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St Paul’s Cathedral has been here for over 1,400 years. It has been built and rebuilt five times, and always its main purpose has been as a place of worship and prayer.
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St Paul's, with its world-famous dome, is an iconic feature of the London skyline. Step inside and you can enjoy the Cathedral's awe-inspiring interior, and uncover fascinating stories about its history.
Learning & Faith
Lifelong learning is a core part of the our work, delivered through a variety of events by St Paul's Institute, and the Cathedral's Adult Learning and Schools & Family Learning departments.
History & Collections
For more than 1,400 years, a Cathedral dedicated to St Paul has stood at the highest point in the City. The present Cathedral is the masterpiece of Britain's most famous architect Sir Christopher Wren.
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Behind the scenes, the cost of caring for St Paul's and continuing to deliver our central ministry and work is enormous and the generosity of our supporters is critical.
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Widely considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful buildings and a powerful symbol of the splendour of London, St Paul’s Cathedral is a breathtaking events venue.
Worship
| Daily reflections |
Read Sermons
You can also watch sermons online.
For details of preachers please see our service schedule.
The Dean reflects on pilgrimage: ‘Beginning the Journey with Love’
25 February 2020The Reverend Canon Dr Anne Tomlinson, Principal, The Scottish Episcopal Institute, reflects on reconciling our transfiguring mountain-top experiences with daily life.
28 January 2020Dr Paula Gooder reflects on one of the most important of Paul's religious experiences - his radical conversion.
14 January 2020Epiphany 1: The Baptism of Christ
12 January 2020The Dean reflects on the difference between rulers of earthly kingdoms and Jesus as Lord of the kingdom of God.
25 December 2019The Dean invites us to 'stop and be quiet for a while' this Christmas. 'Look and see what you’ve been missing all these years, and give your heart and your hope into the hands of the God we see in Jesus Christ.'
17 November 2019The Canon Pastor reflects on the life of Samuel and the importance of being open to change and to new possibilities.
As we gather this morning in this beautiful setting, I would like to tell you three stories.
10 November 2019On Remembrance Sunday the Dean reflects on the how we remember those served and work together for peace.
03 November 2019Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
13 October 2019The second in the Cathedral's 'Fantastic Feats' sermon series exploring amazing feats of human endeavour, the Dean discusses the 'Great Stink and Fantastic Sewers' and the lessons we can learn from this.
06 October 2019The first in the Cathedral's 'Fantastic Feats' sermon series exploring amazing feats of human endeavour, Andrew Carwood, Director of Music, discusses the Thames Barrier and reflects on seeing ourselves as fantastic feats.
10 September 2019The Chaplain reflects on the idea of obedience, considering the writings of theologian John Henry Newman and looking to the Blessed Virgin Mary as an example of this.
11 August 2019The Dean reflects on those moments when 'the world holds its breath' and the insecurity and anxiety we collectively feel.
04 August 2019The Dean reflects on those things we dream of and pray for which we think will make us happy.
21 July 2019Whenever studying any book of the bible, it’s important to pay close attention to beginnings and endings because often in those places crucial themes and strands of the plot are laid out, which are developed elsewhere in the book. I find it frustrating to miss the first few moments of a film, for example, because so often the introductory scenes set up the plot for the rest of the film. So if you miss those crucial scenes you struggle to make best sense of the rest of the film.
14 July 2019At the Valediction of Choristers, the Chaplain reflects on the passing of another year and the emotions our experiences provoke.
11 July 2019At a service to mark the 25th anniversary of the Ordination of Women to the Priesthood in the Diocese of London, female priests serving in the Diocese reflected on where God might be at work in their ministries.
16 June 2019
Sermon preached at Mattins on Trinity Sunday (16th June 2019) by the Revd Helen O'Sullivan,
Chaplain
On Trinity Sunday, the Chaplain reflects on the mystery of the Trinity and the love in which we are held.
Revd Dr Julie Gittoes reflects on the life and love we receive in the Trinity.
04 June 2019The Canon Pastor reflects on the ideas of 'home', 'shelter' and companionship' in the context of this celebration and the recent arrival to the Cathedral of a former refugee tent, 'sheltered...for a time within this vast, solid Cathedral'.
02 June 2019
Sermon preached at Mattins on the Seventh Sunday of Easter (2 June) by Dr Paula Gooder,
Chancellor
On the final Sunday of Eastertide, the Chancellor reflects on the church seasons and how they invite us to savour and reflect.
26 May 2019The Dean asks us to 'open our hearts and lives to other people and all in the world that is different from us'.
19 May 2019The Dean reflects on our desire to call somewhere home.
12 May 201905 May 2019
28 April 2019
21 April 2019
Sermon preached at Mattins on Easter Day (21 April 2019) by the Very Revd David Ison, Dean
On Easter Day, the Dean reflects on the damage or destruction of churches in recent weeks and that they, like us, might rise again, 'as witnesses to the enduring power of the love of God in Jesus to bring resurrection and hope out of the power of death and destruction'.
14 April 2019
Sermon preached at Evensong on Palm Sunday (14 April 2019) by Dr Paula Gooder, Chancellor
On Palm Sunday the Chancellor reflects on what made the crowd at Jerusalem recognise Jesus for who he truly was.
31 March 2019The Bishop of Berlin-Brandenburg reflects on the Bible stories of brothers in conflict - Cain and Abel, and the Prodigal Son. In the current political climate, he reminds us that "if we commit ourselves to God, our view will become free from envy, jealousy and hatred. This way, we can open up the view of the other ones around us. This way, we can assume our responsibility for peace."
24 March 2019The Dean gives the third sermon in the Lent Sermon Series: "In Quires and Places where they sing, here followeth the Anthem", focusing on the anthem of the day, Ave Maria by Mendelssohn.
The Chaplain explains that the journey of faith lasts a lifetime; it is something that we must work on every day of our lives, not just in Lent.
