{"id":22129,"date":"2026-04-24T11:12:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T11:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/?page_id=22129"},"modified":"2026-04-24T11:26:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T11:26:30","slug":"sermons","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/?page_id=22129","title":{"rendered":"Sermons"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"22129\" class=\"elementor elementor-22129\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cc4050e header e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3cc4050e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ab66d4a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4ab66d4a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bd5809d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bd5809d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Recent Sermons &amp; Reflections<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-573a440 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"573a440\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-368ddaf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"368ddaf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Latest sermon delivered at St James\u2019 shown here. Choose Later\/Earlier at the bottom of this page to see other sermons and reflections.<br \/>Other Sermons &amp; Reflections delivered in the Benefice can be seen at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coldharbourchurch.org.uk\/christchurch-wordsandthoughts.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Christ Church, Coldharbour<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.holmburychurch.com\/sunday-worship-resources\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Holmbury St. Mary<\/a> and St John&#8217;s, Wotton.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b9847e5 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b9847e5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b7a24c elementor-grid-1 elementor-grid-tablet-2 elementor-grid-mobile-1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-loop-grid\" data-id=\"5b7a24c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;template_id&quot;:22130,&quot;columns&quot;:1,&quot;pagination_type&quot;:&quot;prev_next&quot;,&quot;row_gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:40,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;_skin&quot;:&quot;post&quot;,&quot;columns_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;columns_mobile&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;edit_handle_selector&quot;:&quot;[data-elementor-type=\\&quot;loop-item\\&quot;]&quot;,&quot;pagination_load_type&quot;:&quot;page_reload&quot;,&quot;row_gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;row_gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"loop-grid.post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-loop-container elementor-grid\" role=\"list\">\n\t\t<style id=\"loop-22130\">.elementor-22130 .elementor-element.elementor-element-c625bef{--display:flex;}<\/style>\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"loop-item\" data-elementor-id=\"22130\" class=\"elementor elementor-22130 e-loop-item e-loop-item-21789 post-21789 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-sermons entry\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\" data-custom-edit-handle=\"1\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c625bef e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c625bef\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc61bd9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-content\" data-id=\"cc61bd9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-content.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"21789\" class=\"elementor elementor-21789\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c454c3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1c454c3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73fd898 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"73fd898\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">5th April 2026 - Easter Day<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd4e96a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dd4e96a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Acts 10:34-43, John20: 1-18<\/strong><strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><p><strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/easter26.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-21794 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/easter26-150x84.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"84\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/easter26-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/easter26-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/easter26.jpg 323w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/strong>Many of you, I am sure, saw at least some of the some of the service in Canterbury Cathedral when Archbishop Sarah was installed in the episcopal chair of St Augustine. A service of magnificent impeccably choreographed ceremony with wonderful music, superb and costly robes and a cathedral packed to capacity with the great, the good and the humble. A service of pomp and ritual showing the Church at its best.<\/p><p>Contrast this with that first Easter Day when the tomb was found to be empty and the reality of Christ\u2019s resurrection was first realised not by those in a packed cathedral but by a very few seemingly insignificant individuals.\u00a0 Realised not by angelic choirs but by the silence that precedes the breaking of dawn.\u00a0 Realised not by seeing Christ in some glittering procession installed on some heavenly throne but by a woman bowed down with grief who initially blinded by tears thought she encountered a lowly gardener.\u00a0 One woman alone to whom Christ chose to reveal himself. No ceremony, no pomp, no solemn oaths but just the simple saying of one word, the simple voicing of her name \u2018Mary\u2019 And after hearing that one word spoken in the voice she knew so well Mary knew without a shadow of doubt she was truly in the presence of the risen Lord.\u00a0 In the presence of the risen Lord and given the task of sharing this unassailable truth with the other disciples, Christ\u2019s brothers and sisters. \u2018Go and tell them, \u2018I have seen the Lord.\u2019 No photos or videos to prove it, no permanent record beyond the veracity of what she had seen.