Many of you will be familiar with the tale of Greyfriars Bobby, Scotland’s most loyal hound. Less familiar is the story of Hachiko – born one hundred years ago in Japan – and currently enjoying anniversary celebrations.
Hachiko, born in Odate, in 1923, was a large-sized Japanese Akita dog – one of the country’s oldest and most popular breeds. The year Hachiko was born, Hidesaburo Ueno, a renowned agricultural professor and a dog lover, asked a student to find him an Akita puppy. After a gruelling train journey, the puppy arrived at the Ueno residence in Shibuya district on 15 January 1924, where it was initially thought dead. According to Hachiko’s biographer, Prof Mayumi Itoh, Ueno and his wife Yae nursed him back to health over the next six months. Ueno named him Hachi, or eight in Japanese. Ko is an honorific bestowed by Ueno’s students.
Several times a week Ueno took a train to work. He was accompanied to Shibuya station by his three dogs, including Hachiko. The trio would then wait there for his return in the evening. On 21 May 1925, Ueno, then 53, died of a cerebral haemorrhage. Hachiko had been with him for just 16 months. Hachiko spent the next few months with different families outside Shibuya but eventually, in the summer of 1925, he ended up with Ueno’s gardener Kikusaburo Kobayashi. Having returned to the area where his late master lived, Hachiko soon resumed his daily commute to the station, come rain or shine.
“In the evening, Hachi stood on four legs at the ticket gate and looked at each passenger as if he were looking for someone,” writes Prof Itoh. Station employees initially saw him as a nuisance. Yakitori vendors would pour water on him, and little boys bullied and hit him. However, he gained nationwide fame after Japanese daily Tokyo Asahi Shimbun wrote about him in October 1932. The station received donations of food for Hachiko each day, while visitors came from far and wide to see him. Poems and haikus were written about him. A fundraising event in 1934 to make a statue of him reportedly drew a crowd of 3,000. Hachiko’s eventual death on 8 March 1935 made the front page of many newspapers. At his funeral, Buddhist monks offered prayers for him and dignitaries read eulogies. Thousands visited his statue in the following days. In impoverished post-war Japan, a fundraising drive for a new statue of Hachiko even managed to raise 800,000 yen, an enormous sum at the time, worth about 4bn yen (£22m; $28m) today.
“In retrospect, I feel that he knew that Dr Ueno would not come back, but he kept waiting – Hachiko taught us the value of keeping faith in someone,” wrote Takeshi Okamoto in a newspaper article in 1982. As a high school student, he had seen Hachiko at the station daily.
This week, Tim Stanley’s Radio 4, Thought for the Day https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0fyw7db linked the tale of Hachiko with reflections about his own far less famous dog, Bertie.
“That we search for loyalty in animals is an interesting comment of what human beings clearly need – an uncomplicated type of love. We live in an era characterised by introspection and loneliness; old loyalties are breaking down…. If you are lucky, you may receive an unconditional love from a pet, which if received from a human would be disconcerting…. The loyalty of the dog should ideally spark loyalty in return, to feed them, to walk them, to train them gently…. The wonderful discovery of owning Bertie is that love creates love, and his loyalty has, I hope, made me a better person.”
Dog walker, or not, called to wait or on the move, may our well-chosen loyalties to our mates and our Maker, sustain us, and inspire others.
