Sermons
Sermons
Welcome to our Sermons page. You can find most of the past year's sermons here. All are available as text files in PDF format. In 2011, we also started recording the sermons, and they are available here, and on our Bloor Street United weekly podcast.
To read the sermons, click on the title. All files are stored
in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.
Please visit Adobe.com for the free Adobe
reader if you don't already have it.
You can also listen to audio versions of the latest sermons by clicking on the title on the left. Click here to subscribe to the podcast.
| click for PDF | date yy-mm-dd |
click to play audio |
| Getting On with It - MterKuile | 12-02-12 | no audio |
| Sankofa: Looking Back to Move Forward: Nadia Hohn Today is the first Sunday of Black History month. Our sermon is delivered by Nadia Hohn, a member of the congregation who teaches at Africentric Alternative School in Toronto. In her sermon she makes reference to the Sankofa bird, whose head looks backwards as it moves forward. |
12-02-05 | Sankofa: Looking Back to Move Forward |
| How Bread Works - MterKuile | 12-01-29 | no audio |
| Followers Folly - MterKuile | 12-01-22 | no audio |
| Hearing Everything - MterKuile | 12-01-15 | no audio |
| Finding a Voice - MterKuile | 12-01-08 | no audio |
| Home By Another Way - DMatheson | 12-01-01 | no audio |
| Treasure - MterKuile | 11-12-24 | no audio |
| Angel Speak - MterKuile | 11-12-18 | no audio |
| Waiting and Wondering - ESmith | 11-12-11 | no audio |
| "Wishing
and Hoping"
Today Reverend Martha ter Kuile reads a lament from Isaiah, followed by a reflection on how the Occupy Movement was a modern lament against social and economic injustice in our world. |
11-11-27 | Wishing and Hoping |
| Investment Opportunity - MterKuile | 11-11-13 | no audio |
| Communities of Hope - DWilson | 11-11-06 | no audio |
| "Down
to Basics"
Welcome to the Bloor Street United podcast for October 30th, 2011. This is a special day at the church as two couples have brought their children to be baptized. This event is considered during this sermon about Christ's last visit to the temple, a few days before his death. Reverend Martha Ter Kile reflects on what Jesus wanted his critics to understand about his mission, and how these small children today will think about our world 100 years from now. | 11-10-30 | Down to Basics |
| "The Face of Mystery"
In this sermon, Reverend Martha ter Kuile talks about whether we can ever really understand God, or whether the divine is more than the human mind can comprehend. | 11-10-23 | The Face of Mystery |
| "Margaret Atwood -Religion: Recovering our Roots"
This week's sermon features our annual Craddock lecture, given by Canada's most famous novelist, Margaret Atwood. Her sermon is entitled "Religion: Recovering our Roots". Her talk draws on themes she has explored in her most recent novel, The Year of the Flood. Her talk is this year's Craddock lecture, an annual event at Bloor Street, where distinguished guests are invited to take over the pulpit for a Sunday to speak about issues of spiritual interest. Ms Atwood spoke to a packed house. | 11-10-16 | Margaret Atwood Craddock Lecture |
| Come Dressed Up _thanksgiving_ - MterKuile | 11-10-09 | no audio |
| Take Two Tablets - DMatheson | 11-10-02 | no audio |
| The Opposites of Trust - MterKuile | 11-09-25 | no audio |
| Latecomers Welcome - MterKuile | 11-09-18 | no audio |
| Liberating Freedom - SandCFerguson | 11-09-11 | no audio |
| Two or Three - MterKuile | 11-09-04 | no audio |
| Tough Hope - MterKuile | 11-08-28 | no audio |
| No Body but Yours - DBenson | 11-08-14 | no audio |
| Outside In - MterKuile | 11-08-14 | no audio |
| Water Dance - MterKuile | 11-08-07 | no audio |
| Creating Presence - EGordon | 11-06-19 | no audio |
| Up the Down Staircase - MterKuile | 11-06-05 | no audio |
| Absence and Abundance
