Sermons from St Andrew's: Recent Episodes
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These are the sermons that are given from the pulpit of St Andrew's Church in the village of Slip End, Bedfordshire in the UK.
Generally these sermons are given by our vicar the Rev' Cathy Pullinger or by our reader Chris Barnes. Occasionally we also have visiting preachers or other members of our congregation that present sermons.
Before each sermon there is a reading from the bible that usually last a couple of minutes .
You can always visit our website at http://church.slipend.co.uk.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our vicar Rev Lindsey Moss, recorded on the 9th August 2026.
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Sermon starts at 2:02
Matthew 14 v 22-33
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,
24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our vicar Rev Lindsey Moss, recorded on the 2nd August 2026.
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Sermon starts at 2:04
Matthew 14:13-21
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.
14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said.
19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Richard Palmer, recorded on the 26th July 2026.
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Sermon starts at 1:30
Matthew 13 v 31-35
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.
35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Richard Palmer at our Family Service on the 12/7/26
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Sermon starts at 2:35
Matthew 13 v 1-9 and 18-23
The Parable of the Sower
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.
23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our vicar Rev Lindsey Moss, recorded on the 5th July2026 on Sanctuary Sunday
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Sermon starts at 1:53
Matthew 11 v 16-19 & 25-30
16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
17 “‘We played the pipe for you,
and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”
The Father Revealed in the Son
25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Richard Palmer at our Family Service on the 28/6/26
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Sermon starts at 4:07
Matthew 10 v 40 – 42
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.
42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our vicar Rev Lindsey Moss, recorded on the 21st June 2026 on Sanctuary Sunday
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Sermon starts at 4:55
Genesis 21 v 8-21
Hagar and Ishmael sent away
8The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weanedAbraham held a great feast.
9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar theEgyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking,
10 and she said to Abraham,‘Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will nevershare in the inheritance with my son Isaac.’
11The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son.
12 ButGod said to him, ‘Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slavewoman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac thatyour offspring will be reckoned.
13 I will make the son of the slave into a nationalso, because he is your offspring.’
14Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water andgave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off withthe boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.
15When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of thebushes.
16 Then she went off and sat down about a bow-shot away, for shethought, ‘I cannot watch the boy die.’ And as she sat there, she began to sob.
17God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar fromheaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God hasheard the boy crying as he lies there.
18 Lift the boy up and take him by thehand, for I will make him into a great nation.’
19Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went andfilled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
20God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became anarcher.
21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife forhim from Egypt.
Matthew: 10 v 24-39
24‘The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.
25 It isenough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. Ifthe head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more themembers of his household!
26‘So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not bedisclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
27 What I tell you in the dark,speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from theroofs.
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Arenot two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the groundoutside your Father’s care.
30 And even the very hairs of your head are allnumbered.
31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32‘Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge beforemy Father in heaven.
33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disownbefore my Father in heaven.
34‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not cometo bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I have come to turn
‘“a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law –
36a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”
37‘Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me;anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy ofme.
38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy ofme.
39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for mysake will find it.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Talk given by Sylvia Harland on Environment Sunday, recorded on the 14th June 2026 on the 1st Sunday after Trinity.
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Sermon starts at 1:40
Genesis 1 v 26, 2 v 4b-10 & 15
26 Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’
Adam and Eve
4b When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.
5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground,
6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.
7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.
9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our new vicar Rev Lindsey Moss, recorded on the 7th June 2026 on the 1st Sunday after Trinity
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Sermon starts at 2:24
Matthew 9 v 9-13 & 18-26
The Calling of Matthew
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman
18 While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.”
19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.
20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.
21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes,
24 he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.
25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
26 News of this spread through all that region.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Julie Taylor on Trinity Sunday on 31/5/26
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Sermon starts at 1:23
Matthew 28 v 16-20
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Julie Taylor at our healing service on the 12/10/25
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Sermon starts at 1:33
Luke 17 v 11-19
Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.
12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance
13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.
16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?
18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”
19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 5/10/25
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Sermon starts at 3:46
2 Timothy 1 verses 3-14
Thanksgiving
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Luke 17 verses 5-10
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
7 “Suppose one of you has a servant ploughing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’?
8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?
9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?
10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Richard Palmer on the 28/9/25 at our Harvest Festival Service
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Sermon starts at 3:48
Joel 2 v 21-24, 26
21 Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things.
22 Be not afraid, O wild animals, for the open pastures are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
23 Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with oil.
26 You will have plenty to eat until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you.
Mark 4 v 1-10, 13-20
1 Again, Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.
2 He taught them many things by parables and in his teaching said,
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and they withered because they had no root.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”
9 Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear let him hear.”
10 When he was alone, the twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
14 The farmer sows the word.
15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;
19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop – thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 14/9/25
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Sermon starts at 2:46
Luke 14 v 1-14
Jesus at a Pharisee’s House
1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.
2 There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body.
3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”
4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.
5 Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?”
6 And they had nothing to say.
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable:
8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.
9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.
10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.
11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.
13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Julie Taylor on the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity on the 7/9/25
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Sermon starts at 2:17
Luke 14 v 25-35
The Cost of Being a Disciple
25 Large crowds were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:
26 ‘Ifanyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children,brothers and sisters – yes, even their own life – such a person cannot be mydisciple.
27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be mydisciple.
28 ‘Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down andestimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?
29 For if you laythe foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridiculeyou,
30 saying, “This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.”
31 ‘Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sitdown and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the onecoming against him with twenty thousand?
