Friends,
In the Church calendar, this Sunday, (19th February) is the last Sunday before Lent. So, we are drawing close to the season set aside to contemplate both Christ’s journey, and our journey, towards Easter.
In recent years we have offered a variety of resources for Lent – congregational mailings, Poetry & Silent Prayer and use of the church website. We have benefited from links to the photographic chaplaincy exhibition, Keeping the Faith: London Chaplains in time of COVID, short film meditations from Revd Christopher Rowe (Colston Milton Parish, Glasgow) and picture meditations for children, from Revd David Donald Scott.
This year keep an eye out for:
- The congregational pastoral letter, with palm cross – sent to all church members.
- Lent Appeal 2023 for The Irene Taylor Trust, through the powerful medium of music-making, facilitating positive change in the lives of people in and on the fringes of the Criminal Justice System. Participants are shown how much they can achieve by providing a high quality, meaningful, creative experience which they will remember proudly.
- Daily Bible Readings, Meditations & Prayers for Lent & Easter, 22 February – 9 April 2023 – written by Revd Andrew Anderson – available at church from Sunday 19th February and on request from the Church Office. Free – thanks to the generous funding of the Murray J Napier Fund.
- Psalms & poetry, prepared by Rev Dr Jock Stein and members of St Columba’s; a weekly psalm, with accompanying poem and meditation, written and recorded – available via www.stcolumbas.org.uk
- Short Service of Holy Communion for Ash Wednesday. (12.30 – 1.00pm, Wednesday 22nd February 2023, London Scottish Chapel)
- Poetry & Silent Prayer for the Sundays in Lent. Beginning on Sunday 26th February 2023, a short time of silent prayer, in the company of others, centred on the Psalms and the weekly poem from Revd Dr Jock Stein. (10.00 – 10.15am all Sundays in Lent, London Scottish Chapel)
- Thai Chi. Time for body, mind and soul. Join Revd Christopher Rowe (Colston Milton Parish Church, Glasgow) online for weekly Capacitar Tai Chi. Ancient movement practices to reduce stress and restore balance. Wednesdays, 10.00-10.45am. All welcome. No requirement to keep camera on! Contact Church Office for zoom details.
We are particularly grateful to Rev Dr Jock Stein, who describes himself as “poet, piper and preacher from Haddington.” As an author, his latest book is Temple and Tartan: Psalms, Poetry and Scotland (www.handselpress.co.uk). We are very grateful too, to Revd Andrew Anderson for preparing his seasonal daily meditations, drawing on the wisdoms of many years of ministry. His book is offered on behalf of three Church of Scotland congregations – Crown Court, London and St Columba’s, Pont Street linked with St Andrew’s, Newcastle – sharing geography (London) and association (Newcastle.) The book is a gift, and you are encouraged to share it freely with friends, family or neighbours. It is both to sustain you and to act as a bridge to others.
Andrew’s previous daily devotions, 50 Days of Prayer, Easter to Pentecost, 17 April – 5 June 2022, and Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Readings, meditations and prayers: 27 November 2022 – 8 January 2023 have been well received. One recipient commented: “I wanted to say how much I appreciated the “little book of Advent”. I found it so useful as a guide and reminder to take the time to focus on Advent and the Christmas season (even for 10 minutes a day) in the midst of work deadlines, travel and Christmas celebrations. I’ve actually been looking for a resource like this for ages, so again, many thanks!”
Whatever circumstance you find yourself in this year, whatever particular burdens you may be carrying, may you find moments of stillness and wells from which to draw life-giving water – scripture, silence, sharing, movement and prayer. May you have a faithful, companionable and precious season of Lent.
Angus
Live Streaming of Worship
Services can be watched via the church website, https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/live-stream.
To access the live stream from the homepage (front page) click the Menu button in the top right-hand side of the page and scroll down and click on “Live Stream”. This will bring up the live stream to the church. The act of worship of approximately 60 minutes, includes include prayers, a sermon and music. The words for the hymns and readings will be on the website.
For those without internet, the Dial-In facility continues. Many people comment that they do have a sense of worshipping together, even if invisible to each other.
Reminder: If you do not wish to appear on the live-stream please choose a seat in the rear half of the sanctuary.
Please note that the Evening Services on the 1st of the month are not live streamed as they are held in the London Scottish Chapel.
