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.
April also marks the conclusion of another Night Shelter season for an even more long-standing charity working with the homeless, in partnership with St Columba’s. Glass Door has been operating emergency winter night shelters for over 20 years. According to their website, it runs the UK’s largest network of open access night shelters for people experiencing homelessness. (Open access in practice means no matter who you are or where you come from, you can turn to Glass Door for support.)
The charity’s winter Night Shelter season ran from Monday 6th November 2023 until 8th April 2024, offering 105 spaces per night across three shelter circuits in West & Southwest London. St Columba’s hosted the shelter on Sunday evenings, providing an evening meal, a place to sleep (the Upper Hall) and an early breakfast. This season the three circuits were operated by 45 shelter staff and more than 600 volunteers, as well as the year-round Casework and Operations Team, allowing the charity to deliver shelter provision seven days a week in each of the three rotating circuits over the last five months. This winter Glass Door also expanded the scale of operation and operated a women’s shelter for the first time, which was a significant success. The charity offered the following quick overview of the 2023-2024 night shelter season:
- Glass Door received 1,568 referrals
- 542 people stayed in the shelters
- 314 men and 226 women
- 83% were previously sleeping rough
- 39% under the age of 35
- 34% aged 35-49
- 27% aged 50+
- 24% from the UK, 21% Eritrean, 5% Sudanese, 4% Ethiopian and 4% Polish
- The average stay was 26.3 days
Although the cost-of-living crisis and the ever-growing challenge to find affordable and quality housing in London puts great pressure on caseworkers, Glass Door celebrate these positive outcomes:
- 388 (72%) engaged with caseworkers
- 105 guests have been moved to more permanent housing so far: 56 women, 49 men
- 23 guests have been connected with health services
- 62% of women referred to our shelters preferred to be in a single-gender shelter, showing the value of adding a women’s shelter this winter
- the year-round casework team will continue to support the 388 guests who engaged to build their route out of homelessness.
At the conclusion of another Night Shelter season, it is appropriate to pause and give thanks for all who have contributed towards the ongoing work – charity staff, volunteers – chefs and servers – donors and those who keep both ReStart and Glass Door in their prayers. Special thanks to church member, Jill Bruce, for the important task of co-ordinating the Sunday night volunteers at St Columba’s this winter. May we also understand the blessings that are given and received by the regular presence of our homeless guests within St Columba’s – for as the Celtic rune of hospitality suggests: “…often Christ passes in the stranger’s guise.”
Angus
Live Streaming of Worship
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 this Sunday, 14th April 2024.
We very much hope to restore the telephone Dial-in facility this Sunday. Please bear with our technicians as we seek to resolve last week’s difficulties. If all is well normal service should be restored: 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.
Hymns, Music & Readings for Morning Worship
Sunday 21st April 2024
Hymn 415 This joyful Eastertide (Vruechten)
Hymn 462 The King of Love my Shepherd is
(Dominus Regit Me)
Hymn 417 Now the green blade riseth (Noel Nouvelet)
Hymn 425 The Saviour died, but rose again
(St Andrew,Tans’ur)
Anthem: My beloved spake, Hadley
Musical Interlude: Rise heart, Vaughan Williams
New Testament Reading I: Acts 4:5-12
New Testament Reading II: 1 John 3:16-24
Gospel Reading: John 10:11-18
Reader: Roderick Cameron
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.
Lent Appeal 2024, Firefly International
A big thank you to everyone who contributed so generously to this year’s Lent Appeal on behalf of Firefly International. We are able to share the happy news that the Appeal raised £6,540.55. This will surely benefit the ongoing work of the ongoing Firefly/Svitac youth project in Bosnia. Thank you to the Mission Committee, led inspirationally by Naomi Donaldson.
THIS SUNDAY: Morning Worship & Sunday School, 11am
THIS SUNDAY: Congregational Lunch, Lower Hall, 12.15pm
THIS SUNDAY: Congregational Talk by Revd Alistair Cumming, 1.30pm, Upper Hall.
St Columba’s member and current Clerk of the Presbytery of England & the Channel Islands will explain about his role and work with the Church of Scotland’s Faith Action Programme Leadership Team. In advance of the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland this is a good opportunity to hear more about Presbytery plans, Church finances, numbers of ministers, and future visions for the Church of Scotland.
UPCOMING: The St Columba’s Kirk Session meets Friday 26th April, at 6.35pm
As always, non-elders are welcome to attend as observers.
UPCOMING: New Members’ Conference & Service, Wednesday 8th May & Sunday 9th June
If you would like to learn more about what becoming a member of St Columba’s would involve, you are warmly invited to an evening of food and discussion on Wednesday 8th May 2024, 6.30pm. For those who would then like to become members there will be a Service of Welcome on Sunday 9th June – which appropriately is the day we celebrate St Columba himself! For more information speak to either of the ministers and please sign up via the Church Office.
UPCOMING: Christian Aid Week
Christian Aid Week: 12th to 18th May 2024
To launch Christian Aid Week, we are delighted that Jennifer Larbie, Head of UK Advocacy and Campaigns for Christian Aid, will be joining us and we look forward to her sermon on Sunday 12th May. The focus this year is on Burundi, one of the world’s poorest countries.
Cake Sale – Sunday 12th May – Entrance Vestibule – Calling all bakers!
If you would like to bake a cake(s), or biscuits, scones, shortbread and either bring into the Entrance Vestibule before the service on Sunday 12th 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 etc. 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.
UPCOMING: Crown Court Quiz
Crown Court quiz will be held on 27th April (at Crown Court, WC2B 5EZ) at 6.30pm. Tickets cost £5 per person. Tables will be arranged for six people, however smaller groups/ individuals can be amalgamated / allocated a team. Snacks and soft drinks will be provided, guests are very welcome to bring their own drinks as well. Contact office@crowncourtchurch.org.uk to book your space.
UPCOMING: Book Club, Monday 29th April.
The monthly Book Club meets on a Monday evening via zoom. The next reading choice is “The Direction of the Wind” by Marsi Shah. If you would like to join the group, please contact the office for details.
UPCOMING: Friends of St Columba’s Visit to St Alban’s Cathedral, Saturday 11th May 2024.
The Friends head tothe oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain.
Rendezvous inside the main entrance at 11 a.m. The entry is free. A general tour costs £8 which we shall take upon arrival, (1 hour 15 mins). If you would like to take subsequently a Specialist Tour (1 hour – music, textiles, flowers, pilgrimages); or a tower tour to admire the view, these cost £10 and are available before 2 p.m.
Lunch will be at The Abbott’s Kitchen at the Cathedral.For more detail https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/friends-of-st-columbas If you intend to join, please let Isobel Carter know in advance: isobel@in-carter.com; 07768 275 591.
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