Sunday 10th July | The Parable of the Sower This Sunday we were privileged to have Anna Mason from KXC (and who is about to plant St Gregory's Church, North Cornwall) with us to kick off our series on the parables called The Words and the Way of Jesus. Anna unpacked the Parable of the Sower and invited us to reflect on how receptive we are in our hearts right now to Jesus.
Sunday 17th July | The Pearl of Great Price Bill Birdwood continues our series The Words and The Way of Jesus by looking at the parables of the hidden treasure and pearl of great price. Bill unpacks how the treasure is Jesus and tells stories of lives changed by discovering him
Sunday 24th July | The Lost Sheep Si Topliss continues our series The Words and The Way of Jesus by looking at the parables of the lost sheep. Si outlines how we all have the capability to get lost and the ease at which this happens but the extraordinary loving grace that is extended to us in our ‘lostness’.
Sunday 31st July | The Wise & Foolish Builders Dan unpacks the parable of the wise and foolish builders - we enter the kingdom of God and build our lives on a secure foundation by trusting in Jesus and putting his words into action.
Sunday 7th August | The Good Samaritan Bex shares how God has been speaking to her through the parable of the Good Samaritan. Instead of prescribing who we need to love as our neighbour, Jesus challenges us to become neighbours - to be those who share the mercy we’ve received with others.
Sunday 4th September | The Prodigal Son Pete James closed out our series on the parables of Jesus by looking at the story of the Prodigal Son. His short reflection looked at the relational inheritance we have through Jesus; the radical nature of the Father's Love; and the risk of remaining "outside" the Father's House despite pursuing moral purity.
Sunday 20 April 2025 Through the story of Lazarus, Dan explores how Jesus grows our faith in him when we choose to trust him in times of hardship. As we ask that even now he would bring life out of death we are formed into Easter people in a Good Friday world.
Sunday 30 March 2025 On Mothering Sunday, Jonah shares a New Testament understanding of motherhood. He looks at how Jesus exemplifies honouring his mother on the cross, instituting a new family marked by subversive relationships and how this act inspired and energised the early church social ethics. Jonah ends with how our material longings and fractured relationships will be made whole in the New Jerusalem.
Please note the first few seconds are missing. Jonah is reading from John 19 v 25
Sunday 29 December 2024 | Dan describes how praying The Examen can help us to see how Jesus has been at work in the day (or year) just gone, which helps us to grow in seeing him at work in each present moment. As we then choose to follow him in trusting obedience, keeping in step with the Spirit, we become the children of God.
Sunday 13 October 2024 | This week we celebrated harvest festival together and Pip Campbell-Clause spoke to us – in a theologically rich and deeply practical talk - about how we should see Jesus not just as saviour but also as creator. Pip unpacked the importance of creation care in our understanding of mission and, in keeping with our harvest theme, specifically invited us to play our part in challenging broken food systems with the way we live and purchase. (For more information on Pip & Will’s Charity, Cactus, please click here.)
Sunday 8 September 2024 | To kick off the new term, Pete James speaks about the season we have ahead as a community, emphasising the invitation to courageous mission for the sake of the hurting world around us. He also speaks to how we are pivoting some of our structures as a church to get ourselves in the right shape to fulfil our calling and seek God's renewal in the region. If you are a committed part of this church, this is a key one to listen back to!
Speaking from both Hebrews 11 and the Exodus narrative, Pete Hughes encourages us as a church that spiritual maturity takes a lifetime and comes from trusting God's power, provision and presence.
10 March 2024 | Pete gives an update on the season ahead for St Basil’s. You can open up the slides for Pete’s talk here.
7 January 2024 | On the first Sunday of the year, Becky unpacks what it might look like for us as a church to partner with a move of God through prayer. Focusing on what prayer does in us (growing intimacy and surrender) and what prayer does through us (living lives of intercession and being sent with authority).
31 December 2023 | As we gathered on New Years Eve, Pete James walked through the Easter narrative as a way of reviewing 2023 by naming where we experienced unmet expectations (Jesus on a donkey), deaths (Good Friday), silences (Holy Saturday), new life (Easter Sunday) and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost).
3 September 2023 | Dan shares a reflection from Psalm 63, encouraging us to cultivate hunger for God’s presence and transformative power, by choosing to wait on him in whatever circumstance we face.
28 May 2023 | Ele Mumford shares on the power of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday.
16 April 2023 |Dan shares a brief reflection on baptism before those being baptised share their testimonies. By uniting us with Christ, baptism restores our human identity and takes us to where Christ is - closer to the forgotten corners of the world and closer to others invited there.
