comes, we are already prepared with the right tools. Jesus even
suggests a sort of reversal—that the master will return and actually
serve the servants. It’s a remarkable image of grace. Not only do we
wait for God, but God comes to serve and feed us.

But – and it’s difficult for us - both Abram and Jesus’ disciples are
asked to let go of something. For Abram, it’s his despair, his
calculation of the odds against fatherhood. For the disciples, it’s their
fear—and their attachment to possessions and control.
Jesus says, “Sell your possessions, give alms… make purses that do
not wear out.” That’s not necessarily a command to live in
poverty—but it is a call to loosen our grip. We’re asked to reduce our
dependency on perishables; that which moth and rust consume, and
instead to invest in what endures: compassion, generosity, trust, and
love.

Like Abram, we are invited to believe—even when the promise
seems distant.

It is God’s pleasure to bless, to call, to save, to sustain. Grace is not a
transaction. It is a gift.

We need to keep our lamps lit, not because we fear being caught
out, but because we want to be ready to welcome the Kingdom
whenever and however it manifests.

We shouldn’t let our lives be cluttered by fear, or by the illusion that
more stuff will bring peace. True treasure is found elsewhere.

“Do not be afraid, little flock.”

Words as valid today as 2000 years ago. God sees you. God is near.
And it is His joy to give us the Kingdom.

Amen.

 

The Prayers
Prepared by Oli.

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

 

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The Readings.

2 Peter 1. 16 - 19

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.

So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

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 Joe, Reader at St Mary's.

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

Some years ago I was walking down High Street, on the other side of
the road to the Nat West Bank. I suddenly experienced what I’ve
since described as ‘a moment of perfect clarity’. For a period of time
– it felt like minutes but must have been just seconds – everything
slowed, and I felt that I had a connection with the whole world; that I
thought I understood everything; everything was ‘just right’. And
then Sheffield re-asserted itself.

There isn’t a month goes by when I don’t recall that moment.
For Peter, James, and John, that moment came on a mountainside,
where they saw something so overwhelming that they could scarcely
speak about it, but that stayed with them all their days.

Today’s Gospel from Luke follows on from Jesus telling his disciples
about his forthcoming death. What happens in the intervening week
we’re not told, but then it’s reported that Jesus goes up the
mountain to pray. Peter and the others – well, they go along and
appear to doze off. As is often the case in the Gospels, when Jesus
prays, things happen, and the mountain becomes what we’d these
days call a liminal space – a place where the curtain between heaven
and Earth is pulled back, just for a moment.

Jesus is transfigured. This is not a transformation of Jesus into
something new. This is Jesus being revealed in his glorious entirety.
Human, Divine, a person of the Trinity, the Son of God.

Moses and Elijah don’t just show up because they’re hanging around
waiting for a chance to visit. They represent the Law and the
Prophets, and speak with Jesus about what is to come – Jesus’
departure, as it’s put, in Jerusalem. Like the Exodus in the Old
Testament, Jesus’s personal exodus from His human life will bring
about a sea-change in man’s relationship with God.

Peter and the others start to wake up and Peter suggests building
some sort of little houses for the three. Well meaning, but not really
appropriate. And then, a cloud descends - a symbol of God’s
presence throughout scripture - and a voice speaks: “This is my Son,
my Chosen; listen to Him.”

And that’s that. The vision fades; normality re-asserts itself; the
curtain is drawn. Jesus looks once more as he did before, and Moses
and Elijah are nowhere to be seen.

This moment on the mountain is not a break from reality—it is a
glimpse of the ultimate reality. We are so used to thinking of Jesus in
humble, human terms - born in a manger, sharing meals with
sinners, washing the feet of his friends and crucified between
criminals. And all of that is true. But this story reminds us that He’s
not just an itinerant Rabbi and jobbing carpenter – He is the Son of
God. Fully Human, fully Divine.

Peter, writing many years later in 2 Peter 1, looks back at that day
and says, “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” It made such an
impression that he calls it a lamp shining in a dark place. What an
impact that experience made on him!

When our world feels dim—when faith feels difficult—when we’re
trudging through uncertainty—it’s good to remember the mountain.
To remember that the Jesus we follow is not just a wise teacher, not
just a compassionate friend—but the Lord of Glory. The
Transfiguration reminds us that we are not walking behind a human
leader shedding a fading light, but following the Son of God who
shines with eternal power.

The only words God speaks in this entire passage are these: “This is
my Son, my Chosen; listen to Him.” We’re not told to behold His
glory; we’re not told to worship. We are told to listen.

Because the voice of Jesus—the words of Jesus—will guide us when
the mountaintop vision fades. When life returns to the valleys, to the
ordinary, to the painful, the confusing, the beautiful grind of our
days—we are called to keep listening.

And what has Jesus been saying? A week before this moment, He has
spoken plainly to His disciples, telling them that He will die; He will
be resurrected; His journey is the one they must now follow.

In a world with so many competing voices - some seductive and
persuasive, some fearful, some angry, some threatening - we need to
hear the voice of God again. Listen to Him.