Dial into Sunday Service
If you are aware of church members or friends who do not have access to internet please inform them that they can now phone in to join the Sunday service. No visuals clearly, but at least they can hear the service. Those interested should follow:
Step 1: At 10.40am call phone number 0203 051 2874.
Step 2: You will be prompted to enter a meeting ID. Please type (using your telephone keypad) 266 883 5072#
Step 3: You will then be asked for a participant number – simply press the #.
Step 4: Enjoy the service! You will hear the organ music from 10.50am.
Hymns, Music & Readings for Morning Service, 19th February 2023,
Transfiguration Sunday
Hymn 39 God the Lord, the king almighty (Hyfrydol)
Hymn 355 You, Lord, are both Lamb and Shepherd (Triumph)
Hymn 519 Love divine, all loves excelling (Blaenwern)
Hymn 512 To God be the glory (To God be the glory)
Anthem: Locus iste (Bruckner)
Musical Interlude: O salutaris hostia (Rossini)
Organ Postlude: Fugue in E Flat (J S Bach)
Old Testament Reading: Exodus 24: 12-18
New Testament Reading: II Peter 1:16-21
Gospel Reading: Matthew 17: 1-9
Congregational Offerings
Details on the many ways you can support St Columba’s can be found here https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/giving/supporting-st-columbas
Would anyone wishing to contribute to St Andrew’s, Newcastle please contact the Session Clerk on standrewssessionclerk@gmail.com for bank details or other means of donating.
St Columba’s Members
We are sorry to announce the deaths of St Columba’s members Patricia Ross, Margaret Chalmers and Eunice Stewart.
Margaret’s funeral will take place on the 20th February, 10.30am, Golders Green Crematorium.
Patricia’s funeral will take place on the 2nd March, 10.45am at Croydon Crematorium.
We don’t have details for Eunice’s funeral but will publish as soon as we have them.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of all three members.
THIS SUNDAY: Sunday School & future dates:
Between January and March, we offer Sunday School on the first and third Sundays of the month.
- Sunday 19th February
- Sunday 5th March
- Sunday 19th March (Mothering Sunday)
Arrangements and activities for Easter to be confirmed.
THIS SUNDAY: Congregational Sunday Lunch & Future Dates
Future dates for lunches are 19th February, 5th March 2023 & 19th March in the Lower Hall. Coffee will continue to be served every Sunday as usual in the Upper Hall. These Hospitality Services are much valued in supporting Fellowship.
Ash Wednesday Holy Communion, Wednesday 22nd February 2023
To begin Lent 2023 there will be a short service of holy communion in the London Scottish Chapel at 12.30pm, Wednesday 22nd February 2023.
THIS SUNDAY – Sounds of St Columba’s 2023
The fantastic Sounds of St Columba’s series is back for 2023. Please note the dates in your diary, bring your friends and enjoy the marvellous music in the Upper Hall. 1.30pm start.
19th February 2023 – Jonathan Radford (married last year at St Columba’s to Emily Sun) plays a programme of classical saxophone
19th March 2023 – Axel Krogness, classical guitarist will play a programme of music to include Dowland, Bach and Goroto.
21st May 2023 – Fredrick Seines, classical guitarist will play a programme of music to include Bach, Poulenc and Dowland.
Lent appeal 2023 – The Irene Taylor Trust (Sounding Out Programme)
www.irenetaylortrust.com Registered UK Charity No. 1073105
This year’s Lent Appeal is a small UK charity called the Irene Taylor Trust, nominated by Lucy Llewellyn, our Church Office Manager. Established in 1995, the Irene Taylor Trust (ITT) was created in memory of Irene Taylor, wife of the late Lord Chief Justice Peter Taylor. The charity works with those in prison (Music in Prisons), with critical continuing support for those leaving prison (Sounding Out) and those on the edges of the Criminal Justice System. The Lent Appeal donations will be used for the Sounding Out programme which continues to support those who have participated in the Music in Prisons programme, to when they leave prison and their integration back into society. Participants are able to continue with ‘live performances, meet up and play sessions, ambassadorial appearances, 1-to-1 progression sessions, training opportunities and trainee work placements’. Sounding Out beneficiaries are able to add their work experience, both paid and voluntary, to a CV which will help them in securing employment. The Sounding Out participants join the ITT professional musicians on projects for paid work, where they learn to develop skills, leadership and responsibilities. Please click on link to watch a video clip…
A few examples of what donations would help pay for: £10 could pay for copies of CDs for former-prisoner musicians to share with their family and friends, £15 could pay for a former-prisoner to attend a 1-to-1 progression support session, £30 could go towards collaborative music-making sessions with the highly experienced musicians, £40 could go towards training sessions to gain skills in co-facilitating projects with young people, £50 could pay for studio time for a former-prisoner musician to record new material. Click on link to watch the Sounding Out Rich Mix Performance (Sounding Out section starts 39 minutes in):
Plans for the Lent Appeal
There will be guests from the Irene Taylor Trust and Sounding Out. Providing additional information on the charity, plus a Sounding Out musician to tell us more on how the programme has benefited them and will also perform a piece of music live during the service. We welcome them all to St. Columba’s.
