Category: News

Dear Friends,

St. Columba’s is unusual – we all know that – but unusual in that it is one of only a handful of Church of Scotland churches to celebrate the Lord’s Supper weekly. I’m told that this came about because a previous minister rightly thought that there should be provision for those members who travel a distance to church and might not always be present at the quarterly communions. Some churches celebrate the sacrament monthly while others maintain the tradition with which I grew up of a twice yearly celebration, preceded by a preparatory service on Friday evening and followed by a thanksgiving service on Sunday afternoon. It was a radical step when our minister introduced an additional celebration on Easter Day! Members of other denominations often ask why we celebrate the Lord’s Supper so infrequently – is it because we don’t think Communion is important? But of course nothing could be further from the truth and the answer lies deep in the history of the church.

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Dear Friends,

The ancient kings of Israel were called to be the shepherds of their people and David had actually gone from shepherd boy to king, arriving at the high office to which God called him. But as we will read in our Old Testament lesson from 2 Samuel 11 this week, once he became king and had freedom to behave as he wished, his actions which had previously protected his people now resulted in the suffering and even death of other people. As the all-powerful king he ceased to think how his actions impacted others and put his own desires first.

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The Gospel reading set for this Sunday includes Jesus inviting his disciples: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat (Mark 6:31-2).

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Friends,

It was a huge honour to be invited to the recent ordination of Monsignor James Curry as Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and titular Bishop of Ramsbiria. It fills me with joy that whatever the differences between our denominations we can share these special occasions and I was delighted to be able to wish “Father Jim” well as he embarks on this new phase of his ministry. The invitation to attend the service in Westminster Cathedral and the party afterwards came from Cardinal Nichols, the envelope looking very official, complete with his coat of arms, and I must confess that I’ve never lost the sense of excitement I had as a youngster when an unexpected and important-looking letter arrives.

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Friends,

Some years ago, at one of the Early/Family Services, held in the London Scottish Regimental Chapel, it was our custom to ask, before the prayers, if there was anything people would like to give special thanks for, or any situation/person we would particularly like to pray for. Teachers, holidays, ice-cream, the World Cup, Wimbledon, grandparents and siblings all figured. Memorably, on one occasion, one young voice responded: “Pray that Mr Trump doesn’t visit Britain.” There was a collective in-take of breath, as we considered this very specific petition; a public airing of what was clearly domestic/parental politics. The response was given: “I am not sure how God will answer that prayer, but perhaps we could remember: Politicians should never be above our criticism, or beneath our prayers.” Our young companion looked unconvinced.

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Friends,

I received the recent gift of an exquisitely crafted cross, from craft group member Gillian Buchanan. It is created using the lace-making technique of tatting. This was definitely new to me – further research informed, tatting uses “a series of knots and loops to create a particularly durable type of lace, perfect for motifs and edgings. Becoming very popular in Europe in the early 19th Century, it goes by many names… The American’s call it tatting, the French, frivolet, the Italian’s, chiacchierino and the German’s, schiffchenarbeit, which charmingly translates to “work of the little boat” referring to the boat shaped shuttle used to create it!”

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Friends,

I’ve said before that I love books! I always have a pile of books beside the bed – books I have read, books I am reading and books I intend to read – mainly biography and history. A recent acquisition is a book called “Eleanor and Franklin”, a biography of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt by Eleanor’s friend Joe Lash. They were a truly remarkable couple; Franklin Delano Roosevelt – FDR as he was known – was president of the United States from 1933-45, leading his country out of the Great Depression and through the Second World War, dying at the early age of 63 in April 1945 just as the war was coming to an end.

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Friends,

With recent days characterised by military anniversary and continued  electioneering, the voice and perspective of one Normandy veteran has come to mind. Sydney Jary MC, aged 20, served as a platoon commander with the  Somerset Light Infantry, leading his soldiers from Normandy to Germany, between  1944-45. Years after the war, his book, Eighteen Platoon, recounted the ground level  experiences of a junior infantry officer.

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Friends,

Last Sunday, courtesy of one-man show, world premiere of Getting to Iona, playwright and actor Tomas Barry set us firmly on course for St Columba’s Day, which we celebrate this weekend. Tomas’ play was a homage to his grandfather who in 1963, with others, replicated Columba’s original journey from Derry to Iona in 563, in a specially constructed curragh (traditional boat). By turn, Tomas played himself, his grandfather and St Columba. It was wonderful to see the London Scottish Chapel packed and enjoying the play’s very first performance. The opening “run” has continued each evening this week. It will go next to York, then to the Edinburgh Festival.

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Friends,

It’s not fair! How often have you heard a child say these words? Children have a highly developed sense of justice and are quick to spot adult hypocrisy.

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Friends,

In preparation for this Sunday, part of a prayer from the Church of Scotland’s Book of Common Order:

God our father, mother, creator, and protector,
made in your image, we adore you.

Christ our brother, friend, servant, and saviour,
converted by your love, we adore you.

Holy Spirit, our inspirer, comforter, counsel, and defender,
blessed by your presence, we adore you.

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In our lesson from Acts 2: 1-21 this week we read how on the day of the Jewish festival of Pentecost, Jesus’ disciples experienced being filled with God’s Holy Spirit. This power and life spills out into the whole of creation. Peter says that this is the culmination of many centuries of waiting for the fulfilment of God’s promise, made known through the Hebrew prophets and he describes what happened using the words of the prophet Joel, affirming that the spirit is being poured out on “all flesh”, female and male, young and old, slave and free, people of all races. This is why Christians sometimes refer to Pentecost as “the birthday of the church”, because from that day the Christian faith spread out from Jerusalem to every part of the known world, the beginning of the world church.

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“I wandered the streets, asking anyone for a place to sleep. Those who showed me kindness would let me stay for two or three days, but it was difficult. People would insult me and treat me with contempt. They forgot I was a human being. It filled me with sorrow.”

Abused by her husband and forced out of her home, becoming separated from her children, with nowhere to live and worrying daily about her children’s safety, Aline Nibogora was pushed into the most extreme poverty. Aline’s homeland, Burundi, is one of the poorest countries in the world financially. More than 70% of the population live in poverty. Most people get their living through farming. However, farmers have been significantly affected by the climate crisis, facing droughts, floods and landslides. Many families eat just one meal a day. Philip Galgallo, Country Director of Christian Aid Burundi tells us: ‘I think the biggest worry for most Burundian mothers is how they’ll feed their children.’

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Friends,

On Wednesday there was one of those weavings of threads that make life at St Columba’s so varied and interesting.

On Wednesday mornings throughout the year, pupils, staff and family members gather in the sanctuary for the weekly Hill House School Assembly. One week it is a “School” Assembly, with awards for sport, music and other achievements; the next week it is “Church” Assembly, and I am invited to take part. Assemblies are invariably enlivened by the music of the children – from massed guitars, violins and cellos, to choirs and soloists.

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Dear Friends,

When I was in primary school we said the Lord’s Prayer each morning, the teacher (it was a one teacher school) read a Bible story each morning Monday to Thursday, on Thursday afternoon the minister visited and on Friday mornings we sang hymns, each of us asking for our favourites.

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Friends

On Sunday we heard from Olivia and Arthur, representatives of ReStart Lives, the charity that organises the Friday night drop-in meal at St Columba’s. This month marks five years of their vital and much valued service – a hot, nutritious home-cooked meal and the chance for conversation and company. On some nights there are up to 100 guests in the Lower Hall. ReStart have been a wonderful addition to the life and purpose of our building and community.

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