Thought for the Day-When two or three are gathered

Signing of the Treaty of Versailles by John C. Johansen (1876–1964), Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery

A Thought for the Day given at a lunchtime service of Holy Communion at St Giles-in-the-Fields on Wednesday 13th August 2025 based on the text of Matthew 18.15-20.

Thought for the Day - I will give you rest

Georges Rouault - Christ Carrying his Cross

A Thought for the Day given during a service of Holy Communion (BCP) at St Giles-in-the-Fields on Wednesday 11th December 2024 based on readings from Isaiah 40.25-end and Matthew 11.28-end.

Sermon-Forgiveness

The Prodigal Son in Modern Life, James Jacques Joseph Tissot, 1882

A sermon given during Holy Communion (BCP) at St Giles-in-the-Fields on Sunday 27th October 2024, The Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity, drawing on the text of Matthew 18.21-35 (The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant).

The bitterness and malice that inhabit the absence of forgiveness are a source of perpetual torment to so many. The testimony of those who have forgiven others of the most heinous crimes shows that the world can be so different when we forgive. May we have the grace to accept and the courage to share the forgiveness we have received. To help to bind together this broken world with God’s love.

Life Alone – A Half Day Retreat at The Royal Foundation of St Katherine

Edward Hopper, Chair Car, 1965

It was a great pleasure to lead a contemplative retreat for members of the parishes of St Giles-in-the-Fields and St George’s Bloomsbury at The Royal Foundation of St Katherine on Saturday 16th December 2023. I provided two addresses based on the text of ‘Life Together’ by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and a short homily during Holy Communion, offering points for reflection during the periods of silence that characterised the day.  

Sermon - Learning to Walk Again

The Paralytic Being Let into the Top of the House on his Bed, Stanley Spencer c.1920

A sermon given during Holy Communion at St Giles-in-the-Fields on Sunday 15th October 2023 (The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity) based on readings from Ephesians 4.17-end and Matthew 9.1-8. In this sermon I explored the notion of personal disclosure in preaching, as part of my curacy training.

Sermon - Forgiving the Unjust Steward

Fraternal Forgiveness, Andrey Yanev

A sermon given during Holy Communion at St Giles-in-the-Fields on Sunday 6th August 2023 (The Ninth Sunday after Trinity) based on readings from 1 Corinthians 10.1-13 and Luke 16.1-9

Start:Stop - Paul the Persuader

We are all one in Jesus Christ by Soichi Watanabe, 2009

Hello, my name is Phillip Dawson, welcome to this week’s Start:Stop reflection from St Stephen Walbrook, in which we stop for ten minutes to reflect on a passage from scripture. You can hear an audio recording of this reflection at this link.

Whether it’s the issue of Brexit or Free School Meals, our news bulletins are never short of personalities attempting to practice the art of persuasion. At times it can feel as though we are inundated with requests to sign online petitions aiming to precipitate yet another policy u-turn. Perhaps we have put pen to paper, writing to our MP or others in authority, encouraging them to change their position on an issue of concern to us.

Paul’s letter to Philemon might be seen as the epitome of persuasive Christian letter-writing and, I think, has much to teach us in this regard;

Prayers of Intercession - Trinity 14

The Forgiving Father by Frank Wesley (1923-2002)

Prayers of intercession for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 17th September 2020 (Trinity 14/Proper 19) based on the Epistle (Romans 14.1-12) and the Gospel Reading from Matthew 18.21-35 with words taken from the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation and the writings of Martin Luther King.

Let us pray for forgiveness in the church and the world; that we may be kind to one another and tender hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven us.

A Week of Psalms in New York - Psalm 32 at the Met

Auguste Rodin 'Adam' (Cast 1910) - The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The psalmist speaks to us of the joy of God’s forgiveness. We are reminded that forgiving is not about forgetting - absolution of our sins is not a way of escaping the consequences of our actions - our sin is embraced or “covered” by the “steadfast love [that] surrounds those who trust in the Lord” - like the father’s embrace of his prodigal son in the famous parable (Luke 15:11–32). Sometimes we all desire such a hug!

Start:Stop-Father, forgive

Craigie Aitchison - Pink Crucifixion 2004 - Methodist Modern Art Collection

Thank you for joining us for Start:Stop. This reflection will last around ten minutes and you are welcome to come and go as your schedule dictates. We begin with two verses from scripture, which can be found on page 95 of the New Testament section of the pew bibles.