Thought for the Day-Texts of Healing

The Great Fire of London, with Ludgate and Old St Paul's, Yale Centre for British Art

A Thought for the Day given at a lunchtime service of Holy Communion at St Olave Hart Street on Tuesday 2nd September 2025 based on the text of 1 Thessalonians 5.1-6, 9-11 and Luke 4.31-37 and the anniversary of the start of the Great Fire of London.

Thought for the Day-Encountering Jesus the Healer

Jesus Heals the Sick, Markey Robinson

A Thought for the Day given during the celebration of the Eucharist at St Mary-le-Bow on Wednesday 4th September 2024 based on the text of Luke 4.38-end and beginning with an imagined Whatsapp exchange between Simon Peter and his wife.

Lessons from a "well seasoned" Saint

Autumn Landscape with Four Trees (1885) by Vincent van Gogh

Message for the Parish Magazine of St Giles-in-the-Fields, September 2023:

On the day the church remembers St Giles, the patron saint of leprosy sufferers, summer turns to autumn in the UK meteorological calendar. Seasonal change was a pet topic of the pioneering ecologist, ornithologist and priest Gilbert White. While many of his conclusions have since been disproved by modern science - such as his belief that swallows hibernate underground (rather than migrate) in winter - his observations about leprosy appear to be borne out, in part. 

Sermon - Embracing our messy 'March of Progress'

‘(R)evolution’ by street artist Herr Nilsson

Sermon preached at the Sung Eucharist at St John the Divine, Richmond on Sunday 21st August 2022 (Year C, 10th after Trinity, Proper 16) based on the text of Hebrews 12.18-end and Luke 13.10-17.

There’s a powerful – and much parodied - image that has become associated with human evolution.

It shows fifteen male figures in a line, drawn in profile. On the left of the image, the figures are bent double, their arms hanging down, almost dragging on the floor. 

Moving along the sequence from left to right, the figures become progressively more upright - and less hairy - illustrating what were then considered to be our evolutionary forebears, shown as if brought back to life - Jurassic Park style - and marching in a parade. 

The work of art is titled “The March of Progress” and was drawn by Rudolph Zallinger in 1965 for Time Life Magazine. Variants of the image graced the pages of school text books around the world. 

However, the ‘march of progress’ it depicts - known as orthogenesis, which means “straight line” evolution - is disputed by the majority of scientists today. Like us, they know that our progress in life - whether over the course of millennia or just a few moments, is rarely (if ever!) as simple as a straight line from A to B. 

Life is naturally full of twists and turns. 

But something in us seems to idolize the straight and is suspicious of the bent and crooked. So the image remains iconic, despite being recognised as a false portrayal of progress. 

Sermon - Safety in numbers?

Christ and the Demoniac, Edward Knippers, 2004

A sermon preached during the Choral Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 23rd June 2022 (First after Trinity, Year C) based on readings from Luke 8.26-39 and Galatians 3.23-end.

Further Prayers for Morning Prayer on Wednesday 18th May 2022

Richard Hambelton, Shadowman

Further prayers written for Morning Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer at St Stephen Walbrook on Wednesday 18th May 2022, based on readings from Psalm 92, Numbers 12 and Luke 5.12-26

From Psalm 92 :  It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord * and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most Highest; To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning * and of thy truth in the night-season.

Good Lord, help us;
To tell the truth of thy loving-kindness amidst all we see and hear this day.
To tell the truth of thy peace in our thoughts, words and deeds. 
To tell the truth of thy providence from claims of earthly pride.
To tell the truth of thy transforming power as living witnesses to your glory.
Amen.

Prayers of Intercession - The Hem of His Garment

The Hem of His Garment by Iain Campbell

Prayers written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 9th June 2021 (Year B, Fourth after Trinity) based on readings from 2 Corinthians 8.7-end and Mark 5.21-end and drawing on texts from Prayers for Wholeness and Healing published by the Church of England.

Let us pray to God our Father, that His Church and this world might be guided by the example of His Son and transformed by the healing power of His Spirit. 

Start:Stop - Do you want to be made well?

Sunbather, David Hockney (1966)

Hello, my name is Phillip Dawson, welcome to our Start:Stop reflection from St Stephen Walbrook, when we stop for a few minutes and start to reflect on a passage from scripture. During Lent at an informal discussion group, we are exploring the Gospel of John - do join us via Zoom on Thursdays at 7.30pm if you can, all are welcome.

In our Start:Stop reflection this week, we explore how one of the ‘Signs’ from John’s gospel confronts us with questions about the limits we impose on grace, truth and love; and points us towards the limitless love of Jesus, who is full of grace and truth.

Prayers for Hope and Healing

Christ healing the blind man, Andrei Mirnov, 2009

Prayers for healing and hope written for Morning Prayer at St Stephen Walbrook on Wednesday 18th November 2020, adapted from various sources. We pray for all affected by the coronavirus.

Start-Stop : Head in the clouds, feet in the water

Urizen, from Europe, A Prophecy by William Blake, 1794

Start:Stop at St Stephen Walbrook offers busy commuters in the City of London the chance to start their day by stopping to pray and reflect for ten minutes. This is my reflection for Tuesday 10th March 2020. Good morning and welcome to Start:Stop. Our readings and prayers will last around ten minutes and you are welcome to come and go as your schedule dictates - please don’t be disturbed if others do the same!

Through Lent we are exploring the creation story in Genesis using the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book “Saying Yes to Life.” Our short reading this morning describes the second day of creation, when God separates the waters to create the sea and sky:-