Friends,
Our services leading towards Easter (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday) remind us of key moments in Jesus’ final hours in Jerusalem. Sharing bread and wine with the disciples at the Last Supper; going out to pray in the garden of Gethsemane; betrayal and arrest; trial and desertion; humiliation and crucifixion; death and burial.
Poignant and brutal; tragic and beautiful. The scriptures we will hear are uncomfortable – how can they be otherwise? Yet they speak profoundly about the depths of God’s love and care for us, embodied by Jesus.
The meditation below – on cross, crown, robe, bread, wine and garden – is similarly and necessarily unsettling. But hints that the discomfort of the journey will be outweighed by the prize of arrival, and the splendour of the Easter panorama.
I wish for you a cross that is not padded
but one that breaks
the easy hopes we are given
and finds new reason to believe
I wish for you a crown that is not comfortable
but one that challenges
the biased powers of the world
and begins a new kind of kingdom
I wish for you a robe that is not purple
but one that is torn and dirty
from sheltering the poor
and shape a new way to live together
I wish for you bread that is not whole
but is broken and divided enough to feed the hungry
and offer a new justice to all
I wish for you wine that is not sweet
but one that is sharp and reminds us of the sacrifice
that newly opens the gate of heaven
I wish for you a garden before sunrise
that you may be first to see footprints of the gardener
and exclaim anew: ‘My Lord, it is You!’
May your travels be blessed and your Easter moments joyful,
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.
THIS SUNDAY: Psalms, Poetry & Silent Prayer for Lent
10.00 – 10.15am. A short time of quiet prayer in the London Scottish Chapel, led by the Minister. (All Sundays in Lent.)
Hymns, Music & Readings for Morning Service, 9th April 2023, Easter Day
Hymn 410 Jesus Christ is risen today (Easter Hymn)
Hymn 425 The Saviour died, but rose again (St Andrew, Tans’ur)
Hymn 412 The strife is o’er (Vulpius)
Hymn 19 Ye gates lift up your heads on high (St George’s, Edinburgh)
Hymn 419 Thine be the glory (Maccabaeus)
Introit: Hail, Gladdening Light (Wood)
Anthem: Rise Heart (Easter) from Five Mystical Songs
(Vaughan Williams)
Anthem: Blessed be the God and Father (Wesley)
Postlude: Hallelujah Chorus (Handel)
New Testament Reading: Acts 10:34-43
Gospel Reading: Matthew 28:1-10
Families at St Columba’s on Easter Sunday
Thank you to our volunteers (Rona Black, Charlotte Bradford & Caroline Newsome) who guided our young people through the Easter Experience last Sunday. There is no formal Sunday School on Easter Day, however craft activities are laid out in the side chapel, during the 11am service. Children are very welcome to enjoy these while the service continues – we simply ask for some parental supervision.
Coronation Prayer Diary
To mark the upcoming Coronation the Church of England has prepared a series of “Daily Prayers for the Coronation of King Charles III.”
Beginning on Sunday 9th April the booklet offers a prayer, a short reading and reflection on a different theme each day.
On Easter Sunday the congregation will be given the booklet. If you are unable to attend on Easter Day, but would like a copy, please contact the Church Office.
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.
HOLY WEEK 2023
Thanks to the daily meditations prepared by St Columba’s member, Revd Andrew Anderson and the weekly poems contributed by Rev Dr Jock Stein, accompanied by readings of the psalms by members of the congregation, we have had plenty of resources to assist the journey of Lent. If you haven’t seen these yet do take a look at the Lent & Easter page on our website https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/lent-and-easter-2023 And give yourself time to join worship in this precious coming week.
