St Mary’s Attenborough Church

Chris Doig begins our series exploring The Prayer Course, focusing on Luke 11:1-4 and what it means to develop a life of prayer. Reflecting on the guilt and sense of failure we can sometimes feel, Chris explores how Jesus’ example invites us into a regular and honest relationship with the Father. He considers the different ways we can pray and encourages us to start small, using Scripture as a place to begin. Above all, we are reminded that God hears our prayers, whether or not we always sense his presence.

Toby Artis concludes our series exploring 2 Timothy. Focusing on 4:1-22, he considers what it means to “preach the word” and how sharing the good news is not simply a duty, but an invitation to share the transformative life of Jesus with others. Toby explores the different seasons of life and the constant hope we have in Jesus, encouraging us to live with the same passion that God has for his people. Looking at Jesus’ everyday encounters with others, Toby considers how we can be intentional in our relationships, move beyond small talk and create space for deeper conversations. As Paul passes the baton to Timothy, we are challenged to consider how the way we live might invite others to encounter Jesus, trusting in God and one another as we run the race together.

Liam O’Boyle continues our series, exploring 2 Timothy. Focusing on 3:1–17, he considers Paul’s encouragement to Timothy to hold firmly to his faith and the Scriptures that have shaped him from childhood. Liam challenges us to consider how the Bible is far more than serious, gloomy or difficult, as some might initially believe. Exploring Jesus’ own use of the Hebrew Scriptures, Liam considers what it means for Scripture to be “God-breathed” and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training. Through prayerful engagement with the Bible, we are invited to enter more deeply into God’s presence, hear his voice, and become thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Chris Doig continues our series on 2 Timothy, looking at Chapter 2. He reminds us that living according to the Good News of Jesus, living the way of Jesus brings suffering, persecution and both inner and outer conflict. There is a challenge to hold fast to faith in Jesus, but with that comes the great spiritual blessings.

Toby Artis begins our new sermon series by exploring 2 Timothy 1-2:2 and what it means to guard the call of the gospel. The gospel is the promise of life in Jesus Christ, a life that stands in contrast to the shame, isolation and death that enter when we turn away from God. Toby reflects on Jesus’ victory over death and Paul’s call to “fan into flame” the gift of faith through the Spirit. In a culture of empty abundance and endless people-pleasing, following Jesus is countercultural and requires intentionality, good habits and a community around us. As we seek to guard the life we have been given in Christ, we’re invited to consider what we value, what shapes our lives, and how we are nurturing the flame of faith.

Jo Stephens concludes our sermon series on the Sabbath by exploring Exodus 16:23–30. Jo reflects on the gift of the Sabbath as a time to encounter God through worship and awe. Moments of awe stop us in our tracks, lifting us beyond the ordinary and drawing us into delight, wonder, and the presence of God. As we ponder the rhythm of the Sabbath woven into both creation and our own lives, we're invited to consider whether we make space for awe ourselves. More than simply a day of rest, the Sabbath is a sacred invitation to seek eternity, discovering that God is found not only in places, but in time itself.

This is a re-recording of Sunday's sermon where Oliver Towlson continues our series on the Sabbath, looking at Isaiah 58:13-14 and John 5:5-1. Oliver focuses on the joy of the seventh day and how the Sabbath is joyful because it expresses the core truth of our existence as humans and Images of God. The weekly Sabbath is a foretaste of the ultimate cosmic seventh day of Genesis 1, a day that was never meant to end. That day is still to come fully, and so the weekly Sabbath also functions as a practice that trains us to choose joy in a world of grief, and to recognise and appreciate sacred moments. Oliver ends by offering some practical suggestions about how to Sabbath joyfully.

Toby Artis continues our series as he explores the gift of Sabbath through Deuteronomy 5:12-15 and Matthew 11:28-30. Sabbath is more than taking a day off - it is an invitation to stop and find freedom from the relentless pressures of productivity, consumption, and the expectations we place on ourselves and others. Jesus invites us to exchange the heavy yokes we carry for his gentle and life-giving way. As Augustine wrote, "our hearts are restless until they find rest in God alone". Toby closes by sharing practical ways to cultivate rhythms of rest, reminding us that we don't have to earn God's love - we are simply invited to receive it.

Liam O'Boyle begins our sermon series on the Sabbath, looking at Genesis 2:1–3 and Exodus 20:8–11. He explores God's gift of Sabbath, reflecting on the pattern of work and rest established in creation and God's invitation to stop, rest, and spend time with him. In a busy world, Liam encourages us to embrace intentional rhythms of rest, reminding us that true restoration is found in God's presence and that he is with us in every season of life, even when rest feels difficult.

Chris Doig concludes our sermon series on Ezekiel, exploring chapter 47:1–12. He unpacks Ezekiel's vision of the river flowing from God's restored temple, bringing life, healing and hope to the wilderness. Pointing to Jesus as the true temple and drawing a connection to Ephesians 2, he reflects on how God's presence transforms both our own lives and the communities around us. As we spend time with God, he equips us to become channels of his living water, bringing peace and healing to others. The sermon concludes with a challenge to consider whether anything might be preventing us from fully experiencing God's presence together.