Start:Stop - Come, Lord Jesus

Come, Lord Jesus by Salvador Dali, 1964-1967

Hello and welcome to this week’s Start:Stop reflection from St Stephen Walbrook when we stop for a few minutes and start to reflect on a passage from Scripture. Our reading today is the beautiful text from the prologue to the Gospel of John.

Prayers of Intercession - The Waiting Room (Advent Sunday)

The Waiting Room, Norman Rockwell, 1937

Prayers of Intercession adapted from Common Worship:Times and Seasons for the Choral Eucharist at St George’s Bloomsbury on Sunday 28th November 2021 (Advent Sunday, Year C) based on readings from Jeremiah 33.14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3.9-end and Luke 21.25-36.

Prayers of Intercession - Christ the King

Christ as Redeemer of Man, William Blake, 1808

Prayers of Intercession written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 25th November 2021 (Year B, Christ the King) based on readings from Daniel 7.9-10, 13,14 and John 18.33-37

Choral Classics - Christ the King

It was a great pleasure to introduce Choral Classics at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 25th November 2021 with music and readings celebrating ‘Christ the King’. In my script I tried to link the musical pieces with readings and commentary explaining the history and themes that emerge from the feast of Christ the King. You can watch a recording at this link.

Sermon - Listen to my voice

What is truth? Christ and Pilate by Nikolai Ge, 1890

A sermon preached at All Hallows' by the Tower on Sunday 21st November 2021 (Year B, Christ the King) based on readings from Daniel 7.9-10, 13,14; Psalm 93; Revelation 1.4b-8; John 18.33-37. A shorter version of this sermon was given at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 25th November 2021.

You can watch a video recording of the sermon (and the service) at this link.

Prayers of Intercession - All will be thrown down

The Ruins of Christ Church Newgate Street, City of London - John Piper

Prayers written for the Choral Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 17th November 2021 (Second before Advent) based on readings from Hebrews 10.11-14, 19-25 and Mark 13.1-8

Almighty God, we pray for the church; that it may be rooted always in the perfect truth of your enduring love for us; 
A church that challenges all earthly power, including its own, obeying only your authority.
Grant us the wisdom to care for but not idolise all that mankind has fashioned to glorify you;
Grant us the humility to throw ourselves down and your feet and build up each other as temples to our only Lord and Saviour. 

Lord in thy mercy
Hear our prayer 

Prayers of Intercession - Follow Me

Bagong Kussudiardja, Christ and the Fishermen, 1998

Prayers written for the Sung Eucharist at St George’s Bloomsbury on Sunday 7th November 2021 (3rd before Advent) based on readings from Jonah 3.1-5, 10, Psalm 62.5-end, Hebrews 9.24-end and Mark 1.14-20.

Prayers of Intercession - All Saints

Jerzy Nowosielski, The Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan, 1964.

Prayers written for a Choral Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook celebrating All Saints, Commemorating All Souls and incorporating the baptism of Ralph Christopher Atterbury-Thomas based on readings from Revelation 21.1-6a and John 11.32-44

Start:Stop - Social Poets. Celebrating the foundation of The Samaritans.

The Good Samaritan, Jared Small, 2013

You can listen to an audio recording of this reflection at this link.

Two weeks ago Pope Francis addressed a meeting of those working to promote social, economic and racial justice across the world. He described them as Social Poets, because they are creating “hope where there appears to be only waste and exclusion.”

The recent history of St Stephen Walbrook owes a great deal to one such social poet; Chad Varah - who on 2nd November 1953 took the first call from someone contemplating suicide, on what became the world’s first telephone helpline. The organisation that we know as The Samaritans was born.

Our Bible reading is the Parable of the Good Samaritan, from the Gospel of Luke.

Choral Classics - The Word of the Lord

It was a great pleasure to introduce Choral Classics at St Stephen Walbrook, live in church on Thursday 28th October 2021 and broadcast online on Monday 1st November 2021. My script is below. You can watch the recording below (the video will not appear in ‘mobile view’ – please click “view web version” at the bottom of the home page if reading on a tablet or phone) or watch on YouTube at this link.