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 9th July 2023
Hymn 129 The Lord is King! Lift up your voice! (Church Triumphant)
Hymn 180 Give thanks with a grateful heart (Give Thanks)
Hymn 162 The God of Abraham praise (Leoni)
Hymn 192 All my hope on God is founded (Michael)
Anthem: O quam gloriosum (Victoria)
Musical Interlude: Exsultate justi (Viadana)
Organ Postlude: Fugue in C (Buxtehude)
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 8: 1-20
New Testament Reading: I Corinthians 1: 1-9
Guest Preacher, Reverend Ramsay Shields
We are delighted to welcome Ramsay to preach at this Sunday’s 11am service. Ramsay writes: “Married to Ann, we have three children, Calum who is married to Chloe and who have Daniel, our one and only grandson; and our other two, twins Iain and Lisa. Despite having a wife and a daughter, his girl is a 9-year-old Golden retriever who know all of his secrets, listens to all of his moans, and loves him nonetheless.” He has been minister at St Luke’s Milngavie for over 26 years now. Before that, he was at Portsoy in the Northeast of Scotland for 7 years. His hobbies include languages and music, reading, photography, domestic pets (2 cats and the dog) and advanced driving.
THIS SUNDAY: Congregational Prayer Group, Sunday 9th July, in the Kirk Session Room
“So, Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” Acts 12: 5. The New Testament talks a lot about praying together. “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’. Come and join us to pray at 10am in the SESSION ROOM (next to the bookstall).…everyone is welcome!
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.
NEXT WEEK – Sounds of St Columba’s 2023
Sunday 16th July, we welcome pianist Ashley Fripp. British pianist Ashley Fripp has performed extensively as recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe, Asia, North America, Africa and Australia in many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls. Highlights include the Carnegie Hall (New York), Musikverein (Vienna), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), the Philharmonie halls of Cologne, Paris, Luxembourg and Warsaw, the Bozar (Brussels), the Royal Festival, Barbican and Wigmore Halls (London), the Laeiszhalle (Hamburg), Palace of Arts (Budapest), the Megaron (Athens), Konzerthaus Dortmund, the Gulbenkian Auditorium (Lisbon) and the Konserthus (Stockholm).
Ashley Fripp studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Ronan O’Hora and with Eliso Virsaladze at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole (Italy). In 2021 he was awarded a doctorate for his research into the piano music of British composer Thomas Adès. Future engagements include his debut at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival (Germany) and a commercial film production of Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 with accompanying concert tours in Germany and the Czech Republic with the Prague International Youth Orchestra.
Please note future dates, bring your friends and enjoy the marvellous music in the Upper Hall. 1.30pm start. These exceptional recitals are one of the “gems” of current St Columba’s life. Not to be missed.
17th September 2023 – Richard Phillips, Cello Recital
15th October 2023 – Oscar Simms, Baritone
19th November 2023 – The Choir of St Columba’s
NEXT WEEK: Congregational Sunday Lunch
Future dates for lunches are 16th & 30th July in the Lower Hall. Please note the small increase to £4.00 per lunch – still exceptional value for a two-course meal. Big thanks to all our catering teams who provide for us on congregational lunch Sundays. Coffee will continue to be served every Sunday as usual in the Upper Hall – donations for coffee most welcome.
Happy Hour
Happy Hour’s last gathering before the summer break will be on Wednesday 5 July, from 6.30 – 8.30pm in the upstairs room at The Carpenters Arms Seymour Place W1H 7NE, a short walk from Marble Arch tube station. To start the evening, we’ll discuss Claire Keegan’s book Small Things Like These – only 115 pages and very well reviewed. But even if you don’t manage to read it, do come along to socialise. Newcomers always welcome.
St Columba’s Book Group
The St Columba’s Book Group will meet (on Zoom!) on Tuesday 25th July at 7.00pm. The book we will discuss is The Painted Veil by Somerset Maugham.
New members are always welcome. Contact the Church Office for the log in details.
Save the Date: Congregational Away Day, Saturday 30th September 2023
We are holding a Congregational Away Day on Saturday 30th September. Led by an outside facilitator it is the opportunity for the congregation to take stock and consider the challenges, possibilities and priorities for the ongoing life and work of our congregation, for the next five to ten years. (In 2034 it will be the 150th Anniversary of the congregation.) The Away Day will actually take place at St Columba’s but our hope is to hear the thoughts and ideas of as wide a representation of the congregation as possible. Provisional timings 10am – 3pm. More detail will follow in due course.
