Friends,
A Very Happy New Year to you. May 2025 be a year of many blessings for all who know and are connected to St Columba’s. To start, or summon us to all that lies ahead, A New Year’s Poem, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rimes But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
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. If you experience any issue with livestream on the day, please email livestream@stcolumbas.org.uk (please note that this address will only be monitored on Sundays).
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 0208 080 6591.
Step 2: You will be prompted to enter a meeting ID. Please type (using your telephone keypad) 884 4746 5645
Step 3: You will then be asked for a participant number – simply press the #.
Step 4: You will be asked to enter the password. Enter 838727
Step 5: Enjoy the service! You will hear the organ music from 10.50am.
THIS SUNDAY: Hymns, Music & Readings for Sunday, 5th January 2025, Epiphany
Hymn 48 His large and great dominion shall (Effingham)
Hymn 336 Christ is our light! The bright and morning star
(Highland Cathedral)
Hymn 324 Angels from the realms of glory (Iris)
Hymn 326 As with gladness men of old (Dix)
Anthem: O Little one Sweet – JS Bach (1685-1750)
Musical Interlude: Sans Day Carol – Rutter (b. 1945)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6
Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12
Reader: Stuart Steele
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.
THIS SUNDAY: Morning Service, Sunday School and Baptism followed by Lunch in the Lower Hall.
St Columba’s elder, Gary Wallis leads worship this Sunday. Gary is currently training for full time ministry of Word & Sacrament for the Church of Scotland. We look forward to his being with us for the morning service. Also, a special welcome to the family and friends of Clementine Tessa Nimmo who come for her baptismal service this Sunday.
THIS SUNDAY: Sunday 5th January 2025, St Columba’s Craft Group, 1.30pm, Kirk Session Room
Many of us are knitters and crocheters of varying levels of experience; others are embroiderers spinners and patchworkers, so whatever your interest is you will find a welcome with us. For more details contact Susan Pym or Fiona Lang via the church office.
THIS SUNDAY: Evening Service of Music & Readings for Epiphany.
London Scottish Chapel. Followed by Coffee and Tea in the Lower Hall
NEXT SUNDAY: Congregational Prayer Group, 10.15 – 10.30am, Kirk Session Room
Join others to pray for the continuing life and work of St Columba’s.
NEXT SUNDAY: Morning Service, Rt Revd James Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster followed by Coffee and Tea in the Upper Hall.
In anticipation of The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (traditionally observed from the 18th to the 25th January) our guest preacher will be the recently appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster.
NEXT SUNDAY: Sunday 12th January, 1pm, Lower Hall
We are delighted that RSCDS are offering Scottish Country Dancing for children. The class takes place once a month on Sunday afternoons (2nd Sunday of the month) taught by Rose Kreloff. Children should be at least primary school aged (typically 4-12) but dancers in their early teens also welcome. Please book into the class by emailing classes@rscdslondon.org.uk
Thanks to Christmas Makers, Music Makers & Many More
Before 2024 fades into the distance take a moment to thank the many people who have given time, talent, resource, faith and love to enrich the life and ministry of St Columba’s, Pont Street and St Andrew’s, Newcastle over the past twelve months. Beautifully summed up by Session Clerk, Charlotte Bradford:
“Thank you so much to all of you – all our staff, Kirk Session elders, congregation and others – who have done a myriad different things this year to keep the show on the road: cooking, serving, doing the flowers, the Sunday School, the music, the magazine, the minutes, beadling, the live stream, bookstall, welcome desk, prayer group, counting crockery, keeping in touch with our members, convening committees, mending Bibles, reading the lesson, organising social events, sending out birthday cards, preparing Communion, masterminding our Mission activities, covering in the office, finance, fabric, maintenance, handing out hymnbooks, Christmas candles and lots more – and just for turning up week by week.” To which I would add a huge thanks to our two Session Clerks, Charlotte at St Columba’s and Irene Wilkinson at St Andrew’s. Finally, after so much lovely music at our Christmas services we are very grateful for the music that enhances our worship throughout the year, under the direction of Ben Lewis-Smith and ably assisted by Catherine Olver. In so many ways we are an incredibly fortunate congregation and community.
UPCOMING: Sunday 19th January, Sounds of St Columba’s, 1.30pm, Upper Hall
Operatic Treasures – an assortment of operatic arias and duets
Gulshan Akin – Soprano
Efim Zafalny – Baritone
Rebekka Magomedova – Piano
UPCOMING: “A Not-Quite-the Burns-Supper”, Saturday 25th January 2025.
Not the all-singing, all-dancing Church Burns Supper of regular times, but an enjoyable evening of traditional fayre with some community singing and Burns recitations.
Tickets £15 from Eventbrite only on this link and will include two course Supper (Haggis, Neaps and Tatties followed by Cranachan). Cash bar on the night.
UPCOMING: Tuesday 27th January 2025, 6.30pm
The Book Club met to discuss The Phone Box at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina. It is a novel based on a real phone box in Japan. Although most found the first few chapters rather challenging, the universal view was that it was definitely worth persevering with and a good read. Our next meeting is by Zoom on January 27 when we shall discuss The Outrun by Amy Liptrot. After that we shall read Eight Months on Ghazzah Street by Hilary Mantel.
Office Hours
The church office is open from 9am to 5pm, 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