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One-day preaching festival to go online

07 August 2020

David Hartly/Church Times

Audience members at the Festival of Preaching last year

Audience members at the Festival of Preaching last year

THE Church Times Festival of Preaching returns this year — but will take place virtually.

A one-day festival will be held online on Tuesday 29 September, between 10 a.m. and 4.15 p.m. It will consist of a mix of short sermons, how-to sessions, music, and poetry.

Speakers lined up include the Dean of St John’s College, Cambridge, Canon Mark Oakley; the Professor of Preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary, Dr Anna Carter Florence; the Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, Canon Sam Wells; the poet and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama; and the Revd Dr Malcolm Guite.

In previous years, the Festival has taken place at Christ Church, Oxford (Features, 20 September 2019). The Festival is scheduled to take place there again between 12 and 14 September next year.

Tickets for the virtual festival cost £25, or £10 for Church Times subscribers, at festivalofpreaching.hymnsam.co.uk/2020-virtual-festival.

Nearly 600 people have already signed up to the Church Times Festival of Pilgrimage. It had been due to take place at Christ Church, Oxford, in September (News, 14 February), but will now take place as a webinar, on 14 September. It will comprise pre-recorded talks and live interaction.

Speakers lined up include the Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Stephen Cottrell; the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, author of The Way Under Our Feet: A spirituality of walking (SPCK) (Books, 17 July); the Dean of Christ Church, the Very Revd Professor Martyn Percy; the director of pilgrimage studies at the University of York, Dr Dee Dyas; and the Revd Dr Sally Welch.

To obtain a free ticket, visit pilgrimage.hymnsam.co.uk/buy-tickets.

Browse Church and Charity jobs on the Church Times jobsite

Forthcoming Events

Church Times Festival of Preaching 2026

13 - 15 September 2026

An event to inspire, nurture, and celebrate all who are called to proclaim the gospel today.

tickets available now

English Mystics Series course

26 January - 25 May 2026

A short course at Sarum College.

tickets available now

 

This year, the Church Times is also delighted to sponsor two events: 

National Cathedrals Conference  Bristol, 18 to 21 May 2026

An event aimed at developing cathedrals as important places of prayer, inspiration, education, challenge, and debate. Find out more at nationalcathedralsconference.org

Public Faith Common Good  a day symposium at St John’s College Cambridge, Tuesday 21 July 2026

Speakers to include the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Williams; the Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr Guli Francis-Deqhani, Nick Spencer, and Anna Rowlands.

This event is free, but booking is required. Find out more at elydatabase.org/events

 

Visit our Events page for upcoming and past events

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