Since
retiring from parish ministry, I’ve been culling my library. One area I’ve culled dramatically is my books
of sermons. Examining my shelves today,
I found only four volumes of sermons remaining.
·
One
was John Wesley’s classic collection of forty-four sermons.
·
Two
of the others were by Martin Luther King.
·
And
then there was this recently-published work, David Gill’s The Heart of It All, with
sermons preached at St. Stephen’s Uniting Church, Sydney, in the five years
from 2010 to 2015.
In
this context, perhaps I can paraphrase the man in the beer advertisement who
pops up in a variety of contexts on Facebook:
“I don’t always buy books of sermons, but when I do they’re by
John Wesley, Martin Luther King, or David Gill.”
These
twenty-seven sermons (only seventeen fewer than Wesley’s) reflect David’s deep lifelong
commitment to the well-being of the people of God, as seen in a wide range of ecumenical
and denominational leadership roles, both in Australia and overseas. They cover the range of celebrations and
observances of the Christian liturgical year, as well as such secular occasions
as “the Kirkin’ of the Tartan”, Australia Day, and Remembrance Day.
Throughout
the book, these sermons challenge us to push our theological envelope,
particularly in terms of ecumenical, multifaith, social justice, and
international areas of concern. To give
one particular example, David’s sermon for Reformation Sunday (“Always Being
Reformed”) dramatically encourages those of us within the UCA, and within
similar churches, to mark 2017’s Five-Hundredth Anniversary of the beginning of
the Reformation by declaring our intention to seek a restored and reconciled
relationship of mutual communion with the Roman Catholic Church.
If
you’re looking to read some sermons which combine ecumenical passion, pastoral
insight, and theological wisdom, I’d recommend The Heart of It All.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Constructive comments, from a diversity of viewpoints, are always welcome. I reserve the right to choose which comments will be printed. I'm happy to post opinions differing from mine. Courtesy, an ecumenical attitude, and a willingness to give your name always help. A sense of humour is a definite "plus", as well.