For Sunday 23rd November 2025, Christ the King Sunday

Friends,

It was a privilege, earlier this week, to be present at the Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster to hear the Moderator preach to a congregation composed mainly of Scottish MP’s and Peers and ecumenical guests. Along with Westminster Hall, the chapel was one of the few structures of the medieval palace to survive the disastrous fire of 1834. The Houses of Parliament as we know it today was rebuilt by the great architect Sir Charles Barry, but the chapel dating from 1297 was restored by his son Edward in the high Victorian style of the 1860’s. Members of Parliament can be married in the chapel and their children baptised there. Annually, moderators of the General Assembly conduct worship there during their London visit. As the chapel is not usually open to the public it is a wonderful opportunity to see a little-known part of the historic building.

At Wednesday’s service, the first lesson, from Ephesians 3: 14-21 was read by the Lords’ Speaker, Lord McFall, while Harriet Cross, MP for Gordon and Buchan, read from St. Luke 6: 17-36. The Moderator the Rt. Rev. Rosie Frew took as her theme the Sermon on the Plain, with Jesus’ teaching regarding wealth and poverty. It was good to see members of all parties there, including some well-known to us at St. Columba’s and a timely reminder that we should keep in our prayers all who bear the responsibility of decision-making in parliament, lifting them up to one who is greater still. In our public discourse there is often a corrosive cynicism about politics and politicians, but this is misplaced and damaging to the democratic process and those who offer themselves in public service deserve our prayerful support.

This Sunday, the Sunday before Advent, and the beginning of the new liturgical year, is known throughout the Church as the “Reign of Christ the King” when we celebrate the sovereignty of Christ over all creation. His is the ultimate power in heaven and earth. In the Church of Scotland’s Book of Common Order the prayer for the day is:

“Almighty and everlasting God,
it is your will to restore all things
in you well-beloved Son, our Lord and King.
Grant that the peoples of the earth,
now divided and enslaved by sin,
may be freed and brought together
under his gentle and loving rule;
who lives and reignswith you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.”

William

THIS SUNDAY: Hymns, Music & Readings for Sunday, 23rd November 2025, Christ the King Sunday

Hymn 36 God is our refuge and our strength (Psalm 46) (Stroudwater)
Hymn 577 Christ be beside me (Bunessan)
Hymn 657 Father most loving, listen to your children (Christe Sanctorum)
Hymn 19 Ye gates lift up your heads on high (Psalm 24) (St George’s, Edinburgh)
Hymn 818 Praise ye the Lord, ye servants of the Lord (Old 124th)

Anthem: We have heard with our ears, Howells
Anthem: O how amiable, Vaughan Williams

New Testament Reading: Colossians 1: 11-20
Gospel Reading: Luke 23: 33-43
Reader: Stuart Steele

THIS SUNDAY: Sunday 23^rd November 2025
11.00am New members’ Service of Welcome, Holy Communion & Sunday School
12.15pm Tea and Coffee in the Upper Hall {by donation}

NEXT SUNDAY: Sunday 30^th November, First Sunday of Advent:
Joint Service with Crown Court Church of Scotland for the St Andrew’s Book Festival,
Sunday School & Congregational Lunch
1.30 p.m. Revd John Bell & Rhidian Brook in conversation, chaired by the minister. (Book Festival Free Event)

NEXT SUNDAY: Sunday 30^th November, Poetry & Prayer for the Sundays of Advent
Join others in the London Scottish Chapel for a period of quiet prayer (10.15 – 10.30am) led by the minister,
On the four Sundays of Advent, beginning on Sunday 30^th November.
Part of Advent’s preparation for the coming of Christmas.

Please note there is no evening service on Sunday 30^th November. The Pont Street Carols’ leaflet has an incorrect date on it. The evening service of Words & Music for Advent is 5pm, Sunday 7^th December in the London Scottish Chapel.

DATE FOR THE DIARY: There is opportunity to join with members of Crown Court and other congregations to carol sing in Trafalgar Square in support of Christian Aid on Friday 12^th December, 8.00 – 9.00pm. Keep an eye out for further detail when available.

UPCOMING: St Andrew’s Book Festival 2025
We are almost there. After months of planning St Columba’s becomes venue for the second Book Festival. For four days we host well known authors, new writers and schools’ events. You can contribute towards its success by attending your talks of choice, recommending the Festival to friends and/or volunteering to act as festival stewards

Talks include Nicola Sturgeon, Val McDermid and Irvine Welsh. On Friday 28^th November, broadcaster and author Sally Magnusson, speaks at a special literary lunch celebrating her spellbinding new novel The Shapeshifter’s Daughter. Book now to avoid disappointment.
See https://www.standrewsbookfestival.org/ for more information.
Special offer for St Columba’s – 50% off ticket prices for some events. Please email info@standrewsbookfestival.org for more information.

UPCOMING: The Craft Group will be holding a sale after morning service on Sunday 30^th November. There will be an assortment of knitted goods, and some Christmas ideas. Proceeds of the sale will go to ScotsCare.
Please come and have a look.

UPCOMING: The Friends of St Columba’s Excursion, Saturday 6^th December, 11am. Apsley House, The Wellington Collection,149 Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner, London W1J7NT. We look forward to exploring Apsley House, the London residence of Arthur Wellesley, 1^st Duke of Wellington. The Waterloo Gallery is a theatrical highlight, built to host Wellington’s annual banquets, with a gilt ceiling and mirrored walls that reflect both opulence and history. After our visit, we will leave behind the hustle and bustle of Hyde Park Corner for a quiet Lebanese meal in Shepherds Market which offers a village-like atmosphere amidst busy Mayfair.

