Past Preaching Programme

With the letters of St Paul it is very easy to miss the wood for the trees, getting lost in their detail rather than grasping their overall perspective. Much of the language Paul uses can also give the impression that his interests were technical and abstract rather than practical. In reality, Paul’s epistles were all extremely pastoral and written with the intention of making a real difference to the practical day to day lives of the churches to which he wrote. In this series we take a ‘bird’s eye’ look at five of Paul’s larger letters – Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians – seek to grasp their overall message and reflect on the challenge they bring to the life of Christ Church.

With the letters of St Paul it is very easy to miss the wood for the trees, getting lost in their detail rather than grasping their overall perspective. Much of the language Paul uses can also give the impression that his interests were technical and abstract rather than practical. In reality, Paul’s epistles were all extremely pastoral and written with the intention of making a real difference to the practical day to day lives of the churches to which he wrote. In this series we take a ‘bird’s eye’ look at five of Paul’s larger letters – Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians – seek to grasp their overall message and reflect on the challenge they bring to the life of Christ Church.

As part of our focus this year on improving our biblical literacy we have encouraged all the members of the 9.30 service to read Mark’s Gospel. Mark is the shortest of the four gospels and in some ways much the easiest to read. However there are still some parts of it which can look extremely strange and off putting. In this series each of the sermons will look at some of these aspects of Mark’ Gospel, seek to understand them better and the appreciate the important role that they play in Mark’s portrayal of Jesus.

Many Christians, if they are honest, really struggle to read the Bible regularly. Often this is because styles of reading the Bible that suits some Christians will not work nearly so well for others. During this series we will look at a number of different approaches to reading the Bible, most of which will be completely new to Christ Church members. As throughout this year at Christ Church, the aim is to give us greater access to the Bible and all the value that it contains to help us grow in our Christian faith.

During this year’s focus on biblical literacy we are encouraging all of the members of Christ Church to read the Bible more. This includes trying to get to know better those parts of the Bible that we are weaker on. In order to model this our clergy – Stephen, Helen and Carolyn, plus our lay reader in training, Katy Loffman, have each selected a book of the Bible that they don’t know particularly well – Joshua, 1 Peter, Jude and Zechariah. In each of these talks they will share something of the approach that they have taken in trying to get their chosen book better and what they have then received through getting to grips with their gaps in the Bible.

Part of our focus on improving our biblical literacy at Christ Church this year has been encouraging members of the 9.30 congregation to read Mark’s Gospel. This series will attempt to build on this by looking at four marks of Jesus that we see displayed in Mark’s Gospel – his use of parables, his respect for children, his exorcisms and healings and his control over nature. In each case we will think about what this mark of Jesus teaches us about his mission and reflect upon what we are called to do in response.

The Book of Amos is full of God’s judgement upon the people of Israel. Spoken around 750 BC, many of its oracles speak of God’s anger at the injustice within Israel and warn of the destruction coming upon the nation because of this. Amos also has some very harsh things to say about the ‘worship’ taking place alongside this injustice at shrines such as Bethel and Gilgal. This has led many to believe that the theme of the book is the true worship that God requires from his people. During this series we will therefore think about how our worship needs to change in the light of Amos’ message.

The singing of hymns and songs is an important part of our worship at both the 9.30 service and six30 @ ccnm. During these series we will look at a number of other ways in which we can also express our worship of God. Two of the most important of these are through our leading of holy lives and caring for the poor. The Bible is also clear, however, that because God’s creation is good, every aspect of our use of this creation can also form part of our worship of him. During the Christ Church Arts Weekend (6th-8th May) we will therefore look at how creating and nurturing beauty can form part of our worship and in other talks we will look at how both work and the leading of physical lives, through things like sport and exercise, can have a similar role.

The singing of hymns and songs is an important part of our worship at both the 9.30 service and six30 @ ccnm. During these series we will look at a number of other ways in which we can also express our worship of God. Two of the most important of these are through our leading of holy lives and caring for the poor. The Bible is also clear, however, that because God’s creation is good, every aspect of our use of this creation can also form part of our worship of him. During the Christ Church Arts Weekend (6th-8th May) we will therefore look at how creating and nurturing beauty can form part of our worship and in other talks we will look at how both work and the leading of physical lives, through things like sport and exercise, can have a similar role.

