Lessons in Lockdown - Making it through

Jesus the Carpenter, 1963, St Paul's Goodmayes - photography by Jonathan Evens

A 'Daily Devotion' for St Stephen's Rochester Row.

“The Makers” is a wonderful poem by Dorothy Sayers, used as a dedication to her scripts for ‘The Man Born to be King’ - a series of radio plays on the life of Christ, first broadcast by the BBC in December 1941. The poem reveals the interconnectedness of the creative process and reminds us of the ultimate source of our creative spirit – the Lord, our Maker.

Start:Stop - Lessons from Lockdown

Rythme, Joie de vivre, Robert Delaunay, 1930

Hello and welcome to our Start:Stop reflection, my name is Phillip Dawson. You can find an audio version of this reflection here.

At Morning Prayer this week our New Testament readings are taken from St Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The letter was written whilst Paul was being held for an extended period under house arrest in either Ephesus or Rome. But despite his personal circumstances there are no grumbles here, only gratitude - every section of the letter is overflowing with joy. Paul explains how the restrictions of life under lockdown seem to be opportunities, not obstacles - even the “fake news” some are spreading about the gospel doesn’t seem to get him down;