In this sermon from St Andrew's in the Grange, Guernsey, Rev Justin Taylor continues our series on the book of Ruth.

Ruth is a foreigner, a widow, and someone living on the margins of society. As she goes out to glean in the fields to provide for herself and Naomi, she encounters Boaz, a man whose kindness and generosity begin to change the course of her story.

This passage invites us to reflect on welcome, compassion, and the ways God often works through ordinary people and seemingly chance encounters. It challenges us to consider how we treat those who are different from us and what it means to create communities where people can flourish.

The book of Ruth reminds us that God's grace is often found in unexpected places and that small acts of kindness can have a profound impact on the lives of others.

For more information about St Andrew's in the Grange, visit:

cofsguernsey.org.gg

St Andrew's in the Grange is an inclusive Church of Scotland congregation in Guernsey, seeking to follow Jesus through worship, compassion, justice, and community.

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This week's sermon from St Andrew's in the Grange explores Ruth 1:1–22.

Naomi returns home carrying grief, loss, and disappointment. She is unafraid to speak honestly about her experience of God, giving voice to questions and struggles that many people know all too well. Alongside her stands Ruth, whose remarkable loyalty and commitment begin to open a new future.

In this sermon, we reflect on the importance of honest faith, the courage to speak hard truths, and the reminder that what feels like the end of the story may only be the first chapter. Even when we cannot see it, God may still be at work, writing a future beyond our present circumstances.

Reading: Ruth 1:1–22

St Andrew's in the Grange is a Church of Scotland congregation in Guernsey, seeking to follow Christ through worship, community, hospitality, and service.

For more information about the church, visit: www.cofsguernsey.org.gg

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Welcome to St Andrews in the Grange, Church of Scotland, Guernsey.

This service was recorded on Sunday, 29 March 2026, Palm Sunday. Our reading is John 19:16b–22.

Palm Sunday often begins with crowds, branches and celebration, but John’s Gospel draws us quickly toward the cross. Jesus carries the instrument of his execution through the city while Pilate orders a sign to be placed above him: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” It is written in multiple languages so that everyone passing by can read it. What was intended as mockery becomes proclamation.

This is a story filled with contradiction. The one proclaimed king does not arrive with violence or military power. He does not defeat his enemies or silence his accusers. Instead, he walks willingly into suffering and rejection. John presents a Christ whose kingship is revealed not through domination, but through self-giving love.

This sermon reflects on the kind of power Jesus embodies and the challenge this poses to the ways societies often understand strength, success and leadership. It explores how Palm Sunday confronts us with a choice between spectacle and compassion, between the kingdoms built on fear and the kingdom revealed in vulnerability and truth.

At St Andrews in the Grange, we seek to be a community shaped by grace, honesty and hope, where difficult questions are welcomed and where faith is rooted in compassion rather than certainty.

If you would like to connect or find out more about our community, you can email Justin at jtaylor@churchofscotland.org.uk

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