Once we have been Christians for a while there are a number of things that we know we are meant to believe. However, it’s often one thing to believe these doctrines in our heads and quite another to believe them in our hearts. In this series we will look a number of key Christian beliefs and try to be honest about their difficulties before reflecting upon how faith in their truth can become a greater reality in our lives. Beginning with God loving us and having a plan for our lives, the last two talks will then take an Easter slant focusing upon the atoning death of Jesus and the Resurrection.

During this year’s focus on biblical literacy we are encouraging all of the members of Christ Church to read the Bible more. This includes trying to get to know better those parts of the Bible that we are weaker on. In order to model this our clergy – Stephen, Helen and Carolyn, plus our lay reader in training, Katy Loffman, have each selected a book of the Bible that they don’t know particularly well – Joshua, 1 Peter, Jude and Zechariah. In each of these talks they will share something of the approach that they have taken in trying to get their chosen book better and what they have then received through getting to grips with their gaps in the Bible. These talks will also be used at 8.00 am Communion during March.

It was Martin Luther, the hero of the sixteenth century reformation, who described the letter of James as ‘a right strawy epistle’. Luther’s concern was that with its emphasis upon the need for ‘deeds’, ‘James’ was in danger of undermining the gospel truth that we are saved by grace through faith alone. An extremely practical book, James is rather about the necessity of our faith in Jesus Christ bringing about genuine change in our lives. Be prepared for a strong degree of challenge as we consider the ways that James is saying that our lives need to change if our Christian faith is to be something meaningful.

One of the values of the Bible is its realism about life and relationships. This particularly includes relationships within the family and the strains and tensions these often involve. The first part of this series will look at a number of examples of family relationships from the Old Testament and what we can learn from them before we then think about what Jesus taught about the family and the role of the Christian family in God’s purposes for the world.

At six30 @ ccnm during February we will think about four key aspects of what Jesus came to bring us – forgiveness, love, peace and purpose. Reflecting upon their significance for us, we will also consider how we can then we part of passing these blessings onto others as well.

Sometimes our tendency to harmonise the four gospels can result in their very distinctive portrayals of Jesus being rather lost. In this series we will therefore look in turn at Mark, Matthew, Luke and John and the key things that they intend us to understand about Jesus.

One of our aims for 2011 will be for every adult member of Christ Church to read through Mark’s Gospel. Mark is the shortest and punchiest of the four Gospels and by focusing on its very first chapter, this series will aim to facilitate our own reading of its exciting story.

Many Christians possess rather a lot of guilt in regard to the Bible feeling that it should be playing a greater role in their lives. Very often, however, the diversity of material within the Bible and its tricky parts can also make us rather unsure of the best approach to take to reading much of it. The sermons in this series will seek to help here seeking to demonstrate practical ways in which we can get the most out of different types of material found within the Bible.

For 2011 the Christ Church Motto Verse will be 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which speaks of the usefulness and power of the Bible. During the 11.00 service during January we will seek unpack the various things that this passage and its surrounding context say about the Bible and reflect upon the practical ways in which we can use it more effectively to sustain us in our Christian lives.

In the 9.30 service during January we will aim to build up or knowledge of the contents of the Bible by looking at its overall story and then some of its major sections – the Old Testament, the Gospels and the Epistles. The purpose behind these sermons will be to provide members of the 9.30 congregation with an overall framework within which to locate the different parts of the Bible and a greater appreciation of the role that each of its different sections have in its overall story.

Near the end of Luke’s Gospel Jesus explains to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus ‘…what was said in the Scriptures concerning himself’. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus also declares that he came not to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfil them. Rather than this referring to the fulfilment of a few isolated prophecies, what Jesus meant by these sayings was that, with his coming, the whole of the Old Testament story was reaching its climax. Many Christians rather struggle with how to interpret and respond to the Old Testament and in the run up to Christmas we will therefore look at how the entire Old Testament – the Law, the History Books, the Wisdom Books and the Prophets - was all fulfilled in his coming.

The Christ Church Motto Verse for 2010 (1 Peter 3:14-15) has focused us upon the need to resist fearing those things that others around us fear but, in our hearts ‘set apart Christ as Lord’. Many of the most destructive decisions that we take in life are somehow linked to our fears. This means that identifying these fears and then responding to them in the light of our faith in Jesus Christ is often one of the most important spiritual issues that we face.

