This week we say farewell to the pulpit of St Mark’s – as we gift it to the Oaks Historical Society.
Many a sermon was preached from its heights, many a member has looked up in reverence as they heard God’s Word proclaimed.
The sermons will continue to be preached, and the Word of God will continue to be revered, but the pulpit has had its day and the modern preacher doesn’t want to be elevated. It’s more than a decade since the pulpit was used – and we need the space.
There have been some marvellous and some funny moments in the pulpit of St Mark’s. From the galloping parson, Thomas Hassall, who rode his horse over Razorback to preach in the mid 1800’s, to students of Picton High School who travelled in the bus to have their Scripture lessons at St Mark’s.
At one point a button was wired into the pulpit to switch on a light by the organ console to alert the deaf organist that it was time to start the next hymn. Unfortunately one very enthusiastic guest preacher thumped the pulpit so hard that they triggered the light and the organist started playing the hymn in the middle of his sermon. He had no choice but to lead the congregation in singing the hymn, before returning to his message afterwards.
In a world of constant change, we need something to hold onto. Don’t hold onto pulpits, hold onto Jesus. The unchanging and glorious good news of Jesus Christ is our certain hope and joy in life and in eternity.
This Sunday, Scott will preach his sermon from the pulpit as a last hurrah.
Yours in Christ,
Ben
