St Jude's Southsea

This talk was given by Rachel Drake at St Jude's Church, Southsea on Sunday 8 November 2026, Remembrance Sunday. The reading was John 4:1–19, the account of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. Part of the Encountering Jesus series, exploring individual encounters with Jesus in John's Gospel, this talk looks at Jesus' conversation with the woman at the well in Samaria. It considers why J...

This talk was given by Steve Clarke at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 1 November 2026, as the opening talk in a new series called Encounters with Jesus. The reading was John 1:43–51, the story of Philip and Nathanael, with reference to Jacob's dream at Bethel in Genesis 28. Where do we actually meet God? For centuries, God's people looked to the temple — a building of bricks and mortar — as the pla...

This talk was given by Steve Clarke at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 18 October 2026. The reading was Matthew 5:14–16, in which Jesus tells his followers, "You are the light of the world." The talk concludes a series on the church's vision and values, exploring Jesus' teaching on being salt and light from the Sermon on the Mount. It considers what salt meant to Jesus' first hearers — both a disinf...

This talk was given by Richard Portlock at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 11 October 2026. The reading was 1 John 4:7–12, and the talk is the third in a series exploring the church's vision of making Jesus the heart of Southsea, following earlier talks on growing faith and offering hope. The word "love" is used in many ways in popular culture, but what does the Bible mean by it? Looking carefully a...

This talk was given by Andrew Walker, one of the lay ministers at St Jude's Church, Southsea. The reading was 1 Peter 1:1–12. The talk is part of a series on faith, hope and love, exploring the church's values and vision. This week the focus is on hope: not the vague, wishful hope of everyday speech, but the sure and certain hope that the Bible describes as an anchor for our whole lives. Drawing o...

This talk was given by Jane Portlock at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 27 September 2026. The readings were Hebrews 11:1–12 and Hebrews 10:22–25. What does it mean to trust God when you can't see what's coming next? Drawing on Hebrews 10 and 11, this talk explores how faith grows even when the future is unclear — whether we're facing a difficult decision, worrying about someone we love, or waiting...

This talk was given by David Bacon, a church wardens at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 20 September 2026. The reading was 1 Corinthians 13. The talk explores Paul's well-known chapter on love, written to the church in Corinth, and connects it to St Jude's vision: To make Jesus the heart of Southsea through growing faith, offering hope and sharing God's love. Drawing on 1 Corinthians 13:13 — "these...

This talk was given by Steve Clarke at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 13 September 2026. The reading was Acts 2:1–21, the account of the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost. It is part of a series exploring the church's vision and values. The talk explores what it means to be a church filled by God's Spirit. Who is the Holy Spirit, and why do Christians still pray "Come, Holy Spirit" two thousand years...

This talk was given by Steve Clarke at St Jude's Church, Southsea, on v6 September, as part of a series revisiting the church's vision and values. The reading was Luke 24:13–35, the account of two disciples meeting the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus. The talk explores what it means to be a church grounded in the living Word of God — the first of the church's core values. Drawing on the Emmaus R...

This talk was given by Jack Cross, at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 30 August 2026. The reading was Psalm 150, bringing to a close the church's series on the Psalms. Psalm 150 is the final psalm in the Bible, and this talk explores it as a comprehensive picture of praise and worship: Where we worship (everywhere, on earth and in heaven), why we worship (because God is worthy, for both his mighty d...

This talk was given by David Bacon, at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 23 August 2026. The reading was Psalm 91, and the talk also draws on Matthew 4, the book of Job, and Romans 16. Psalm 91 is one of the best-loved passages in the Bible, promising that God is a refuge and fortress for those who trust in him. But it also raises an honest question: if God promises that "no harm will overtake you", w...

This talk was given by Rev Steve Clarke at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 9th August 2026. The reading was Psalm 46. Psalm 46 is one of the best-known psalms in the Bible, often read on Remembrance Sunday, with its famous line "Be still and know that I am God." In this talk, we explore what this ancient hymn — written against the backdrop of the threatened Assyrian invasion of Jerusalem — has to sa...

This talk was given by Helen Bolton at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 13 July 2025. The reading was Acts 18:1–18, with supporting passages from 1 Corinthians 2:1–5, Romans 16, Matthew 7:8, Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, and John 14:27. Helen explores the final stage of Paul's second missionary journey and what his time in Corinth can teach us about living out our faith today. She traces the strategic an...

