Ash Wednesday17 February 2021Sung EucharistRevd Nicholas Mercer As a result of this pandemic, we are all more than familiar with the word Quarantine People with underlying health conditions have been required to stay at home and quarantine Those like myself who have been caught by track and trace have had to quarantine at home for ten days…
St Valentine’s Day14 February 2021Morning ServiceRevd Nicholas Mercer It is highly likely that there will be many of you listening to the service today who will be marking Valentine’s Day You may have sent a card or given or received a gift Red roses, chocolates or even jewellery are amongst the popular presents for today Alternatively, you…
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany07 February 2021Morning ServiceRevd Nicholas Mercer My attention was drawn to a headline in the last fortnight about the so called “Magdalen Laundries” in Ireland Magdalene laundries were institutions run across Ireland by the Roman Catholic Church for so called “fallen women” The definition of “fallen women” was astonishingly wide – ranging from…
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany31 January 2021Morning ServiceRevd Nicholas Mercer As many of you will be aware, apart from three months last year, the Tower of Bolton Priory has been open for private prayer during this pandemic Described by Simon Jenkins as “a glorious ante-chamber to the House of God” we were determined to keep part of…
Today we meet to say good bye to our brother in Christ Richard Bull Husband, father, grandfather and loyal servant of the Church We have heard a very moving tribute from his children (Anna, Alex, Matt, Chris and Judith) about Richards’ eighty six years here on earth His wonderfully full and rich life And we…
Third Sunday after the Epiphany24 January 2021Morning ServiceRevd Nicholas Mercer Even before the extraordinary and shameful events that unfolded in the American Capitol there was an apocalyptic feel to the last days of the Trump Presidency On Wednesday 6th January I woke to the news that the US had executed a woman called Lisa Montgomery The first…
Second Sunday after the Epiphany17 January 2021Morning ServiceRevd Nicholas Mercer This morning, on the second Sunday of Epiphany, we remember the first of our Lord’s miracles Perhaps the best known of all Christ’s miracles as Jesus changes water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana of Galilee It is the miracle of countless jokes, Not least…
First Sunday after the Epiphany10 January 2021Morning ServiceRevd Nicholas Mercer Whilst I was a chaplain at Sherborne, I was responsible for the School Confirmation Service It was a very large undertaking with approximately fifty boys being confirmed each year and took an immense amount of organisation It was naturally a very joyful event, but at the end…
Today we meet, in difficult circumstances, to remember our brother in Christ Bernard [Windle] I started writing this sermon when we had just been moved into Tier 3 restrictions Within a week, we have moved to another lock down, limited, even more, in time and place We are, mercifully, however able to meet at the…
Second Sunday of Christmas03 January 2021Morning ServiceRevd Barry Overend Beat Sterchi is a Swiss writer best known for his 1983 award winning novel, The Cow. The story begins with Ambrosio who travels from his native Spain to Switzerland looking for a job as a cowman. As he enters a Swiss village we read: ‘Nothing moved. Only…