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.
A week after Pentecost, the Church celebrates Trinity Sunday – understanding God, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit – not three different gods, but three expressions of a single divinity. What do we learn from this “three in one, and one in three”? Why accentuate that the single is composed, sustained and enlivened, by the interplay/friendship of the three?
Early on Sunday, before our 11am Morning Service, a few of us will gather for an adult baptism in the London Scottish Chapel. A quieter affair than the monthly baptismal service in front of the gathered congregation, it will still offer certain insights and continuities, beginning with words of scripture (Matthew 28:18-20) – Jesus commanding his disciples: “Go therefore to all nations and make them my disciples; baptise them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. I will be with you always, to the end of time.” Evidently, from earliest days of Christian community, there was recognition, or emphasis, on Father, Son and Spirit. Why? Perhaps, to make sense of what was experienced and understood. As one theologian summarised about the Trinity: “It is the verdict about God, once all the evidence has been gathered in.”
The baptism will also include the words of welcome: “Brother, by this act of baptism you begin a journey that will take your whole life. Today is not an end, but a beginning. What God will continue to make of you, we know not. Where God will lead you, surprise or inspire you, we cannot say. This we know, this we declare: God is with you. You are precious in God’s sight.” Those words remind us that whatever words we use about God will only be approximations – God will not be captured, or placed in a box, even by our best words. Father, Son and Holy Spirit is something alive, shape-changing. The way God speaks to us, touches our lives, always evolving, never static. The baptised life is to acknowledge that – open to where those understandings might lead us. So, in gratitude and anticipation we might prayer this Trinity Sunday:
God, three in one,
whose nature we acknowledge as mystery,
we praise you for every sign of your care,
for your variety of gifts,
and for every way in which you help, heal, and uphold us.
(Common Order)
See you on Sunday,
Angus
Live Streaming of Worship
We are sorry that the livestream failed last week, leaving worshippers unable to join the morning service. We have been assured that the problem has been fixed. If you would like to be sent the link for Sunday 19th May service, please email Stef at office@stcolumbas.org.uk.
Services can be watched via the church website, https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/live-stream. Reminder: If you do not wish to appear on the live-stream please choose a seat in the rear half of the sanctuary. 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 phone in to join the Sunday 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.
THIS SUNDAY: Hymns, Music & Readings for Morning Worship
Trinity Sunday, 26th May 2024
Hymn 111 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! (Nicea)
Hymn 598 Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire (St Columba, Erin)
Hymn 133 Source and Sovereign, Rock and Cloud (Aberystwyth)
Hymn 251 I, the Lord of sea and sky (Here I am Lord)
Anthem: Almighty and everlasting God, Gibbons
Musical Interlude: Lord for thy tender mercy’s sake, Farrant
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8
New Testament Reading: Romans 8:12-17
Gospel Reading: John 3:1-17
Reader: Sheila Nicoll
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
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.
Church members
We are sorry to announce the death of St Columba’s member Lucy Ewing and former member, Louise Hudson. Please keep their loved ones in your prayers.
New compositions from the Director of Music
We are delighted to announce the birth of Monty Ray Lewis-Smith, son to Ella and Ben Lewis-Smith. Monty arrived at 3am on Saturday 18th May, weighing in at 7lb 3ozs. Many congratulations to Mum and Dad and welcome Monty.
Next Sunday: Morning Service & Sunday School activities (11am), Congregational Lunch & Evening Service (5pm)
NEXT SUNDAY: Getting to Iona, by Tomás Barry, Sunday 2nd June, 1.30pm, London Scottish Chapel.
St Columba’s will hold the premiere of new play, “Getting to Iona”, written and performed by Tomás Barry. Tomas’ grandfather, Canon John Barry was a Church of Ireland priest. In 1963 Canon Barry and twelve accomplices sailed to Iona from Northern Ireland in a replica curragh, which they had constructed, to commemorate the original voyage of St Columba to Iona in 563AD. From that expedition Canon Barry wrote and published his personal account, “Joyful Pilgrimage”. Inspired by his grandfather’s book, Tomas has written a one-act play, directed by Graham Butler-Breen, describing it as “a play about leaving home for the unknown. What we seek, what we find, and what we leave behind.”
