FORMER DOCTOR WINS SERMON OF THE YEAR 2019
The judges praised her delivery and content, referring to her “incredible
gift of storytelling”, and the skill of her sermon.
SERMON OF THE YEAR 2019 PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS
To enjoy reading the top four finalists’ sermons in full, please visit
www.preachweb.org/sermonoftheyear
Clare is a Reader in the Church of England and has been preaching over
the past 10 years at her village church in Kent. Clare is married to Rob
and has three children.
Clare said: “I happened to see a post on our diocesan Facebook page
about the Sermon of the Year, with its aim to encourage and celebrate
the art of preaching. I love bringing the Bible to life for our church
family, especially stories of encounters with Jesus, so I decided to submit
a sermon - despite being wary of the ‘competition’ factor.
“Being selected as a finalist was a great surprise, and the final was an
amazing evening with Preach Magazine and LST proclaiming God’s
love.”
The runner-up was Olivia Ashton, a first year ordinand at St. Mellitus
College hoping to be ordained into the Church of England by 2021.
Olivia’s sermon explored love and the need for it to be sincere and
patient like God’s love toward us.
Clare Masters, winner of Sermon of the Year 2019 took the
audience on a thrilling journey through tales from the Bible.
Clare Masters pictured with Amelia Gosal, CEO of LWPT who
presented the evening.
The other two finalists were Emma Ash, a student and writer who has
preached less than 10 times, and Steve Collinson, a retired head teacher
and Methodist Local Preacher from Northumberland.
Sermon of the Year was launched in 2016 by London School of Theology
and Preach magazine, with the hope that it would encourage debate
and reflection on the craft of preaching.
Last year’s winner, Lydia Lee, took up her prize of a year’s study at LST
and was elected Student Body President. The judges were impressed
by her personal and profound take on the competition’s theme, ‘Be Set
Free,’ and enjoyed her poised yet vulnerable delivery.
The judges on the night from L-R: Anne Calver, Assistant
Minister at Stanmore Baptist Church, Dr. Chloe Lynch, LST
Lecturer and Antony Billington, Head of Theology at LICC
The winner of Sermon of the Year 2019 is able to gift their year’s free
tuition to another UK resident if they wish and the runner up prize is
either 50% off a year’s study or a £250 voucher to spend on resources.
The top 10 sermons submitted have been published in a book and
previous Sermon of the Year books can be purchased from CPO.org.uk
for £5. ■
2 LWPT
Church of England ordinand-in-traning Olivia Haines from
Lancaster was the runner up of the event
Local Methodist preacher Steve Collinson weaved personal
experiences with the word of God in his sermon
Emma Ash, a student and writer from London presented
the audience with interesting imagery comparing God to a
surgeon
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