<\/p><p>For us today I think it can be hard to understand how from that first encounter and the few that followed when other followers of Jesus saw him either in a locked room or on an open road the belief in the risen Christ grew and multiplied spreading far and wide throughout God\u2019s earthly kingdom. .A belief endorsed by Paul after his dramatic conversion on the Damascus Road so that as we heard in today\u2019s reading from Acts: A belief passed initially orally and in defiance of al those who mocked such a claim. Hard for us who have never been threatened for our faith, our belief in the risen Christ to imagine the courage and resilience needed to preach such a gospel despite the threats of the authorities both Roman and Jewish to do all in their power to stamp it out. But of course, there is no power on earth that can do that. Jesus Christ is risen; he is risen indeed.\u00a0 Alleluia.<\/p><p>But back to that first Easter morning and the visit under the cover of darkness that Mary made to the tomb to find to her utter dismay that the great stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty with just the discarded grave clothes as proof that the body of Jesus had lain there.\u00a0 Can you imagine her bewilderment, her anguish, her sense almost of unbelief that this could be so. \u00a0Can you imagine what was going through her mind as in her panic at what she had discovered she sought the help of those other two disciples. Can you imagine the stuttered words as she tried to relate what she had seen and then the hasty return back to that still night shrouded garden.<\/p><p>But as those two disciples returned to their homes \u00a0and\u00a0 now as dawn is breaking, we have that image of \u00a0the tear filled Mary standing alone, and silent, and then suddenly joined by the risen Christ. As he gently spoke her name we can sense the shattering of all the utter darkness of Good Friday by the overwhelming radiance of the light of Easter day. The shattering of the darkness of death by the light of eternal life.<\/p><p>So, as we celebrate that most momentous of all days in this church of Abinger this morning what can we perhaps learn from this account? Oh yes like that ceremony at Canterbury there is a degree of worship filled ceremony here maybe not as well choreographed and certainly without a mitre in sight. We have already sung with joy some of the wonderful praise filled Easter hymns with more to come. We will share the sacrament of communion eating the bread, drinking the wine to remind us yet again that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to die for our sakes that we might be redeemed and forgiven for our sins and wrongdoings that led Jesus to that instrument of torture.\u00a0\u00a0 And all this is as it should be on this glorious day but I think there is one more really important thing to learn and that is from what happened in that garden some two thousand years ago as darkness gave way to light. Learn that it is in silence and solitude that we can share that experience of Mary and know the Lord come close to us. A personal encounter rather than the shared encounter of this morning when we have joined with angels and archangels to give praise and thanks. A personal encounter when we turn briefly from all the darkness of this world to the light of God\u2019s love for us.<\/p><p>Remember how many times we are told in the gospels that Jesus went away from the crowds, away from the disciples even to a quiet lonely place to pray and find God the Father close beside him. Think how he did just that in the Garden of Gethsemane before his accusers burst in to arrect him. I think we are called like Jesus, like Mary to seek that solitude, to cut out and retreat from all the distractions of modern life and hope and pray to hear the risen Christ call our name as he did Mary\u2019s.\u00a0 Call our name and show us what tasks he would like us to do as Easter people to share our faith as those first disciples did. Share our faith and in so doing pray that we too \u00a0may bring glimmers of light and of love into this deeply troubled world . And here I would like to quote these words of Ann Lewin. \u2018Time out of time, ,,,,resting\u2026 drifting on Spirit\u2019s breath.\u00a0\u00a0 You do not have to look for anything,\u2026 just look. You do not have to listen for specific sounds\u2026 just listen. You do not have to accomplish anything\u2026 just be. And in the looking and the listening and the being\u2026 find Me<\/p><p>Now we will continue with the ceremony that is \u00a0our \u00a0united worship but I pray that at some time today you can slip away for a few moments\u00a0 and be still and in that stillness hear as Mary did the voice of the risen Christ and know \u00a0without a shadow of doubt that like \u00a0her and all the disciples \u00a0we are truly beloved child of God restored and forgiven. Christ is risen he is risen indeed. Alleluia!<strong style=\"font-size: clamp(0.7rem, 1.5vw, 1rem);\">&#8211;<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ecc4d8d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"7ecc4d8d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52e860a7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"52e860a7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h6>Revd. Virginia Smith \/ 5th April 2026<\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-load-more-anchor\" data-page=\"1\" data-max-page=\"97\" data-next-page=\"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fpages%2F22129&#038;paged=2\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<nav class=\"elementor-pagination\" aria-label=\"Pagination\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"page-numbers prev\">NEXT<\/span>\n<a class=\"page-numbers next\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fpages%2F22129&#038;paged=2\">PREVIOUS<\/a>\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent Sermons &amp; Reflections Latest sermon delivered at St James\u2019 shown here. Choose Later\/Earlier at the bottom of this page to see other sermons and reflections.Other Sermons &amp; Reflections delivered in the Benefice can be seen at Christ Church, Coldharbour Holmbury St. Mary and St John&#8217;s, Wotton.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_angie_page":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-22129","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22129"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22152,"href":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22129\/revisions\/22152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stjameschurchabinger.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}