17 March 2019The Chaplain asks us to see Lent as a time when we may consider renewing our commitment to God wholeheartedly.
10 March 2019On the First Sunday of Lent, the Canon Pastor invites us to rediscover ourselves again in this season of Lent.
The Chaplain gives the first sermon in the Lent Sermon Series: "In Quires and Places where they sing, here followeth the Anthem", focusing on the anthem of the day, O Lord look down from heaven by Battishill.
03 March 2019Reflecting on an art installation entitled 'Holy Ground', the Canon Pastor reflects on how we can 'dare to go barefoot before God and one another'.
24 February 2019The Dean reflects on how we might respond with Christian faith in our anxious and unsettling times.
03 February 2019The Chaplain reflects on psalm 34 from the service and how language can alter how we understand God.
27 January 2019The Chaplain considers what it means to belong and what this means for our interactions with other people.
06 January 2019The Chaplain reflects on Christ the Morning Star, who is the source of all light and our guiding light.
The Dean explains that Epiphany Sunday "draws us to God mysteriously at work in the life of Jesus, and calls us to live in God’s love and generosity to us, with a confidence which is life-changing".
30 December 2018The Canon Pastor reflects on the meaning of the Christmas carol 'Jesus Christ the Apple Tree'.
24 December 2018As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Dean reflects on the nativity story and calls us to spend this Christmas period listening for how God is challenging us to think differently.
On Christmas Eve, the Canon Pastor reminds us of the heart of the Christmas story: that God is with us.
23 December 2018As we hear the stories of God's creative plan and Mary's acceptance of his Divine plan, let us be inspired to be with God and for God in all we do.
16 December 2018The Canon Pastor reminds us that the approaching feast that God intends for us is "an expansive feast for all peoples, where death will be no more, where the most vulnerable find refuge and shelter."
09 December 2018Giving thanks for the prophets of God on the second Sunday of Advent, the Dean asks "Who among us has the courage to turn to God and face the truth?"
The Canon Pastor encourages us to embrace silence and listen for the voice of God in the expectant weeks of Advent.
02 December 2018The Canon Pastor reflects on the meaning of longing as we enter the season of Advent.
25 November 2018The Chaplain reflects on the feast of Christ the King ahead of the new liturgical year and how we can reconfigure our sense of purpose.
21 November 2018Richard Coles reflects on St Cecilia, the patron saint of music, and that her medium "reminds us...that beyond our horizons lies the possibility of limitless hope".
18 November 2018The Dean reflects on the need for confidence that God is with us in all things.
28 October 2018The Dean reflects on how we make decisions, and specifically how Jesus chose his twelve disciples.
In the final sermon of our October preaching series 'For Whom the Bells Toll' the Sacrist reflects on the life of Maria Mary Fussell.
21 October 2018In the third sermon of our October preaching series 'For Whom the Bells Toll' the Dean reflects on the life of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson.
17 October 2018Canon Ritchie reflects on what sort of leaders we ought to be at Evensong attended by the Lord Mayor of London and the London Borough Mayors.
14 October 2018In the second sermon of our October preaching series 'For Whom the Bells Toll' Canon Tricia Hillas reflects on the life of Sir Alexander Fleming, the scientist who discovered penicillin.
07 October 2018The first sermon in our October preaching series 'For Whom the Bells Toll' reflects on the life of Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, on the centenary of his death.
The Dean reflects on how we can understand the Bible when we are confronted with uncomfortable and difficult passages.
30 September 2018The Precentor considers what questions we could usefully ask to enquire about God.
23 September 2018The Precentor considers whether, in the community of faith, it is effective to take sides, or whether, by sitting on the fence, we allow ourselves to focus entirely on God.
09 September 2018Reflecting on the new start offered by a new academic year, the Chaplain calls us to remember our common purpose of glorifying God through our lives.
The Precentor reflects on what makes Choral Evensong so special and what it is about this service that appeals to so many people.
02 September 2018The Precentor considers the readings for Mattins, reflecting that the both show "the safety net of God’s love: one hand confidently beckoning us towards him on our journey through life; the other gently touching our shoulder when we pause uncertainly by the edge of the road".
26 August 2018The Dean encourages us to reflect on how we can give the gift of love and hope to groups of people who struggle to have hope in the future, particularly those who suffer persecution.
19 August 2018The Canon Pastor considers of our world as 'holy ground' and how we might reflect this in our treatment of it.
12 August 2018The Canon Pastor reflects on how we can shape our greatest creation: the life and character we pursue.
05 August 2018The Canon Pastor reflects on the importance of shared meals, particularly the meal given to us by Jesus in the Eucharist.
15 July 2018The Chaplain asks 'If you were a song what would you be?' as we bid farewell to the senior Choristers leaving the Cathedral School this year.
08 July 2018The Dean of Melbourne reflects on the importance of unity and of community and the ways in which we can express this.
03 July 2018On the feast of St Thomas the Apostle, Paula reflects on the danger of nicknames in 'locking their recipients into a fixed identity' and what we can learn from St Thomas about listening deeply to the experiences and witness of others.
24 June 2018In his last sermon at St Paul's as Chancellor, Canon Mark reflects on the important responsibility of preaching which is shown in the life of St John the Baptist, remembered today.
The Chaplain reflects on the immersive power of God's love, and asks, following the example of John the Baptist, "what commitment can we make today to follow in the footsteps of the one who pointed to Christ".
10 June 2018The Chancellor reflects on the crowds of people that believed Jesus was mad because he was saving people. Using the example of Sir Nicholas Winton, Canon Mark encourages us to find those "opportunities to discover grace - with a bit of your own unique madness".
03 June 2018
Sermon preached at Eucharist on the First Sunday after Trinity by the Very Revd Dr David Ison,
Dean
Following the Gospel reading of Jesus and the Pharisees, the Dean reflects on how we cope with rules and how we handle encounters with people with rules.