Against this background it is helpful to note how many times fear is mentioned within the Christmas stories. Within these stories Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds are all told by angels not to be afraid. We also hear of Herod’s murderous response to the news of “one born king of the Jews” being driven by him and all Jerusalem being “disturbed”. As we approach Christmas in our morning services at Christ Church, we will therefore use these familiar stories to reflect upon how news of the coming of Jesus Christ relates to and addresses the deepest fears that we possess.

The Christ Church Motto Verse for 2010 (1 Peter 3:14-15) has focused us upon the need to resist fearing those things that others around us fear but, in our hearts ‘set apart Christ as Lord’. Many of the most destructive decisions that we take in life are somehow linked to our fears. This means that identifying these fears and then responding to them in the light of our faith in Jesus Christ is often one of the most important spiritual issues that we face.

Against this background it is helpful to note how many times fear is mentioned within the Christmas stories. Within these stories Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds are all told by angels not to be afraid. We also hear of Herod’s murderous response to the news of “one born king of the Jews” being driven by him and all Jerusalem being “disturbed”. As we approach Christmas in our morning services at Christ Church, we will therefore use these familiar stories to reflect upon how news of the coming of Jesus Christ relates to and addresses the deepest fears that we possess.

The tough questions at six30 @ ccnm in October will centre on how Christians can be seen by the world. Very frequently Christians are seen as boring and sad, ‘holier than thou’ hypocrites, weak and emotionally dependent and intolerant bigots. Asking tough questions about why these images have arisen, we then seek the answers to these questions.

The approach at 11.00 is usually to start with the Bible and see where it leads us. Sometimes, however, is good to do it the other way around, approaching the Bible with our questions. During October we will do this asking how Christians should respond to the following issues: assisted suicide, religions other than Christianity, women’s authority in the church and homosexuality.

At six30 @ ccnm during September we will reflect on some of the distinctive features of an authentic church. six30 @ ccnm has now been in existence for nearly three years with the time now right to reflect upon its vision so that it can grow and develop further. During this series, we will therefore seek to be both ‘visionary’ and practical looking for ways in which we and the service need to develop if six30 @ ccnm is going to reflect God’s will for it.

The New Testament uses several pictures or models of the church each of which shed light on a different aspect of its nature and importance. During September at 8.00, 9.30 and 11.00 we will look at four of those models and what they have to teach us about what the wider church and Christ Church, New Malden should be. The themes connected to each picture will be:

• The People of God:  The Church being united, particularly across the barriers that normally divide people

• The Body of Christ:  The Church using its different gifts and talents to bring Jesus to the world

• The Family of God:  The Church forming a radical, caring community

• A Holy Temple:  The Church being distinctive in the way it lives and a people in whom God is found

The New Testament uses several pictures or models of the church each of which shed light on a different aspect of its nature and importance. During September at 8.00, 9.30 and 11.00 we will look at four of those models and what they have to teach us about what the wider church and Christ Church, New Malden should be. The themes connected to each picture will be:

• The People of God:  The Church being united, particularly across the barriers that normally divide people

• The Body of Christ:  The Church using its different gifts and talents to bring Jesus to the world

• The Family of God:  The Church forming a radical, caring community

• A Holy Temple:  The Church being distinctive in the way it lives and a people in whom God is found

Having asked a number of questions about ‘The Kingdom of God’ in July, the 11.00 service during August will then focus upon a number of parables that Jesus told about its coming. Much of the focus of these parables was upon Jesus warning his hearers of the dangers of not being able to recognise the coming of the Kingdom of God in their midst and in this series we will consider where the challenge of this for us might lie.

Over the last few years, we have used the month of August to have different members of Christ Church talk about ‘Why I am a Christian’. These have turned out to be some of the most popular and helpful talks that we have had during the year, with plenty of downloads recorded on the Christ Church website. Different members of our congregation tell us some of the story of their lives and the key factors that have led them to become and continue as Christians.

Much of Jesus’ teaching focused on encouraging his hearers to recognise the coming of the Kingdom of God and ‘get on board’. During this series we will therefore look at a number of examples of the Kingdom coming. Seeking to unpack why and how this is the case, we will then consider where the challenge of the Kingdom for us might lie, both personally as a church.