Mothering Sunday
“Can a woman forget her baby at her breast, feel no pity for the child she has borne? Even if these were to forget, I shall not forget you.” Isaiah 49:15
“As one whom a mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” Isaiah 66:13.
Friends,
As we approach Mothering Sunday reflect upon and enjoy the Litany for Biblical Mothers – a reminder of numerous key protagonists in the scriptures.
Eve, mother of our humanity,
teach us true wisdom,
that all life is precious in God’s sight.
Sarah, Hannah and Elizabeth,
yearning for a child,
comfort and strengthen
all who know the pain of infertility.
Hagar, condemned to the harshness of exile,
sustain those who struggle to feed their sons and daughters.
Rebecca, bride from a far off land,
welcome women who must bring up their families among strangers.
Rachel, weeping for your children,
weep with all mothers whose children have disappeared.
Jochebed, mother of Moses and Miriam,
lend your ingenuity to women
who seek protection for their children.
Naomi and Ruth,
bound together by a love greater than blood,
show us how bitter disappointment
can become the sweetness of hope.
Mary, daughter of Israel, mother of Jesus,
share with us God’s secrets
you have pondered deep within your heart.
(From New Start Worship Resources for the Millennium, Book 2.)
Then, maybe on Sunday, offer this prayer:
Lord, on this day set aside
to honour and remember mothers,
we give you thanks for our mothers.
We are grateful that you chose to give us life through them,
and that they received the gift of life from you,
and gave it to us.
Thank you for the sacrifices they made
in carrying us and giving us birth.
We thank you for the women who raised us,
who were our mothers in childhood,
whether birth mum, adopted mum,
older sister, aunt, grandmother, stepmother,
or someone else.
We thank you for those women
who held us and fed us,
who cared for us
and kissed away our pain.
We pray that our lives may reflect
the love they showed us,
and that they would be pleased
to be called our mums. Amen.
Have a sunny end to the week and see you on Sunday,
Angus
Worshipping at St Columba’s & COVID Precautions.
While Government guidance has changed and we are still assessing the best and appropriate way forward. This Sunday we continue to recommend mask wearing within the building (unless exempt) and social distancing.
We suggest dressing warmly as we try to keep the sanctuary well ventilated and hand sanitiser will continue to be available throughout the building. In all our arrangements we recognise that people are at various stages on the pandemic journey – our aim is to keep everyone confident and safe.
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 will be on the website. We believe it is really important to continue to live-stream the Morning Service under its current format i.e. for the benefit of those joining worship from afar or those as yet unable to make the journey to Pont Street. 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 will not be live streamed as they will take place 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, 27th March 2022 – 11am
Hymn 15 The Lord’s my Shepherd (Psalm 23) (Orlington)
Hymn 181 For the beauty of the earth (Lucerna Laudoniae)
Hymn 461 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (St. Peter)
Hymn 182 Now thank we all our God (Nun Danket)
Old Testament Reading: Joshua 5: 9 – 12
New Testament Reading: II Corinthians 5: 16 – 21
Gospel Reading: Luke 15: 1 – 3, 11b – 32
Anthem – Lead me, Lord (Wesley)
Musical Interlude – Sicut Cervus (Palestrina)
Organ Postlude – Fugue in B Flat (Handel)
Church member
We are sorry to announce the death of James Donald, who died Sunday 20th March 2022. We remember Sandra and other family members in our prayers.
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.
Rising Living Costs: Help at Hand
We are aware that with the cost of living and fuel costs rising that some of our community may be struggling financially. If you, or someone you know, are in need of help, please do get in touch with the Church Office or the Ministers. All conversations will be held in the strictest of confidence.
Lent Appeal 2022
Collaboration à la Santé Publique Burkina Faso (CSPB) a small registered French charity http://cspb.cagnes.pagesperso-orange.fr
The CSPB Association is a small French charity created in 2012, providing much needed Family Planning and other related medical services in the Northern Region of Burkina Faso. The charity was created by a French GP, Dr Pierre Leon, who worked and studied in Burkina Faso and saw the need for improving Public Health (especially in Family Planning) in rural parts of the country. There is a massive problem of too many children per family as young women and girls have no access to family planning, contraception. The yearly growth rate is more than double the world average. Burkina Faso is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. Only one in eight find work.
CSPB have a midwife and a nurse specialised in HIV and reproductive health, three birth attendants all of whom work with local rural bush nurses and in villages, running clinics and training. The charity provides information talks on contraceptive implants and follow up appointments for girls/women of child bearing age offering them implants for those wanting them. CSPB organise talks in rural village school and colleges, the charity run ‘the school of husbands’ for men providing them with advice on Family Planning. Awareness campaigns for adolescent girls to help reduce unwanted pregnancies that often result in forced marriages and that can cause girls to stop schooling. The charity’s work is supported by local religious leaders, tribal chiefs and the government.
We look forward to welcoming Alasdair MacKenzie (member of St. Columba’s) to do a brief talk during the service on: Sunday 6th March and Sunday 10th April (Palm Sunday).
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.
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 that it is for the Lent Appeal. Send to:
Finance Dept. (Lent Appeal)
St. Columba’s Church
Pont Street
London SW1X 0BD
The Easter Experience, Sunday 3rd April
The Easter Experience is organised for our young families on Sunday 3rd April, during the morning service. We will walk through the Easter story together using activities, short stories, and conversation. Roughly based on the ‘Easter Experience’ run in years’ past, we’ll do a little foot washing, break some bread and drink some ‘wine’ and share in the joyful news of Jesus’ resurrection. Parents are very welcome to join in.
Congregational Sunday Future Dates
The next lunch dates are the 3rd April & 17th April 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.