In your relationships, in your work, in your doubts, in your joy: Listen
to Him. Listen to my Son.

After all this, Luke tells us that “they kept silent.” And then the very
next verse - though not in our reading today - returns us to the
everyday grind: a boy tormented by an unclean spirit, a desperate
father, and the disciples struggling to cope.

It’s a jarring shift. That’s how it often is. The moments of spiritual
clarity, of sacred beauty, are often followed by reality slapping us
back to attention. But that’s why the Transfiguration matters.
Because we are meant to carry its light with us into the shadows. It is
not escapism. It’s equipping.

As Peter writes, “You will do well to be attentive to this, as to a lamp
shining in a dark place.” It’s not just about what they saw—but what
they do now. How would Christians of the day be enlightened by the
experience.

What does this mean to us today?

The Transfiguration is a dazzling, holy moment—but it is also a
reminder of the nature of Jesus and His impact on us.

We’re reminded that Jesus is glorious; a fully human man who walks
and talks with the prophets, who reveals his divinity to His friends,
and who is recognised as the Son of God. His presence in the world is
a pivotal moment when man’s relationship with God shifts from the
emphasis on Law to Love.

We’re called to listen to what Jesus says – not to worship him. Not to
marvel in His glory. Just listen. We may be surrounded by the babble
of media, angry voices, persistent social media. Ignore those voices.
Listen to the quietness of your soul. Listen to Jesus’ words.

We’re called to carry His light, his words and teachings to others,
even when the world feels dim and His glory is absent from our sight.
Listen and remember when your steps take you into the dirty,
bloody, mess of the world.

“This is my Son. Listen to Him.”

Let us take that voice seriously. And let it guide our steps—not just
on the mountain, but in the everyday valleys of life.

Amen.

 

 

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.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

 

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Download the order of service here - 25 07 27 6th Sunday after Trinity

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The Readings.

Genesis 18. 20 - 32

Then the Lord said, ‘How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.’
So the men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’ And the Lord said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.’ Abraham answered, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And he said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’ Again he spoke to him, ‘Suppose forty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of forty I will not do it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.’ He answered, ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’ He said, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’

Luke 11.1-13

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.’
And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
‘So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

The Sermon
Prepared by The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings

 

 

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

 

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Download the order of service here - 25 07 20 5th Sunday after Trinity

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The Readings.

Luke 10. 38 - end   

Now as Jesus and his disciples went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

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

If my memory serves me correctly I’m sure I recall hearing Alan preach on the passage about Martha & Mary many years ago and asking us which of these women did we readily identify with? Were we Marthas or Marys? I knew straight away that I was a Martha and in spite of the obvious message in the story, I probably still am. But I wonder how you think of yourself? I’ll leave you reflect on that question in your own time.

It would be very easy to be judgmental about Martha and think “well of course she should have known that it was more important to pay attention to what Jesus was saying”, but I have a lot of sympathy with her predicament and the situation she was dealing with. In the interests of doing a bit of research I read a very interesting piece about the passage that helped to set the scene in a little more detail thus making it more understandable. Martha was the elder of the sisters and had invited Jesus and his disciples into her home. It was customary to offer hospitality so she was trying to cater for quite a large group of people and as we all know, sadly dinner doesn’t make itself. I imagine she would have liked to listen to Jesus herself but felt she should make sure her guests were going to get fed. It’s also understandable that she felt rather annoyed with her sister for leaving her to cope with all the work on her own. However, when she complains to Jesus, no doubt expecting him to back her up, he instead affirms that Mary is the one doing the right thing. Martha may well have been a bit hurt or embarrassed by this. Here she is, trying her best to be a good hostess and being told in front of everyone that she’s got it wrong. But Jesus isn’t trying to make her feel bad or dismissing her concerns, he’s gently pointing out that sometimes, what might seem like a priority is not in fact the most important thing at that moment. The passage doesn’t tell us what happened next but I really hope that Martha sat down with everyone else and listened to what Jesus was saying then afterwards she got the help she needed and they all enjoyed eating and discussing things together.

Many of us live very busy lives in a complicated and fast paced world. There are many demands on our time and attention and often we feel as if we’re up against the clock. We must get this done and that done by a particular deadline or there’ll be trouble, and however hard we work at it, the “to do” list never seems to get any shorter. In such circumstances it can be easy to miss what is most important, as Martha did, by trying to attend to all the practical stuff and neglecting the spiritual aspects of our lives because there just doesn’t seem to be time to fit that in as well. We’ll deal with it later when we get the chance we tell ourselves. But the trouble with this approach is that it effectively demotes the spiritual side of our being to an afterthought, rather than the core part of us that should be underpinning every other aspect of who and what we are and what we do. Carving out and prioritising time focussing on God through prayer or worship or quiet reflection or whatever works for you is not a waste of time or a luxury, it is what feeds us and keeps us going, and we need to be open enough and humble enough to accept the occasional gentle reminder when we’re getting our life balance out of kilter.