32 If he is not able, he will send adelegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannotbe my disciples.
34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
35 It isfit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Richard Palmer on the 31/8/25
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Sermon starts at 2:30
Ezekiel chapter 34
Extracts from..
This is what the Sovereign LORD says, “Woe to the shepherds of Israel whoonly take care of themselves! You have not strengthened the weak or healedthe sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays orsearched for the lost. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on everyhigh hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched orlooked for them.”
This is what the Sovereign LORD says, “I myself will search for the sheep andlook after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is withthem, so will I look after my sheep.
Luke 15 v 1-7
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.
2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable:
4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our visiting preacher and one time vicar Rev Joy Daniel on the 10th Sunday after Trinity on the 24/8/25
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Sermon starts at 4:06
Hebrews 12 v 18-end
The mountain of fear and the mountain of joy
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;
19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,
20 because they could not bear what was commanded: ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.
21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear.’
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’
27 The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken – that is, created things – so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
29for our ‘God is a consuming fire.
Luke 13 v 10-17
Jesus heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath
10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,
11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.
12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.’
13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, ‘There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.’
15 The Lord answered him, ‘You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?
16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?’
17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 9th Sunday after Trinity on the 17/8/25
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Sermon starts at 4:31
Isaiah 5 v 1-7
The song of the vineyard
1 I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard:my loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.
2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines.He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well.Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.
3 ‘Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it?When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?
5 Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard:I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed;I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled.
6 I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there.I will command the clouds not to rain on it.’
7 The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel,and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in.And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
Luke 12 v 49-56
Not Peace but Division
49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.
53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Interpreting the Times
54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.
55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is.
56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?
Tammy’s road to regaining her faith after her epileptic episode earlier this year.
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Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Given by our reader Richard Palmer on the 10/8/25
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Sermon starts at 2:35
Matthew 25 v 1-13
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.
4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.
5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Luke 12 v 35-40
Watchfulness
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.
37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.
39 But understand 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.
40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Today’s sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 14th July 2024 on the book of Ephesians.
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Sermon starts at 2:55
Ephesians 1 v 3-14
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessedus in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he choseus in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.In love
5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, inaccordance with his pleasure and will –
6 to the praise of his glorious grace,which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches ofGod’s grace
8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom andunderstanding,
9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to hisgood pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
10 to be put into effect when thetimes reach their fulfilment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earthunder Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the planof him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
12 inorder that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for thepraise of his glory.
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard themessage of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you weremarked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is a depositguaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’spossession – to the praise of his glory.
Today’s sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on church’ gift day and the sixth day after Trinity. 7th July 2024.
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Sermon starts at 2:19
Mark 6 v 1 – 13
A Prophet Without Honour
1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.
2 Whenthe Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard himwere amazed.“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that hasbeen given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing?
3 Isn’t thisthe carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas andSimon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own town,among his relatives and in his own home.”
5 He could not do any miracles there,except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
6 He was amazed at theirlack of faith.Jesus Sends Out the TwelveThen Jesus went around teaching from village to village.
7 Calling the Twelve tohim, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impurespirits.
8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—nobread, no bag, no money in your belts.
9 Wear sandals but not an extrashirt.
10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.
11 And ifany place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dustoff your feet as a testimony against them.”
12 They went out and preached that people should repent.
13 They drove out manydemons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
Today’s sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on 30th June 2024 for Healing Sunday.
Unfortunately the reading was not recorded and the first couple of minutes are missing from the sermon.
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Sermon starts at 0:00
Mark 5 v 21-43
Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman
21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, alarge crowd gathered round him while he was by the lake.
22 Then one of thesynagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell athis feet.
23 He pleaded earnestly with him, ‘My little daughter is dying. Pleasecome and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.’
24 SoJesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed round him.
25 And a woman was therewho had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.
26 She had suffered a greatdeal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead ofgetting better she grew worse.
27 When she heard about Jesus, she came upbehind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
28 because she thought, ‘If Ijust touch his clothes, I will be healed.’
29 Immediately her bleeding stoppedand she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30 At once Jesus realised that power had gone out from him. He turned roundin the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my clothes?’
31 ‘You see the people crowding against you,’ his disciples answered, ‘and yetyou can ask, “Who touched me?”’
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman,knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, tremblingwith fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith hashealed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus,the synagogue leader. ‘Your daughter is dead,’ they said. ‘Why bother theteacher anymore?’
36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’
37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brotherof James.
38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus sawa commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.
39 He went in and said tothem, ‘Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead butasleep.’
40 But they laughed at him.After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and thedisciples who were with him, and went in where the child was.
41 He took herby the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say toyou, get up!’).
42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (shewas twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.
43 He gavestrict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give hersomething to eat.
Today’s sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on 23rd June 2024 for Sanctuary Sunday.
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Sermon starts at 1:25
Mark 4 v 35-41
Jesus calms the storm
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to theother side.’
36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was,in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
37 A furious squall came up,and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
38 Jesuswas in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said tohim, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then thewind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’
41 They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind andthe waves obey him!’
Today’s sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the third Sunday after Trinity. 16th June 2024.
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Sermon starts at 2:05
Reading: Mark 4 v 26-34
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on theground.
27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows,though he does not know how.
28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk,then the head, then the full kernel in the head.
29 As soon as the grain is ripe, heputs the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parableshall we use to describe it?
31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of allseeds on earth.
32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all gardenplants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they couldunderstand.
