The Cranmer Group Podcast

Annie helps us to consider what it means to be 'hopeful' people of God, gaining inspiration from the (slightly unlikely!) source of the Lamentations of Jeremiah (chapter3, verses 17-26) and also Peter's speech to the gathered crowds on the first Pentecost (Acts chapter 2, verses 21-36) .

Looking at the examples of members of the early Church (Acts chapter 4, verses 23-31) and Jesus (Mark's account of the Feeding of the Five Thousand), Tim encourages us to be prayerful, both individually and collectively, and in so doing, obtain a heavenly perspective on our own lives, and on those of our churches and communities.

In week two of our preaching series, Bronwen moves on to being 'Generous' - the first of our Cranmer Group Values, which underlie how we seek to love Jesus, one another, our villages and God's world. In this Harvest season, Bron explores God's generosity to us as expressed in Psalm 65's imagery of abundance, and the miraculous provision of Jesus' Feeding of the Five T...

In the first of a new preaching new series on our Cranmer Group's Vision and Values,  Tim sets out how we respond to God's love for us, in our Benefice Vision (“We are one, growing community of disciples, who seek to love Jesus, one another, our villages and God’s world”), drawing inspiration from 1 John 4:7-21 and John 13:31-35.

Annie guides us through the second part of Christ's teaching in the second half of Matthew 18 (verses 21-35), further exploring what Jesus has to say to those who follow him about God's mercy to us, and how we, in turn, extend that to others.

Tim tries to help us navigate some tricky pastoral waters, with Jesus' teaching about how we should behave towards one another in the family of his disciples (Matthew 18:15-20).

Tim continues our journey through Matthew's Gospel, looking at chapter 16, verses 21-28, and asking us "What is your true self?" (or, putting it another way, "What Are You Here For?").

We look with Tim at how Peter responds to Jesus' question to the disciples in Matthew 16:13-20, taking encouragement both from the certainty of his reply, and also from the ways in which the disciples are human like us, with all our failings, and yet they and we are still loved by Jesus, and given the task of building Christ's Church and God's Kingdom, here on earth.

Tim helps us - hopefully! - to understand better the potentially tricky passage from Matthew 15, verses 21-28, in which Jesus encounters the Canaanite woman. Her extraordinary faith in Christ results in her daughter being healed, and is an example to us all.

Annie helps us to discover the essence of our Heavenly Father, and just how intimately He loves us, through Moses' encounter with the Lord on Mount Sinai in Exodus 34, and Matthew's account of Jesus' baptism (Matt. 3, verses 13-17).

In the final instalment of our journey through Paul's letter to the Philippians (chapter 4, verses 10-23), Tim ponders how we all want to be content, but try to attain this through possessions, success and experiences rather than through learning to place our trust in Jesus, who has already given us the joy in contentment that comes from knowing in our hearts that our names are already writte...

Tim reflects on Paul's message to the Philippian Christians in chapter 3, verse 17 to chapter 4, verse 9, of his letter to them. He encourages us, also sharing some of his own personal journey of faith, to see the "Joy in Trust" that: - comes from seeing ourselves as Citizens of Heaven; - comes from standing firm on the promises that Jesus has made to each one of us who follow him;...

Tim leads us through St. Paul's life before and after encountering the risen Jesus, as recounted to the Philippian believers in Chapter 3, verses 1-16. He encourages us that it's through our faith in Christ alone, not through any good that we may or may not do in our lives, that we are made 'righteous' - that is, brought into right relationship with our Heavenly Father.

We continue our exploration of Paul's letter to the Philippians, through chapter 2, verses 14-30. Annie suggests to us that letting go of our self, and allowing God to do His work in us, with us and through us, leads us to joy in fellowship, as we shine in a dark world, drawing others to our community and to Christ himself.

Bronwen continues our Philippians sermon series, reflecting on chapter 1, verse 27, to chapter 2, verse 11, thinking especially about how we find joy in Jesus. She suggests that joy (J-O-Y) comes from putting "J" - Jesus - first; "O" - others - second; and "Y" - yourself - last.

This week, we start our new sermon series journeying together through St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians: "The Letter of Joy". Tim sets the scene for the letter, and explores how we can share in Paul's joy in the Good News - the Gospel - of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:1-26).

On this Trinity Sunday, Tim encourages us to deepen our understanding of, and connection with, all three persons of our triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, through Jesus' "Great Commission" of Matthew 28, and the final verses of St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians - what we often now know as the Grace.

Annie considers the fulfilment of God's covenant with us - foretold in Jeremiah 31:31-34 - through the person of Jesus, and sealed with the gift of God's Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Tim explores what Jesus says to his disciples in John 17:1-11, in the light of the Ascension (Acts 1:6-14)

Tim reflects on Jesus abiding in us, and us abiding in him, based on Christ's words to his disciples in John 14:15-21

Annie looks at Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in John 10:1-10, and how we can recognise and follow the Shepherd's voice, that we might experience "life to the full", in and through him.

Tim - accompanied by the rain drumming on the roof of Hawksworth Church! - looks at hope fulfilled through Scripture, Sacrament and Spirit, in the encounter of the two disciples with the risen Jesus, on the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).

Bronwen looks at Thomas' encounter with the risen Jesus (John 20:19-end), and reflects on how our personal stories of encountering Jesus enable us to share our faith with others.

With the help of St. Matthew's account of the Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10), Tim gives us the encouragement of what Easter really means to all of us, for our past; for our present; and for our future.

Tim brings to a close our sermon series, by inviting us to follow the examples of the crowds welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday; and the poor widow, extraordinarily giving her two coins to God in the Temple: what do we bring, to worship our King?