James & Soleta Rogan were married at St Columba’s in 2014 and their three children, Rafa, Eva and Leonardo have all been baptised here (along with cousins Teddy and Christina.) Rogan Productions https://roganproductions.co.uk/
– film-making, not family making – has a long-established and award-winning back catalogue of documentary making. James and Soleta’s latest work, “Free Nelson Mandela”, airs on Channel 4 this week.
A reviewer writes: “Watching the documentary in 2026 feels radical in itself. Solidarity feels thinner now. Politics has become hyper-individualised and aggressively tribal. Algorithms reward division, outrage and isolation. Collective action is harder when we are encouraged to see ourselves as consumers rather than citizens. Thirty-six years on from Mandela’s long walk to freedom, the documentary reminds us that solidarity is built through connection, not purity. During the anti-apartheid struggle, people didn’t need identical politics to agree apartheid was morally indefensible. The movement grew because it created a shared human cause bigger than ideological labels.”
James and Soleta themselves comment: “In this divided time, we felt it important to tell a story of moral courage, self-sacrifice, leadership and solidarity.”
Here at St Columba’s, as we approach Sunday’s Service of Welcome, celebrating five new congregational members, may we be encouraged both by titans, such as Mandela – giving thanks for the skills of those who retell his story – but also the quieter heroics of fellow members who have sustained and kept faith across the years.
Angus
THIS SUNDAY: Sunday 14th June 2026, Third Sunday after Pentecost
11:00 a.m. New Members’ Service of Welcome
12:15 p.m. Tea and Coffee in the Upper Hall {by donation}
We look forward to welcoming five new members to our congregation – Matthew Boyd, Robert Cagungao, Christophe Ho, Archie Morrison & Sumudu Pagoda. Between them, in addition to Scottish links, they hold connections to Belgium, Philippines, China & Sri Lanka, giving us a truly international perspective. Please come to support and celebrate their commitment and give thanks for the newest additions to our family of faith.
THIS SUNDAY: New Members’ Service of Welcome
Third Sunday after Pentecost, Sunday 14th June 2026, 11.00 a.m.
Hymn 63 All people on the earth do dwell (Old Hundreth) Psalm 100
Hymn 642 Ye that know the Lord is gracious (Abbot’s Leigh)
Hymn 595 O Breath of life, come sweeping through us (Sunset)
Hymn 680 You are called to tell the story (Regent Square)
Anthem: Let thy merciful ears Mudd (c 1619-1667)
Anthem: Give unto the Lord (Psalm 29) Elgar (1857-1934)
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 18:1-15 & 21:1-7
Gospel Reading: Reading Matthew 9:35-10:8
Reader: Nadia Dallsingh
THIS SUNDAY: ReStart Lives Tennis Day at St Columba’s Tennis Club, Sunday 14th June ReStart Lives who organise the Friday drop-in meal at St Columba’s throughout the year are holding a Summer Fundraiser at the St Columba’s Tennis Club (nearest tube Acton Town.) The format is doubles, for those who are playing, and you can either come with a partner or you can be paired up. It’s aimed at intermediate level and above, but for beginners and children there will also be coaching sessions and fun tennis games. There will be strawberries and cream, sandwiches, drinks, and everything that makes a British tennis event fun – so non players will have a great time too!
New Church Magazine
With thanks to the Editor, Susan Pym
and her contributors,
the excellent June/July issue of the church magazine will be available via the bookstall, £1.50.
Pick up a copy for yourself
and consider one for a friend or neighbour.
Help spread the St Columba’s story.
NEXT SUNDAY: Sunday 21st June 2026, Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
11:00 a.m. Morning Worship & Sunday School
12:15 p.m. Tea and Coffee, Upper Hall {by donation}
12:15 p.m. Congregational Lunch, Lower Hall {£4.00}
1.30 p.m. Sound of St Columba’s Recital, Main Church
Sunday 21st June, Sounds of St Columba’s Recital, “Bellows & Brass”: 1.30pm
Trumpet and organ music by Verdi, Handel and Purcell. Simon Tong & Benedict Lewis-Smith (piano/organ). The duo brings sparkle, warmth, and creativity to the classic pairing of trumpet and organ, performing everything from Baroque masterworks to bold contemporary arrangements. (Main Church)
Saturday 20th June 2026
Presbytery of England & the Channel Islands
meets at Crown Court Church of Scotland (10.30am)
& Induction Service
for Reverend Tara Porr Granados
as minister of Crown Court (1.30pm)
A chance to welcome the new minister of our Kirk neighbours and show our support.