34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when hewas alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Today’s sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the second sunday after Trinity , 9th June 2024.
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Sermon starts at 2:31
Mark 3 v 20-35
Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law
20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.
21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”
23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.
27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.
28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter,
29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”
30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”
31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.
32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
Today’s sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on Trinity Sunday, 26th May 2024.
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Sermon starts at 2:50
John 3 v 1-17
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member ofthe Jewish ruling council.
2 He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, weknow that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one couldperform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.’
3 Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of Godunless they are born again.’
4 ‘How can someone be born when they are old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surelythey cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!’
5 Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of Godunless they are born of water and the Spirit.
6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but theSpirit gives birth to spirit.
7 You should not be surprised at my saying,“You must be born again.”
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear itssound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it iswith everyone born of the Spirit.’
9 ‘How can this be?’ Nicodemus asked.
10 ‘You are Israel’s teacher,’ said Jesus, ‘and do you not understand thesethings?
11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify towhat we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
12 I havespoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will youbelieve if I speak of heavenly things?
13 No one has ever gone into heavenexcept the one who came from heaven – the Son of Man.
14 Just as Moseslifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be liftedup,
15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoeverbelieves in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not sendhis Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world throughhim.
Today’s sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia at Pentecost Sunday. 19th May 2024.
APOLOGIES FOR THE QUALITY OF THIS RECORDING
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Sermon starts at 1:46
John 15.26-27, John 16.4b-15
26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.
27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you,
5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.
7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 about sin, because people do not believe in me;
10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;
11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.
15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 7th Sunday of Easter entitled ‘Jesus Prays For His Disciples. 12th May 2024.
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Sermon starts at 2:50
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.
7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.
8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.
9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.
10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.
11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia at our joint service with our sister church St Pauls, Luton on the sixth week of Easter. 5th May 2024.
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Sermon starts at 2:14
John 15 v 9-17
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
17 This is my command: Love each other.
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on 28/4/24, on the fifth Sunday of Easter with the sermon entitled ‘The True Vine’.
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Sermon starts at 1:37
John 15 v 1, 5-8
The Vine and the Branches
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Galatians 5 v 22-23, 25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the forth week of Easter , on the 21st April 2024.
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Sermon starts at 1:50
John 10 v 11-18
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for thesheep.
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So whenhe sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolfattacks the flock and scatters it.
13 The man runs away because he is a hired handand cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
15 just asthe Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for thesheep.
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to takeit up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I haveauthority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I receivedfrom my Father.”
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on Mothering Sunday 14/4/24, on the third Sunday of Easter with the sermon entitled ‘Jesus appears to his disciples’.
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Sermon starts at 2:04
Luke 24 v 36-48
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them andsaid to them, ‘Peace be with you.’
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
38 He said tothem, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?
39 Look atmy hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does nothave flesh and bones, as you see I have.’
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
41 And whilethey still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’
42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
43 andhe took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: everythingmust be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophetsand the Psalms.’
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
46 Hetold them, ‘This is what is written: the Messiah will suffer and rise from thedead on the third day,
47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will bepreached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 You arewitnesses of these things.
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the second week of Easter , the 7th April 2024.
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Sermon starts at 2:40
John 20 v 19-31
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, withthe doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among themand said, “Peace be with you!”
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands andside. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sendingyou.”
22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 Ifyou forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they arenot forgiven.”
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with thedisciples when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the
Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put myfinger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them andsaid, “Peace be with you!”
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see myhands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessedare those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The Purpose of John’s Gospel
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are notrecorded in this book.
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is theMessiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on Easter Day, the 31st March 2024.
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Sermon starts at 3:40
John 20 v 1-18
The Empty Tomb
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went tothe tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
2 So shecame running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said,“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have puthim!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
4 Both were running, but theother disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
5 He bent over and lookedin at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came alongbehind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lyingthere,
7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The clothwas still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
8 Finally the other disciple, whohad reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
9 (They still didnot understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
10 Then thedisciples went back to where they were staying.
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look intothe tomb
12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, oneat the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have puthim.”
14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did notrealize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell mewhere you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means“Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Goinstead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father,to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” Andshe told them that he had said these things to her.
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor for our Lent service on 24/3/24.
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Sermon starts at 4:45
Mark 15 (selected verses)
Jesus before Pilate
Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of thelaw and the whole Sanhedrin… bound Jesus, led him away and handed himover to Pilate.
“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“‘You have said so,” Jesus replied.
The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him,
“Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.
Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the peoplerequested…
“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate… Butthe chief priests stirred up the crowd to get Pilate to release Barabbas instead.
“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked[the crowd].“Crucify him!” they shouted.
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesusflogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
The soldiers mock Jesus
The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace … and called together the wholecompany of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together acrown of thorns and set it on him.
And they began to call out to him, “Hail, kingof the Jews!”
Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff andspat on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when theyhad mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him.
Then they led him out to crucify him.
The death of Jesus
…They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means ‘the place ofthe skull’). And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to seewhat each would get.
It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of thecharge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Thosewho passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! Youwho are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come downfrom the cross and save yourself!”
In the same way the chief priests and theteachers of the law mocked him among themselves.
“He saved others,” theysaid, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, comedown now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified withhim also heaped insults on him.
At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. Andat three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice ”My God, my God, whyhave you forsaken me?”
… With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when thecenturion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surelythis man was the Son of God!”
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 5th Sunday of Lent, 17th March 2024.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 2:22
John 12:20-33
Jesus Predicts His Death
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.