Holy Week Services 2023
Monday 3rd – Wednesday 5th April: Short meditations, readings & music,
via website
Thursday 6th April Maundy Thursday Communion Service (8pm) In person & Livestream
Friday 7th April Words & Music for Good Friday (11am) In person & Livestream:
Saturday 8th April, Short meditation, readings & music, via website
Sunday 9th April Easter Morning Holy Communion (11am) In person & Livestream
Lent appeal 2023 – The Irene Taylor Trust (Sounding Out Programme)
www.irenetaylortrust.com Registered UK Charity No. 1073105
This year’s Lent Appeal is a small UK charity called the Irene Taylor Trust, nominated by Lucy Llewellyn, our Church Office Manager. Established in 1995, the Irene Taylor Trust (ITT) was created in memory of Irene Taylor, wife of the late Lord Chief Justice Peter Taylor. The charity works with those in prison (Music in Prisons), with critical continuing support for those leaving prison (Sounding Out) and those on the edges of the Criminal Justice System. The Lent Appeal donations will be used for the Sounding Out programme which continues to support those who have participated in the Music in Prisons programme, to when they leave prison and their integration back into society. Participants are able to continue with ‘live performances, meet up and play sessions, ambassadorial appearances, 1-to-1 progression sessions, training opportunities and trainee work placements’. Sounding Out beneficiaries are able to add their work experience, both paid and voluntary, to a CV which will help them in securing employment. The Sounding Out participants join the ITT professional musicians on projects for paid work, where they learn to develop skills, leadership and responsibilities. Please click on link to watch a video clip…
A few examples of what donations would help pay for: £10 could pay for copies of CDs for former-prisoner musicians to share with their family and friends, £15 could pay for a former-prisoner to attend a 1-to-1 progression support session, £30 could go towards collaborative music-making sessions with the highly experienced musicians, £40 could go towards training sessions to gain skills in co-facilitating projects with young people, £50 could pay for studio time for a former-prisoner musician to record new material. Click on link to watch the Sounding Out Rich Mix Performance (Sounding Out section starts 39 minutes in):
Plans for the Lent Appeal
There will be guests from the Irene Taylor Trust and Sounding Out. Providing additional information on the charity, plus a Sounding Out musician to tell us more on how the programme has benefited them and will also perform a piece of music live during the service. We welcome them all to St. Columba’s.
Sunday 2 April (Palm Sunday): Guest speaker, Sara Lee (Artistic Director) and Luke McCarthy or Darren (Sounding Out Musician).
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 and in the pews.
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 attached to cheque indicating it is for the Lent Appeal. Send to:
Finance Dept. (Lent Appeal)
St. Columba’s Church
Pont Street
London SW1X 0BD
If you would like to make a card donation, please go into the Church Office between 9am and 3.30pm, Monday to Friday.
With your donations we can help transform futures, thank you. Creating Music. Transforming Futures
Sunday School & future dates:
Between March & June, we offer Sunday School on the first and third Sundays of the month.
- Sunday 16th April
- Sunday 7th May – King’s Coronation Street Party Lunch
- Sunday 21st May
- Sunday 4th June (Second Sunday of half term)
- Sunday 25th June (Families Communion & Congregational Picnic)
On Easter Sunday (9th April) there will not be Sunday School provision, but there will be craft material set up in the side chapel for children to enjoy, with some parental supervision.
Congregational Sunday Lunch & Future Dates
Future dates for lunches are 16th April, 7th May (see below) and 14th May (extra lunch) 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.
There will be a very special “street party” lunch on Sunday the 7th of May to celebrate the Kings Coronation. If you are planning on attending the after service “street party” on the 7th May can you please indicate to the office (office@stcolumbas.org.uk) how many your party will be so we can ensure all are catered for? Lunch that day will be £3.50 as normal.
Easter Study
Revd William McLaren will be holding an Easter Study via Zoom from Wednesday 12th April, 11.30am for 6 weeks. The book will be “Encountering the Risen Christ: From Easter to Pentecost: the message of the resurrection and how it can change us” by Mark Bradford.
Published by the Bible Reading Fellowship it can also be obtained from Church House Bookshop in Westminster. Encountering the Risen Christ is very accessible, and I think people will enjoy reading it. To sign up please contact the Church Office for the log in details.
Flower Guild
Some people may have noticed that there are no flowers in Church right now. This year we have decided to follow the Church of England in having no flowers during Lent. One of our reasons for doing this is because we are so short of volunteers to arrange the flowers and taking six weeks out of our calendar gives a bit of breathing space. We really need help!
