Sermon

This presentation was given on Saturday the 31st of Januery 2026 at Wollaston Theological College, for the Summer Days unit within the Wollaston Certificate. Texts: Genesis 32.22-32 Today I’m going to reflect upon our text through a lens of presence and embodiment, taking my starting point in a verse that is often overlooked: Genesis 25.27. “When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field; while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.” ...

This sermon was preached on the 18th of Januery 2026, The Second Sunday after Epiphany, in Saint George’s Cathedral, Perth. Texts: Habakkuk 2.1-5,12-14 Romans 1.8-17 “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” (Rom 1.17b quoting Hab 2.4b) Those words link the two readings we have just heard from the Bible. They are the words of the prophet Habakkuk, quoted by Saint Paul in his letter to the Romans. And I can almost picture those words on the side of a coffee mug, rendered in a colourful, swirly, italicised font, maybe beside a garish depiction of a sunrise. ...

This sermon was preached on the 21st of December 2025, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, in the Anglican Parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie. Texts: Matthew 1.18-25 What do we do when the unexpected breaks into our lives? What do we do when we find ourselves reeling, wondering what is happening, wondering what is coming? This Advent, I’ve encouraged you all to slow things down, as much as you are able. To let go of that which draws you to be busy, hurried, chaotic… and simply be still, and be with God. ...

This sermon was preached on the 31st of October 2025, keeping All Souls, in the Anglican Parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie. Texts: Job 14.1-14 John 5.19-29 I’m going to talk about fear tonight. Fear is a tricky emotion. It has its place, it has its purpose. Predicting the future is part of the human experience: it’s part of who we are, as a species. All of us are constantly looking into the future, a few seconds, a few minutes, a few hours, a few days. ...

This sermon was preached on the 7th of September 2025, The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, in the Anglican Parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie. Texts: The Letter of Saint Paul to Philemon I was tempted today, perhaps a little earnestly, to change the introduction to the reading from Saint Paul. We didn’t just hear from his letter to Philemon – we heard the whole letter, all four hundred and fifty or so words of it. ...

This sermon was preached on the 15th of June 2025, Trinity Sunday, in the Anglican Parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie. Texts: John 16.12-15 Why do we speak the creed together, each and every Sunday? Why do we lend our voices to it, lend our bodies to it, give it our voice? The language of the creed is dense. It’s technical, theological. It speaks in response to debates among Christians that raged many centuries ago. And so some people argue that it is no longer relevant. ...

This sermon was preached on the 4th of May 2025, The Third Sunday of Easter, in the Anglican Parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie. Texts: John 21:1-19 Hearing today’s Gospel, I think of Peter, and I find myself reflecting on just how difficult the path to reconciliation and forgiveness can be. When you’ve done something wrong, and you know it, it’s can be hard to accept forgiveness. And when you’ve done something very, very wrong, it can be hard to believe that even the possibility of forgiveness exists. ...

This sermon was preached on the 27th of April 2025, The Second Sunday of Easter, in the Anglican Parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie. Texts: John 20:19-31 The risen Jesus bore wounds. Wounds in his hands; wounds in his feet; a wound in his side; and for a very long time, that surprised me. If the Bible didn’t tell us what we just heard, then I would have pictured the risen Jesus as healed entirely – pristine and perfect. His hands healed, his feet healed, the wound in his side healed. The marks of minor childhood injuries, scars on knees and feet, all healed. Even the callouses upon his hands from working his trade, healed. ...

This sermon was preached on the 20th of April 2025, Easter Sunday, in the Anglican Parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie. Texts: John 20:1-18 Hearing the Resurrection Gospel, proclaiming it, it’s hard not to weep with joy and awe. It’s hard not to let one’s voice crack and break. Love permeates every verse of Saint John’s telling of the Resurrection. Consider the love and care of Mary Magdalene for Jesus. Jesus was her rabbi, her master, her friend. And he died. He died, most horrifically. ...

This sermon was preached on the 19th of April 2025, Holy Saturday, in the Anglican Parish of Kalamunda-Lesmurdie, preceding the Flowering of the Cross Texts: Mark 14-15 Today, Jesus descends into the underworld, into the ground, to be with the dead. Today, Jesus harrows hell. Today, Jesus liberates the captives, offering to them his outstretched hand. And all who take grasp of it, he lifts up to freedom and eternal life. ...