Friends,
The photos above give a small taste of Coronation week. On the left, St Columba’s member, Ian Aitchison, one year shy of his century, enjoying the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. (Readers of Hello Magazine can further enjoy pictures of Ian chatting to Queen Camilla.) Meanwhile, on the right, evidence of a very happy gathering on Sunday in the Lower Hall, for the Coronation “Street Party” Lunch. Attendees were treated to delicious eats and a lovely, relaxed and enjoyable company. We are very grateful to all those involved in planning, preparing, sharing, and clearing a truly memorable event.
This Sunday is another cause for celebration and a very significant moment in the ongoing life and work of St Columba’s, when we ordain ten new elders.
Wendy Betts
Roderick Cameron
Isobel Carter
Vashtee Nadia Dallsingh
Ruth Kattumuri
Neil MacDonald
Colin John MacKinnon
Andrew James Smith
Alan Thackery
Pamela Thackery
In the service, after the new elders have made their promises, the final part of the service is a “Renewal of Congregational Commitment.” Three things are striking. Firstly, we are all asked to dedicate/rededicate ourselves i.e.,
not just the new elders:
To all: Members and elders of this congregation: putting your whole trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, do you commit yourselves to love and serve his Church and Kingdom? We do.
Secondly there is a reminder that we all need to support and encourage our elders, new or existing:
To the congregation: As members of this congregation, will you encourage and support your elders, surround them with your love, and remember them in your prayers? We will.
Thirdly, elders are reminded about how they should undertake their many and varied tasks:
To the elders: In your service as elders, will you promise to carry out all your duties, faithfully and cheerfully, God being your helper? We will.
The Iona Community have a prayer that references cheerfulness: “O God, who gave to your servant Columba the gifts of courage, faith and cheerfulness, and sent people out from Iona to carry the word of your gospel to every creature, grant, we pray, a like spirit to your Church, even at this present time. Further in all things the purpose of our community, that hidden things may be revealed to us, and new ways found to touch the lives of all. May we preserve with each other sincere charity and peace, and, if it be your holy will, grant that a place of your abiding be continued still to be a sanctuary and a light.”
Revd Tom Gordon, an Iona Community member reflects: “Cheerfulness, therefore, is not levity or anything trivial, but a deep-seated sense of purpose, staying positive, rising above adversity, not worrying so much … as much an attribute for a servant of God as courage and faith.”
As Jesus encouraged his disciples:
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Please keep our elders, new and existing in your prayers.
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, 14th May 2023
Hymn 680 You are called to tell the story (Regent Square)
Hymn 530 One more step along the world I go (Southcote)
Hymn 595 O breath of life, come sweeping through us (Sunset)
Hymn 644 O Jesus, I have promised (Thornbury)
Choir Anthem: Verleih uns Freiden, Mendelssohn
Musical Interlude: Laudate Dominum, Sweelinck
Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 34.7-16
New Testament Reading: I Peter 5.1-11
Postlude: Prelude in C minor by Mendelssohn
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.
THIS WEEK: Sunday 14th May 2023 Congregational Prayer Group, Ordination of New Elders, Congregational Lunch, Christian Aid Cake Sale & St Columba’s Congregational Meeting
Sunday 14th May will be a very special Sunday when ten new elders are set to be ordained. Rev Andrew Anderson is our guest preacher. Congregational lunch follows. Then at 1.30pm we hold the Annual Congregational Meeting in the Upper Hall. It is a good chance to hear and ask questions about, the work and plans of our congregation. If you wish to look at the accounts and annual report before the meeting, you can do so here
https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/financials.
Our Guest Preacher
Andrew and his wife, Hazel, were members of St Columba’s Church, from 1971 until 1977, when Andrew went to New College, University of Edinburgh, to train for the ministry. He was ordained and inducted in 1981 to Greenside, Parish Church, Edinburgh, where he served for 30 years before retiring to Oxford in 2012. In recent years, he has conducted services and preached on a number of occasions at St Columba’s. He is a member of the Presbytery of England and the Channel Islands.
Sunday School & future dates:
Between March & June, we offer Sunday School on the first and third Sundays of the month.
- Sunday 21st May
- Sunday 4th June (Second Sunday of half term)
- Sunday 25th June (Families Communion & Congregational Picnic)
Congregational Sunday Lunch & Future Dates
This Sunday there will be a fine lunch served in the Lower Hall after the service. Future dates for lunches are 21st May & 4th June 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.
St Columba’s Members
The funeral of St Columba’s elder Alison Buchanan will take place at St Columba’s on Friday 12th May 2023 at 12pm.
St Columba’s member Iain Johnstone died on the 3rd May 2023. Details of his funeral will be published as soon as we have them.
Rest eternal grant unto them and let light perpetual shine upon them
THIS SUNDAY: Congregational Prayer Group, Sunday, 14th May
Come and join us to pray (10.00 – 10.15am) in the London Scottish Chapel…everyone is welcome! A short time of prayer led by members of the congregation.
“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart’.