21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”
22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.
31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on Mothering Sunday 10/3/24, with the sermon entitled ‘Jesus’ Care For His Mother’.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 1:00
John 19 v 25-27
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary thewife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus saw his motherthere, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her,‘Woman, here is your son,’
27 and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 3rd Sunday of Lent, 3rd March 2024.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 2:39
John 2 v 13-22
Jesus Clears the Temple Courts
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 In thetemple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changersseated at their tables.
15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of thetemple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the moneychangersand overturned their tables.
16 He told those who were selling the doves,‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’
17 His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consumeme.’
18 The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doingthis?’
19 Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise itup.’
20 The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,and will you raise it up in three days?’
21 But he was speaking of the temple of hisbody.
22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this;and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the second Sunday of Lent, with the sermon entitled ‘The Way To The Cross’.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 2:20
Mark 8 v 31 to end
The Way of the Cross
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many thingsand be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.
32 He spoke plainlyabout this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. ‘Getbehind me, Satan!’ he said. ‘You do not have in mind the concerns of God, butmerely human concerns.’
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoeverwants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross andfollow me.
35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoeverloses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
36 What good is it forsomeone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
37 Or what can anyonegive in exchange for their soul?
38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my wordsin this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed ofthem when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.’
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor with the sermong entitled ‘The Transfiguration’.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 1:40
Mark 9: 2-9
The Transfiguration
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up ahigh mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured beforethem.
3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the worldcould bleach them.
4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, whowere talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up threeshelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
6 (He did not knowwhat to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from thecloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with themexcept Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tellanyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on Sunday 10th September 2023 on the 14th Sunday after Trinity. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:51 Romans 13 v 8-14 Love Fulfills the Law 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 11th Sunday after Trinity, 3rd September 2023 on the 13th Sunday after Trinity. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:05 Matthew 16 v 21-28 21 From … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on Sunday 27th August 2023 on the 12th Sunday after Trinity.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 1:43
Matthew 16 v 13-20
Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked hisdisciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’
14 They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and stillothers, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
15 ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’
16 Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the livingGod.’
17 Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was notrevealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And Itell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, andthe gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19 I will give you the keys of thekingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’
20 Then heordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 11th Sunday after Trinity, 20th August Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 3:03 Matthew 15 v 10-28 10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 10th Sunday after Trinity, 13th August Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:44 Matthew 14 v 22-33 Jesus Walks On The Water 22 Immediately Jesus made … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 9th Sunday after Trinity, 6th August Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:37 Matthew 14 v 13-21 Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 13 When Jesus heard … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 5th Sunday after Trinity, 9th July 2023. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:35 Matthew 13 v 31-33 & 44-52 The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast 31 He … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by visiting priest Rev Malcolm Prichard on the 7th Sunday after Trinity, 23rdt July Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:04 Matthew 13 v 24-30 & 36-43 The Parable of the Weeds 24 Jesus told them another … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 6th Sunday after Trinity, 16th July Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:52 Matthew 13 v 1-9 & 18-23 1 That same day Jesus went out … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 5th Sunday after Trinity, 9th July 2023. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:03 Matthew 11 v 16-19 & 25-30 16 ‘To what can I compare this generation? They are … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 4th Sunday after Trinity, 2nd July Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:10 Matthew 10 v 40-42 40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 3rd Sunday after Trinity, 25th June 2023. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:38 Genesis 21 v 8-21 Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away 8 The child grew and was weaned, … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 2nd Sunday after Trinity, 18th June Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 4:02 Matthew 9 v 35 – 10 v 23 The Workers Are Few 35 … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 1st Sunday after Trinity, 11th June 2023. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:17 Matthew 9 v 9-13 The Calling of Matthew 9 As Jesus went on from there, he … Continue reading →
Todays talk was given by one of our PCC members Sylvia Harland who put together our service for Environment Sunday. The service took place out doors on a glorious sunny day! Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:00 Matthew 28 v … Continue reading →
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the Pentecost service, 28th May 2023.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 1:35
Acts 2 v 1-13
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.
6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.
7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?
8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?
9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome
11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Second reading starts at 5:45
Acts 2 v 14-21
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Todays sermon was given by our reader Julie Taylor on the sixth Sunday of Easter, 14th May 2023.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 2:47
John 14 v 15-23
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands.
16 And I will ask the Father, andhe will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—
17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neithersees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and willbe in you.
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19 Beforelong, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because Ilive, you also will live.
20 On that day you will realize that I am in myFather, and you are in me, and I am in you.
21 Whoever has mycommands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one wholoves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and showmyself to them.”
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend toshow yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. MyFather will love them, and we will come to them and make our home withthem.
Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge Rev Nick Mwandia on the fifth Sunday of Easter, 7th May 2023.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 2:45
John 14 v 1-14
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
2 MyFather’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I amgoing there to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, Iwill come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4 Youknow the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can weknow the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No onecomes to the Father except through me.
7 If you really know me, you will know myFather as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among yousuch a long time?Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us theFather’?
10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is inme? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is theFather, living in me, who is doing his work.
11 Believe me when I say that I am in theFather and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the worksthemselves.
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have beendoing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to theFather.
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may beglorified in the Son.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on the forth Sunday of Easter on the 30/4/23 entitled ‘The Fellowhip Of Believers’
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Sermon starts at 1:09
Acts 2 v 42-47
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Sermon starts at 1:09
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermonwas given on the 23rd April ’23 by the bishop of Bedford, the Rt Revd Richard Atkinson at the joint service between St Andrews and St Pauls in Luton.
