For Sunday 1st November 2026, Twenty Third Sunday after Pentecost

This Sunday evening family members and friends will gather at St Columba’s to remember departed loved ones. The Annual Bereavement Service is the yearly invitation to remember and honour those whose funerals the ministers have conducted over the past seven years. Some will have taken place at St Columba’s; many will have been in crematoria across London. Some will have been church members; the majority will have come through funeral director request sor “a Scottish minister”. We remember by name, and the accompanying lighting of a candle by serving elders, those whose funerals/memorials have been held in the last twelve months. It is a contemplative, gentle, largely unseen, but significant part of what we offer as a congregation.

Sometimes we wonder about the wisdom of continuing to invite next of kin for seven years. Is that a little excessive? This morning a bereaved spouse wrote: “I was so touched to receive your invitation to the Bereavement Service. I loved the service last year and it really helped anchor me and justify the deep, deep sadness I still feel from losing him, albeit five years ago. The loss never heals, but the sadness eases and life goes on.” My correspondent went on to describe the arrival of new grandchildren. “I love them to bits, but my days are so very different without him – I’m glad I have my faith … Thank you for thinking of me, it means a lot.”

The Bereavement Service is open to anyone and even if you are not remembering a specific recent loss, your presence can be a quiet and valuable support to those for whom grief may still feel very raw. Attending or not, please keep the occasion in your prayers.

Angus

NEXT WEEK: Christian Aid Annual Lecture 2026 at St. Martin-in-the-Field Church, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 4JJ on Monday 2 November, 7pm to 8.30pm.

The lecture will be delivered by Thant Myint-U, an internationally respected historian, author and former United Nations official. “Thant will tell the global story in a different way: examining how the United has been pushed to the margins and how the world risks sleepwalking into militarisation and deeper dysfunction.” If you would like to attend it is essential to register beforehand for a FREE ticket. Christian Aid Annual Lecture 2026 – Register for a FREE Ticket

MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING
We raised £400 last Sunday. Thanks to all the team, and to everyone who contributed. It is a great result for a wonderful charity.

VOLUNTEERING & HOMELESS NIGHT SHELTER This year we will again operate a weekly night shelter in conjunction with the homeless charity Glass Door. The charity operates a support service across West London, offering year-round counselling & help, as well as overnight accommodation/evening meal in the winter months. The hospitality element is offered in conjunction with local churches who provide the building as well as an evening meal through volunteers. This year we will provide for c.35 male guests on Sunday evenings between December and March (other churches cover the remainder of the week). We are always looking for more volunteers. We are usually a team of about 6; cooking, serving and washing up (approx. 1/month from about 6-8.30pm). Please contact the Church Office if you are interested in volunteering. Donations towards meal costs can also be made through the church office, marking clearly as Glass Door donations.

UPCOMING: Sunday 15th November, 1.30pm
Final concert of the Sounds of St Columba’s 2026 recitals: “Ein deutsches Requiem”
Choir of St Columba’s, piano duet and soloists Sophie Bevan (soprano) and Jerome Knox (baritone)
This magnificent concert is the culmination of ten years of high-quality Sunday afternoon recitals provided free, due to the generosity of visiting musicians. The ambition of the Brahms Requiem requires a significant cost to perform, so donations are greatly appreciated. Assistance offsetting this recital’s costs might be viewed as a thank you for all that has been enjoyed over the preceding years. It is also a wonderful opportunity to invite friends to visit and enjoy St Columba’s.

UPCOMING: Parliamentary Service, Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, Houses of Parliament, 10:15am, Wednesday 18 November As part of the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland’s annual “London Week”, Rt Revd Gordon Kennedy will preach at the annual Parliamentary Service. For security reasons, if you wish to attend you must give your name into the church office by Monday 9th November in order for details to be passed on.
Attendees should use the Cromwell Green entrance, and are welcome to arrive from 9:30am onwards as it may take some time to pass through security. Please bring photo ID.

UPCOMING: Friends of St Columba’s Visit:
The Foundling Museum, Saturday 28 November, Rendezvous: 11:00 • 40 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AZ • The Museum begins with the story of the Foundling Hospital, the UK’s first children’s charity and home for abandoned children. It was established by the philanthropist Thomas Coram (1668–1751). He was appalled by the plight of so many children in London in spite of its position at the heart of a wealthy trading network. The Hospital was supported by leading 18th-century artists including Handel, Hogarth, Gainsborough and Reynolds. Together they transformed it into the UK’s first public art gallery and one of London’s most fashionable venues. Handel gave annual performances of the Messiah to raise funds and also donated a set of “musical chairs” which can still be seen today. The 1930s building, originally headquarters of the children’s charity (which continues today under the name Coram), contains many original architectural features of the 18th-century Foundling Hospital. These are displays of objects and stories from the daily lives of the foundling children. Lunch : optional eateries are available in the nearby Brunswick Centre. Ticket £14.50 • Tube: Russell Square

UPCOMING: Sunday 22nd November, 11.00am, Joint Service with Crown Court Church of Scotland, at St Columba’s, Pont Street Marking the conclusion of the London St Andrew’s Book Festival, presented by Scots in London, London’s two Church of Scotland congregations come together for worship. Guest preacher is Rt Revd Gordon Kennedy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Help welcome our Kirk neighbours, stay for lunch and enjoy the Book Festival’s final event with poet Kenneth Steven in conversation with the minister.

UPCOMING: Sunday 22nd November at 1:30 p.m.
London St Andrew’s Book Festival. A Journey into Scotland’s wild landscapes, faith and the power of storytelling. Join acclaimed Scottish poet, novelist and broadcaster Kenneth Steven at the St Andrew’s Book Festival London for a special event exploring Atoms of Delight, his moving reflection on pilgrimage, nature and Celtic spirituality. Kenneth’s writing has taken him from the ancient island of Iona to the remote beauty of the Highlands. His acclaimed BBC Radio 4 documentary, A Requiem for St Kilda, won a Sony Gold Award, while his books span poetry, novels, nature writing and children’s literature. In conversation with the Rev. Angus MacLeod, Kenneth will explore how Scotland’s landscapes, stories and spiritual traditions have shaped his life and work. This is an invitation to slow down, rediscover the wonder of the natural world and find beauty in the places and moments we might otherwise overlook.

London St Andrew’s Book Festival,
presented by Scots in London
16th-22nd November. https://www.standrewsbookfestival.org/
The festival returns for its third year with a week of books, stories and conversation across London. This year venturing into courtrooms and newsrooms, exploring Scotland’s history, art and language, hearing tales of extraordinary adventures and getting stuck into some crime.

Among the writers and speakers joining us are Val McDermid, Jackie Kay, Carol Kirkwood, Professor Sue Black, Bill Paterson, Robert Peston, Jenni Fagan, Gavin Esler and the Maclean Brothers, alongside many more voices from Scotland and beyond. There are some intriguing conversations in store too. Professor Sue Black will sit down with Val McDermid, while Jackie Kay, Len Pennie and Hannah Lavery come together for a Poetry Showcase. The Debuts Showcase also returns, giving the stage to emerging writers and offering audiences the chance to discover someone completely new. Tickets for the 2026 the London St Andrew’s Book Festival are now on sale. https://www.ticketsource.com/standrewsbookfestival

As with the Sounds of St Columba’s Recitals, the Book Festival offers congregational members a great opportunity to invite friends or neighbours to come and enjoy our beautiful building and some of the life that goes on here.