Friends,
Echoing Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness, the season of Lent is set aside to prepare and deepen us for the eventual embrace and celebration of Easter. It offers the opportunity to enter profoundly into the mystery of Christ’s life, death and resurrection; a time to reassess what is important; a time to consider what Christ means to us now. Jesus’ hard road to the Cross is offered as reminder, strength, and challenge for the hard roads which we, or our loved ones, may be called onto.
To help us travel well, there are a variety of resources prepared for this season. This week church members have received the Congregational Pastoral Letter. Starting this week, there are weekly contributions: recorded bible readings from church members’ homes, prayers from the congregational prayer group, Lent Book study groups, short films from Rev Christopher Rowe (minister of Colston Milton Parish Church, Glasgow) and picture meditations for our young people, created by retired minister, Rev David Donald Scott (formerly minister in Forth, Logie, Bearsden and finally, Traprain.) All these resources are via the website
https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/lent-and-easter-2022
We hope you will discover something to inspire you, encourage you, and help you to pray – resourced, resilient, rejoicing, readied for the pilgrim road ahead.
“Rejoice, you are about to embark on a great adventure, a journey of transformation. Make each of the forty days significant, for it is the joyous road to Easter.”
Angus
Welcome to St Columba’s on Sunday 6th March
We look forward to welcoming the families and friends of Arty Holmes and Otis Niccoli who come for baptism this Sunday. Welcome too, to all our Sunday School families gathering for activities at 11am. And a special welcome to Alasdair MacKenzie who will speak about the work of Collaboration à la Santé Publique Burkina Faso (CSPB), our selected Lent Appeal for 2022 (see below.) Congregational lunch follows morning service and there is evening service (Holy Communion) at 5pm in the London Scottish Regimental Chapel. All in all, we anticipate a full and happy day.
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, 6th March 2022 – 11am
Hymn 337 Forty days and forty nights (Aus Der Tiefe Heinlein)
Hymn 338 Jesus, tempted in the desert (Ebenezer)
Hymn 137 All things bright and beautiful (All things bright and beautiful)
Hymn 513 Courage brother! Do not stumble (Courage Brother)
Gospel Reading: Luke 4:1-13
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Anthem – Wash me throughly by Wesley
Musical Interlude – Nolo mortem peccatoris by Morley
Organ Postlude – Elegy by Thalben-Ball
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
Congregational Sunday Lunch 6th March 2022 & Future Dates
This Sunday we offer a fine congregational lunch after service. The next lunch dates are 20th March, 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.
Hospitality – Sunday Lunch Teams
We now have five lunch teams, each led by a Team Leader serving lunches on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of every month and on the 5th Sunday of any month with 5 Sundays. One lunch team is a bit short handed, whilst a second team is in need of two cashiers. Team members assist in the kitchen, in the laying of tables, or serving lunch. Whatever your skills, we have a place for you. A cashier will be “shown the ropes” by our Hospitality Treasurer. This much valued service contributes greatly to the fellowship at St. Columba’s. If you are interested in finding out more about ways to help please contact me on: 01206 795244 or by e-mail: ben.gourlay41@gmail.com, or via the church office.
Thank you. Ben Gourlay, Convener of Hospitality Committee, February 2022.
Service of Holy Communion, 5pm, Sunday 6th March
Evening services are held on the first Sunday of the month, at 5pm. Future evening services dates are 6th March & 3rd April. They are held in the London Scottish Regimental Chapel. [Please note they are not live-streamed.] Sunday 6th March will be a service of holy communion.
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
Newcastle 300
Irene Wilkinson, Session Clerk of St Andrew’s, Newcastle, our linked charge writes the following: “As you are all by now aware this is a big year for us as we celebrate 300 years of a Church of Scotland ministry in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Although a Scots Kirk was established 300 years ago, we can actually trace Scottish Presbyterianism in the city back another 200 years. St Andrew’s is now the only remaining legacy of 500 years of Scottish Presbyterian worship in the city.
A committee was set up in 2021 to coordinate celebration plans and I am now able to give you some more information about our proposed celebrations. We will start a six-month programme on Easter Sunday, 17th April, when our morning worship will be led by the minister and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland will preach. Over the following months we will have visiting preachers at least once per month who have a past or present connection within St Andrew’s until we end with a service of Thanksgiving and Holy Communion on 16th October.
The committee has focussed on the number 300 in their planning and asks us to individually and jointly, celebrate that number in what we choose to do. So far, we plan to sing hymns for 300 minutes, plant 300 bulbs, collect 300 tins of food for the foodbank. Someone is considering a 300-minute sponsored bike ride and others have thoughts about what they might do ranging from donations of three hundred pounds to three hundred pennies, 300 minutes of prayer or 300 minutes working in the church garden (works out at 1 hour a week for 5 weeks.)
The Craft Group is working hard to produce 300 items and could use a little support. They need 100% cotton fabric, 100% acrylic wool, 80/20 wadding for quilts and other items. If you can help with any of this please ask them so that they can let you know exactly what they need or please make a donation, clearly labelled craft group, via the collection plate or bank. I look forward to sharing this special time with you all
A Service to Celebrate the Life of Shelia Haddon
Many of the congregation will remember Shelia Haddon, former Elder, Property Convenor and Office Administrator at Crown Court Church of Scotland. Sadly Shelia died in June 2020 and there will be a Service to celebrate her life at Crown Court Church on Saturday 19th March at 3pm. Following the service there will a collection for MND Scotland and a reception in the hall.
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!
- 16th March 2022- Alasdair MacKenzie (member of St Columba’s) will tell us about this year’s Lent Appeal charity Collaboration Santé Publique Burkina Faso (http://cspb.cagnes.pagesperso-orange.fr/)
- 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.
Sounds of St Columba’s
On the 20th March, The Choir with No Name will join us for a concert also to be held in the Sanctuary from 1.15pm. The Choir with No Name now rehearse weekly at St Columba’s and you can find more details on them here
https://www.choirwithnoname.org/
Congregational Prayer Resources For Lent
St Columba’s, Pont Street
Sunday 6th March 2022, Lent I
Introduction
Lent begins with a reminder of our mortality. In some traditions the Ash Wednesday custom is to mark the forehead with the sign of the Cross. As the ashes are daubed the priest says: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.” It is an honest stripping away of illusions. It is the overture to a season of serious reflection on ourselves, our lives, our priorities. Lent’s purpose is not to plunge us all into gloom and depression, but rather to allow a new light into our self-reflection during its 40 days.
This week a mixture of scripture & poetry is a way into silent prayer. The psalm chosen, is selected from Revised Common Lectionary which we use at Morning Service. As you sit with scripture or poetry let yourself be drawn to a particular verse, or even just a single word. Try to savour that.
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 51
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit,
to sustain me.
Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice,
or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God,
is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
Poem: Lent, Jean M Watt
Lent is a tree without blossom, without leaf,
Barer than blackthorn in its winter sleep,
All unadorned. Unlike Christmas which decrees
The setting-up, the dressing-up of trees,
lent is a taking down, a stripping bare,
A starkness after all has been withdrawn
Of surplus and superfluous,
Leaving no hiding-place, only an emptiness
Between black branches, a most precious space
Before the leaf, before the time of flowers,
Lest we should see only the leaf, the flower,
lest we should miss the stars.
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: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 - 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: 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.