This talk was given by Jack Cross at St Jude's Church, Southsea. The reading was Acts 17:16–34, Paul's address to the Athenians at the Areopagus. Jack explores what he calls Paul's "masterclass of evangelism" in Athens, drawing out two essential pillars that should undergird every form of sharing the Christian faith. The first is being genuinely in love with God — not attending church "just in cas...

This talk was given by David Bacon at St Jude's Church, Southsea. The reading was Acts 16:16–40. David explores what happened when Paul and Silas brought the message of Jesus into the Roman city of Philippi — and the fierce opposition they encountered. He examines how introducing Jesus disrupts spiritual, financial, and cultural interests, leading to hostility and suffering. He then turns to the r...

This talk was given by Lorna at St Jude's Church, Southsea on 6th July 2025. The reading was Acts 16:1–15. The talk explores a searching question: do we as Christians move towards those outside the church, or do we simply hope they will come to us? Using Acts 16 and Paul's journey with Timothy to Philippi, Lorna examines how mission and relationships are inseparable — and why the quality of our re...

This talk was given by Emmanuel at St Jude's Church, Southsea. The reading was Acts 15:1–12 and 22–31. Emmanuel, who works for Tearfund and is based in Kigali, Rwanda, explores the question at the heart of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15: who qualifies for God's grace? The early church debated whether Gentile believers needed to meet certain preconditions before they could truly belong. Emmanuel...

This talk was given by Nigel Bennett. The reading was Acts 14:8–23, which follows Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey through the city of Lystra and beyond. The talk explores what it means for the church to be "militant" — not in the aggressive sense the word often carries today, but in its original meaning of being active, determined, and faithful in spiritual service. It examines...

This talk was given by Richard Portlock at St Jude’s Church Southsea on 7 June 2026. The reading was Acts 13:1–12. The church in Antioch was worshipping and fasting, hearing the Holy Spirit’s direction to send Barnabas and Paul, and beginning a new phase of mission in Cyprus. In Paphos they meet opposition from Elymas the sorcerer, and Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit—exposes the deceit at work. T...

This talk was given by Andrew Walker at St Jude’s Church Southsea on 31 May 2026. The Bible readings were Acts 12:1–19 (primary), with references to Romans 8:26–27 and Ephesians 6:10–18. Warm and down-to-earth, the talk moves from the humour of Rhoda at the door to the hard edges of persecution, holding together realism and hope. Andrew encourages prayer that is honest, persistent, and expectant,...

This talk explores how the good news of Jesus moved beyond one culture to many in Acts 11:19–30. Scattered by persecution, believers reached Antioch and began speaking not only to Jews but also to Greeks. The Lord’s hand was with them, many believed, and Barnabas arrived to encourage them to remain true to the Lord. He then brought Saul to help teach for a year, and the disciples were first called...

Acts 10 tells the story of Peter and Cornelius: a vision of clean and unclean animals, an angel’s call, and the realisation that God shows no favouritism. This talk explores how God knows us by name, welcomes people from every nation, and brings salvation through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. It considers Peter’s vision, the inclusion of Gentiles, the role of the Holy Spirit, and what it means...

What does it mean to pray bold prayers when outcomes are uncertain? In Acts 9:32–43, Peter tells Aeneas to rise and calls Tabitha back to life—and many turn to the Lord. This talk explores how and why Christians can pray courageously for healing, drawing on Jesus’ promise that his followers will continue his works (John 14:12) and his commissioning of the apostles (Luke 9:1–2). It also acknowledge...

This is the talk from our 10:45 service on 26 April 2026. The readings were Acts 9:20–31 and Galatians 1:11–24. From Damascus to Jerusalem, Saul’s dramatic turnaround sparks astonishment, opposition and a helping hand from Barnabas. We trace how Jesus—not Paul—is the true creator of Christianity, while Paul becomes his tireless ambassador, preaching, planting and suffering for the gospel he receiv...

This is the talk from our 10:45 service on Sunday 18th May 2025. The reading was Acts 9:1–19. Kathy explores the dramatic conversion of Saul — the man who was breathing out murderous threats against the church — and draws out three ways God works unexpectedly. First, God brings unexpected people to follow Jesus, even those we'd consider most unlikely. Second, God forms an unexpected family, bringi...