The world needs both Marthas and Marys. We each need to be both Martha and Mary, finding the right balance between the practical and the spiritual and in so doing, allowing space for God to get in.
Amen.

 

The Prayers
Prepared by Paul.

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus, the Head of the Church your body, help those who call you Saviour to serve you in holiness and truth, wherever we are: in our homes, families, friendship groups, workplaces and communities. Grant your Church the power and wisdom of the Spirit to be your eyes and ears and hands, demonstrating your love and grace to the world around us.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer

Lord Jesus, the Saviour of the world, we pray for our world and for its leaders, that they will act in justice and peace for all. We ask for wisdom for our government, to uphold the rights and dignity of all its citizens. The hot and dry weather we have experienced this year reminds us of the challenges of climate change. Help all those in power to rise to those challenges, most especially those faced by developing nations. May the poor and the oppressed know Your help and favour.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer

Lord Jesus, King of kings, we pray for our city of Sheffield and our community. Help the clergy, leaders and congregations of St John’s Ranmoor, St Mark’s Broomhill and here at St Mary’s Walkley to be a light in our parishes and to serve their people in all their joys and sorrows.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer

Lord Jesus, Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, we lift up all those we know who face troubles, grief and illness. May you comfort and restore all those who feel overwhelmed and weak. We bring them to you now in a moment of quiet.
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer

Lord Jesus, Lord Most High, we thank you for all the faithful in every age who have witnessed to you and have been servants of Your grace and lights to the world. Helps us to follow their example, that you may bring us to those things that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, which you have prepared for those who love you.
Heavenly Father,
Accept these prayers, for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council

 

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The Readings.

The Sermon
Prepared  by The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

Today’s gospel is in two parts. The second part – the story of the Good
Samaritan – is well known and the meaning clear: we should help our
neighbour in need in whatever way we can. So I will lay that to one side.

Let’s look, rather, at the first part. The lawyer’s question to Jesus: ‘What shall
I do to inherit eternal life?’

This lawyer is not the sort of lawyer we have now - someone who knows the
laws passed by Parliament. There was no parliament in the time of Jesus.
These lawyers are scholars who know the laws or commandments of God,
according to the Jewish Bible - the Old Testament. Jews believed that if they
lived according to these commandments, they would inherit eternal life.

There are 613 commandments scattered through the Bible. 248 are positive:
do this. 365 are negative: don’t do that. You will be familiar with some: like the
Ten Commandments, which are a mix of positive – remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy - and negative - You shall not steal.

It was the job of the lawyers, like rabbis today, to know what all the
commandments are and how they apply in life’s changing circumstances.
Now the question the lawyer asked Jesus, ‘What shall I do to inherit eternal
life?’, was a question from one Jew to another in a religious society and
culture.

But I think it’s the sort of question that all people wrestle with in all societies
and cultures, even less religious ones like ours.

The question we ask ourselves at some point in our lives is this: how do I live
well? How do I live in a way that is ethically satisfying to me and to God?

In September I’m going to marry a young couple in Cawthorne church, near
Barnsley. Towards the end of the service we’ll pray for their future married life.
The prayer ends with these words:

“May they nurture their family with devotion, see their children grow in
body, mind and spirit and come at last to the end of their lives with
hearts content…”

Those final words - “and come at last to the end of their lives with hearts
content…” capture, I think, what the lawyer is getting at with his question to
Jesus and what so many people ask today, though in their own way.

How am I to live so that I come to the end of my life with heart content?

Sometimes when a life ends, and we look back over it, we can be fairly sure
that this person would be able to say that their heart was content. Let me call
to mind someone who died at the start of the nineteenth century and
someone who died recently, to show what I mean.

A couple of weeks ago, I was in Winchester cathedral. In the north aisle I
passed the grave of Jane Austen, the novelist, who is buried there. You may
have read some of her novels or seen the TV adaptation of Pride and
Prejudice with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

Although she died young – she was 41 – I think she could have had a
contented heart. She had succeeded against considerable odds to do what
she always wanted – to write. But those who laid her to rest remembered her
primarily for other reasons. Her gravestone only hints at the fact that she was
a writer – it speaks of ‘the extraordinary endowment of her mind’. It dwells
more on her character: ’The benevolence of her heart, the sweetness of her
temper…’ ’The benevolence of her heart, the sweetness of her temper…’
And that made me think of the tragic death last week of the Liverpool
footballer, Diogo Jota. He also died young. But what I found so moving was
not just the fact that so many were so heartbroken at his death, but the
reasons why. Yes, they had lost a very talented player. But, as one former
captain of Liverpool put it, it was not just what he did on the field but the sort
of human being he was off it.

We want to do our best in our working life – as a novelist or a footballer or
anything else. But what will bring us to the end of our lives with hearts content
is how we treat those around us. The benevolence of our heart. The
sweetness of our temper.

What must I do to inherit eternal life? The answer for the lawyer and for us is
the same: Do what will bring you to the end of your life with heart content.

The Prayers

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council