Sung Morning Prayer - Monday 13th July 2020

It was a great pleasure to lead Morning Prayer today on the St Augustine's College of Theology Facebook page. Please follow along by watching the video below. This was my first attempt at singing the whole of the office, using chants from the 1902 Manual of Plainsong. You can follow the chants and the order of service at this link. 

BOOK REVIEW : On Priesthood by Stephen Cottrell

On Priesthood is written by Stephen Cottrell who became Archbishop of York this week

Stephen Cottrell was confirmed as the 98th Archbishop of York this week. His latest book “On Priesthood” was published earlier this year; one of many he has written, of which (I am embarrassed to say!) I remember reading very few (except the vivid Lent Book “The Nail”) nor do I remember hearing Stephen Cottrell speak in public. While reading “On Priesthood” I became aware that I was not only interested in his take on the priestly life but also in glimpses in the book of the character of the man himself, who now occupies one of the most important leadership positions in the Church of England (although as the Archbishop states throughout this book - the word ‘leader’ in the context of the church does not have any scriptural foundation).

Prayers of Intercession - Trinity 4

Christ Carrying the Cross, Patrick Hayman

Prayers of intercession for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 9th July 2020 (Trinity 4) based on readings from Romans 7:15–25a and Matthew 11:16–19, 25–end.

Start:Stop-The Bread of Life

Eucharistic Still Life, Salvador Dalí, 1952

Hello and welcome, my name is Phillip Dawson. Like many churches, we have begun to consider the changes we need to make to enable us to celebrate the Eucharist safely when public worship resumes here. For our Start:Stop reflection this week, I thought it seemed a good time to think about how our lives are changed by receiving the Eucharist?

Our reading is from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John.

Prayers of Intercession - Trinity 2

Jesus Carrying the Cross by Salvador Dali, 1965

Prayers of intercession for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 25th June 2020 (Trinity 2) based on readings from Romans 6.1b-11 and Matthew 10.24-39.

Night Prayer - St John's Eve

It was a great pleasure to lead Night Prayer today on the St Augustine's College of Theology Facebook page. Please follow along by watching the video below

Start:Stop-The Perfect Messenger

Alberto Giacometti, Pointing Man (detail)

Hello and welcome to this week’s Start:Stop reflection from St Stephen Walbrook, my name is Phillip Dawson. Reminding us that change is a natural part of God’s creation, Midsummer’s Day falls this week in the northern hemisphere, the point at which the days start to decrease and the nights start to increase in length. Six months before Christmas, Midsummer’s Day also marks the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Jesus himself said of John that “among those born of women there has arisen no one greater”. So it should come as no surprise that alongside that of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary, John the Baptist is the only saint whose birth is celebrated in the calendar of the church.

Our bible reading this week describes the birth and naming of John the Baptist and is from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke.

Prayers of Intercession - Trinity 1

The Great Commission by James He Qi

Prayers of intercession for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 18th June 2020 (Trinity 1) based on Matthew 9.35-10.8.

Let us pray

Corpus Christi - Prayers of Intercession

Corpus Christi Procession, Amadeu de Souza Cardoso, 1913

Prayers of Intercession written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 11th June 2020. At Walbrook our principal service takes place on Thursday (because the church is closed at the weekend), so we follow the lectionary for the preceding Sunday, in this case Trinity Sunday. Today is also Corpus Christi, so these prayers draw on themes from both feasts, inspired particularly by Chapter 9 of the Didache  John 6.51-58 and Luke 22.19 and a famous prayer of Teresa of Avila. The prayers of intercession are addressed in turn to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in recognition of the Trinity. A lot of references for one service and short prayers! Hopefully it is not to much of a mish-mash!

Night Prayer - Columba, Abbot of Iona

It was a great pleasure to lead Night Prayer today on the St Augustine's College of Theology Facebook page. Please follow along by watching the video below. 

Start:Stop - I wash my hands in innocence

Raw Material Washing Hands by Bruce Nauman, 1996

Hello and welcome to our weekly reflection from St Stephen Walbrook. You can listen to an audio version of this text here. 

“I pray that those of us who are white Christians repent of our own prejudices, and do the urgent work of becoming better allies to our brothers and sisters of colour."

"For those of us who are white Christians, I pray that we reflect and pray deeply and honestly on what it means to follow the teaching of Jesus to “love your neighbour as yourself””

Tweets by the Archbishop of Canterbury last week which were met with support but also criticism by some white Christians who claimed to be innocent of the charge; and had no need to repent for prejudice.

“I wash my hands in innocence” cries the psalmist. I wonder how many of us can say the same with integrity?