What's it Like to Preach at St. Paul's Cathedral?

Some folks have asked me about my experience preaching at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on Remembrance Sunday, so I thought I’d share a few brief reflections. Frankly, I’m still processing it all.

But to start, I was extended this unique opportunity by the Cathedral’s Dean, the Very Rev. Andrew Tremlett. Andrew and his wife, the Rev. Dr. Maggi Dawn, came to Palm Beach last February, at the behest of the St. Paul's Cathedral Trust in America. These are folks from around the United States who have a connection to the Cathedral, are passionate about its mission, and support it through prayer and financial generosity. 

As part of this visit, I invited the Dean to preach at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, where I serve as Rector, and to lead our Sunday Forum, so our parishioners could learn more about the ministry of this iconic house of worship.

In between Sunday morning and a myriad of events (receptions, dinners, etc), Bryna and I just had a fantastic time getting to know Andrew and Maggi! They are thoughtful, wise, deeply faithful, and a lot of fun. Before he left, he asked if we’d like to come to London, stay at the Deanery, and preach at Choral Evensong on November 9th (Remembrance Sunday). Well, let’s just say I happened to be free that day.

As I mentioned in my sermon, there is actually a profound connection between our two

congregations. Above one of the entrances to our church is a piece of marble, a fragment from the altar that was bombed by Nazi pilots during World War II. A number of our parishioners contributed funds to help rebuild the damage, and the then-Dean sent the marble as a sign of friendship and gratitude, along with a plaque that reads, “From the reredos of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London — A gift from the Dean and Chapter.”

So it has been a great joy to renew the relationship between St. Paul’s and Bethesda-by-the-Sea, and I look forward to continuing this connection in the years to come. 

Of course, a number of the preachers I know have said, “yeah, yeah, but what was it LIKE to preach in that pulpit?!” And in many ways, it really was unlike any other preaching experience I’ve ever had. I mean, there’s the the gravitas and sheer size and height of the pulpit itself, positioned under the Cathedral’s massive dome. Simply being inside the Christopher Wren-designed masterpiece is inspiring.

And you can’t help but be aware of the figures who have preached God's Word from it — from Martin Luther King, Jr. to C.S. Lewis to Rowan Williams. Not to mention ecclesiastical heavyweights like John Donne and Lancelot Andrewes, who preached in a previous building of St. Paul's on the same site. 

So there was a lot to reflect upon as waited to mount the pulpit during evensong. Frankly, I was a little anxious as the liturgy unfolded (mostly about the sound system!), but only until the choir sang the haunting and hopeful anthem “The Souls of the Righteous” by Geraint Lewis, a few moments before the sermon. That did the trick.

Finally, as a hymn was sung, I was led by a verger to the bottom of the pulpit steps — all twelve of them. I climbed up, waited for the hymn to conclude, and then got to it. Practically speaking, the biggest challenge is that there is a 12-second echo. In other words, when the choir sings the last note of an anthem, it reverberates for a long time! And it is similar to what happens with the spoken word. 

This means that pacing is critical — it was what gave me the greatest pause (so to speak) — as I stood in front of the microphone. It does give the preacher a unique opportunity to emphasize certain words and phrases. But in the moment, I wasn’t entirely sure whether my pacing was right. I thought it was, but it’s also hard to gauge people’s reactions (there were 500-600 people there) from so far away. Fortunately, everyone said they caught every syllable and that the pace was spot on. Phew!

In the end, as a preacher, you simply preach the gospel. This was a sermon I would have preached in any pulpit, in any church, to any congregation. Perhaps not quite as slowly, but it is always a privilege to share God’s love and grace in any context. And I won’t soon forget this particular opportunity to let people know that nothing will separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ (Romans 8).

A rather amusing side note: just prior to heading back to the Cathedral with the Dean for evensong, we had lunch with the Bishop of London at her residence across the street. Yes, Dame Sarah Mullally is still the Bishop of London, but will soon become the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury. Unfortunately, we had to leave before dessert, so as I excused myself and thanked her for her hospitality, I told her that at least I had a good excuse for leaving early since I had to “go tell a bunch of people that Jesus loves them.” To which she replied, “Well, you better get on then.”

And one final reflection that hit me the day after preaching at

St. Paul’s. My late father’s first-ever recording was made with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1988. He conducted several pieces including Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Barber’s Second Piano Concerto. This was my London Symphony Orchestra moment. And I could feel his presence in a very real and remarkable way. 

I remain ever grateful for this experience -- and will continue to ponder it in my heart in the days ahead. I'm not sure they've ever had an American preach on Remembrance Sunday at St. Paul's. And I was supremely blessed to do so.