27 May 2018On Trinity Sunday, the Precentor reflects on the challenges of understanding the Trinity and how we might fruitfully use this doctrine to go out into the world and tell people of God.
Sermon preached at Evensong on Trinity Sunday (27 May 2018) by the Very Revd Dr David Ison,
Dean
The Dean formally welcomes Carris, the first female Vicar Choral in St Paul's Choir, as she is installed at Evensong. In the context of Trinity Sunday, the Dean reflects on the role of the choir in helping us "encounter God through Jesus Christ in awe, love and praise, beyond all words and wonder".
20 May 2018On the feast of Pentecost, Canon Michael reflects on the divine inspiration which is made manifest through the power of the Holy Spirit, received throughout the world at Pentecost.
13 May 2018The Chaplain reflects on understanding God's judgement through 'the lens of divine love and grace'.
On the Sunday after Ascension, the Precentor reflects on the centrality of the resurrection and ascension: "Without the resurrection, our faith is naught. Without the ascension, our faith is hidebound; without the Holy Spirit, our faith is dry."
The Bishop of Berlin encourages us to live in the spirit of reconciliation that Christ taught.
12 May 2018Bishop Sarah preaches first the time as Bishop of London at her Installation in St Paul's Cathedral.
06 May 2018The Precentor reflects on Peter's threefold denial of Christ and the importance of a culture of forgiveness as a 'nutrient of democracy'.
29 April 2018The Chaplain reflects on the message of Eastertide, so often described in terms of victory, and encourages us to focus on the message that "Christ has overcome and therefore so can we in him".
22 April 2018On the 25th anniversary of Stephen Lawrence's death, Canon Tricia Hillas asks "Where do we go from here?" and "Who does God call us to be?"
15 April 2018On the Third Sunday of Easter, the Canon Pastor reflects on what we can learn from the resurrection appearances of Jesus.
01 April 2018
Sermon preached at Eucharist on Easter Day (1 April 2018) by the Very Revd David Ison, Dean
On Easter Day, the Dean considers how we can encounter the resurrection and "to invite the life of Jesus Christ into your own heart and life, to have your own world up-ended by the power of the resurrection".
Canon Tricia calls us to share in "the disarming disarray of resurrection", and to recognise that "resurrection in our lives as well as in the world is likely to be wild and messy".
Sermon preached at Evensong on Easter Day (1 April 2018) by Revd Helen O'Sullivan, Chaplain
The Chaplain reflects on the desolation of Holy Saturday in contrast to the celebration of Easter Sunday, and that Christ has walked the same path as us, wherever we are in our lives.
25 March 2018
Sermon preached at Evensong on Palm Sunday (25 March 2018) by Revd Rosemary Morton, Succentor
In the final sermon in our Reel Spirituality preaching series, Revd Rosemary Morton explores the 2014 of Paddington and what it can teach us about the importance of hospitality.
18 March 2018Canon Mark Oakley reflects on the film 'Life is Beautiful' and the lessons that can be learned from a father's love and sacrifice for his son and to learn to see that love is stronger than evil.
16 March 2018At the annual United Guilds Service, Bishop Martin Seeley reflects on charity and the way in which it enables neighbours to become friends.
11 March 2018Continuing our Lenten sermon series 'Reel Spirituality', Canon Michael Hampel explores the consequences of placing selfish ambition before our duty to God and our duty to our neighbour as depicted in Peter Yates's 1983 film The Dresser.
04 March 2018The Dean reflects on the day's gospel reading (John 2:13-22), stating that "Jesus also comes to cleanse us, you and me, to challenge each of us about the clutter and self-interest we accumulate in our own lives, the memorials we make to our own pride. Each of us is made for the glory of God, and yet we’re so often marred by our quest for the glory of us."
Sermon preached at Evensong on the Third Sunday of Lent (4 March 2018) by Revd James Milne,
Sacrist
Continuing our Lenten sermon series 'Reel Spirituality', Revd James Milne considers the Biblical parallels that can be drawn from Frank Darabont's film The Shawshank Redemption.
25 February 2018The Chaplain explores the value of hymns and how they can give voice to faith in a way that is personal to each of us.
In the second of our Lent Sermon Series: Reel Spirituality, Canon Jonathan Brewster explores what Garth Davis's film Lion can teach us about faith and the love of God.
18 February 2018In the first of our Lent Sermon Series: Reel Spirituality, Canon Tricia Hillas explores faith in Martin Scorsese's film Silence.
04 February 2018Reflecting on the day's readings (Genesis 2.4b-25 and Luke 8.22-35), the Dean considers whether we are often too fearful of having our lives disturbed, our inconsistencies exposed, and calls us to be "open to the power of the saving love of God, to change us and change our world".
28 January 2018The Precentor calls us to recognise that "Giving in to Christ is not about being childish and it’s certainly not being spineless. It is about capturing and releasing the power of the imagination to let God’s people flourish and grow."
21 January 2018The Precentor reflects on Christ's first miracle, turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana, and that we must remember, and show, "that the Christian faith is about love and joy".
14 January 2018The Dean invites us to consider: "Whatever your self image, whatever animal you might describe yourself as, whoever you think yourself to be, will you follow in the footsteps of John and Nathaniel?"
31 December 2017The Chaplain encourages us to share the news of great joy, news that brings peace and to share this peace.
24 December 2017The Dean reflects on the light of the stars that guided the shepherds, stars that we now struggle to see: 'you’ve been drawn like a moth to a light you can’t see but nonetheless is still here, the light which gobsmacked the shepherds on a night two thousand years ago'.
17 December 2017On Gaudete Sunday, the Chaplain tells us to 'rejoice in knowing that the Lord is near' and that Christ is within us, 'waiting to be enabled by us'.