ReStart Lives Winter Resource Fair
ReStart reports: “On Friday 14th November, we put on our Winter Resource Fair, giving away over 100 coats, trainers, sleeping bags, thermals, toiletries, digital items and food to our guests who need them most. It’s about to drop below freezing, and 1 in 200 Londoners are currently homeless – we had to do our bit to try to keep those people as safe and warm as possible while they fight to get through the Winter months.”

“Peas & Potatoes Fund” for Sunday Night Shelter
Our Sunday evening winter night shelter started last Sunday. The service is run and managed by the Glass Door charity who work with 21 churches across west London to provide shelter for over 100 guests every evening. Every week a group of our volunteers prepares and serves a 3-course meal for c.35 homeless guests, who then sleep over in the church’s Upper Hall. Donations towards the cost of providing dinner would be very much welcomed and should be sent to the church office.

Earlier in the day hospitality was shown to church members and visitors at a special celebratory lunch to mark the 75^th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone. Thanks to the hospitality team who made that happen. That was then followed by a glorious Sounds of St Columba’s Recital, by our own St Columba’s choir. A special Sunday. Thank you to all involved.

Advent Appeal 2025 (for Glass Door) www.glassdoor.org.uk
We are collecting the following items throughout Advent: pocket-size puzzle books, pens, reusable water bottles and coffee cups, boxer shorts, ladies’ pants (all sizes), sanitary products, thermal hats, socks, tights, and gloves. Christmas gifts for homeless guests staying overnight at church on Sunday 21 December will be wrapped by the Mission Committee. Remaining items will help restock supplies for Glass Door. Please leave donations in the Upper Vestibule by the Advent Appeal Display Board from 30 November and each Sunday until Christmas Day.

ScotsCare – Financial Donations (Advent Appeal)
www.scotscare.com As an alternative, you may wish to consider making a financial donation to ScotsCare for their ongoing work. For online payments and text donations, please click on this link (or access via the charity’s website).
https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/23231#!/DonationDetails Cheques payable to: ScotsCare. Post to ScotsCare, 183-185 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3UW

Scots in London November newsletter.
For a variety of events and activities of interest see https://mailchi.mp/scotsinlondon.org/scots-in-london-november-newsletter2025. Scots in London is an umbrella organisation for Scottish cultural societies, sports clubs, alumni groups, charities, churches and the Scottish military in London. Its mission is to promote Scottish culture and heritage, co-ordinate and communicate events, support Scottish charities in the capital, and contribute to the life of the city where we live. While proud of our shared nationality, we endeavour to be international in outlook.

UPCOMING: Firefly International – Echoes of Peace Concert at St. Columba’s Church, Saturday 13^th December, Doors Open 5.45pm. Concert 6.15pm to 8.15pm. Firefly International was supported by our Lent Appeal in 2024. Join us for a special concert marking 30 years since Firefly was founded and peace was declared in Bosnia. While the war there has ended, peace remains a fragile and unfinished promise. This powerful evening of live music, spoken word, and film invites us to reflect on the legacy of conflict – and the urgent need to protect and nurture peace in today’s fractured world. The concert features violinist Bassel Hariri, blending the beauty of Arabic traditions with global sounds; filmmaker Aleksandra Bilić and her mother Maja, sharing their deeply moving film and music about their journey as refugees from Bosnia; and the One World Orchestra, fusing diverse musical traditions from around the globe into a euphoric and uplifting celebration of multi-cultural Britain. Tickets: Book here – https://echoes-of-peace.raiselysite.com/

UPCOMING: St Columba’s Book Club, 12^th January 2026
The Book Club met to discuss our next choice “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Neapolitano. Unusually, it received a unanimous thumbs up even from those who couldn’t join the discussion due to technical problems. We shall meet next on 12th January 2026 to discuss Lea Ypi’s book “Free – Coming of Age at the End of History”. Our second book for 2026 is “Wandering Souls” by Cecile Pin. New or returning members are always welcome. Please contact the office for details.

SAVE THE DATE: The Church’s Burns Supper is scheduled for Saturday 24^th January 2026. Tickets will be on sale shortly.

God & Creation
St Peter & St Paul, Hambledon, Hampshire, PO7 4RS will host a discussion on God and Creation on Saturday, January 17th at 4pm. The Very Reverend David Fergusson, Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge will give a talk, which will be followed by a Q&A session. Professor Fergusson has had a long academic career, as well as serving as a parish minister early in his career. He was recently described as “the most distinguished theologian in Britain” and his talk is sure to be thought-provoking. In 2019 the Queen appointed him as Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and Dean of the Order of the Thistle; both of which he still holds. Free event; donations to the church’s 150th Anniversary fund. Please note: Hambledon just south of Petersfield, and not the village in Surrey!

Advent & Christmas Services

Sunday 30th November     11.00am St Andrew’s Book Festival Service (1^st Advent)

Sunday 7th December       11.00am Morning Service (2^nd Advent)
5.00pm Music and Readings for Advent Sunday

Sunday 14th December     11.00am Morning Service & Sunday School Nativity Sunday (3^rd Advent)

Sunday 21st December     11.00am Morning Service (4^th Advent)
5.00pm Pont Street Carols by Candlelight, supporting ScotsCare

Wednesday 24th December 11.15pm     Christmas Eve Watchnight Communion Service
Thursday 25th December 10.30am        Christmas Day Family Service & Short Communion

Sunday 28th December 11.00am Morning Service

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 that the Evening Services on the 1st of the month are not live streamed as they are held in the London Scottish Chapel. 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 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
E-mail: office@stcolumbas.org.uk
Website: www.stcolumbas.org.uk
Facebook: @stcolumbaschurchpontstreet.
Twitter: @LondonKirkPastoral
Emergency Number (out of office hours): 07591926271

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