8 January 2023 | Pete invites the church not to live in reaction to the ups and downs the year will hold, but to consistently prepare for the circumstances we’ll face in the ‘public place’, by fostering intimacy with Jesus through prayer in the ‘private place’.
11 September 2022 | Dan reflects on Peter’s denial and reinstatement. Jesus doesn’t dwell on Peter’s failure but loves him in his brokenness; he gives Peter a fresh opportunity to trust in his love and reaffirms his calling to share the love he’s received with others.
5 June 2022 | Pentecost To mark Pentecost Sunday, Pete James speaks about how the breathe of God brings life to dry bones and invites us to be a community that goes on being filled with the Spirit
8 May 2022 | The Spirit of the Lord This week we took a break from our Ephesians series to hear from one of our Trustees, Pete Hughes. Pete leads KXC in London with his wife Bee and was instrumental in the planting of St Basil's. Pete spoke on the importance of undivided devotion as the foundation for the Christian life
Sunday 24th April | Ephesians 1 Pete James kicks off our teaching series with an overview of Ephesians by diving in to chapter 1. He unpacks the beautiful reality of being “in Christ”; adopted into the family of God and filled with the same power that raised Christ from the grave.
Sunday 1st May | Ephesians 2 Jo Soper, Co-Leader of ENC, continues our series on Ephesians. Jo brilliantly unpacks chapter two and highlights three truths to counter three lies: there is always enough in God; we never have to earn our way to him; and we are not outsiders in the God's family.
Sunday 15th May | Ephesians 3 Pete James continues our series on Ephesians with chapter 3. Pete looks at how Paul's identity gave him clarity of purpose; how we are called to steward God's grace that flows to us; and how everything we do externally flows from whats going on internally. Paul's invitation is to grasp the magnitude of the love of God and to be filled with "dynamite" power for life
Sunday 22nd May | Ephesians 4 As we look at the fourth chapter of Ephesians, Jonah Horne articulates a vision for distinctive Christian unity founded upon the grace of God and living out of the true self
Sunday 12th June | Ephesians 5 Pete James continues our series looking at the warning in Ephesians 5 that the enemy works in "footholds and hints" and how the counter-formative life in the way of Jesus involves being filled with the Holy Spirit; declaring worship; and giving thanks constantly
Sunday 10th January | Palm Sunday On Palm Sunday at the threshold of Holy Week, Pete looks at Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and how in the week to come Jesus' faithfulness would triumph over our fears and fickleness.
Sunday 9th January | Becoming a Praying Church, First Move Prayer Pete James began our teaching series Becoming a Praying Church by inviting us at the beginning of a New Year to make prayer our "first move" not an after thought. Pete looked at how in Jesus' wilderness experience and 40 days of prayer in Luke 4, he enjoyed union with his Father and a fruitfulness upon returning to the world. We are determined to be a praying church and this talk marks the beginning of a couple of months of diving deep into the world of prayer. Do join in the adventure!
Sunday 23rd January | Becoming a Praying Church, Devotional Prayer Pete James continues our teaching series on prayer by looking at Devotional Prayer. Looking at Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Pete casts vision for cultivating a union and intimacy with God by deliberately and regularly bringing our whole, true self in front of God in conversational prayer. He also takes a look at five different drivers of disconnection many of experience
Sunday 30th January | Becoming a Praying Church, Maturing Prayer Pete James continues our journey into becoming a praying church by looking at the idea of "maturing prayer". Pete explains that prayer is the means by which life's events mature us and not just age us and invites us to exchange seeing the world and life through an achievement lens but instead through a transformation lens. If we do, we will realise that every single thing that happens in our life – through prayer – has the stunning potential to mature us into the image if Jesus.
Sunday 6th February | Becoming a Praying Church, Intercessory Prayer This week in our series on prayer we shift a gear and look at Intercessory Prayer. Pete James looks at how we have a role to play our part in the renewal of the world around us by taking up a posture of intercession. Pete explains how praying for others is both an expression of love and an act of spiritual warfare. Taking inspiration from Elijah's life, we explore how intercessory prayer is a midwife for the kingdom of God.
Sunday 13th February | Becoming a Praying Church, Ministering Prayer Dan considers our calling to share God’s heart with those around us through ministering prayer. Jesus shares his anointing and authority with us and instructs his disciples to listen and obey ‘as we go.’ We heard from Rhiannon, who experienced God’s kindness recently as others prayed with her, and Dave, who has been learning to cultivate faith and intimacy with Jesus by praying with others.
Sunday 20 February | Becoming a Praying Church, Hungry Prayer – Fasting We continue our series on becoming a praying church by looking at Hungry Prayer and the practice of fasting. Pete outlines four reasons why fasting has always been woven into the tapestry of the people of God: it breaks off apathy; reveal what controls us; trains us for joy in times of lack; and facilitates a power surge. Why not explore it for lent?
