Friends,
On Saturday evening the Lower Hall will come to life, with the return of the congregational Burns Supper. After two years of enforced absence, a new team of organisers led by Colin MacKinnon, Fiona Lang and William McLaren, and supported by numerous volunteers, will orchestrate food, drink, music, Immortal Memory, and merriment. It is an occasion that is much looked forward to. It requires a great deal of time and planning, and we offer our collective support and thanks in advance.
Friends,
This Sunday we will be thinking once more about John the Baptist; John pointed away from himself towards Jesus which is what any effective preacher should do. When John said, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” (St. John 1:35) two of John’s disciples were intrigued and followed Jesus who invited them to “Come and see”. Later, one of the two, Andrew, brought his brother Simon Peter to meet Jesus. Andrew was very good at introducing people to Jesus, on another occasion he brought the young boy with the loaves and fish to meet Jesus (St. John 6: 1 – 14) leading to the feeding of the five thousand.
A Happy New Year to you. May 2023 be full of many good things for you and your loved ones.
In the Church calendar, this is the week we mark Epiphany (for us 6th January.) At the end of this week’s newsletter, St Columba’s elder, Karen Cunningham describes some of the traditions that celebrate Epiphany in Switzerland & Austria, which she knows well.
Friends,
This is our last newsletter in 2022, so a little round up of seasonal related things.
Many thanks to those who prepared the sanctuary so beautifully for the Carols by Candlelight on Sunday evening, as well as all who contributed by reading, singing, mulling the wine and mincing the pies. Later the same evening the new season of the Night Shelter got underway, with additional guests being brought in due to the very low temperatures. Thank you to all who will volunteer to offer welcome and hospitality on behalf of St Columba’s throughout the winter. On the same day, William was leading worship at St Andrew’s, Newcastle and was able to join some with some sixty members and visitors for a full Christmas lunch after service. Our friends in the North certainly know how to put on a spread.
Friends,
This week, in the space of forty-eight hours and five carol services, we estimate approximately two and half thousand people have attended services in the sanctuary of St Columba’s. We have welcomed the Supporting Wounded Veterans charity, the University of St Andrew’s Alumni and three school services. Whether decorated with firs and fairy lights or serenaded by junior brass band players, each occasion has drawn people in. They come for a whole variety of reasons, not necessarily seasonal – to support a good cause, to meet old friends, to mark the end of another term. But my sense is that when these things are done well there are moments of beauty where people are touched and the gift of something peaceful or profound is given and received, however unexpected.
Friends,
Last weekend was a memorable one. The third visit of the young people of the GKexperience, using St Columba’s as a base for their exhausting but entertaining adventures in London; the joint service of communion with our Church of Scotland neighbours, Crown Court and the visit of the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields and Mrs Linda Greenshields.
Friends
This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, and here at St Columba’s it is definitely a Sunday of welcomes. Firstly, to the young people, volunteers, and staff of the GKexperience, making their third London weekend trip, based at St Columba’s. Their action-packed itinerary includes the theatre (“Wicked”), speeding on the river (Thames Rockets), the Tower of London, a meal out and Sunday morning service with us – when we will have a chance to hear how they have got on.
Friends,
Remembrance-tide was, as always a significant moment in the life of St Columba’s. We hosted two services of Remembrance, for Hill House School and Knightsbridge School, then marked Remembrance Sunday with our congregational morning service and followed that in the afternoon, welcoming the London Scottish Regimental family. (The photos above are school artwork prepared for St Columba’s, and the “poppy gates” are from a neighbouring primary school.) In the light of all that I share the post Remembrance thoughts of the Reverend Tom Gordon, who writes a daily blog at https://swallowsnestnet.wordpress.com/category/daily-reflections/ My thanks to Tom for letting us share the following reflection.
Friends
The Old Testament reading set for this Sunday (Isaiah 65:17-25) begins: “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice for ever in what I am creating, for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.”
Friends
November invites consideration of mortality. In the calendar of many congregations the month commences with the Festival of All Saints (November 1st) and on the Sunday nearest the November 11th, we mark Remembrance Sunday. At St Columba’s this Sunday (6th November) we also hold our annual Bereavement Service (5pm.)
Friends,
I love fireworks, some of my earliest memories are of the 5th of November, bonfires, fireworks and sparklers. And, of course, many countries mark their National Day and other special occasions with lavish firework displays, Independence Day in the USA and Bastille Day in France being just two examples. Nearer home, the Hogmanay fireworks display against the magnificent backdrop of Edinburgh Castle has acquired a worldwide reputation.
Friends,
Last Sunday, our linked charge of St Andrew’s, Newcastle concluded their “300 Season” with a celebratory weekend. Since Easter this year they have been marking 300 years of Church of Scotland presence and worship in their city. (One could claim that the Kirk actually has a longer heritage in the Toon.) There was a very happy congregational dinner on Saturday evening and communion on Sunday morning. During the service there was a dedication and blessing of items created in recent months by members and friends of the craft group. Despite being small in number, the crafters have produced an absolute mountain of beautiful, lovingly made items – well in excess of the target of 300 items, which they originally set for themselves. Among the collection were:
Friends,
World Homelessness Week, promoted by the Church Homeless Trust, 9 – 16th October, is an opportunity to share vital information about homelessness, debunk myths, celebrate success stories and raise awareness. Personally, I was shocked to learn that one in every 200 people in England are homeless and that 125,000 of them are children. There are as many reasons for homelessness as there are homeless people, each homeless person has their own unique story. The Covid pandemic caused hardship for very many people who never thought they would be in that situation and cost of living increases as we approach Autumn and Winter are causing others to be increasingly anxious.
Friends,
Prisons Week (9th – 16th October 2022) aims to encourage prayer and awareness of the needs of prisoners and their families, victims of offenders, prisons staff and all those who care within the justice system. This Sunday, those in church will receive a prayer sheet for the week ahead. Each day of the week, a new prayer brings into focus a different group affected by prison or criminal justice.
Friends,
As I was preparing to write this Newsletter I learned of the death at the age of 94 of Brother Andrew (Andrew van der Bijl) founder of Open Doors. Many of you will be familiar with his story – growing up in the Netherlands during the Second World War he carried messages for the Dutch Resistance, later he served in the Dutch army in the far east before training as a missionary in Glasgow in the early 1950’s.
Friends,
This Sunday we welcome friend to St Columba’s, the Reverend Christopher Rowe. Christopher is the minister of Glasgow’s, Colston Milton Parish, an area of considerable social deprivation. Christopher’s ministry is resourced as part of the Church of Scotland’s responsibility, as the National Church, to provide Christian ministry as widely as possible across Scotland. This is funded in part by the contributions of congregations, such as St Columba’s, enabling the Church to have a presence in places, that on their own, could not afford a minister. Christopher’s presence with us is a helpful reminder of the wider work and impact of our denomination. Christopher has preached twice previously during Stewardship months; he also shared his series of Lent meditations, filmed in Milton https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/lent/meditations-2021/