All welcome.
Christian Aid Week Appeal – Thank you. Many thanks to everyone who supported this year’s Christian Aid Week Appeal. Through a variety of ways, from cake sales to donations we raised £3,199.40 (inc. Gift Aid). Those donations will help improve the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable who live in awful temporary settlements in Dagoretti, Nairobi and suffer intense urban poverty. Thank you so much.
Departing Assistant Organist
Catherine Olver, our Assistant Organist, leaves us at the end of June. Alongside her role as Director of Music at the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth, and as conductor of the Renaissance Choir, Catherine has given so much to the music ministry of St Columba’s and we have been enormously fortunate to have her as part of our musical life. We wish her every happiness and success in the next chapter of her career. Those wishing to contribute towards a leaving gift are warmly invited to contribute cash/card, via the church office.
UPCOMING: St Columba’s Book Club, Tuesday 16th June, 7pm, via Zoom
We shall be discussing The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller, which was a shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize. After that we are going to read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. We welcome new members. To learn more, contact Church Office.
Sunday 28th June, Families’ Communion Service, (11.00am) Marking the conclusion of the Sunday School year our young people help serve and celebrate communion. And most probably cake and juice to follow, for after service refreshments. A precious moment in the worshipping life of St Columba’s.
Ye gates: Footnote to St Columba’s Day Holy Communion Former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Very Reverend Andrew McLellan was with us last Sunday and sent us this kind message: “I am much the better for my visit to St Columba’s on Sunday. Thank you. I don’t remember ever sharing in baptism and the Lord’s Supper at the same time before. I am a sort of connoisseur of “Ye Gates” because I was proud to be minister of St Andrew’s and St George’s, a congregation which grew out of St George’s Edinburgh, after which the tune is named. The tune was written by the minister, Andrew Thomson, whose successor I was. I don’t think I have ever heard the singing of that tune given a more stirring accompaniment than last Sunday.”
Volunteer Opportunities Lunch teams
Our Sunday lunch is a valued part of our church life and fellowship, and we are looking for more volunteers to help make it possible each week. We would warmly encourage members of the congregation and elders to consider offering some time and practical support in a variety of roles, including preparing food in the kitchen, serving lunches, setting tables, welcoming and assisting guests, clearing away afterwards, and helping with washing up and tidying. No special qualifications are needed just a willing spirit, reliability, and a heart for serving others. The level of commitment is modest, with volunteers typically asked to help on just one Sunday every two months (around six times a year). Whether you can help regularly in this way or offer occasional support, every contribution makes a real difference. Volunteering is a wonderful opportunity to build friendships, support the life of the church, and show care and hospitality to those who gather with us for Sunday lunches. If you feel you may be able to help, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Colin MacKinnon at cj_scadabay@yahoo.co.uk
Looking for Sleepers! CEO Sleepout 23rd November 2026
ScotsCare CEO Shona Fleming, well known at St Columba’s, again leads a team of hardy souls who take on the challenge of sleeping out for a night to raise funds and awareness for homelessness at the CEO Sleepout at Lords Cricket Ground. The annual event draws hundreds of fundraisers to St John’s Wood’s hallowed ground, where participants bed down in the stands, sleeping between the seats with a sleeping bag and little else. Participants don’t have to be a CEO to take part, just a supporter that wants to combat homelessness. It’s a tough but rewarding event, with great camaraderie and sense of achievement the following day. Elder Hugh Pym and minister Angus MacLeod have both participated in previous years.
This year the hope is to recruit a team of six (or more) St Columbans who would sleepout to support our Scots in London partner organisation, ScotsCare. If interested please contact Angus via the Office.
St Andrews Book Festival,
presented by Scots in London
The Book Festival returns to several central London venues, with St Columba’s as the primary focus of the festival. Look forward to another array of well-known and new authors bringing Scottish writing to the heart of London. Keep
18th to 22nd November 2026 in your diaries, both for attending and/or volunteering to get involved.
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: Evening Services (1st Sunday of the Month, London Scottish Chapel) are not live streamed. 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.
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.
Office Hours
The church office is open from 8.00am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday.
E-mail: office@stcolumbas.org.uk
Website: www.stcolumbas.org.uk
Facebook: @stcolumbaschurchpontstreet.
Twitter: @LondonKirk
Pastoral Emergency Number (out of office hours): 07591926271