Sunday 6 March | Becoming a Praying Church, Persistent Prayer Pete James continues our series on prayer by looking at the parable of the persistent widow. Pete explains that Jesus teaches us that to live in the "now and the not yet" of the arriving kingdom of God, we will need persistence and to trust in both the character and timing of God
Sunday 13 March | Becoming a Praying Church, Revival Prayer Continuing our series on prayer, Abi Horne shares about how as a community we can press into praying for revival. From looking at Habakkuk and Elijah in the Bible and sharing stories of the Hebridean revival she looks at threads and themes which seem to run through them and what we can learn so we can pray to see a move of the power of God "in our time".
Sunday 20 March | Becoming a Praying Church, Contemplative Prayer As we near the end of our teaching series on becoming a praying church, Pete talks about how important contemplative prayer is in an age dominated by distraction. Giving God our attention may just be the modern day equivalent of pouring an alabaster jar of perfume on Jesus' feet.
Sunday 12th December | Peace Like No Other Pete James speak at our evening carol service on how Jesus offers us a peace like no other. Reflecting on Jesus' statement that he gives peace "not as the world gives" (John 14:27), Pete explains that much of the peace we seek involves escaping or controlling circumstances but the peace Jesus offers us comes right in the midst of our circumstances.
Sunday 17th October | The Secret, Part 1 Dan Miles kicks off a new series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians. We’re considering the secret Paul has learned - a secret that enables him to journey through all circumstances of life with faith, in the strength of the Lord, and with deep contentment.
Sunday 24th October | The Secret, Part 2 Jude Jones continues our series exploring Paul's letter to the Philippians. Despite finding himself in prison, Paul operates with so much faith and Jude shares how we can learn from him to lean on God in challenging times.
Sunday 31st October | The Secret, Part 3 In the third instalment of this series in Philippians, Jon Soper from Exeter Network Church takes us through Paul's poetic passage on the humility of Jesus. Jon boldly invites us to embrace a humility that is not based on offering less of ourselves but one based on offering all of ourselves but in the service of others.
Sunday 14th November | The Secret, Part 5 In chapter 3 Paul spurs the Philippians on toward the prize of knowing Christ – responding to God’s faithfulness by living as faith-filled citizens of heaven. Dan Miles considers what this challenge means for us today.
Sunday 21st November | The Secret, Part 6 Pete James concludes our series on the letter to the Philippians by unpacking how we are invited by the Apostle Paul to shape our worries into prayers and as we do so, a beautiful exchange takes place and we receive God's peace.
Sunday 26th September / Intentional Spiritual Formation This week at St Basil's Pete James kicks off a mini-series on Intentional Spiritual Formation looking at how we are spiritually formed by Jesus. In doing so, he points out how some of the "easier alternatives" might feel attractive but don't actually lead to us into life.
Sunday 3rd October / Shared Stories Pete James continues our mini-series on intentional spiritual formation by outlining the need to know our story and share our story. Pete explains that when we allow Jesus' story to collide with ours, healing and redemption are always on offer.
Sunday 10th October / Shared Rhythms Pete James wraps our mini-series on Intentional Spiritual Formation by looking at living with shared rhythms: a trellising of spiritual practices that help us be with Jesus, become like Jesus and do what Jesus did.
Sunday 19th September / Releasing the Creative Potential of Money This week Pete James talks about how important it is we understand the influence of money in our lives: both its destructive power and its creative potential. He invites everyone at St Basil's to consider establishing a spiritual practice of giving and explains the different projects we are looking to fundraise for as a church. If you are part of St Basil's this is a key talk to catch up on!
Sunday 12th September / Naming the Season This week Pete James outlines the priorities of the season we are heading into as a church community: becoming a church of many workers; being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world; and beginning the journey back to emotional and spiritual health. It is a key one to catch up on if you are a part of the St Basil’s community.
Sunday 1st August / The Goodness of God – Part 1 Abi Horne begins our new teaching series '“The Goodness of God” by sharing how God uses the weak and foolish things of the world, and that no matter how empty, broken or fragile we might feel, God longs to meet us in that place and bring us to a deeper understanding of who we are, in Christ. Nobody is disqualified or discounted, but welcomed, loved and vital in the Kingdom.
Sunday 8th August / The Goodness of God – Part 2 Bill Birdwood continues our teaching series on the '“Goodness of God” by explaining that the good news of Christianity should not be pictured as a set of scales on which we are judged, but a cross through which we are forgiven. He shares an inspiring story about his friend, who experienced dramatic transformation in his life through a revelation of God’s mercy.
