The word 'church' barely appears in the synoptic gospels. Ian Wallis examines a werse from Matthew's gospel where it is used, and replaces it in its historical context.

Felicity Cowling-Green takes the Zimbabwean theologian Isabel Mukonyora's experience of a 'sacred wilderness' as her starting-point for thinking about the parable of the Feeding of the Multitude

Today, we welcome Sasha Isabella Smith in baptism into the community of St Mark's, Jonathan Williamson examines the parable of the mustard seed.

Susan Vinall, Reader at St Cuthbert's Firvale, analyses the parable of the wheat and the tares

Michael Bayley finds comfort and hope in today’s Bible readings, and shows us how our faith can be a source of solace and resolution

Helena Roulston explores with the congregation how light is a source of guidance

Janet Morley sees Paul’s ‘justification by faith’ as a radical outpouring of God’s love into our hearts.

Anne Padget explores how Jesus understood the courage of the excluded, encouraging them to act out their faith

Pentecost is the festival celebrated fifty days after Easter. It commemorates the moment the followers of Jesus received the gift of the Holy Spirit, evoked in our readings as a rushing wind or as tongues of fire. Ian Wallis reflects on how something intangible can also be a life-changing experience