The Death of Jesus - Reflection for the Churches Together Good Friday Walk of Witness

This is my reflection for the Churches Together in Southgate, Oakwood and Cockfosters Good Friday Walk of Witness. Each church in the partnership reads a passage from scripture, then gives a short reflection and leads prayers based on the passage during the service which takes place after the walk. Due to one church being in an interregnum and not able to offer anyone else to give a reflection, as Lay Chair of the Ecumenical Partnership this year, I gave the following reflection - my first experience of doing something like this. Thank you to Sandra Anderson for reading the bible passage and prayer, to save my voice – still recovering from the 'flu!

Week of Prayer in Daily Life - Day 6 - Review of the Week

For our final piece of work on the retreat, Miriam asked me to review the week using two questions, in the form of The Examen. 

Week of Prayer in Daily Life - Day 5 - Seeing as Zacchaeus

This morning after talking with Miriam and reading out my imagined conversation between Jesus and Zacchaeus, I decided to go back to imaginative drawing as an aid to prayer. I wanted to try to draw from the point of view of Zacchaeus - to put myself in his place as I had done in writing. I also wanted to create an image that addressed some of the points I was not so happy with after my sketch on the second day of the retreat. 

Week of Prayer in Daily Life - Day 4 - Zacchaeus answers Jesus

Speaking with Miriam this morning I realised that my natural instinct is to draw or write about imagined scenes as an observer, looking in from the outside. I wonder if that’s the case for most people? Miriam encouraged me to try something different - to go back to the story of Zacchaeus and put myself in his shoes; to see the world from his point of view. In our conversation this morning I also realised I tend to trust my feelings or gut instincts. Miriam encouraged me to reflect on what Zacchaeus felt. 

Week of Prayer in Daily Life - Day 3 - The woman who touched Jesus

After spending some time yesterday reflecting on the story of Zacchaeus - and drawing an imagined scene (rather than drawing from life) for the first time since school (!) Miriam suggested that today I look at another story and see what links, if any, I could make with the story of Zacchaeus. As my picture had prompted me to think of a great deal of images, Miriam suggested that I try to use a time of prayer to distil or refine my reflections on the two stories.

Crucified Stormtrooper : Wounds that Abide

Art Below’s Stations of the Cross exhibition at St Stephen Walbrook comprises fourteen different works on the theme of Crucifixion. Ryan Callanan’s ‘Crucified Stormtrooper’ has, if press reports can be believed, proved challenging for some of my fellow parishioners, one of whom is reported on the pages of the Daily Telegraph describing the piece as “a bit silly.” The paper claims that the image of a life size body strapped to a cross placed in the church in a central location was too distracting during our services in Lent.

Week of Prayer in Daily Life - Day 2 - Drawing Jesus and Zacchaeus

After reflecting on Isaiah Chapter 43 yesterday, and particularly on the phrase which stood out first (“I have called you by name, you are mine”), Miriam suggested that I look at the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus from the Gospel of Luke Chapter 19; Zacchaeus also felt called by Jesus. 

Week of Prayer in Daily Life - Day 1 - Reflecting on Isaiah 43.1-4

I have signed up to be part of the first Week of Prayer in Daily Life, organised by the Adult Learning Team at St Paul’s Cathedral. On Sunday we gathered at the London Centre for Spirituality and met our Spiritual Director for the week. We each have a set time to see them every day, for a thirty minute session. I have chosen a time before work, but after work slots were also available. One of the purposes of the week is to introduce people to different types of prayer and to give the opportunity to speak to a Spiritual Director to help explore our prayer life more fully. 

A prayer for Mothering Sunday

We pray for all mothers.

For mothers here today,

For mothers far away,

For mothers with children and those with none,

For mothers and children who are alone,

For mothers feeling blessed,

For mothers feeling stressed,

For mothers giving birth,

For the fruits of mother earth,

For mothers to whom we have much to say,

For mothers who will die today, 

For mothers feeling homely,

For mothers who are lonely,

For mothers who are giving,

For mothers who are grieving,

For mothers who are tired,

For mothers who have inspired, 

For mothers taken for granted,

For all the faithful departed,

For my mother and for yours,

We give thanks to you, O Lord.


Phillip Dawson, Mothering Sunday 2018

The Suffrage movement in Southgate

In recent discussions with friends and family on the subject of Brexit, someone quoted Churchill’s famous line: “The best argument against democracy is a five minute talk with the average voter” Less than a lifetime ago the ‘average voter’ looked very different. 

BOOK REVIEW : Christianity Rediscovered by Fr Vincent Donovan

Fr Vincent Donovan's decision to get up close and personal with the Maasai and the Gospel proved revelatory for both sides - hence the title of the book, which goes on to tell the story of his fifteen years as a missionary in East Africa. 

Prayers inspired by Psalm 22

Let me not mock, like the passers by.
Instead of “Save thyself”, Give myself.

Because a Low Life is Good News.

Lead me to shine your light

on those besieged by shadow.

Because you feed the hungry with good things.

Let me stop and listen, each day, to you.

Especially the bad and busy days.

Because you are the Alpha and the Omega. Your place is everywhere.

Thanks be to God!

BOOK REVIEW : Friday's Child - a collection of poems for Good Friday by Brian Mountford

After leaving Christ Church Southgate in 1986, Reverend Brian Mountford became Vicar of the University Church in Oxford - the country’s most visited parish church. He retired in 2016 after thirty years of ministry there and is currently Acting Chaplain of Corpus Christi College.