Sunday 15th August / The Goodness of God – Part 3 Helen Hamilton continues our August sermon series on the "Goodness of God". Helen shares vulnerably from her own story to testify to the goodness of God in the midst of disappointment.
Sunday 22nd August / The Goodness of God – Part 4 Hugh Gifford concludes our series on the “Goodness of God” by reflecting on Psalm 27.
Sunday 6th June | This Is Us: Following The Way Of Jesus “This Is Us" is a teaching series exploring the vision and values of the church. In this first instalment, Pete James looks at what it means to be "apprentices" who are "following the way of Jesus" in our every day lives.
Sunday 13th June | This Is Us: Together "This is Us" is a teaching series exploring the vision and values of the church. In this second message, Pete James explains how critical it is that we follow the way of Jesus, together. He explains how the rise of individualism has created a preference based society but that the church has to swim against that tide to create a Christ-like community that will be a witness in the world.
Sunday 21st June | This Is Us: For The Renewal Of The Region "This is Us" is a teaching series exploring the vision and values of the church. In this third talk, Pete James unpacks the grand narrative of scripture as one moving from creation to renewal and explains how we are invited to join God in his mission to make all things new. He outlines the call on us to live lives characterised by kinship with the marginalised; showing mercy in the face of symptoms and seeking justice in the face of causes.
Sunday 4th July | This Is Us: The Descending Life "This is Us" is a teaching series exploring the vision and values of the church. This week we shift to exploring the "Common Life" of the church: four ways of living that we want to define us. First up, Pete James takes a look at how Jesus lived a counter-cultural "descending life" and invites us into the same radical way of life.
Sunday 11th July | This Is Us: The Presence Driven Life '“This is Us” is a teaching series exploring the vision and values of the church. This week Dan Miles looks at our calling to live a '“Presence Driven Life” – exploring the consistent calling on God’s people to live distinctive lives, hosting God’s presence for the sake of the world around them.
Sunday 18th July | This Is Us: The Open Life “This is Us” is a teaching series exploring the vision and values of the church. This week we look at one of the four ways of living that we want to define us: The Open Life.
Sunday 25th July | This Is Us: The Imaginative Life "This is Us" is a teaching series exploring the vision and values of St Basil's. This week we wrapped up the series by looking at The Imaginative Life. Pete James describes how living with prophetic imagination – believing what could be in the face of what currently is – is one of the primary tasks of the church. If we are to live like this we have to push back against the tides of desensitisation, discounting ourselves and demoralisation.
Sunday 2nd May | One Body Many Parts: The Community of Difference Pete James kicks off our new teaching series called "One body, many parts: everyone is significant in the kingdom of God" by talking about being a Community of Difference. Pete explains that a weak understanding of difference leads to comments, comparison and competition whereas when we understand God designs and delights in difference, we can celebrate each other and play our part in the unfolding story of the church."
Sunday 9th May | One Body Many Parts: The Community of Unity In the second talk in the series "One body, many parts" Pete James looks at the importance of being a Community of Unity. Pete explains that empathy – sharing in sufferings and joys – is at the heart of Paul's vision for the body of Christ and invites us to prioritise vulnerability, forgiveness and prayer.
Sunday 16th May | One Body Many Parts: A Community of Gifts Dan Miles continues the series by looking at how we’re called to be a Community of Gifts. The Spirit of God within each of us seeks to impart and activate gifts, so that as followers of Christ we can fulfil our purpose in mobilising the Church, His body, to be an agent of kingdom renewal in the world.
Sunday 23rd May | One Body Many Parts: Community of the Spirit Ele Mumford concludes our series on Pentecost Sunday by celebrating the role of the Holy Spirit in the church. By unpacking Acts 2 and sharing stories of God at work, Ele reminds us afresh that the Holy Spirt changes us, empowers us and fills us.
Sunday 11th April | Emerging Through Pain: In part one of our teaching series called “Emerging: dynamics of life after lockdown”, Pete James looks at “emerging through pain”. Making the point that the year to come will largely be shaped by how we deal with our pain from the year that’s just gone, Pete invites us to bring our pain to Jesus to be transformed.
Sunday 18th April | Emerging To People: In part two of our teaching series called “Emerging: dynamics of life after lockdown”, Pete James looks at “emerging to people”. Observing that people seem to be experiencing both excitement and anxiety about emerging to community again, Pete explains there is grace for this moment and yet an invitation to courage too.
Sunday 25th April | Emerging With Priorities: In the final talk of this mini-series looking at the dynamics of life after lockdown, Pete James look at the opportunity this time presents to let Jesus reshape our priorities in life. As our lives are "put back together again" the invitation is towards rightly-ordered loves and diaries that reflect the values of Jesus.