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Sermon starts at 4:47
Zephaniah 3 v 14-20
14 Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.
16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, ‘Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.’
18 ‘I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you.
19 At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honour in every land where they have suffered shame.
20 At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honour and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,’ says the Lord.
Luke 24 v 13-35
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
16 but they were kept from recognising him.
17 He asked them, ‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’ They stood still, their faces downcast.
18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, ‘Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’
19 ‘What things?’ he asked.‘About Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;
21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning
23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.’
25 He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on, as if he were going further.
29 But they urged him strongly, ‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.’ So, he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognisedhim, and he disappeared from their sight.
32 They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together,
34 and saying, ‘It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’
35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognised by them when he broke the bread.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on The second Sunday of Easter on the 16/4/23 entitled ‘The Peace Of The Lord’
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Sermon starts at 4:40
Acts 2 v 14a, 22-32
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14a Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressedthe crowd:
22 ‘Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a manaccredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which Goddid among you through him, as you yourselves know.
23 This man washanded over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; andyou, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to thecross.
24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agonyof death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold onhim.
25 David said about him:‘“I saw the Lord always before me.Because he is at my right hand,I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;you will fill me with joy in your presence.”
29 ‘Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch Daviddied and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.
30 But he was aprophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he wouldplace one of his descendants on his throne.
31 Seeing what was to come,he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandonedto the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.
32 God has raisedthis Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.
John 20 v 19-31
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples weretogether, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesuscame and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’
20 After hesaid this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples wereoverjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I amsending you.’
22 And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receivethe Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; ifyou do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was notwith the disciples when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him,‘We have seen the Lord!’But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and putmy finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will notbelieve.’
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas waswith them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood amongthem and said, ‘Peace be with you!’
27 Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put yourfinger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side.Stop doubting and believe.’
28 Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’
29 Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed;blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples,which are not recorded in this book.
31 But these are written that you maybelieve that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believingyou may have life in his name.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our priest in charge Rev Nick Mwandia on Easter day on the 9/4/23.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 4:38
Acts 10 v 34-43
34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not showfavouritism
35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what isright.
36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing thegood news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37 You know what hashappened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptismthat John preached—
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spiritand power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under thepower of the devil, because God was with him.
39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and inJerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross,
40 but God raised him fromthe dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.
41 He was not seen by all thepeople, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drankwith him after he rose from the dead.
42 He commanded us to preach to thepeople and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the livingand the dead.
43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in himreceives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
John 20 v 1-18
The Empty Tomb
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went tothe tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
2 So shecame running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said,“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have puthim!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
4 Both were running, but theother disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
5 He bent over and lookedin at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came alongbehind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lyingthere,
7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The clothwas still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
8 Finally the other disciple, whohad reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
9 (They still didnot understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
10 Then thedisciples went back to where they were staying.
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look intothe tomb
12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, oneat the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have puthim.”
14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did notrealize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell mewhere you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means“Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Goinstead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father,to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” Andshe told them that he had said these things to her.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our priest in charge Rev Nick Mwandia on Palm Sunday on the 2/4/23.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 3:13
Matthew 26 v 14-27
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chiefpriests
15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?”So, they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.
16 From then on Judas watchedfor an opportunity to hand him over.
The Last Supper
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesusand asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat thePassover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: Myappointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples atyour house.’”
19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared thePassover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.
21 Andwhile they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’tmean me, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betrayme.
24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that manwho betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me,Rabbi?”Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, hebroke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them,saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is pouredout for many for the forgiveness of sins.
29 I tell you; I will not drink from this fruit ofthe vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’skingdom.”
30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on The third Sunday of Lent on the 26/3/23 entitled ‘Jesus Raises Lazarus’
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 3:04
John 11 v 1-45
Jesus had been informed that one of his most beloved friends, Lazarus, was gravely ill. But he insisted that this illness would not lead to death, but would be used by God as a witness to the Son of God.
But word came to Jesus that Lazarus had died and all were saddened by the news. Jesus insisted that this was the time to go to the home of Mary and Martha, sisters of Lazarus.
Before Jesus arrived, Martha got word that he was on his way, and she hurried out to meet him.
Martha said “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.”
Jesus said *Your brother will rise again.”
“I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”
And having said this, Martha returned home to tell Mary that she had spoken with Jesus, who was on his way to see them. Mary got up quickly and ran out of the house to see Jesus.
Mary said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Jesus asked, “Where have you laid him?”
She said “Lord, come and see.”
They led Jesus to the tomb in which Lazarus had been laid. All those who followed Mary and Jesus were amazed and moved by his love for his friend Lazarus.
When they arrived at the cave, Jesus gave them instruction: “Take away the stone.”
Martha said: “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
And so they rolled the stone away.
Jesus said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me. Lazarus, come out!”
And Lazarus came out, his hands and feet bound with the strips of cloth and his face wrapped in a cloth.
Jesus said “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Many of the people who had come with Mary and Martha to the tomb had seen what had happened and they believed in Jesus.
Sermon from St Andrews Church was a talk given by Sally from the charity organisation ‘Hands Of Mercy’. Given on the 19/3/23 at our Motherday Service.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 2:35
Exodus 2 v 1-10
1 Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman,
2 and she became pregnantand gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him forthree months.
3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket forhim and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it amongthe reeds along the bank of the Nile.
