Morning Prayer - 10th August 2020

Detail from “The Wren and the Resurrection” by Regan O’Callaghan

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

Songs for Suffering - Psalm 44

In Chapter Three of his book “Songs for Suffering : Praying the Psalms in Times of Trouble”, Simon Stocks uses examples from his own experience to illustrate that in any healthy relationship there must exist the ability to voice complaints and concerns. To do so is a way of fully engaging in the relationship.

Whilst it might seem uncomfortable to some, the Psalms show us that this is also the case in our relationship with God; that it is possible (perhaps even healthy?) to complain to God about God, in prayer.

Prayers of Intercession - Trinity 7

The Sower at Sunset, Vincent van Gogh, 1888

Prayers of intercession for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 30th July 2020 (Trinity 7/Proper 12) based on readings from Matthew 13.31-33, 44-52 and 1 Kings 3.5-12.

Almighty God, your Son showed us that the seeds of the kingdom of heaven are hidden in plain sight. Help us to find and cultivate these precious seeds, so that we may grow in His likeness each day.

Morning Prayer - 27th July 2020

It was a great pleasure to lead Morning Prayer today on the St Augustine's College of Theology Facebook page, which I led from our small 'garden' beneath the banana leaves. Please follow along by watching the video below.

Prayers of Intercession - Trinity 6

Image from the Tacuinum Sanitatis Casanatense, Fourteenth Century

Prayers of intercession for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 23rd July 2020 (Trinity 6/Proper 11) based on the Gospel Reading from Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43; the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares.

Start:Stop-Mary Magdalene

The Resurrection by Jyoti Sahi, 1987

This week the church remembers Mary Magdalene. The scriptures tell us that Mary was healed by Jesus and was one of a group of influential women who supported his ministry practically and financially. Mary holds a unique place amongst the followers of Jesus; the first person to encounter the empty tomb and the first disciple to whom Jesus made himself known after the crucifixion – bearing the Good News which changed the world and which Mary was the first to hear and share – a fact that earned her the title “Apostle to the Apostles” in the early church.

Prayers of Intercession - Trinity 5

The Sower by Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

Prayers of intercession for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook at 12.45pm on Thursday 16th July 2020 (Trinity 5/Proper 10) based on the Gospel Reading from Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23; The Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Sower Explained.

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.