Sermon-Rooted in the Cross

A sermon given during a service of Holy Communion at St Olave Hart Street on Palm Sunday 29th March 2026 (Year A) based on readings from Matthew 21.1-11 and Matthew 27.1-54

Sermon-God so loved the world

The Kiss, Edvard Munch, 1897

A sermon given during a service of Holy Communion at St Olave Hart Street on Sunday 1st March 2026, the Second Sunday of Lent based on readings from Romans 4:1–5, 13–17 & John 3:1–17

Thought for the Day-Marked by God's Mercy

Detail of East Window of St Olave Hart Street

A Thought for the Day given at a lunchtime service at St Olave Hart Street on Ash Wednesday 18th February 2026 at 12.30pm based on the texts of Joel 2.1-2, 12-17 & Matthew 6.1-6, 16-21

Thought for the Day-Critical Examination

De Pannenkoekenbakster (The Pancake Maker), Jan Miense Molenaer, 1645

A Thought for the Day given at a lunchtime service at St Olave Hart Street on Shrove Tuesday 17th February 2026 at 12.30pm based on the texts of James 1.12-18 and Mark 8.14-21.

Thought for the Day-Loving Tradition

Mardi Gras on the Boulevards, Camille Pissarro, 1897, Harvard Art Museums

A Thought for the Day given at a lunchtime service of Holy Communion at St Olave Hart Street on Tuesday 10th February based on the text of Mark 7.1-13 and preparations for Lent, which begins next week.

Thought for the Day - Who, What and Why

Carmen Lomas Garza, La Curandera, 1989, The Mexican Museum, San Francisco, CA

A Thought for the Day given during the lunchtime Eucharist at St Mary le Bow on Wednesday 2nd April 2025 based on the text of John 5.17-30.

Portraying Christ in Music : Fully Human and Fully Divine

Gauguin as Christ in the Garden, 1889

A script of a joint talk given by Henry Lamprecht (my better half!) and me as part of a series on Music and Spirituality at Holy Sepulchre London (The National Musicians Church) on Wednesday 26th March 2025. We veered off script at several points. We were grateful to our friend Ben Schoeman for playing excerpts from Beethoven’s works on the piano.

Sermon-Flipping Loyalties

The Pancake Bakery, Pieter Aertsen, 1560

A sermon given during a service of Holy Communion at St Olave Hart Street on Tuesday 4th March 2025 at 12.30pm based on passages from James 4.1-10 and Mark 10.29-31

Sermon-Blind Faith

‘Christ Healing the blind" (2010) by Thobias Minzi, Tanzania

A sermon given during Holy Communion (BCP) at St Giles-in-the-Fields on Sunday 2nd March 2025 (Quinquagesima or the Last Sunday before Lent) based on the text of 1 Corinthians 13, Luke 18.31-43 and inspired by the pop history of nearby Denmark Street, as explored in Peter Watts excellent book.

‘Observing a Holy Lent’ through Books, Films, Art and Music!

My contribution to The Pelican, the parish newsletter of St Giles-in-the-Fields, March 2025 offers suggestions for books, films, art, lectures and concerts to enjoy this Lent:

Sermon at St Paul's Cathedral - Passion Sunday

A sermon given during Choral Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday 17th March 2024, ‘Passion Sunday’ - Lent 5 (Year B) based on the text of Romans 5.12-end

Sermon - Time to kick off our ruby slippers

Paul Sérusier (1864-1927), Le Chemin jaune, Châteauneuf-du-Faou

A sermon preached at the Sung Eucharist at St Anne’s Soho on Sunday 18th February 2024 (Year B) Lent 1. Based on readings from Genesis 9:8-17 and Mark 1:9-15. You can listen to an audio recording of this sermon at this link.

Sermon - A Three Dimensional Lent

Sieger Koder - After the fire came a gentle whisper

A sermon given at Choral Evensong at St Giles-in-the-Fields on Sunday 11th February 2024 based on the first lesson from 1 Kings 19.1-16.

Sermon - Dead ends, life starts

The Raising of Lazarus, 1943, by Jose Clemente Orozco

A sermon preached at St George’s Bloomsbury on Sunday 26th March and St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 30th March 2023 (Year A, 5th Sunday of Lent) based on readings from Psalm 130, Romans 8.6-11 and John 11.1-45.

Prayers of Intercession-Pour out your grace

Mary anoints the feet of Jesus, Julia Stankova (Bulgaria)

Prayers of intercession written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 7th April 2022 (Lent 5, Year C) based on the text from John 12.1-8 – Mary anoints Jesus.

Let us pray to God our Father, who gave up His Son out of love for the world.

Prayers of Intercession - Mothering Sunday

Natalya Rusetska (Ukrainian) The Annunciation

Prayers of Intercession written for the Sung Eucharist at St George’s Bloomsbury on Sunday 27th March 2022 (Year C, Mothering Sunday) based on words from John 19.25b-27 and St Anselm’s Prayer to St Paul.

Prayers of Intercession for the Season of Lent

Icon by Ukranian artist Ivanka Demchuk, "Quo Vadis"

As we continue our journey through Lent, let us give thanks for the continual blessing of God’s mercy and grace, which sustains us now and always. 

Sermon - Fearful Symmetry?

Franz Marc, The Tiger, 1912

A homily given at St Stephen's Rochester Row at Evensong on Sunday 21st February 2022 based on the readings from Genesis 1.1 - 2.3 and Matthew 6.25-34

When the stars threw down their spears
And water’d heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

 

Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Lent Devotions - Hope from the scriptures, across the ocean, through a pandemic

Lorenzo Quinn 'Building Bridges' from the Venice Bienalle 2019. Image by Halcyon Art International

It was a great privilege to be asked to contribute a short reflection to this booklet of Lent devotions prepared by the churches of St Stephen's Rochester Row, Westminster, St Barnabas Pimlico and The Church of the Holy Trinity, Manhattan. 

Members & friends from each church have contributed a short meditation based on the Old Testament reading for each day of Lent. 

Start:Stop - Fasting and Feasting

Paul Cézanne, ‘Still Life with Skull' (ca. 1895-1900) 

You can hear an audio recording of this reflection at this link. Hello, my name is Phillip Dawson, welcome to our Start:Stop reflection from St Stephen Walbrook for the first week of Lent. We begin with two short verses from the Gospel of Luke.