4 His sister stood at a distance to see whatwould happen to him.
5 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants werewalking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent herfemale slave to get it.
6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she feltsorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.
7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrewwomen to nurse the baby for you?”
8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So, the girl went and got the baby’s mother.
9 Pharaoh’sdaughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So,the woman took the baby and nursed him.
10 When the child grew older, she tookhim to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying,“I drew him out of the water.”
John 19 v 25-27
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife ofClopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciplewhom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman here is your son,”
27 and tothe disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into hishome.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on The third Sunday of Lent on the 12/3/23 entitled ‘A Samaritan’s Witness
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Sermon starts at 3:54
John 4 v 5-27
5 So [Jesus] came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of groundJacob had given to his son Joseph.
6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tiredas he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will yougive me a drink?’
8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritanwoman. How can you ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews do not associate withSamaritans.)
10 Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks youfor a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you livingwater.’
11 ‘Sir,’ the woman said, ‘you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep.Where can you get this living water?
12 Are you greater than our father Jacob,who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and hislivestock?’
13 Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
14 butwhoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I givethem will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’
15 The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty andhave to keep coming here to draw water.’
16 He told her, ‘Go, call your husband and come back.’
17 ‘I have no husband,’ she replied.Jesus said to her, ‘You are right when you say you have no husband.
18 Thefact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not yourhusband. What you have just said is quite true.’
19 ‘Sir,’ the woman said, ‘I can see that you are a prophet.
20 Our ancestorsworshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where wemust worship is in Jerusalem.’
21 ‘Woman,’ Jesus replied, ‘believe me, a time is coming when you will worshipthe Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
22 You Samaritansworship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation isfrom the Jews.
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the trueworshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are thekind of worshippers the Father seeks.
24 God is spirit, and his worshippersmust worship in the Spirit and in truth.’
25 The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When hecomes, he will explain everything to us.’
26 Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you – I am he.’
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with awoman. But no one asked, ‘What do you want?’ or ‘Why are you talking withher?’
John 4 v 28-30; 39-42
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said tothe people,
29 ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Couldthis be the Messiah?’
30 They came out of the town and made their waytowards him.
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of thewoman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I’ve ever done.’
40 So when theSamaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed twodays.
41 And because of his words many more became believers.
42 They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what yousaid; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is theSaviour of the world.’
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our priest in charge Rev Nick Mwandia in the second Sunday of Lent on the 5/3/23. The sermon entitled ‘Access To The Kingdom”.
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Sermon starts at 2:41
John 3 v 1-17
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.
2 He came toJesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who hascome from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presenceof God.’
3 Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom ofGod without being born from above.’
4 Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone beborn after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womband be born?’
5 Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdomof God without being born of water and Spirit.
6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not beastonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.”
8 The wind blowswhere it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comesfrom or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’
9 Nicodemussaid to him, ‘How can these things be?’
10 Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacherof Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11 ‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen;yet you do not receive our testimony.
12 If I have told you about earthly things andyou do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
13 Noone has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, theSon of Man.
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Manbe lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 ‘For God soloved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him maynot perish but may have eternal life.
17 ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into theworld to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on The third Sunday before Lent on the 26/2/23 entitled ‘Do Justice’.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 2:35
Micah 6 v 1-8
The LORD’s case against Israel
1 Listen to what the LORD says:‘Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;let the hills hear what you have to say.
2 ‘Hear, you mountains, the LORD’s accusation;listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.For the LORD has a case against his people;he is lodging a charge against Israel.
3 ‘My people, what have I done to you?How have I burdened you? Answer me.
4 I brought you up out of Egyptand redeemed you from the land of slavery.I sent Moses to lead you,also Aaron and Miriam.
5 My people, rememberwhat Balak king of Moab plottedand what Balaam son of Beor answered.Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal,that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.’
6 With what shall I come before the LORDand bow down before the exalted God?Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,with calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,with ten thousand rivers of oil?Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.And what does the LORD require of you?To act justly and to love mercyand to walk humbly with your God.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our priest in charge Rev Nick Mwandia on the Sunday before Lent on the 19/2/23. The sermon entitled ‘The Transfiguration”.
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Sermon starts at 3:10
Exodus 24 v 12-18
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I willgive you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for theirinstruction.”
13 Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain ofGod.
14 He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaronand Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”
15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it,
16 and the glory ofthe Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, andon the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud.
17 To theIsraelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of themountain.
18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And hestayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Matthew 17 v 1-9
The Transfiguration
1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James,and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
2 There he was transfigured beforethem. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as thelight.
3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put upthree shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from thecloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.
7 ButJesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”
8 When theylooked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tellanyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our priest in charge Rev Nick Mwandia on the second Sunday before Lent on the 12/2/23. The sermon entitled ‘Do Not Worry”.
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Sermon starts at 2:13
Matthew 6 v 25-34
Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; orabout your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body morethan clothes?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away inbarns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuablethan they?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. Theydo not labour or spin.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour wasdressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which ishere today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘Whatshall we wear?’
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenlyFather knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and hisrighteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do notworry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enoughtrouble of its own.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on The third Sunday before Lent on the 5/2/23 entitled ‘Salt and Light’.
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Sermon starts at 2:35
Reading Matthew 5 v 13-20
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it bemade salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown outand trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot behidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead theyput it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the sameway, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds andglorify your Father in heaven.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have notcome to abolish them but to fulfil them.
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven andearth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will byany means disappear from the Law until everything isaccomplished.
