Prayers of Intercession - Fruit of the Spirit

Pomegranates, Gustave Courbet, 1871

Prayers of Intercession written for the Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 30th June 2022 (Year C, Second Sunday after Trinity) based on the text of Galatians 5.1,13-25

Choral Classics - Farewell

Mark Rothko, Untitled, 1970 (his final work)

It was a great pleasure to introduce Choral Classics at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 23rd June 2022. 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. 

Sermon - Safety in numbers?

Christ and the Demoniac, Edward Knippers, 2004

A sermon preached during the Choral Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 23rd June 2022 (First after Trinity, Year C) based on readings from Luke 8.26-39 and Galatians 3.23-end.

Prayers of Intercession - Unity in the Spirit

Prayers of Intercession written for a special Sung Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 9th July attended by members of the City Deanery and celebrated by the Bishop of London, marking the Feast of Pentecost.

Start:Stop - Turn the other cheek?

The Forgiving Father, Frank Wesley (India). Wesley designed the urn for Gandhi's ashes

Hello, good morning and welcome to the beautiful surroundings of St Stephen Walbrook as we start the day by stopping to reflect on a passage from scripture, inspired by an event on this day in history. This reflection will last less than ten minutes - but do feel free to stay for just as long as you are able. 

You can hear an audio version of this reflection at this link.

Sermon : God save our gracious church!

Banksy, 2012, Upper Maudlin Street Bristol

God save our gracious church! A meditation on 2 Corinthians 3.4-18 through the words of the first verse of the national anthem, written for Evensong on the Feast of Pentecost and the end of The Platinum Jubilee celebrations at St Stephen with St John, Westminster on Sunday 5th June 2022.

Prayers of Intercession - Our Jubilee

Prayers of intercession written for the Choral Eucharist at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 2nd June celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth; based on the text of Leviticus 25.1-12 And Luke 4.14-24

Prayers of Intercession - The Ascension of Christ

The Ascension of Christ, Salvador Dali, 1958

Prayers written for the Choral Eucharist on the Feast of the Ascension at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 26th May 2022 based on text from Luke 24.44-end  references from the hymn ‘Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise’ by Charles Wesley  and God is Gone Up by Gerald Finzi, text by William Croft based on Psalm 47.

Let us lift up our prayers to the ascended Lord, who ever intercedes for us. 

 

Risen Lord, 

Send down your blessing on your church; your broken body on earth. 

Lift up our heads towards the guiding light of your power and glory; 

open the gates of our minds, by your grace, that we might understand the scriptures;

may all who hear them become living witnesses to your Word. 

We lift up in prayer all bishops, priests and deacons; all who proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins to the nations; all who take great risks when they worship and praise your name. 

 

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer 

Further Prayers for Morning Prayer on Wednesday 25th May 2022

Almond Blossoms, Vincent van Gogh, 1890

Further prayers written for Morning Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer at St Stephen Walbrook on Wednesday 25th May 2022, based on readings from Psalm 119, Numbers 17 and Luke 7.1-10. 

From Psalm 119 : Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes * and I shall keep it unto the end.

 

O Lord, our Great Teacher,

Teach us to love you and one another. 

Teach us to pray in thought, word and deed.

Teach us to forgive those who have wounded us.

Teach us to listen for your Word this day.

Teach us to care about those who suffer.

Teach us to work for your peace and justice.  

Teach us to hope for the coming of your eternal kingdom.

Teach us, O Lord, the way of thy statues; and we shall keep it unto the end.

Amen. 

Further Prayers for Morning Prayer on Wednesday 18th May 2022

Richard Hambelton, Shadowman

Further prayers written for Morning Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer at St Stephen Walbrook on Wednesday 18th May 2022, based on readings from Psalm 92, Numbers 12 and Luke 5.12-26

From Psalm 92 :  It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord * and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most Highest; To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning * and of thy truth in the night-season.

Good Lord, help us;
To tell the truth of thy loving-kindness amidst all we see and hear this day.
To tell the truth of thy peace in our thoughts, words and deeds. 
To tell the truth of thy providence from claims of earthly pride.
To tell the truth of thy transforming power as living witnesses to your glory.
Amen.

Start:Stop - The Pride Busters Raid

The Flood, Norman Adams, 1961

Introduction

You can hear an audio recording of this reflection at this link. 

Hello and welcome to Start:Stop in the beautiful surroundings of St Stephen Walbrook. Every Tuesday morning we start the day by stopping to reflect for a few moments inspired by an event from this week in history, through the lens of a reading from scripture, with time for reflection and prayer - all lasting no more than ten minutes. You’re welcome to stay for as long as your schedule allows. 

In the early hours of 17th May 1943, 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command executed “Operation Chastise”. The mission was immortalised in the film “The Dam Busters”.

On being awarded ten thousand pounds after the war in payment for his design, the inventor of the famous "bouncing bombs", Barnes Wallis, refused to accept the cash; reputedly explaining his decision by quoting this passage from scripture: