What do vicars do the rest of the week? Part 4: The sermon

Coffee…and relaxation between Sunday morning services in a coffee shop not far from the Priory.

Steaming cups of coffee, one tea, one hot chocolate; a convivial informal gathering of clergy and laity, with a couple of ordinands thrown in for good measure. So naturally, the talk turns to sermons. The writing thereof.

’I’m doing the preaching module next Saturday’ an ordinand says brightly. ‘I wonder what we’ll do; what they’ll teach us?’

And so each priest shares their sermon story: The last-minute, unexpected sermon, the difficult sermon, the sermon when the mic failed. So many different experiences. So much to learn.

But each week, at least three sermons are carefully crafted to be delivered to an expectant, thoughtful, Priory congregation. And some Biblical passages are easier than others to craft a sermon on.

’You know where I get my best inspiration?’ said one priest. ‘The shower’.
Faces turned towards him ‘Me, too!’.

It turns out that the shower is indeed the number one location for inspiration for Priory sermons. A fine example of multi-tasking in the busy life of a vicar, who certainly doesn’t only work on Sundays!