03 December 2017The Dean reminds us of the fragility of human life and the importance of living in the present, saying 'Jesus doesn’t tell us about the future because we have to live in the present moment, which alone is where God is to be found. We don’t find God in our regrets or our fantasies, but only here and now.'
19 November 2017The Chaplain encourages us not to see life purely as a probationary period, but to recognise, as Jesus taught, that 'now is eternal life'.
The Chaplain encourages us not to see life purely as a probationary period, but to recognise, as Jesus taught, that 'now is eternal life'.
14 November 2017One of the other great writers of the twentieth century once said that we are most God-like when we are being creative.
29 October 2017Focusing on the reign of Elizabeth I, The Reverend Rosemary Morton discusses the Queen's love of music and the rise of some of England's most famous choral composers during her reign, adding: "this music isn't just a relic, it's a living tradition."
22 October 2017Focusing on the reign of Queen Mary, Canon Charlotte Methuen explores the religious changes under Mary and whether she is deserving of her poor reputation.
15 October 2017The Precentor considers the difference between confidence and certainty in our faith and how we might leave ourselves open to God's grace.
Focusing on King Edward VI, Canon Michael Hampel explores the changes made to the liturgy, with services said in English rather than Latin and the construction of the Book of Common Prayer.
08 October 2017The Chaplain looks at how Henry Frances Lyte's sermons can help us trust in God and to hold fast to hope and the promises God made to us.
Looking specifically at King Henry VIII, The Reverend Daniel Sandham looks at the changes made during his reign - political as well as religious - and says he finds it hard to 'celebrate' Henry's reign, despite it 'giving birth to so much we hold dear in the Anglican tradition'.
01 October 2017Looking specifically at King Henry VII, Andrew Carwood discusses some of the music of the Reformation as well as looking at where we are today, 500 years on. He ends asking if we have learned the lessons of the Reformation.
24 September 2017The Dean looks at and questions the human search for longer life, saying "it's not survival after death that Christians seek: it's a quality of life and love that begins now and that death cannot destroy."
17 September 2017The Chaplain considers the nourishment of the Eucharist and that 'fullness is not achieved by trying to avoid stuff but by getting stuck in and getting our hands dirty'.
10 September 2017The Canon Pastor explores the feeling of resentment and how we might deal with our own resentment.
03 September 2017The Canon Pastor reflects on the meaning of repentance and the opportunity it creates for change, for opening up possibilities, rather than closing them down.
27 August 2017The Precentor looks at the changing nature of the Church of England and says "that a total immersion by the Church of itself in the secular hinterland of its buildings, without judgment and without membership criteria, will be a new baptism for the Church and restore it to the confidence it once had in simply being at the heart of the community regardless of anything and anyone."
20 August 2017The Canon Pastor explains that through the expansiveness of God, we are all connected, and asks us to learn to talk, listen and walk together.
13 August 2017The Chaplain calls us to 'place into God’s hands and to take into prayer and deep contemplation' those things we find challenging, those where hope seems to have died, or where we struggle to stay above water.
The Canon Pastor reflects on the importance of using words that 'might be good, just, useful and pleasure giving' and the need for using these words in our world.
06 August 2017
Sermon preached on Transfiguration Sunday (6 August 2017) by the Very Reverend David Ison,
Dean
On the Transfiguration of Our Lord, the Dean encourages us to 'take time this week to be still with God, to discover in the cloud the God who cannot be grasped, but who we pray will grasp us, and in Jesus lead us home.'
11 July 2017The Bishop of Southwark remembers Maurice Sills RIP, a man 'full of faith, hope and love...and unfailing cheerfulness'.
02 July 2017On the Third Sunday after Trinity, the Chancellor calls us to 'look and love...To be attentive and to believe that your life may be for others as well as yourself.'
18 June 2017The Chaplain reflects on the confession of sins and says: 'If we have the courage to look ourselves in the eye and the honesty and humility to acknowledge our shortcomings, recognising where we might be able to work on avoiding falling into Sin, perhaps we might find that, through God’s grace and mercy and love, we are being made perfect bit by bit.'
The Precentor reflects on the call to leadership and says: 'the Church has such an enormous, and enormously exciting, part to play in the call for action, in the drawing together of society, in the building up of community, in the political interference that makes change happen, in the recognising of shared responsibility, and in the challenging leadership that sheep without shepherds need.'
11 June 2017On Trinity Sunday, the Chaplain explains that "no more so than now, when our communities are fractured and fractious, can the harmony of the dynamic Triune God encourage and enable us to build relationships between people, to draw others into relationship with us and to allow ourselves to be drawn into relationship with others, particularly those who don’t reflect our familiar world view but challenge us with theirs to broaden and enrich ours."
Sermon preached on Trinity Sunday (11 June 2017) by the Reverend Canon Michael Hampel,
Precentor
The Precentor reflects on Dorothy L. Sayers' analogy of the Trinity and that
06 June 2017
Sermon preached at Evensong on 6 June 2017 by the Very Reverend David Ison, Dean
Reflecting on the recent terrorist attacks in Manchester, London and Minya, Egypt, the Dean tells us: 'In the power of Jesus Christ, do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'
04 June 2017On the Day of Pentecost The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at "the overflowing love of God through the Holy Spirit", just hours after an attack in nearby Southwark left seven dead and many more injured.
On the day of Pentecost The Reverend Rosemary Morton looks at the power of the Holy Spirit and says "the purpose of the Holy Spirit is not merely to make us feel better but to shake us up and urge us to action. The arrival of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost is not subtle or fragile or polite, but forceful like the rush of a violent wind."
28 May 2017Reflecting on the end of Eastertide and the cycle of the church's seasons, the Chaplain reminds us that although "the days between Ascension and Pentecost are set aside as days of prayer that we might be refreshed in the Holy Spirit...we don’t have to wait for any of it...for now is eternal life."
