Friends,
On Wednesday, in the London Scottish Chapel, via the Gospel set for Ash Wednesday (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21) we heard Jesus’ advice about, fasting, giving and praying. These three disciplines, traditionally linked to the season of Lent are worthwhile, valuable, and to be encouraged – but they are not ends in themselves – rather, potential avenues leading to a deeper connection with God. According to Jesus, each one comes with a health warning – do them honestly, humbly, discreetly – not for show!
Such “spiritual practices” help us in diverse ways. “The hunger pains of fasting force us in two directions: inward, as we assess how well or poorly we are feeding our bodies and souls, and outward, to see the bodies of hungry ones around us. Charitable giving calls us back to creation. We are reminded that our money, time, and talents are not ours; they belong to God. God calls us to steward them in gratitude and in service to our neighbours. And prayer quiets the incessant internal monologue of our minds and makes space for the stirrings of God. Applying these practices to our lives helps us intentionally choose to store our treasures in heaven and not in dust.” (Amy Ziettlow, Lutheran pastor & Hospice Chaplain)
This Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent, we will welcome representatives of our selected Lent Appeal – Sounding Out from the Irene Taylor Trust – to introduce us to the vision and work of their charity, in word and music. As Sounding Out prepare to visit us, it is worth pausing to acknowledge how consistently generous people have been in support of the Lent Appeal. The Mission Committee, who select and run the annual appeal recently sent the details of ten years of past appeals. (Note: The Lent Appeal has run considerably longer than these ten years.)
2022 – £7,148.75, CSPB – Collaboration a la Sante Publique, Burkina Faso
2021 – £11,120, Play for Progress
2020 – £12,378.13, 500 Miles – (Malawi /Zambia)
2019 – £7,454.61, Young Lewisham Project
2018 – £6,740.40, St Luke’s Home of Healing – SA
2017 – £5,607.04, The GK Experience
2016 – £6,665, GAN /House of Hope – Nepal
2015 – £8,700, Colston Milton Parish Church, Just Like Us (JLU)
2014 – £6,831.49, DORCAS International – Ghana
2013 – £6,174.04, Prisoner Family and Friends (PFFS)
It is impossible to know exactly, how or where, those donations “land”, making a difference to lives we are unlikely to encounter. But at the outset of a new Lent we can be grateful for those who contribute at home and abroad to these charities – donors, staff and volunteers. We can be inspired by their example and appreciate some of the friendships that have emerged through these connections. And we can keep in our prayers those who the charities seek to reach out to and serve.
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, 26th February 2023,
1st Sunday of Lent
Hymn 34 O send thy light forth and thy truth (Martyrs) Psalm 43
Hymn 378 Praise to the Holiest in the height (Gerontius)
Hymn 338 Jesus, tempted in the desert (Ebenezer)
Hymn 514 Onward! Christian soldiers marching as to war (St Gertrude)
Anthem: Wash me throughly, Wesley
Musical Interlude: Peccantem me quotidie, Morales
Organ Postlude: Double Organ Voluntary in D Minor
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
New Testament Reading: Romans 5:12-19
Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:1-11
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.
St Columba’s Members
We are sorry to announce the death of St Columba’s member Samuel (Sam) McLaren. Sam died on 17th February 2023. Angus will take Sam’s funeral on the 7th March at 11.30am, East Chapel, Golders Green Crematorium. All are welcome to attend. Our thoughts are with Sam’s sister, niece, nephew and all his friends at this time.
The funeral of St Columba’s member, Patricia Ross, will take place on Thursday 2nd March, at 10.45am at Croydon Crematorium.
We also announce the death of St Columba’s member, William Allen. We will publish the details of William’s funeral as soon as we have them. Our thoughts are with William’s daughter Samantha at this time.
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 26 February (first Sunday in Lent): Guest speaker, Luke Bowyer (Funding and Communications Director) and Darren (Sounding Out Musician).
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 January and March, we offer Sunday School on the first and third Sundays of the month.
- Sunday 5th March
- Sunday 19th March (Mothering Sunday)
- Sunday 2nd April (Easter Experience)
Congregational Sunday Lunch & Future Dates
Future dates for lunches are 5th March 2023 & 19th March 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.
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.
19th March 2023 – Axel Krogness, classical guitarist will play a programme of music to include Dowland, Bach and Goroto.
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
Happy Hour
Our next Happy Hour session is on Wednesday 1 March at The Carpenters Arms, 12 Seymour Place W1H 7NE. Two St Columba’s members will share their experience of music enriching faith- from bell ringing to choral anthems.
Do come and join us in the rear section of the ground floor bar 6.30pm onwards.
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 4th March – Churchill War Rooms. A visit to Winston Churchill’s historic underground bunker. On 31 May 1938, a group of basement offices in Whitehall formed a top-secret complex, known and the Cabinet War Rooms. These rooms became the heart of Britain’s war machine.
- 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.
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 Book Group
Please note change of book and new date and time for the next meeting.
We had a good discussion of The Wonder at our last meeting and found it raised a lot of different themes. The overall conclusion was that it had been a good choice as we benefited from being able to discuss a number of controversial aspects with others. For those of you who are not members of the group but follow our choices, we got ahead of ourselves at the last meeting and chose two books. We are not exclusively a women’s group so we exercised the book group prerogative and changed our collective mind about the next choice. We are now going to be discussing The Lace Weaver by Lauren Chater, which is a novel set in 1941 and later. Estonia was an independent state that was occupied by the Russians following WWII but restored its independence in 1991. It is perhaps very relevant now, given what is happening in Ukraine.
Our next meeting will be on TUESDAY 4 APRIL at 7pm. Please note the change of date and time.
Palm Sunday- Church Office and Finance Team
On Sunday 2nd April, Lucy Llewellyn, Church Office Manager and Teresa Echevarria, Church Accountant will be available in the entrance vestibule from 12.15pm to 2.00pm, to answer any questions on gift aid, planned giving etc. Come and update your contact details or just say hello.
St Columba’s Quiz
The St Columba’s Quiz returns on Saturday 22nd April. 6.30pm for 7 pm start. Tickets will be on sale in March- £6.00 per person. The theme is the coronation of King Charles III.
Please save the date, gather your teams and watch for further details re ticket sales etc.
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.