Save the Date: Safeguarding Training,
Mandatory Safeguarding Training for those who require it will be offered on the following dates:
Wednesday 20th September 2023, 6.45pm – 9.15pm – online
& Saturday 21st October 2023, 10.00am – 12.30pm – in person. Venue Crown Court Church/St Columba’s Church tbc.
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.
REFLECTION & POINTS FOR PRAYER
Prepared by the Congregational Prayer Group
for Sunday 9th July 2023, 6th Sunday after Pentecost
Reflection
We are living in very disorientating times. We are in the throes of a post-COVID reckoning in our society: debt repayments, inflation, a cost-of-living crisis, huge pressure on our health services, unprecedented mental anguish, especially amongst the under-18s; and the idol of social media promising refuge from everyday life, unrealistic rewards, and shallow satisfaction.
On the world stage, we have many regional tensions and conflicts (some very close to home) which seem impossible to solve. We seem beset by trials and tribulations, more than we can fathom, or understand, which can bring us to despair.
It is at this time that we need to go back to basics and remind ourselves of the characteristics of God and his promises to us. We need to be reassured and grateful for his measureless power and goodness, providing us the only true refuge, wisdom, and strength to act in his name. Psalm 145 is the final psalm that David wrote. It cannot be a coincidence that verse 8 is found eight times in the Bible, and so we should pay attention to its message and promise.
Scripture: Psalm 145:8-14
145:8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9. The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. 10. All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your faithful shall bless you. 11. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power, 12. to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendour of your kingdom. 13. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds. 14. The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we bring you thanks and praise for your never-ending love for us. Thank you that there are many places in your Word that tell us you will never leave or forsake us during the times when our burdens seem more than we can carry. We take comfort in your promise never to allow more than we can bear. When life’s burdens seem to overwhelm us, give us the wisdom and strength to focus on David’s words in Psalm 145: “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds. The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down”. Help us to understand and believe in this great truth, so that we can comfort ourselves and have strength to act in your name to comfort, support and assist those less fortunate than ourselves. Amen.
Gospel reading: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
11:16 “But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, 17 ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” 25 At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Reflection
Although Jesus is referring to the generation of his time, he could just as easily be addressing our generation. Jesus describes a generation that cannot recognise the truth that is right front of them. They thought that John the Baptist was a demon and considered Jesus to be “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners,” judging him by the company he keeps. Jesus, on the other hand, compares them to children. They are oblivious, like children who are preoccupied with playing games. The Messiah, the one they have been waiting for, is right in front of them. Yet, they failed to see him. Even the disciples of John were not sure, coming to Jesus asking: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” (11:3).
Throughout the gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches. He instructs the disciples to go into the world and teach all nations. But for them to teach others, they must first understand. Teaching enables truth to become wisdom, which enables us to act. When Jesus declares that wisdom is vindicated by her deeds (11:19), he is referencing the wisdom tradition of his Jewish heritage. Wisdom grants us the ability to understand beyond what we can perceive. If wisdom is ‘vindicated by her deeds’, what are her deeds? In the Bible, wisdom is mentioned very often as a God-given gift which helps us better understand ourselves and God. Wisdom provides order to chaos (Proverbs 8:27–31); she grants us humility (Psalm 11:12); she protects and guards us (Psalm 4:6). Wisdom “is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).
However, those who do not actively seek wisdom are foolish and naïve, like children playing in the marketplace. In a world where the truth is often presented as debatable and lies are painted as truth, we can become weary. The truth does matter and from the truth we derive wisdom.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Help us to be responsive to your teaching that reveals your wisdom to us, so we can know you better, understand your truth, and improve our actions towards others. Give us the strength to choose wisdom over foolishness and immaturity, so we can live fruitful lives. Help us to be humble to know that there is always more to learn. Guide us to seek wisdom and to be open to your instruction so that our paths may become clearer in your service.