19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of thesecommands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdomof heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be calledgreat in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousnesssurpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainlynot enter the kingdom of heaven.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on The forth Sunday of Epiphany on the 29/1/23 entitled ‘The Wedding At Canna’.
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Sermon starts at 1:58
Reading: John 2: 1-11
The Wedding At Canna
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother wasthere,
2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no morewine.’
4 ‘Woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come.’
5 His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonialwashing, each holding from eighty to a hundred and twenty litres.
7 Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to thebrim.
8 Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of thebanquet.’They did so,
9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had beenturned into wine. He did not realise where it had come from, though theservants who had drawn the water knew.
Then he called the bridegroom aside
10 and said, ‘Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaperwine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the besttill now.’
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs throughwhich he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our priest in charge Rev Nick Mwandia on the second Sunday of Epiphany on the 15/1/23. The sermon entitled ‘Jesus the Lamb of God”.
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Sermon starts at 3:26
Reading: John 1 v 29-42
Jesus The Son Of God
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb ofGod, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘Aman who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’
31 I myselfdid not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might berevealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as adove and remain on him.
33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent meto baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down andremain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
34 I have seen and I testifythat this is God’s Chosen One.”John’s Disciples Follow Jesus
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.
36 When he sawJesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
38 Turning around,Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. Itwas about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had saidand who had followed Jesus.
41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brotherSimon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).
42 And hebrought him to Jesus.Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will becalled Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. This sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on The first Sunday of Epiphany on the 8/1/23.
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Sermon starts at 2:22
Matthew 2 v 1-12
The Magi Visit the Messiah
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK and recorded at St Pauls Church in Luton. This sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on The second Sunday of Christmas on the 1/1/23.
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Sermon starts at 3:35
Matthew 2 v 13-23
The Escape to Egypt
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,
15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Sermon from our joint service at St Paul’s Church, Luton, UK. Given by our priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 18/12/22 entitled “Joseph and the Angel”
Download Mp3 HERE!
Running time 41 minutes
Matthew 1 v 18-25
Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.
19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
You can listen to the whole of this years Bereavment Service from St Andrews church which was held on 11th December, by using the player below.
You can down load the service sheet HERE!
Download Mp3 HERE!
Running time 41 minutes
Music played during the service
The Blessed Son of God
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
Silent Night
Pie Jesu – by Gabriel Faure and played by Sylvia
The Lord Is My Shepherd
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
I Cannot Tell
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our priest in charge the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 2nd Sunday of Advent. Recorded on the 4/12/22.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 2:17
Matthew 3 v 1-12
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea
2 andsaying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
3 This is he who wasspoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness,‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
4John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around hiswaist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
5 People went out to him from Jerusalemand all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.
6 Confessing their sins, they werebaptized by him in the Jordan River.
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he wasbaptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from thecoming wrath?
8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
9 And do not think you cansay to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of thesestones God can raise up children for Abraham.
10 The axe is already at the root ofthe trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down andthrown into the fire.
11“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is morepowerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with theHoly Spirit and fire.
12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear histhreshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff withunquenchable fire.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on The first Sunday of Advent at our Christingle service on the 28/11/22.
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Sermon starts at 2:43
Isaiah 2 v 1-5
1 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
2 In the last daysthe mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains;it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
3 Many peoples will come and say,‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob.He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks.Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more.
5 Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Matthew 24 v 36-44
36 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;
39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 ‘Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our priest in charge the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the Sunday next before Advent. Recorded on the 20/11/22. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 4:25 Jeremiah 23 v 1-6 1 “Woe … Continue reading →
This is the complete remembrance service from St Andrews Church Slip End. Recorded on the 13/11/22. Proceedings were lead by reader Julie Taylor with Liz Higgens playing the organ. Download Mp3 HERE!
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Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our priest in charge the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the last Sunday after Trinity on the 23/10/22. The first half of this recording was taken from the mic at the … Continue reading →
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Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on the 17th Sunday after Trinity on the 9/10/22. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:29 Luke 17 v 11-19 11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our priest in charge Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 16th Sunday after Trinity on the 2/10/22. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:36 Luke 17 v 5-10 5 The apostles said … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our reader Julie Taylor at Harvest Festival on the 25/9/22. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:03 Luke 16 v 19-31 The rich man and Lazarus 19 ‘There was a rich man … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given at the baptism of Bonnie Wiltsire on the 11/9/22 on the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:37 Luke 15 v 1-10 1 Now the tax collectors … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our vicar Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 4/9/22 on the twelth Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘The Cost Of Discipleship’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:50 Luke 14 v 25-33 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our vicar Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 28/8/22 on the eleventh Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘Humility’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:05 Luke 14 v 1, 7-14 Jesus at … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our vicar Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 21/8/22 on the tenth Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:48 Luke 13 v … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our vicar Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 7/8/22 on the eighth Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘Parable Of The Rich Fool’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:34 Luke 12 v … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given our reader Julie Taylor on the 31/7/22 on the seventh Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘Parable Of The Rich Fool’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:52 Luke 12 v 13-21 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 24/7/22 on the sixth Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘Prayer and Perseverance’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:41 Luke 11 v 1-13 1 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 17/7/22 on the fifth Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘The One Thing Necessary’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 3:46 Amos 8 v 1-12 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 10/7/22 on the forth Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘The Good Samaritan’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:07 Luke 10 v 25-37 25 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 3/7/22 on the third Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘Jesus Sends His Disciples’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:08 Luke 10 v 1-12 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 26/6/22 on the second Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘Committed Discipleship’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:41