This week, our sermon is delivered by guest preacher, Jeffrey Hocking. He reflects on Jesus' curious declaration that after his death, his disciples will accomplish much more than he did while alive. After the sermon, we will hear the choir perform "If Ye love me" by British composer Thomas Tallis. This will be followed by a rousing organ performance of the Fuga by Samuel Wesley, for four hands, performed by our own David Passmore and Honorary Musical Associate, Chrys Bentley. |
11-05-29 | sermonMay282011 |
| Befuddled by Faith
This week, Reverend Martha ter Kuile reflects on the Bible's use of sheep and shepherds as metaphors for Christ and his followers. Following the sermon, the choir will sing George Frideric Handel's "All We Like Sheep". |
11-05-15 | sermonMay152011 |
| Springtime Grace
Today our sermon is being delivered by the Very Reverend Bruce McCleod, former Moderator of the United Church of Canada, and a longtime member of the Bloor Street Congregation. Today he reflects on the story of Noah's Ark. After his sermon we will hear a performance from Debussy's Petite Suite, for piano ( played with four hands). |
11-05-01 | sermonMay012011 |
| Easter Sunday
On this joyous day we will hear Reverend Martha ter Kuile preach on the mystery of Christ's resurrection, an act which many of us today find perplexing, and impossible. Martha reflects on what the resurrection means, and what it meant for Christ's apostles. Following the sermon we will hear a performance of the rousing Allegro from the Concerto for Two Trumpets by composer Francesco Manfredini. |
11-04-24 | sermonapr242011 |
| Come for To Die PalmSun - MterKuile | 11-04-17 | no audio for 17 Apr |
| The Price of Love - MterKuile | 11-04-10 | no audio for 10 Apr |
| Becoming Blind - MterKuile | 11-04-03 | sermonApr032011 |
| Flirting With Destiny - MterKuile | 11-03-27 | sermonMar272011 |
| Borne Again - Lent 2 - MterKuile | 11-03-20 | sermonMar202011 |
| Sacred Presence - CElsdon | 11-03-13 | sermonMar132011 |
| Cleverly Devised Myths, Transfiguration - MterKuile | 11-03-06 | sermonMar062011 |
| O Taste and See - MterKuile | 11-02-27 | sermonFeb272011 |
| Being Perfect - MterKuile | 11-02-20 | sermonFeb202011 |
| Out There - MterKuile | 11-02-13 | sermonFeb132011 |
| Guest Rev. Basil Coward - audio only->> | 11-02-06 | sermonFeb62011 |
| Zen Jesus - MterKuile | 11-01-30 | sermonJan302011 |
| The Weirdness of Faith - MterKuile | 11-01-23 | sermonJan232011 |
| Mystery Man - MterKuile | 11-01-09 | sermonJan92011 |
| Searching Diligently - MterKuile | 11-01-02 | |
| Midnight Message - MterKuile | 10-12-24 Christmas Eve | |
| Love Is a Flame - MterKuile | 10-12-19 Advent 4 | |
| Peace Is a Ribbon - MterKuile | 10-12-05 Advent 2 | sermonDec52010 |
| Hope Is a Star - MterKuile | 10-11-28 Advent 1 | |
| Gaining Your Soul - MterKuile | 10-11-14 25th after Pentecost | |
| Righteous - MterKuile | 10-10-24 22nd after Pentecost | |
| Profligate Partner - MtK | 10-10-17 21st after Pentecost | |
| Not About the Turkey - MterK | 10-10-10 20th after Pentecost | |
| Steadfast Accompaniment - P. | 10-10-03 19th after Pentecost | |
| Questions Questions - MtK | 10-09-19_17th after Pentecost | |
| How God Counts - MtK | 10-09-12 16th after Pentecost | |
| Thinning Out the Crowds -MtK | 10-09-05 15th after Pentecost | |
| The Kindness of Strangers | 10-07-11 7th after Pentecost | |
| Included - MterKuile | 10-07-04 6th after Pentecost | |
| Sacrament of Time - JKelly. | 10-06-27 5th after Pentecost - | |
| God's Crazy Quilt - JKelly. | 10-06-20 4th after Pentecost - | |
| Listen to the Spirit - JKe. | 10-06-13 | |
| For the Birds - JKelly | 10-05-30 1st after Pentecost | |
| Choosing Our Stories - DDyke | 10-05-16 Easter 7 | |
| Art of Savouring - JKelly | 10-05-02 Easter 5 | |
| A Stranger Walk - JKelly | 10-04-11 Easter 2 | |
| Signs of Resurrection - JKelly | 10-04-04 Easter | |
| Ride On - JKelly | 10-03-28 | |
| Hope Dancing - JKelly | 10-03-21 | |
| A Hard Story - JKelly | 10-02-28 | |
| Lead Us Not Into Temptation - JKelly | 10-02-21 | |
| Love-Feast in Heaven - ASmith | 10-02-14 | |
| To Be Christian - CLevan | 10-01-31 | |
| Holy Laughter - JKelly | 10-01-24 | |
| The Gift of Understanding - JKelly | 10-01-10 | |
| Shedding Light - ASmith | 10-01-03 |