For over thirty years Alan Neale has spoken with passion, relevance, authenticity and humor of themes that are profound and pressing; the profound he makes simple and accessible, the pressing he makes immediate and welcoming. All these years past have provided little time for Alan to write extensively and so now he begins a long-postponed desire and there are many themes waiting to be translated into books; the task is daunting and enthralling and he longs to begin in 2015
Yet again, I concede that here is a Gospel passage (Luke 16:19-41; The Story of Dives and Lazarus) upon which I have never preached; I justify it by saying other Bible passages seemed to demand attention. So, here it is… I fear it could have been much, much longer and even now it pushes the… Continue reading
The sermon text is below the video of the sermon and of the entire service. Sermon only: https://youtu.be/6bG4fav0CAc Service: https://youtu.be/ldUDEnHY66o Address given at “A Service of Prayer and Reflection on the Death of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II” Zion Episcopal Church, Washington, NC Wednesday September 14th 2022 The Reverend Alan Neale This, and the myriad… Continue reading
Oh my, a challenging Scripture that I have not taken into the pulpit for 45 years! The text is below the sermon video… Click here for sermon video: https://zionepiscopal.com/Sermon%20Videos/thirteenth-sunday-after-pentecost-9-4-2022.html Sermon Preached at Zion Episcopal Church, Washington, NC; Sunday September 4 2022 The Reverend Alan Neale ; “Hate… Really?!” For as many years as I can… Continue reading
The sermon text is below the sermon video. Click Here: https://zionepiscopal.com/Sermon%20Videos/eleventh-sunday-after-pentecost-8-21-2022.html Sermon preached at Zion Episcopal Church, Washington NC Sunday August 21 2022 The Reverend Alan Neale “Touch” There is an interactive computer game called “Please, Don’t Touch Anything”, described as a cryptic, brain-racking button-pushing simulation. In brief, “Covering for a colleague who is taking… Continue reading
The sermon text is below the sermon video. Click below for sermon video… sermon begins at 3:30secs… https://zionepiscopal.com/Sermon%20Videos/ninth-sunday-after-pentecost-8-7-2022.html Sermon preached at Zion Episcopal Church, Washington NC Sunday August 7th 2022 The Reverend Alan Neale “Can God Be Trusted?” Last week, I talked in the sermon about the importance of embracing paradox in our lives. I… Continue reading
This sermon is an attempt to underline and emphasize what I believe to be an integral part, the integral part?, of the Christian life – embracing, living, paradox! John Hapgood, erstwhile Archbishop of York, wrote “Living by Paradox”. I believe it is impossible to be an authentic Anglican/Episcopalian without embracing paradox; in fact, I believe… Continue reading
Once again, I find at Zion Church new experiences. This past Sunday I preached for the first time on Hosea 1:2-10, the passage that talks about Hosea and his promiscuous wife Gomer. There seemed to be so many themes drawing my attention, none least the theme that even our life experiences (good and not so… Continue reading
The text for the sermon is below the sermon video… https://www.zionepiscopal.com/Sermon%20Videos/fourth-sunday-after-pentecost-7-3-2022.html Sermon preached at Zion Episcopal Church; Sunday July 3rd 2022 The Reverend Alan Neale; “Freedom – A Precious Jewel” Ignore my British accent, I live in a town named after the Commander of the Continental Army in the war of independence and… Continue reading
The sermon text is below the sermon video/audio… https://zionepiscopal.com/Sermon%20Videos/second-sunday-after-pentecost-6-19-2022.html Sermon preached at Zion Episcopal Church, Washington NC; Sunday June 19th 2022 The Reverend Alan Neale; “Enough… Already!” I Kings 19:4 “It is enough!” Message Translation “Enough of this, God!” Nearly forty years ago I was serving in a small country parish between London and Cambridge,… Continue reading
Psalm 104:26 provides us with an insight into the divine being, an insight far too rarely stressed, expected nor experienced. An insight that bursts into life before our eyes on this Pentecost Sunday, the Festival of the Coming (and Reception) of the Holy Spirit. The general sermon text follows the video of the sermon in… Continue reading