Christian Aid Week: 14th to 20th May
The focus has switched this year to Malawi and the terrible effect climate change is having there, particularly for the families that rely on farming to survive. Malawi suffers with such erratic and severe weather due to climate change, drought, sometimes terrible flooding and it was also hit by a devastating cyclone a couple of months ago. Your donations could help fund the purchase of drought resistant seeds/crop such as the amazing hardy pigeon peas, farming tools, a bicycle so that experienced farmers can travel by bike to train other less experienced farmers, money towards a co-operative oven to enable local people to turn their pigeon peas into profit by baking bread and funding would also help provide business training of local farmers.
Ways to donate are:
Cake Sale – Sunday 14th May – Entrance Vestibule – Calling all cake bakers!
Following on from the success of last year’s cake sale we thought we would do it again. If you would like to bake a cake(s) or biscuits and either bring in to the Entrance Vestibule before the service on Sunday 14th May, or you can leave it with the Church Office a few days beforehand. Please label cake packaging with what type of cake it is. Cakes can then be purchased after the service. All money raised will go to Christian Aid Week. Please do come and buy a cake, or even a slice of cake to have with your coffee in the Upper Hall.
- There will be red CA collecting buckets in the Upper Vestibule after the service on Sunday 7th, 14th and 21st May. The main CA collection Sunday will be on Sunday 14th May.
- CA envelopes will be available on a table in the Upper Vestibule, and a tick box for those eligible to Gift Aid their donation. Some CA envelopes will also be in the pews.
- Online donations: We have our own church online giving page for Christian Aid Week (GiveStar). Please click on the link:
https://giving.give-star.com/online/christian-aid/chelsea-st-columba-christian-aid-week-2023
Your donations will help improve the lives of some of the world’s poorest people. Thank you.
Petition: Please do sign the online Christian Aid: East Africa Hunger Crisis Petition, thank you for your support.
East Africa Hunger Crisis petition – Christian Aid
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 May 20: Visit to Canterbury Cathedral and City (www.canterbury-cathedral.org/visit). This is the mother church of the Anglican faith, and seat of the Archbishop. We shall discover the history of the Cathedral from the re-establishment of Christianity in England in 597, to the murder of Thomas Beckett, which made Canterbury one of the most important pilgrimage sites. Rendezvous by ticket booth at the Cathedral entrance, 11 a.m.
- Friday 23rd June: Visit to the Handel and Hendrix Museum. George Frideric Handel lived at 25 Brook Street from 1723 until his death in 1759. It was here that Handel wrote and rehearsed his greatest works, including his Messiah. In 1968, Jimi Hendrix moved into an adjoining flat at number 23. He entertained, inspired and collaborated with other icons of British 60s rock music. Handel & Hendrix in London present these buildings as an evolving celebration of Handel’s and Hendrix’s lives. Tickets must be purchased in advance so please get in touch with Isobel Carter if you would like to attend.
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 Book Group
The St Columba’s Book Group will meet (on Zoom!) on Wednesday the 7th June at 6.30pm. The book we will discuss is Lesson’s in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.
New members are always welcome. Contact the Church Office for the log in details.
NEXT WEEK: 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.
21st May 2023 – Fredrick Seines, classical guitarist will play a programme of music to include Bach, Poulenc and Dowland.
18th June 2023 – Emily Sun, in demand international violinist will play the Tchaikovsky’ Violin Concerto
16th July 2023- Ashley Fripp, Piano recital
Songs of Praise – Choose your favourite hymns!
Our last evening service before the summer is on Sunday 4th June (5pm.) It is our annual Songs of Praise, based on congregational choices. You can make a recommendation via the sign up board outside the sanctuary or make a recommendation and explain a little of why that hymn is special via email to William at associateminister@stcolumbas.org.uk All recommendations by Sunday 28th May.
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.
PRAYERS FROM CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER GROUP FOR SUNDAY 14TH MAY, 2023
OPENING PRAYER
Today we hold in our prayers the ten members of this church who will be ordained This morning. Give them the strength of faith to Do Justly, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with their God. Help them to find support and fulfilment in their membership of the Kirk Session. May those elders and members of the congregation who welcome them today refresh their vows in kinship with the new elders. We remember Alison and Esma who served the kirk session so faithfully and well.
Teach us all to listen to others and not rush to judgement. To be humble in our relationships with all and merciful to those who we find difficult to approach. To serve and not to count the cost.
We thank you for the FELLOWSHIP we enjoy. We give thanks for all the hard work and thought that went into the Coronation lunch last week, and the loving labour which will make the Cake Sale today a success. In Christian Aid week we are thankful for our willingness to share our food and money with those in need all over the world.
Remember those who travel to spread the gospel in the footsteps of Paul and the disciples, encountering danger and rejection. And those whose worship is forced underground. Jesus promised that they should not be forgotten:
They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them. John 14. V. 21
SCRIPTURE
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves of free – and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. I Corinthians 12, v.12
For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. Romans 12 v.4
TIME OF QUIET
The Collect for the 6th Sunday of Easter: (Said together)
O Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leadeth to eternal life; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
THE BLESSING
We have laid our burdens down
In the presence of the living God.
We have been nourished for our journey
In the presence of the living God.
We have taken on the armour of Christ
In the presence of the living God.
Now lead us, guide us, defend us,
As we go into your world
In your name and for your sake,
O loving, living God.
Amen