The premiere will be performed at 1.30pm on Sunday 2nd June 2024 in the London Scottish Chapel. This performance will be free to congregational members. Please book your space with the church office at office@stcolumbas.org.uk as places are limited. The play will also be performance for the public from Monday 3rd to Thursday 6th June 2024 at 7pm in the London Scottish Chapel. You can purchase your ticket on this link.
UPCOMING: St Columba’s Book Club,
Monday 3rd June
At our last meeting, the group discussed The direction of the Wind by Mansi Shah. Everyone enjoyed the book. Our next choice for the meeting on 3 June is Frederick Bachman’s Anxious People and provisionally that will be followed by The Ginger Tree by Oswald Wynd. We welcome new members, so please let the church office know if you would like to join us.
UPCOMING: St Columba’s Day Celebrations
Sunday 9th June promises to be a very special day. We mark St Columba’s Day with a celebration of Holy Communion, and the service of welcome for five new members of the congregation. Following the morning service there will be refreshments in the Upper Hall and also the Annual General Meeting of the Friends of St Columba’s, at 1.30pm. The AGM is followed by the traditional Celebration Tea, giving opportunity to mix and mingle with Friends, catching up with those not seen for some time.
Note: Congregational Prayer Group also meets at 10.15am in the Kirk Session Room on Sunday 9th June. All welcome.
Friends of St Columba’s visit postponed
Unfortunately, the visit to the synagogue at Bevis Marks, City of London, EC3A 5DQ, on Friday 21 June is postponed until 2024-25, as the extensive works are not yet completed. Watch this space!
Scots in London
Scots in London is an umbrella organisation for Scottish cultural societies, sports clubs, alumni groups, charities, churches and the Scottish military in London. The Scots in London mission is to co-ordinate members’ events, promote Scottish heritage and culture in the London area, and to support relevant charities, as well as running events. HRH the Princess Royal is the organisation’s Royal Patron.
Scots in London presents the St Andrew’s Book Festival
Scots in London’s most ambitious collaboration to date is the St Andrew’s Book Festival (25th November – 1st December 2024.)
St Columba’s is one of the three venues hosting a superb array of authors – both household names and new writers. Sir Alexander McCall Smith and Judy Murray are among headline speakers Look out in the coming weeks for ways to get involved including volunteering.
If you are interested in Friends and other memberships with exciting benefits, visit this link for options. There is an exclusive discount in May for members of Scots London, 50% off Gold and Platinum memberships with the discount code SIL50.
For more information about Scots in London, please follow this link. You can join their newsletter here to be informed about their latest news, events and opportunities as well as their member organisations.
St Columbans supporting worthy causes
Two of our elders are currently working hard to support causes dear to their hearts. You might like to support them. Nadia Dallsingh is travelling in Nepal and preparing for her climb to Everest Base Camp to support MIND, the mental health charity, particularly its work with young people. Meanwhile Susan Pym is preparing for a not quite so arduous sponsored walk to support the North London Hospice where she volunteers weekly and where her sister Marion was lovingly cared for in her last days. We salute these efforts. If you are interested in supporting Nadia and Susan their JustGiving pages are below.
Nadia’s link: Vashtee Nadias fundraiser for Mind
Susan’s link: Please Sponsor Team Marion/Maz
STAMP COLLECTION FOR RNIB
Please put any used stamps, British or foreign (clipped if possible about 1 cm round the stamp) into the basket in the office (weekdays) or at the Welcome Desk on Sundays. They are still worth money to the charity.
Many thanks.
Office Hours
The church office is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
E-mail: office@stcolumbas.org.uk
Website: www.stcolumbas.org.uk
Facebook: @stcolumbas churchpontstreet.
Twitter: @LondonKirk
Pastoral Emergency Number (out of office hours): 07591926271