Sunday 26 February (first Sunday in Lent): Guest speaker, Luke Bowyer (Funding and Communications Director) and Darren (Sounding Out Musician).
Sunday 2 April (Palm Sunday): Guest speaker, Sara Lee (Artistic Director) and Luke McCarthy or Darren (Sounding Out Musician).
If you would like to contribute to the Lent Appeal: Gift Aid helps, if you are eligible. If you need to complete a Gift Aid declaration form, please contact the Church Office. Various options to donate:
White Lent Appeal envelopes are available in the Upper Vestibule and in the pews.
Alternatively, by electronic bank transfer: Please use “Lent Appeal” as the payment reference.
St Columba’s Church of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland
Account Number 00264741
Sort Code 16 00 42
Cheques payable to: “St. Columba’s Church of Scotland” and with a note attached to cheque indicating it is for the Lent Appeal. Send to:
Finance Dept. (Lent Appeal)
St. Columba’s Church
Pont Street
London SW1X 0BD
If you would like to make a card donation, please go into the Church Office between 9am and 3.30pm, Monday to Friday.
With your donations we can help transform futures, thank you. Creating Music. Transforming Futures
St Columba’s Book Group
Our next meeting will be on 20th February 2023, 6.30pm. The book choice for February is The Wonder by Emma Donoghue. Set in 1860s Ireland when an English nurse is commissioned to go to an Irish village to investigate the case of a 10-year-old girl who, apparently, has not eaten for four months. It has recently been adapted into a film with Florence Pugh in the role of the nurse. The film had a limited cinema release and is now available on Netflix. The novel examines lots of issues – faith, miracles, rural life, Irish History…
The choice after the Wonder (for those who like to get ahead) is Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire.
The St Columba’s Book Group meet by Zoom, just contact the Church Office for the joining details. Newcomers are welcome.
Happy Hour
Our next Happy Hour session is on Wednesday 1 March at The Carpenters Arms, 12 Seymour Place W1H 7NE. Two St Columba’s members will share their experience of music enriching faith- from bell ringing to choral anthems.
Do come and join us in the rear section of the ground floor bar 6.30pm onwards.
Friends of St Columba’s Visits
The Friends of St Columba’s have two exciting trips coming up. Priority is given to those who are already Friends of St Columba’s but please do get in touch if you would like to join the trips but aren’t a “friend”.
- Saturday 4th March – Churchill War Rooms. A visit to Winston Churchill’s historic underground bunker. On 31 May 1938, a group of basement offices in Whitehall formed a top-secret complex, known and the Cabinet War Rooms. These rooms became the heart of Britain’s war machine.
- Saturday 15th April – Neasden Indian Temple. Popularly known as Neasden temple – the Mandir is a masterpiece of traditional Hindu design and exquisite Indian workmanship in the heart of North West London.
For more detail about all the trips and to book please contact Honorary Secretary of the Friends of St Columba’s, Isobel Carter on isobel@in-carter.com or visit the St Columba’s website here https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/friends-of-st-columbas
St Columba’s Quiz
The St. Columba’s Quiz returns on Saturday, 22nd April. 6.30 for 7 pm start. Tickets will be on sale in March. Please save the date, gather your teams and watch for further details re ticket sales etc.
Office Hours
The church office is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Contact details; Tel: 020 7584 2321
E-mail: office@stcolumbas.org.uk
Website: www.stcolumbas.org.uk
Facebook: @stcolumbaschurchpontstreet.
Twitter: @LondonKirk
Pastoral Emergency Number (out of office hours): 07591926271
To sign up and receive the weekly newsletter detailing future events, contact the church office or go to www.stcolumbas.org.uk (News Section.) Paper copies of this week’s newsletter are available at the bookstall.
If you require this information in a different format please contact the Church Office.