24 May 2017The Dean looks at the work of the OBE and those who have received honours over 100 years, saying "Jesus Christ reminds us that honour is due, not to those who think highly of themselves, but to those who think highly of others."
14 May 2017
Sermon preached on the Fifth Sunday of Easter (14 May 2017) by the Very Reverend David Ison,
Dean.
The Dean reminds us of the need to 'stop and listen for the voice of God that tells us when we’re being inhuman: and rather than reaching for the nearest stone or insult to throw, reach for love and forgiveness instead'.
Remembering Choristers of St Paul's who fell in World War One, the Dean of Windsor says that although this 'confronts us with the fact that life can seem hopelessly unfair and tragic...Nor yet, however, do we deny that frequently the very music that they sang can take us to that silence which is the brink of faith; faith that all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.'
07 May 2017As Christian Aid Week approaches, Loretta Minghella reminds us that "we can, like Christ, rise above the dividing walls between tribes and in our own hearts. As we show love without partiality to all those in need, we follow in the footsteps of Christ."
16 April 2017
Sermon preached on Easter Day (16 April 2017) by the Reverend Canon Mark Oakley,
Chancellor
At the Easter Day Sung Eucharist, the Reverend Canon Mark Oakley says "death is dead and hope has taken his place...make this day the beginning of your new life."
13 April 2017As the clergy of the Diocese gather at St Paul's to renew their ordination vows, the acting Bishop of London says 'as we reconnect ourselves to the apostolic task of the ordained ministry and the ministry of all the baptised we can ask the Holy Spirit to free, enable and equip us for that task together'.
31 March 2017The Bishop of Southwark preaches at the annual service of the livery companies of the city of London.
19 March 2017The Dean reminds us that the season of Lent recalls our attention to reality and to being ruthlessly honest about ourselves . . . and to the possibility of being surprised and being changed by God.
05 March 2017Simon Woodman considers how different life would be if he ruled the world, and how selfless power, as seen in the life of Jesus, is what makes the real difference.
01 March 2017The Chaplain has yet to see a child dressed as Jesus for World Book Day.
Sermon preached on Ash Wednesday (1 March 2017) by the Revd Canon Mark Oakley, Chancellor
The Chancellor recalls a visit to Auschwitz and how it reminds us that the Ash of Ash Wednesday is a reminder to us of both our mortality and our dependence upon God, the only true hope in the ruins and also a reminder of spiritual life which is concerned with how to live a full life, not an empty one.
26 February 2017
Sermon preached on the Sunday before Lent (26 February 2017) by the Very Revd Dr David Ison,
Dean
The Dean asks, "What do you and I live for? And what would we be willing to die for?", and explains that "Understanding with the head what faith is about is important, but not as important as following with the heart."
12 February 2017The Precentor emphasises the importance of being inspired by the love of God in Christ.
29 January 2017How do we really treat each other? The Dean consider human rights in a fast-changing world.
22 January 2017The Succentor says "Our strength is in our unity and together we must stand, united, in the face of fear and hatred."
08 January 2017Dress cute, wherever you go. Life’s too short to blend in, says the Chaplain.
25 December 2016
Sermon preached at Eucharist, Christmas Day ( 25 December 2016) by the Very Revd David Ison,
Dean
Rejoice at Christmas as a subversive act against the world's darkness, says the Dean.
20 December 2016Trees inside – whoever heard of such a thing?
04 December 2016The text of the Anthem sung by the Choir tonight was written around 1340. We don’t know who wrote it but it was most probably written in Ludlow, a market town in my own home county of Shropshire. It was set to music by the composer Arnold Bax, who was himself a poet and author. We heard it sung in the original form of English it was composed in, so let me try and translate it a little into something like the English we speak today:
27 November 2016
Sermon preached on Advent Sunday (27 November 2016) by Canon Michael Hampel, Precentor
On Advent Sunday, the Precentor challenges each of us to 'Know Thyself'.
20 November 2016
Sermon preached on Christ the King (20 November 2016) by the Revd Canon Michael Hampel,
Precentor
The Precentor considers of the dark theology of the end of time which is associated with this final scene in the drama of the Christian year.
13 November 2016
Sermon preached on Remembrance Sunday (13 November 2016) by Revd Canon Michael Hampel,
Precentor
Canon Michael considers remembrance, freedom, and recent world events
06 November 2016The Very Reverend John Arnold considers the life of Bishop David Jenkins, who said "God is, as he is in Jesus; so there is hope".
The Precentor considers the Kingdom Season (the Sundays before Advent), and what it means for us - both liturgically and practically - as we prepare for Advent and for Christmas.
30 October 2016The Chaplain looks at Zacchaeus - is he the model disciple?
28 October 2016
Sermon preached on 16th October 2016 by the Very Revd. David Ison, Dean.
‘To clasp our hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world’.
10 October 2016The final sermon in the Out of the Ashes series marking the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London is a challenge for Christians today, when humanitarian aid is not enough to help refugees
09 October 2016
Sermon preached at Mattins on 9th October 2016 by the Revd. Canon Tricia Hillas, Pastor
'I cannot fathom out why we can’t see each other as human beings. If we are cut, we all bleed the same.’
There is an urgency in our gospel reading – don’t wait, don’t leave it too late…until all is barred and locked up for the night – it will be no use then standing outside, knocking and claiming all kinds of familiarity with the householder.
11 September 2016As part of the 'Out of the Ashes' Sermon Series, the Revd Philippa Turner considers 9/11 and it's aftermath, and the breadth of God’s love and mercy – in seeking us until we are found.
09 September 2016'This new work Mary brings a woman into the heart chamber of this space, a woman who may not have the strength of the battle field but who had the strength of a mother...'
04 September 2016Bishop Richard looks at the resilience of St Paul’s Cathedral – and London - Out of the Ashes.
25 August 2016
Sermon preached on Sunday 21st August 2016 by The Revd Helen O'Sullivan - Chaplain
What is it that brings you to the Eucharist, to the celebration of Holy Communion?
21 July 201618 July 2016
Sermon preached at Sung Mass, Thomas the Apostle (3 July 2016) by the Revd. James Milne,
Sacrist
Moving on after the EU Referendum requires an understanding of true strength, explains St Paul's Sacrist.
01 July 2016
Sermon preached at Evensong, Friday 1 July 2016 by Revd. Michael Hampel, Precentor
On the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, Canon Michael looks at the power of art amid the horror of war
24 June 2016When fear drives us, we separate ourselves from those we see as 'other', says Canon Tricia
22 May 2016We know how the world came into being - the Bishop of Kensington asks why
24 April 2016
Sermon preached on 24 April by the Revd Canon Mark Oakley, Chancellor
Canon Mark looks at the call offered by Jesus as Word as we celebrate one of the great men of words - Shakespeare
23 April 2016
Sermon preached at Evensong on St George's Day (23rd April 2016) by Revd Prebendary Alan
Green
Revd Prebendary Alan Green stands up for Saint George and reminds us of London’s long history of welcoming refugees.
17 April 2016
Sermon preached on 4th Sunday of Easter (17 April 2016) by the Very Revd David Ison, Dean
Facts, faith and trust - the Dean considers how we make decisions
27 March 2016
Sermon preached on Easter Day (27 March 2016) at the Eucharist by the Very Revd David Ison,
Dean
What’s been your experience in one way or another of having your own world changed for ever? The Dean asks.
Sermon preached on Easter Day (27 March 2016) by Revd Canon Michael Hampel, Precentor
We will find God somewhere - everywhere - says Canon Michael
20 March 2016
Sermon preached on Palm Sunday (20 March 2016) by Revd Canon Michael Hampel, Precentor
Ancient shrines and Coca-Cola signs: Canon Michael stresses how the Passion is contemporary
Sermon preached on Palm Sunday (20 March 2016) by Revd James Milne, Sacrist
The pilgrim Egeria helps Revd James Milne discover God afresh - she's his Saint for our Day
15 March 2016
Sermon preached on the Fifth Sunday of Lent (14 March 2016) by the Very Revd David Ison,
Dean
The Dean asks: How's your Lenten disciple going?
Sermon preached at Evensong on 13 March 2016 by Revd Helen O’Sullivan - Priest Vicar &
Chaplain
Revd Helen chooses St Benedict as her 'Saint for our Day' - keeping the rumour of God alive
14 March 2016
Sermon preached on the Fifth Sunday of Lent (14 March 2016) by Revd Canon Michael Hampel,
Precentor
Canon Michael stresses the importance of listening to people's stories
08 March 2016
Sermon preached on the Fourth Sunday of Lent (6 March 2016 ) by Revd Canon Michael Hampel,
Precentor
Canon Michael on a Saint for our Day - with a modern-day empty tomb
01 March 2016When Canon Mark grows up, he wants to be just a little like bit like his Saint for our Day - Desmond Tutu
25 February 2016
Sermon preached on the Second Sunday of Lent (21 February 2016) by Revd Canon Tricia Hillas,
Pastor
Dolly Parton's authenticity makes Canon Tricia ask - what do we mean by 'saint'?
23 February 2016
Sermon preached on the Second Sunday of Lent (21 February ) by the Very Revd David Ison,
Dean
The Dean examines violence in our culture - and our lives
15 February 2016CS Lewis - why his writing and life inspire the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral
10 February 2016
Sermon preached on the Sunday before Lent (7 February 2016) by Revd Canon Tricia Hillas,
Pastor
God knows us all by name, notes Canon Tricia - including people in a 'swarm'
03 February 2016What does it mean for the Church to live as a community of love, asks Revd Rosemary Morton
Canon Tricia considers moments that define our lives - in a world of light and dark
29 January 2016A powerful message from Canon Philippa - everyone has a part to play in seeing Christ in other people
17 January 2016The Dean looks at how the generous love of Jesus impacts lives
25 December 2015
Sermon preached at Midnight Eucharist (24-25 December 2015) by the Very Revd David Ison,
Dean
It’s a great occasion, being here, isn’t it? It’s a special service, says the Dean ...
21 December 2015The mystery of the Virgin Birth can't be explained in Just A Minute, says Revd Michael Hampel
20 December 2015The Virgin Mary, the Virgin Queen and the story of salvation - visiting preacher Revd Antony Hodgson reflects on the significance of Mary
14 December 2015So many stewards, roles old and new - but we can't do everything, says Rev Canon Michael Hampel
08 December 2015Where are the Church’s modern prophets calling on the western world to drop clean water, food, schools and internet access – instead of bombs? asks Revd Michael Hampel.
30 November 2015What to make of the rule of God in a world of terrorist atrocities? Revd Tricia Hillas sees victories won by fear as short-lived.
16 November 2015If your God is compassionate and merciful, how can you act with neither compassion nor mercy? The Dean reflects on religious violence.
10 November 2015The Dean issues an invitation to stop being ordinary and get in touch with the spirit of Remembrance
02 November 2015The Revd James Milne considers martyrs, saints and a lively children's party.
12 October 2015
Sermon preached on Sunday 11 October by the Very Reverend David Ison, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral
The Dean of St Paul's looks at two inspirational women and asks - 'What is your motto in life?'
06 September 2015The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas looks at what makes us angry and grace in relation to the story of the prophet Jonah.
The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas looks at the refugee crisis, giving us practical ways how we can help.
23 August 2015The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at Jesus as the 'Son of Man' and says "it’s ordinary human faithfulness and endeavour which defeat tyranny and death".
16 August 2015The Reverend Rosemary Morton looks at the story of Jonah and the whale and says "perhaps we are more like Jonah than we like to admit."
09 August 2015The Reverend James Milne looks at how worship transforms us and says "let us dedicate ourselves anew faithfully and constantly to offer worship to the one who made and sustains us, that God’s great act of creation may continue in our lives."
The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at the tensions of being a Christian in the wealthy West and says: "we may struggle with the instruction to give away all that we have and go follow Jesus but we could surely manage giving away a tenth or at least setting it as a tentative goal towards which to work."
02 August 2015The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at the migrants in Calais and says "I believe very strongly in the shared responsibility of all human beings for everything which happens in this world".
The Reverend Christine McSpadden looks at the language of love and says "the church becomes a bit squeamish" when talking about sexual love.
12 July 2015The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas look at prisoners of conscience and says: "God is for us – and stands ready to bring hope and power, yes even into the sorriest prison cell."
08 July 2015The Very Reverend Philip Buckler preaches at the Festival of the Friends of St Paul's
05 July 2015In the week in which we remember the 10th anniversary of the London bombings, the Dean looks at the 'power of imitation' and says "may we imitate the power of love we see in Christ, to live not for evil, but for good."
The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas looks at talking and listening, and says "Something terrible begins when we seek to silence one another."
14 June 2015The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at the Church and the State and says: "God is Lord of all creation – not just of the religious people."
The Very Reverend David Ison looks at the modern mantra of 'choice' and says "God chooses us: and asks us to choose God in return."
07 June 2015The Reverend Susie Simpson looks at those locked away in prison and says "our mission as chaplains is to help them to believe that they can start a new life...No matter how many times they fall, we return to them and encourage them to pick themselves up and try again."
The Reverend Christine McSpadden looks at people who are spiritual but won't accept religion, and says: "This isn’t surprising. I don’t think the church, on the whole, has done a great job lately of showing Jesus to the world."
24 May 2015
Sermon preached on the Day of Pentecost (24 May 2015) by the Very Reverend David Ison,
Dean
The Very Reverend David Ison looks at the idea of equality and, on Pentecost Sunday says "God shows no partiality and is available to all"
14 May 2015
Sermon preached on Ascension Day (14 May 2015) by the Reverend Canon Michael Hampel,
Precentor
The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at the power of words and on Ascension Day says "without the resurrection, our faith is naught. Without the ascension, our faith is hidebound."
10 May 2015The Reverend Canon Mark Oakley looks at the Christians of Laodicea in relation to the recent General Election and says "if we as Christians fail to step up to the debates...we will be the church of St Laodicea."
03 May 2015The Reverend Canon Alison Joyce looks at the amazing victory of Christ over the powers of death and destruction and tells us what it means to strive to live the Christian life.
26 April 2015The Reverend Christine McSpadden looks at want and says 'God provides. Enough. Every day...And that is more than enough.'
12 April 2015The Reverend Christine McSpadden looks at hope against hope and says at this Easter time "we glimpse the eternal in us and in our world".
05 April 2015
Sermon preached on Easter Day (5 April 2015) by the Very Reverend David Ison, Dean
The Very Reverend David Ison looks at The Soldier, the poem of Rupert Brooke mentioned in the Dean of St Paul's Easter Day sermon of 1915.
Sermon preached on Easter Day (5 April 2015) by the Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas,
Pastor
The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas looks at the sorrow of Jesus' followers on this day of celebration for Christians and says that however bright the light of Easter shines within us, it is enough.
02 April 2015
Sermon preached on Maundy Thursday (2 April 2015) by the Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas,
Pastor
The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas looks at the Jewish ghettos of the Second World War and Jesus's betrayal and arrest on Maundy Thursday.
22 March 2015The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at the heightened tension of Passiontide saying it is a time "when we focus on Jesus’ death so that we can all the more celebrate his life in two weeks’ time."
20 March 2015The Right Reverend Nicholas Holtam looks at the work of the United Guilds in London.
01 March 2015The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at the persecution of Christians around the world and the upcoming UK election, saying: "If the only way we can take up our cross right now is to use our faith, our intelligence and our vote to campaign for the Kingdom of God, it is a start."
15 February 2015
Sermon preached on the Sunday before Lent (15 February 2015) by the
Reverend Prebendary Duncan Ross
The Reverend Prebendary Duncan Ross talks about the challenges we face at Lent and says: "Lent is not just about us and our failings, but about daring to open ourselves to the living God."
The Reverend Dr Gregory Platten discusses the importance of silence and says: "Silence is powerful because it is of God, it is divine."
08 February 2015The Very Reverend David Ison looks at worship and power - not God’s power over us, but the power God gives to us.
01 February 2015The Reverend Marjorie Brown talks about Candlemas and how it reminds us of birth and death, and how they are connected, and of God’s faithfulness at both the beginning and the end of our lives.
11 January 2015The Reverend Will Adam looks at the terror attacks that gripped France in early January 2015, then looking at the Baptism if Christ, which he says "brings about a transformation".
04 January 2015The Reverend Canon Mark Oakley discusses the idea of strangers - from Paddington Bear to Jesus - and concludes that the stranger is not the enemy.
28 December 2014On the Feast of the Holy Innocents, The Very Reverend David Ison looks at innocence, concluding 'this day of commemoration of the innocent challenges those of us with power to repent of the ways in which we ourselves abuse the innocent to make ourselves feel better'.
25 December 2014
Sermon preached on Christmas Day (25 December 2014) by the Very Reverend David
Ison, Dean
The Very Reverend David Ison preaches on Christmas Day.
14 December 2014In the second of a special series of sermons entitled Advent: a world turned upside-down, The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel discusses Investing in one another in a world of self-promotion
07 December 2014The Very Reverend David Ison looks at fairness, concluding "God doesn’t do ‘fair’: but God is just, and kind."
In the first of a special series of sermons entitled Advent: a world turned upside-down, The Reverend Canon Mark Oakley looks at Patience in a world of impatience.
