Rushden Research Group: Churches - Methodists - Alan Taplin's Sponsored Sermons

Unidentified newspaper articles from 1986
Transcribed by Greville Watson 2011

Rev. Alan Taplin's
Sponsored Sermons

Power in words
Mr Taplin prepares his sermons

Alan's sermons on the profits!

A Rushden minister is hoping the gift of the gab will stand him in good stead for a marathon sponsored preaching session.

The Rev Alan Taplin in hoping to raise £500 by preaching 50 sermons at the Park Road Methodist Church, which needs the money for its building fund.

Each sermon will last approximately five minutes, starting at 9am on Saturday, February 8. A rota of members of the congregation is being organised to ensure his words of wisdom no not pass unheeded!

He said: “Colleagues of mine have parachuted from aeroplanes and done marathons, which did not appeal to me. I realised one thing I am good at is talking and it seems sensible to do something like this.”

Mr Taplin insisted he was not cheapening the value of preaching by turning it into a sponsored event. He said he was approaching each sermon seriously.

Ten of the short sermons are being recorded and a tape will go on sale after the event, which the church believes will be of special interest to the house-bound and those who live on their own.

Sermon on the count!

The day of reckoning is at hand for churchgoers who sponsored their minister for a marathon preach‑in.

The Rev Alan Taplin, minister of Rushden Park Road Methodist Church, hit on the idea of preaching a total of 50 five‑minute sermons – and collecting sponsorship cash for each.

“The money is coming in fast. Already we have more than £200 and I am confident we shall reach the target of £500. It could be even more.”

Mr Taplin began his marathon preaching session at 9am on Saturday and had completed his 50 sermons by 1.40pm after taking two short breaks.

“My voice survived and I felt it was well attended considering people had to come through a snow storm. I took a text for each sermon and then applied it to life today.”

The money will go into the church’s building fund.

Be praised!

Rushden Methodist minister, the Rev Alan Taplin, who conducted 50 sermons with only one short break during a marathon sponsored ‘preach‑in’ session has raised more than £1,320.

He presented the cash, for his church’s building fund, to treasurer of the Park Road church, Mr Peter Head, during the annual meeting.

Mr Taplin thanked all who had contributed. Tapes of some of the sermons are available. The sponsorship cash reduces the church’s debt for the new extensions to only £800.