Reflection in words & music – Sunday 26th October 2025

Join The Revd Canon Dr Alison Joyce, Rector of St Bride's, and St Bride's Choir for this week's reflection in words and music. The choir begins this week's reflection singing verses from Psalm 84 – "O how amiable are thy dwellings : thou Lord of hosts!" – to a chant by the English composer Sir Edward Bairstow. Bairstow was very much wedded to his dwelling place of Yorkshire, the county of his birth and where he served as Organist of York Minster for several decades until his death. He even turned down an offer to become Organist at Westminster Abbey and said of the suggestion that he follow a fellow composer to the United States that he would "rather go to the devil"! Our reading from Luke is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Alison reflects on how it reminds us that whenever we are tempted to view ourselves too favourably, we should remember that we — like all around us — are made from the same dust. We close with the hymn "Come down, O Love divine" which sets a fourteenth century text by Bianco da Siena – a member of the Order of Jesuates, a group of unordained men who followed the prescripts of St Augustine. The tune is Down Ampney by the great Ralph Vaughan Williams. Information about our weekly Sunday services in St Bride's of Choral Eucharist at 11am (https://www.stbrides.com/worship-music/worship/regular-services/choral-eucharist/) and Choral Evensong at 5:30pm (https://www.stbrides.com/worship-music/worship/regular-services/choral-evensong/) can be found on the website. Find out what's happening at St Bride's at https://www.stbrides.com/whats-on If you enjoy listening, please leave a comment below or subscribe to our channel. It is great to get your feedback. SUPPORT ST BRIDE'S ================== We are hugely grateful for people's generosity which we wholly rely on to continue our work, maintain our wonderful architectural heritage and support world-class music-making. People are often surprised to learn that St Bride's receives no external funding. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so at https://www.justgiving.com/stbrideschurchfleetstreet