St Mary’s Attenborough Church

Resurrection

Chris Doig preaches on the Resurrection of Jesus and how it transforms grief into joy and despair into celebration. More than a moment of Sunday joy, it shapes our everyday lives. The Resurrection is not just a symbol, but a physical, historical event - the empty tomb and the risen Jesus who ate and spoke with his followers - confirming that he is the Son of God and providing the foundation of our faith. It reminds us that God is in control, even in a troubled world, and that his kingdom is growing despite hardship. For those who trust in him, death is not the end but the beginning of a glorious eternity. Just as Jesus is the firstfruits of new creation, we can be sure that we too will be raised with him. Through his Spirit, Jesus is present with us now, offering peace in every circumstance, even when we don’t always feel him. We are invited to know him intimately and be transformed by his Spirit.

The Lessons of the Desert

Our Vicar, Toby Artis, concludes our series on the Desert Fathers, looking at Matthew 21:1-11.

Choosing the Way of Humility

Liam O'Boyle continues our Lectio365 sermon series on the Desert Fathers and Mothers. He explores the transformative power of humility, drawing on Philippians 2:5-11 to show Jesus’ mindset of self-emptying. Liam illustrates how humility plays out in real life. Unlike societal values that celebrate status and upward success, Jesus's humility follows a downward trajectory. Humility frees us to live in truth and recognise that our worth comes from being precious to God. As CS Lewis states, "humility is not thinking less of yourself, rather thinking of yourself less". While voluntarily embracing lower status can feel risky, Jesus does His most important work when we are at our lowest, reminding us that we are never alone.

The Foolish Way of Wisdom

Oliver Towlson continues our series on the desert mothers and fathers by considering their upside wisdom in rejecting their culture's obsession with long life, riches and honour. By looking at the garden of Eden stories, Proverbs 8:1-21 and James  3:13-18, Oliver makes the case that we are likewise driven by these things, but when we seek after them as ends in themselves, we unleash damage to ourselves and others: division, pride, shame, isolation and mistrust and ultimately death. This is depicted as choice between two trees: the tree of life (and trusting God's wisdom) and the tree of knowing good and bad (seizing wisdom for ourselves). But where Adam and Eve and every other human has failed, Jesus chooses to obey God and enter the consequences of our enslavement and failure, through the cross, in order to unite humanity with God and the tree of life once again.

The Freedom of Renunciation

Chris Doig continues our sermon series on the Desert Fathers and Mothers. He reflects on Matthew 19:19–24 and Mark 10:21, where Jesus spoke about money - a topic he covers more than heaven and even prayer. Life does not consist in an abundance of things; while God gives good gifts for our enjoyment, our culture often encourages us to see consumption - bigger homes, better cars, and constant shopping - as what we deserve. With the ease of online purchasing, it has never been simpler to spend, yet the satisfaction it brings is often short-lived. The New Testament calls Christians not simply to give a set percentage, but to give joyfully, proportionately, and sacrificially, remembering that God cares about how we use all that we have. Jesus invites us to seek something greater than possessions: the lasting riches of his grace and presence. When we set our eyes on heavenly treasure rather than material success, we discover the true freedom of renunciation - learning to enjoy earthly blessings as gifts from God without allowing them to take his place in our hearts.

Loving Silence and Solitude

Toby Artis continues our Lectio 365 series by exploring the theme of silence and solitude. In a culture shaped by noise, busyness, and constant activity, he invites us to step away and embrace a different rhythm. Silence and solitude aren’t just spiritual practices to add to a full schedule - they’re a reframing of life itself. Toby reminds us that when we fill every moment, we can miss the deeper work God wants to do in us. Creating intentional time and space allows God to reorient our hearts and form us into Christ’s likeness. The reward isn’t productivity, but the presence of God. Though silence can feel uncomfortable and surface what we’d rather avoid, choosing this path opens us to the transforming grace that has been available all along.

Journey of Faith - Angie

Angie Springhall shares her story of faith, transformation, and God’s faithfulness.

Intensifying my Hunger for Holiness

Jo Stephens continues our Lectio 365 sermon series. She reflects on intensifying our hunger for holiness, especially during the season of Lent - a time that invites us to take sin seriously through an honest audit of our reactions and attitudes. So often we avoid the topic of sin, yet the Christian tradition names eight recurring thoughts or passions that quietly shape our lives: gluttony, lust, greed, anger, dejection, apathy, vainglory, and pride. Gluttony isn’t just about food; it can be any kind of overconsumption - shopping, scrolling, constant phone use - used to numb pain. Lust, as Jesus teaches in Gospel of Matthew 5:27–30, is not love but a selfish desire to possess rather than to give. Greed subtly tightens its grip on our hearts, while anger can become detached from love of God and neighbour, calling us back to prayer for gentleness and the absence of resentment. Dejection may be met with journaling, prayer, and gratitude; apathy, described in Proverbs 13:4, can show up as unproductive sloth, inviting us to step away from passive habits and choose life-giving practices instead. Vainglory thrives on empty boasting, yet in stillness we begin to see our failings more clearly. Pride, countered by the call in 1 Peter 4:10 to use our gifts to serve others, reminds us that everything we have is grace. Ultimately, Lent invites us not to suppress our underlying desires but to bring them honestly before God, sitting with him even in unpleasant emotions, and allowing him to transform our hearts from the inside out.

Reigniting my Passion for Jesus

Toby Artis begins our Lectio 365 Lent series on the Desert Fathers and Mothers, specifically looking at Matthew 4:1–11 and Colossians 4:2. Toby reminds us that we are called to love God wholeheartedly: with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to remain open to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. We are always being formed by something; if we are not intentionally shaped by Jesus, then we will be shaped by the surrounding culture. Drawing on the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, including Anthony the Great, we are reminded of the need to withdraw at times so we do not “snap like a bow drawn too tight.” Looking at Jesus’ baptism and subsequent testing in the wilderness, we see that Jesus resists temptation and the lure of power because he is secure in the Father’s love. Through prayer, fasting, and intentional quiet - discovering our own “desert place” - we can learn deeper dependence on God, setting roots beneath the surface where lasting spiritual maturity can grow.

Romans 8:18-25

Guest preacher Ian Paul explores Romans 8:18-25 and the tension of living in a world that is both beautiful and broken. We see wonder and pain not only in our own lives, but woven into creation itself - even in seemingly unanswered prayers, where we feel the ache of a world not yet as it should be. Romans 8 lifts our eyes to the bigger story of Scripture - a world created good, then damaged by sin, yet longing for restoration.
Ian highlights how Scripture asks if creation can be made whole again, and answers yes, through Jesus’ costly love on the cross. This restoration is like childbirth: painful, but full of hope. In Christ, we receive new life now as the “first fruits”, a foretaste of the full redemption still to come. Until then, we wait with patience, trusting that God is at work and holding fast to the promise of new creation, where every tear will be wiped away, and there will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain.