Prayers - Teach Us O Lord

Joseph Beuys, Four Blackboards, 1972 (Tate)

It was a great pleasure to officiate at Choral Evensong at St Stephen Walbrook on Wednesday 8th February. I wrote these prayers in response to the words of part of Psalm 119, sung by the choir during the service. 

The text in the image above reads ‘He who in 1972 can live carefree and sleep peacefully despite knowing that two thirds of humanity are hungry or dying of starvation while a large proportion of the well-fed third must take slimming cures in order to stay alive should ask himself what kind of man one is and whether, moreover, he is a man at all.’

You can watch the service online below or at this link.

Prayers of Intercession - Servant of All

Jesus washes the disciples feet by Luke Allsbrook, 2017

Prayers of Intercession written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 21 October 2021 (Year B, Trinity 20, Proper 24) based on the text of Hebrews 5.1-10 and Mark 10.35-45

Further Prayers written for Morning Prayer on Wednesday 22nd September

An Illuminating Path, David LaChapelle, 1998

Further prayers written for Morning Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer, held by telephone conference call from St Stephen Walbrook on Wednesday 22nd September 2021 and based on readings from Mark 13.1-13, Wisdom 13.1-9 & Psalm 107.

Prayers of Intercession - Love that shows no variation or shadow

Chila Kurami Singh Burman, Remembering A Brave New World at Tate Britain, 2020. Photo by Joe Humphrys. 

Prayers of Intercession written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 2nd September 2021 ((Year B, Trinity 13, Proper 17) based on readings from Mark 7.1-8, 14, 15, 21-23 and James 1.17-end.

BOOK REVIEW: The Canterbury Book of New Parish Prayers & Lighten our Darkness : Discovering and celebrating Choral Evensong

This week I have acquired two excellent and useful books which I highly recommend - the Canterbury Book of New Parish Prayers by Max Kramer and Lighten our Darkness - Discovering and celebrating Choral Evensong by Simon Reynolds.

Prayers of Intercession - One Family

Emmanuel Garibay - Emmaus,  2000

Prayers written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 9th June 2021 (Year B, First after Trinity) based on readings from 2 Corinthians 4.13-5.1 and Mark 3.20-end

We gather as brothers and sisters in Christ; so let us pray to God our Father, giving thanks for the light of His Son, the guidance of His Spirit and the promise of everlasting life. 

Prayers of Intercession - That We May All Be One

Christ the King - Source : 'Holy Textures' a blog by David Ewart

Prayers written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 20th May 2021 (Year B, Easter 7) based on readings from John 17.6-19

Let us pray to God our Father as His Son prays for us;

Prayers of Intercession - Ascension Day

Bagong Kussudiardja (Indonesian, 1928–2004), Ascension, 1983

Prayers written for Ascension Day based on text from Luke 24.44-end  references from the hymn ‘Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise’ by Charles Wesley  and ‘O clap your hands’ a musical setting of Psalm 47 by Orlando Gibbons.

Prayers of Intercession - Living Stones

Cecily Brown, untitled (Blood is thicker than mud), 2012

Prayers of intercession written for Morning Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer, to be read at St StephenWalbrook on Wednesday 5th May 2021, based on the text of 1 Peter 2.1-10

Prayers of Intercession - The Good Shepherd

A Good Shepherd by John Ndevasia Muafangejo, 1974

Prayers written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 29th April 2021 (Year B, Easter 4) based on readings from John 10.11-18 and Psalm 23.

Let us offer our prayers to the Lord, our Shepherd.

Prayers of Intercession - Track and Trace the Risen Christ

Doubting Thomas, Michael Smither, 1968

Prayers written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 15th April 2021 (Year B, Easter 2) based on readings from John 20.19-end and giving thanks for the life of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

As Thomas tracked and traced the wounds of the Risen Christ, may we be bold enough to bring our doubts and fears, our delights and disappointments, our needs and thanks to the Lord our God, in prayer.

Prayers of Intercession - Parish Carol Service

Madonna and Child, Barbara Hepworth, 1954

Prayers written for the Parish Carol Service at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 17th December 2020 inspired by lines from famous Christmas Carols.

Prayers of Intercession - Lead us through the wilderness

 

John the Baptist by Caiphas Nxumalo, 1970

Prayers written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 10th December 2020 (Year B, Advent 2) based on readings from Isaiah 40.1-11 and Mark 1.1-8

God our Father, we look for the day when your Good News is told by the whole world. Strengthen us, your church; that we might proclaim with one voice your message of salvation. We give thanks for our Bishops, Priests and Deacons and all who point others towards you. Prepare us, with their guidance and through the power of your Spirit, to live each day according to our baptismal promises; emptying our lives so that we might discover the fullness of your love.

Prayers of Intercession - Come to us Lord

Anselm Kiefer - nubes pluant, 2016

Prayers written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 3rd December 2020 – the First Week in Advent.

Prayers of Intercession - Sacred Gifts

Sacred (Treasure of the Mountain) by Nicholas Roerich, 1933

Prayers of Intercession written for the Choral Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 19th November based on the readings from 1 Thessalonians 5.1-11 and Matthew 25.14-30

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.

Prayers of Intercession - We Remember

We are making a new world. Paul Nash, 1918

Prayers written for the Service of Remembrance at St Stephen Walbrook on Wednesday 11th November 2020.

The salt of the earth are those who weep

Chris Ofili - No Woman No Cry, 1998

A poem written on the day the church remembers Margery Kempe, mystic c1440.

Prayers of Intercession - The Blessed

Laura James, A Sermon for our Ancestors, 2006

Prayers of Intercession written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 5th November 2020, based on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5.1-12)

Prayers of Intercession - Give to God the things that are God's

The Return of the Prodigal Son, 1989, by The Rev Dr P. Solomon Raj 

Prayers of intercession written for the Choral Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 22nd October 2020 celebrating the Feast of St Luke. The text is inspired by the gospel reading from Luke 20.20-26 and ‘Thy Word’ a song by Amy Grant, which was sung by our Choral Scholars today.

Jesus said “give to God the things that are God’s.” So let us, his image-bearers offer ourselves in prayer to Almighty God, who is giver of all things.