If you feel that this is something you would like to be a part of please speak to Liz Maliphant, Patricia Clarke or Kate Payne.
You do not need any experience. We will guide and assist until you feel ready to fly solo. We are a friendly group but really need more people to help if our tradition of Church flowers is to continue. If we have enough people (male or female) you would only be expected to arrange once or twice in the year, at whatever time suits you. Have a chat to one of us and find out more.
Guest preacher, Sunday 16th April 2023
On the Sunday following Easter we welcome Bob Kikuyu, Christian Aid theologian as our guest preacher. This in advance of our marking Christian Aid Week, 14th – 20th May 2023.
Early warning: Contributions towards our Christian Aid cake sale will be most welcome for Sunday 14th May 2023.
SAVE THE DATE: Joint Service with Crown Court Church of Scotland, Sunday 30th April 2023
To mark and celebrate the forthcoming coronation of King Charles III, a joint service for Crown Court and St Columba’s will take place at Crown Court (11.15am) on Sunday 30th April 2023. The guest preacher will be Revd Professor David Fergusson, Dean of the Chapel Royal. Worship on that Sunday at St Columba’s will be suspended i.e. No 11am service. However, the service at Crown Court will be available via our own live-stream. Hospitality will be offered after the service. Please save the date for what promises to be a special and festive occasion.
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 15th April – Neasden Indian Temple. Popularly known as Neasden temple – the Mandir is a masterpiece of traditional Hindu design and exquisite Indian workmanship in the heart of North West London.
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.
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 Quiz
The St Columba’s Quiz returns on Saturday 22nd April. 6.30 for 7 pm start. Tickets on sale after morning services from Sunday March 12th, £6 per person. Cash or card. Please gather your teams and come and join in. We will find teams for individuals who would like to take part.
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
Happy Hour
The next Happy Hour meeting will take place on Wednesday 3 May at The Carpenters Arms, Seymour Place W1H 7NE. Please note there will not be a meeting in April.
A Message from ScotsCare ScotsCare
Trustees are delighted to share the news of the merger between ScotsCare and its sister charity Borderline, which supports homeless Scots in London into safe and secure long-term housing. After careful consideration by the Trustees of both boards it was decided that a merger was the best way to achieve their objectives: a single charity that can use the professional resources of both for an economic, effective, and efficient delivery of a ‘one-stop shop’ of support services for Scots in need across London.
There are no plans to change staffing, operations, location, or allocation of resources, and homelessness provision will become one of the key services of ScotsCare, alongside financial grants, advocacy, psychotherapy, sheltered housing, befriending and social events.
It’s fantastic to know that there is now a ‘one stop shop’ of client focused services for vulnerable Scots in London and I hope you join me in celebrating the merger of these two wonderful charities.
For any questions about the merger, please contact ScotsCare at communications@scotscare.com or see the website.
Scots in London – Communications and Events Co-ordinator Scots in London is a new group formed of a dozen or so Scottish organisations based in London. It is looking to employ a part-time Communications and Events Co-ordinator 25-35 hours per month, to promote the activities of these organisations and help with charity fund-raising.
This will mainly involve running the www.ScotsinLondon.org Website, and other relevant social/digital media. In addition, Scots in London will be publicising and co promoting events aimed at raising funds for charities supported by the Scots in London Forum and Trust. Under the patronage of the Princess Royal, the Forum first came together in 2016 to co-ordinate members’ WW1 commemorative events. Scots in London is the continuation of that successful project.
Forum members include London-based clubs and societies, churches and charities, and other institutions that promote Scottish culture and heritage, or serve exiled Scots living and working in the London area. The appointee need not have Scottish heritage but will have an interest in Scottish culture and tradition; and will be a skilled communicator, proficient in the use of digital and social media, and able to assist in the staging of the occasional event.
This is a part-time role involving working from home and also occasional meetings and attendance at a wide-range of interesting, professionally run, cultural and sporting events in London. For further information contact Paul McFarland – pmcf@scotsinlondon.org
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.