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 19/6/22 for the first Sunday after Trinity – entitled ‘Set Free By The Power Of Christ’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 12/6/22 for Trinity Sunday – entitled ‘Those Led By The Spirit’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:30 John 16 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 5/6/22 for Penticost Sunday – entitled ‘Jesus Prays For Us’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:12 John 14 v … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 29/5/22 for the 6th Sunday in Easter – entitled ‘Jesus Prays For Us’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:35 John 17 v 20-26 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 15/5/22 for the 5th Sunday in Easter – entitled ‘Those Know By Love’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 4:44 Genesis 22 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 8/5/22 entitled ‘Those Who Hear and Follow’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:45 John 10 v 22-30 22 Then came the … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 1/5/22 entitled ‘Seeing Jesus After A Miracle’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 4:00 John 21 v 1-19 1 Afterward Jesus appeared … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 24/4/22 entitled ‘Jesus Appears to His Disciples’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:38 John 20 v 19-end 19 On the evening of that … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given on Easter Sunday, given by our reader priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 17/4/22 entitled ‘He Has Risen Indeed’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 4:48 Isaiah 65 v 17-25 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given on Palm Sunday, given by our reader priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 10/4/22 entitled ‘God’s Patience and Mercy’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:09 Luke 19 v 28-40 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given on the third Sunday of Lent. Given by our reader priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 20/3/22 entitled ‘God’s Patience and Mercy’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:50 John … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given on the third Sunday of Lent. Given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 27/3/22 on Mothering Sunday in the fourth Sunday in Lent Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 3:42 … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given on the third Sunday of Lent. Given by our reader priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 20/3/22 entitled ‘God’s Patience and Mercy’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 3:42 Isaiah … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given on the second Sunday of Lent. Given by our reader priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 13/3/22 entitled ‘Jesus Gathers His Children Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 1:48 Luke … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given on the first Sunday of Lent. Given by our reader priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 6/3/22 entitled ‘The Temptation of Jesus’ Download Mp3 HERE! Sermon starts at 2:25 Luke … Continue reading →
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given on the Sunday preceeding Lent. Given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 27/2/22 entitled ‘Transfiguration and Transformation’
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Sermon starts at 2:04
Luke 9: 28-37
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.
29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.
30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus.
31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem.
32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ (He did not know what he was saying.)
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’
36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given on Second Sunday before Lent. Given by our now visiting preacher Rev’ Cathy Pullinger on the 20/2/22 entitled ‘Serving In Faith’
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Sermon starts at 2:30
Genesis 45 v 3-11 & 15
3 Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still living?’ But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come close to me.’ When they had done so, he said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!
5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no ploughing and reaping.
7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 ‘So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, “This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.
10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me – you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.
11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.”
15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterwards his brothers talked with him.
Second Reading: Luke 8 v 22-25
Jesus calms the storm
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out.
23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.
25 ‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.’
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon for the 5th in Epiphany given by our priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 13/2/22 entitled ‘Sermon on the Level Ground’
Sound quality does improve after a few minutes!
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Sermon starts at 1:45
Luke 6 v 17-26
17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,
18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured,
19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
20 Looking at his disciples, he said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23 ‘Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 ‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon for the 5th in Epiphany given by our priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 6/2/22 entitled ‘Jesus’ Fishing ’.
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Sermon starts at 2:05
Luke 5 v 1-11
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.
2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
7 So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 30/1/22 for the 4th Sunday after Epiphany entitled ‘Simeon and Anna’.
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Sermon starts at 3:30
Luke 2 v 22-40
Jesus presented in the temple
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord’),
24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons.’
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.’
33 The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him.
34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.
38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 23/1/22 for the 3rd Sunday after Epiphany entitled ‘Jesus’ vision for mission’.
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Sermon starts at 3:54
Nehemiah 8 v 1-3, 5-6, 8-10
1 All the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.
3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.
6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Luke 4 v 14-21
14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.
15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our visiting speaker Samantha Graham from Hands of Mercy. Recorded on the 16/1/22 for the 12nd week in Epiphany.
Slides used during the presentation can be seen lower down this page…
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Sermon starts at 1:54
John 2 v 1-11
1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it.
9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom
10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 9/1/22 for the 1st week in Epiphany entitled ‘The Baptism of Christ’.
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Sermon starts at 1:46
Luke 3 v 15-17 & 21-22
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.
16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge the Rev’ Nick Mwandia on the 2/1/22 for the Epiphany Service.
Sermon starts at 1:50
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Reading from Matthew 2.1-12
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 5/12/21 for the second Sunday of Advent given during our Christingle Service.
Sermon starts at 1:20
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Luke 3: 1-6
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar – when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene –
2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
‘A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.”’
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 28/11/21 for the first Sunday of Advent entitled ‘Preparing For The Son Of Man’.
Sermon starts at 1:45
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Luke 21: 25-36
25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.
30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.
31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.
35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.
36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our reader Julie Taylor on the 21/11/21 entitled ‘Jesus The Coming King.
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Sermon starts at 3:23
Daniel 7 v 9-10, 13-14
9 “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
John 18 v 33-37
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Sermon from St Andrews Church, Slip End, UK. Sermon given by our priest in charge Nick Mwandia on the 14/11/21 for Remembrance Sunday.
Sermon starts at 1:45
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Hebrews 10 v 11-25
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.
14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
17 Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”
18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. A Call to Persevere in Faith
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.