Evening Services Future Days
Evening services are held on the first Sunday of the month, at 5pm. Future evening services dates are 3rd April & 1st May. They are held in the London Scottish Regimental Chapel. [Please note they are not live-streamed.]
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
St Columba’s Book Club
The April book of the St Columba’s Book Club will be “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles. We shall be meeting on Monday April 4th at 7pm and welcome new members. The joy of St Columba’s Book Club is it takes place on Zoom so you can do it from the comfort of your own front room.
St Columba’s Coffee Mornings
The St Columba’s Coffee Mornings will return in March! We are looking forward to seeing many faces on the Zoom Screen!
- 20th April 2022- The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, The Lord Wallace of Tankerness will join us to talk about his moderatorial year.
- 11th May 2022- TBC
- 14th September 2022- Revd Scott Rennie the new Minister at Crown Court will be joining us. An opportunity to meet him and hear about his time in the ministry.
- 13th October 2022- In prisons week, Jake Tily, Creative Programmes Director at the Irene Taylor Trust will talk to us about The Lullaby Project where they have collaborated with the Royal Philharmonic orchestra to write lullaby’s for prisoners children.
Happy Hour
The next Happy Hour at The Carpenters Arms (upstairs room), 12 Seymour Place W1H 7NE is on Wednesday 6th April, 6.30 – 8.30 pm. The evening will start with a talk by David Natzler. David will be looking firstly at the books of the Biblical Apocrypha, possibly repeating some of the material in recent articles in the magazine, and also at the way in which this collection of material emerged: and then at one or two comparable Apocrypha in literature and the visual arts.
The venue is only a few minutes’ walk from Marble Arch tube station. Everyone welcome to come along for an evening of discussion and social fellowship.
Friends’ Trip
The Friends of St Columba’s are visiting the Dumfries area of Scotland, from September 23rd – 25th 2022. Itinerary includes the original home of TSB, (founded by a Church of Scotland minister) a visit to Ruthwell church, with its 8th Century Cross and possibly the early Christian settlement at Whithorn. To gauge numbers, anyone interested is asked to be in touch as soon as possible via the church office or email: secfriendsofstcolumbas@gmail.com.
Congregational Prayer Resources For Lent
St Columba’s, Pont Street
Sunday 27th March 2022, Lent IV
Introduction
“Lent is a sacred treasure hunt.” In this season we do not give up something up for the sake of giving something up – but to make room for something wonderful. This year we use a mixture of scripture & poetry to lead us into our silent prayer. The scriptures reflect those selected by the Revised Common Lectionary, which we use at Morning Service.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” This stillness is not just about silence, it is about waiting on God. Once the silence begins let yourself be drawn to a particular verse, or even just a single word. Try to savour that.
“Above all do not spend the whole time of prayer talking yourself. Bring the needs of the world, and the problems of your life, before God; then leave them with Him and wait for a while in silence not only from speech, but as far as possible from thought, just desiring with all your force that in these things God’s will may be done, and resting in the quiet assurance of His love and power. There is no limit to what God will do by means of us If we train ourselves to trust Him enough.” Archbishop William Temple (1881-1944)
Silence – a meeting place where I am looking for God’s love
and God is looking for mine.
Opening prayer
Gracious God, let the words of this week fall silent:
kind words – that have encouraged us;
cruel words – that have corroded us;
pointless words – that have emptied us;
powerful words – that have uplifted us.
Into speechless time and gentle silence,
let your unspoken words
of kindness and rest
enfold us in blessing,
and with us,
this word-weary world.
Word of Life,
we pray that in this stillness,
new strength may come
and sentences of love be formed
to fill the day that is to come. Amen.
Scripture Psalm 32: 6-11
Therefore, let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you. Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
Poem: The Place Where We Are Right, Yehuda Amichai
From the place where we are right
Flowers will never grow
In the spring.
The place where we are right
Is hard and trampled
Like a yard.
But doubts and loves
Dig up the world
Like a mole, a plough.
And a whisper will be heard in the place
Where the ruined
House once stood.
Prayer Points
- Pray: For time and space in Lent for Christians to remember the sacrifices Jesus makes on his journey towards the cross; and to contemplate how our own actions can better reflect his way.
- Pray: “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”
- Pray: For peace in places of conflict and violence (those known via the news & those overlooked or forgotten.)
- Pray: For those continuing to face the demands of the COVID pandemic – medical staff, carers, researchers, mental health services; the sick, the isolated, the dying, the bereaved.
- Pray: A thanksgiving for all that has been good in the past week.
- Pray: For any particular concerns or hopes for the week ahead.
- Pray: For Mothering Sunday: Lord, on this day set aside to honour and remember mothers, we give you thanks for our mothers. We are grateful that you chose to give us life through them, and that they received the gift of life from you and gave it to us. Thank you for the sacrifices they made in carrying us and giving us birth. We thank you for the women who raised us, who were our mothers in childhood. Whether birth mum, adopted mum, older sister, aunt, grandmother, stepmother or someone else, we thank you for those women who held us and fed us, who cared for us and kissed away our pain. We pray that our lives may reflect the love they showed us, and that they would be pleased to be called our mums.
- Pray: The Lord’s Prayer
Closing prayer
God of all seasons,
in your pattern of things
there is a time for keeping and a time for losing,
a time for building up and a time for pulling down.
In this holy season of Lent,
as we journey with our Lord to the cross,
help us to discern in our lives
what we must lay down
and what we must take up;
what we must end
and what we must begin.
Give us grace to lead a disciplined life,
in glad obedience
and with the joy which comes
from a closer walk with Christ. Amen.
Blessing
Word of Life, heal, forgive, comfort, bless.
Be still, be glad, and be at peace. Amen.