16 November 2014The Reverend Guy Treweek looks at risk and fear and concludes 'Our faith journey is impossible on our own'.
Heather Richardson speaks at the Barts Service of Remembrance.
26 October 2014The Reverend Sarah Eynstone looks at the idea of self-worth in society through the story of Jesus' account of the wedding feast to the Pharisee.
12 October 2014The Very Reverend David Ison asks 'do you like hearing stories?' and tells us that 'everyone is welcome to God’s table'.
The Reverend Aidan Platten discusses the rise of social media and the friendships formed there, but says 'the most sustaining relationships are those that are incarnational'.
28 September 201421 September 2014
The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel, reveals his favourite Bible story - about the evil tax collector Zacchaeus - and discusses how Matthew the Apostle had also been a 'wicked' tax collector.
14 September 2014
The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at sites of Christian worship, notably the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but concludes that all churches are 'made holy more by prayer than by any artefacts or antecedents'.
Sermon Preached on Holy Cross Day (14
September 2014) by The Reverend Canon Mark Oakley,
Chancellor
In the second of a series looking focusing on William Shakespeare's 450th birthday, Canon Mark Oakley, discusses 'Shakespeare, Tragedy and the Christian: Not in our Stars, but in Ourselves'.
07 September 201431 August 2014
17 August 2014
10 August 2014
03 August 2014
27 July 2014
The Very Reverend David Ison asks 'what do you think about the devil?'
13 July 2014The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas discusses 'Scarcity and Sufficiency'
15 June 2014The Reverend Prebendary Douglas Dettmer askes:
08 June 2014
Sermon
preached on the Day Of
Pentecost (8 June 2014) by the
very Reverend David Ison,
Dean
29 May 2014
Sermon
preached on Ascension Day
(29 May 2014) by The
Reverend Canon Tricia
Hillas,
Pastor
The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas discusses 'Ascension: Absence, Presence and more than a Brief Encounter'.
25 May 2014The Right Reverend Christopher Herbert (Bishop of St Albans, 1996-2009) discusses the Beauty of God.
18 May 2014The Right Reverend Tom Butler (Bishop of Southwark. 1998-2010) describes an alternative to the current Anglican Covenant and concludes 'it might not be the new Jerusalem...but...it might be a decent suburb of it'.
14 May 2014
Sermon
preached on
the Feast
of Matthias
(14 May
2014) by
the
Reverend
Canon
Tricia
Hillas,
Pastor
The Reverend Canon Tricia Hillas discusses 'h
11 May 2014
Sermon
preached
on the
Fourth
Sunday
of
Easter
(11 May
2014)
by the
Very
Reverend
David
Ison,
Dean
04 May 2014
The Right Reverend John Gladwin (Bishop of Chelmsford, 2004-2009) looks at the position of the Church in society and says "the Church has a rich and unrivalled resource in its faith and history for making a vital and critical contribution."
27 April 2014The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at the difficulty we face in proving God's existence and concludes 'I have received too much evidence that Jesus is the Messiah to have the luxury now to deny it'.
20 April 2014
Sermon
preached
on
Easter
Sunday
(20
April
2014)
by
The
Reverend
Canon
Michael
Hampel,
Precentor
The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at gratitude and says that we should all 'resolve to be more grateful to God and more affirming of each other.'
17 April 2014
Sermon
preached
on
Maundy
Thursday
(17
April
2014)
by
the
Reverend
Canon
Michael
Hampel,
Precentor
On Maundy Thursday, The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at leadership and says it is 'not about crowns and coronets but about towels and basins'
06 April 2014
Sermon
preached
on
the
Fifth
Sunday
of
Lent
(6
April
2014)
by
the
Very
reverend
David
Ison,
Dean
How well do you get on with your family, friends and neighbours?
04 April 2014How do you choose your Master, Prime Warden or Upper Bailiff? Or your Lord Mayor? And how much does it matter who gets chosen? Is it simply about seniority and willingness, and ability to wear gorgeous robes and big hats with dignity? Or is our capacity to lead, our ability to enable others, at the heart of the office which we hold?
16 March 2014
Sermon
preached
on
the
Second
Sunday
of
Lent
(16
March
2014)
by
the
Reverend
Canon
Philippa
Boardman
'Counting the Cost'
09 March 2014The Country and Western singer Mac Davis may not be a household name but his song 'O Lord it's hard to be humble
05 March 201404 March 2014
02 March 2014
'Don't do something – just sit there'
23 February 2014The Very Reverend David Ison looks at the different ways we approach our lives and concludes that that 'God looks to the good of the whole and sees us as a creation to be loved rather than a problem to be solved'.
16 February 201409 February 2014
02 February 2014
26 January 2014
The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at prophecy and testimony and concludes that they are the 'vehicles whereby divine and human encounter one another'.
19 January 2014The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at truth and revelation and concludes 'God has been in the business of revelation from the beginning of the world'.
05 January 201429 December 2013
22 December 2013
The Very Reverend David Ison looks at Heaven and says 'Heaven starts now by building our relationship with God in Jesus Christ through prayer, worship and service.'
15 December 2013The Very Reverend David Ison discusses hell and says 'God is not Mr Nice or Mr Nasty - God is Mr Love.'
08 December 2013The Very Reverend David Ison looks at judgement and says 'it’s learning to judge ourselves truly that’s the basic life skill'.
Christina Rees speaks about the awkwardness of Advent and asks 'as we contemplate the Second Coming, for what am I still waiting and watching?
01 December 2013The Very Reverend David Ison discusses death and says that it is love and relationships that give our life meaning in the face of death.
24 November 2013Samuel 8: 4-20 John 18: 33-37
27 November 2012The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel looks at inclusivity, referring to the vote on women bishops and Jesus' representation in Holman Hunt's 'The Light of the World'.
19 November 2012
12 November 2012