For Sunday 27th April, The Second Sunday of Easter

Friends,

In our Gospel lesson this week we will hear how the disciples, frightened by the discovery of the empty tomb and Mary’ Magdalene’s report that she had seen the Lord, are hiding in a house with locked doors – possibly the home of the mother of St. Mark in whose house the Last Supper had been celebrated. Jesus entered and showed them his wounds. Thomas did not see this and declared that he could not believe it was true unless he saw Jesus’ wounds for himself. Despite the doors once again being locked Jesus entered the house a week later and this time Thomas believed that he was the risen Lord.

Christian tradition tells us that following ancient trade routes Thomas travelled to India where there was already a well-established Jewish community and founded the church there – still referred to as “Thomas Christians”.  As Christians we too are called to be ambassadors for Christ sharing the good news of the resurrection. The Gospel accounts of Jesus appearing to the disciples behind locked doors should prompt us to ask what holds us back and what doors do we need to open? Can we, like Thomas and the other disciples, help unlock doors for others? One who did just that was Pope Francis who reached out to those in his own church and beyond, who felt locked out of the Christian community.

Let us pray for our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, and all who mourn the passing of Pope Francis. We give thanks for his life of service and his example to all Christians.

THIS SUNDAY: Hymns, Music & Readings for Sunday, 27^th April 2025, The Second Sunday of Easter

Special welcome to Mr Chris Snow, Strategic Lead at Christian Aid who will speak during service about the Guatemala Appeal which is the focus for Christian Aid Week this year (11^th – 17^th May 2025).

Hymn 106 Bring to the Lord a glad new song (Jerusalem)
Hymn 189 Be still (Be still)
Hymn 432 How often we, like Thomas (Reres Hill)
Hymn 416 Christ is alive! Let Christians sing. (Old Clarendonian)

Anthem: Exsultate Deo – Palestrina (1525-1594)
Anthem: Exsultate, justi – Viadana (c.1560-1627)

New Testament Reading: Acts 5: 27-32
New Testament Reading: Revelation 1: 4-8
Gospel Reading: John 20: 19-31 
Reader: Rosa Somerville

THIS SUNDAY: Guided Prayer for Easter, 10.15am – 10.30am, London Scottish Regimental Chapel The final Lent/Easter time of guided prayer,10.15 – 10.30am, London Scottish Regimental Chapel; atime of quiet prayer, in the company of others, following meditations for the season, led by the Minister.

THIS SUNDAY: Morning Service, 27^th April, followed by Coffee and Tea in Upper Hall Following service, “Reflections” in the Library, (12.30pm): Over a cup of coffee the Nurture Committee offer an opportunity to hear about the work of Restart Lives, who provide the Friday evening drop-in meal at St Columba’s. No sign up required, just come on the day.

THIS SUNDAY: Final Call for donations

Lent Appeal 2025 – Caxton Youth Organisation. Registered Charity 1090549.

The Caxton Youth Organisation is a small local Westminster charity, based in Pimlico with Clubs Rooms that are in the basement area of a council housing estate. The charity is already known to us as it was the recipient of our Lent Appeal 2011. Founded in 1948 by a couple of local residents in response to much needed help and support for young people aged 11 to 25 years who have learning disabilities and young people with autism. It provides crucial support for local families with evening clubs three times a week: fantastic opportunities to make friends, drama workshops, play games, life-skills, basic cooking lessons for the older ones. The charity also helps with employment applications, finding work, or training. 

With your donations we hope to raise enough funds to pay for a five-day outdoor residential trip at a purpose-built centre in the countryside for eight young people plus three staff. Donations would help cover the costs for accommodation, catering, staffing, activities and transport to the centre. A chance for them to experience the countryside and activities such as abseiling, high ropes courses, archery, pond dipping.

Please do watch this lovely short video clip ‘What Makes Caxton Youth Special’. On this link.

Various options to donate:

White Lent Appeal envelopes available in the pews and in Upper Vestibule.

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). Thank you. Mission Committee.

Post Easter Book Group, Wednesday 23^rd April

Our post-Easter book group choice is “Alleluia is our song.” Reflections on Easter and Pentecost by Michael Mayne. Next meeting on Zoom at 7.15pm, on Wednesday 30^th April. To sign up and receive the Zoom link, please contact the office.

St Columba’s members

We are sorry to announce the death of St Columba’s member Patricia Lord. Details of funeral will be announced when known. A Thanksgiving Service for the life of former St Columba’s elder, Alan Mackie, will be held at St Columba’s on Friday 9^th May at 2pm. We offer our prayers for wife Melanie and Alan’s family members. Rest eternal grant unto them, and let light perpetual shine upon them.

NEXT WEEK: Book Club, Monday 28th April, 6.30pm
We will be discussing Tan Tweng Eng’s The House of Doors. We welcome new members; please contact the Church Office for details.
We shall discuss Lily, by Rose Tremain, at the subsequent meeting.

Diary Date: New Members’ Conference & Service, Wednesday 30^th April 2025 & Sunday 8^th June If you would like to learn more about what becoming a member of St Columba’s involves, you are warmly invited to an evening of food and discussion on Wednesday 30^th April 2025, 7.00pm. For those who would then like to become members there will be a Service of Welcome on Sunday 8^th June – which appropriately is the day we celebrate St Columba himself! Currently five in attendance. Any further signups by Friday 25^th April please.

NEXT SUNDAY: 4^th May, Morning Service, Sunday School & Baptisms followed by Lunch in the Lower Hall, Craft Group and Evening Service, 5pm, London Scottish Chapel

UPCOMING: Friends of St Columba’s Visit to Leighton House, Saturday 10^th May, 11 a.m.,12 Holland Park Road, W14 (High St Kensington Tube) Rendezvous inside the main entrance Surrounded by its own large garden, this evocative haute-bohemian pad was once home to Frederic, Lord Leighton, the great classical painter of the Victorian age.

UPCOMING: St Columba’s Quiz Night, Saturday 10^th May, 7pm, Lower Hall.

St Columba’s Quiz Night returns! Tickets are £6 each and include a cold supper (BYOB).  You can purchase your tickets from the church office or after service from the desk in entrance hall on Sundays 27^th April and 4^th May.  

UPCOMING: Congregational Curry Night, Saturday 17^th May, 7pm, Lower Hall. Come and join us for a delicious 3 course meal (dinner served at 7.30pm) and talk from our elder Nadia Dallsingh on the highlights from her Everest Base Camp Trek. Tickets are £10 (BYOB) and are available to purchase from the office or after service from the desk in entrance hall on Sunday 27^th April.

UPCOMING: Scots in London 80^th Anniversary VE Day Events

Tuesday 6^th May, London Scottish House, SW1 2DX, 6.30pm

VE Day: Then and Now? What do we remember and what do we need to learn? Panel discussion with Chair, James Landale (BBC), Sir Malcolm Rifkind, former Cabinet minister, Professor Lucy Noakes, author and historian, and Professor David Fergusson (Regius Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge). Tickets are free and available on this link.

 Sunday 11^th May, St Columba’s, Pont Street, 11am 80^th Anniversary VE Day Service with invited guests from European and Commonwealth embassies, followed by a catered lunch (£10 per person, available via Eventbrite) and an afternoon talk by author Damien Lewis (SAS Daggers Drawn) and actor David Robb, on the wartime ministry of the Very Revd Dr Fraser McLuskey – the Parachute Padre – minister of St Columba’s, 1960 – 1986. Book your tickets on this link. If you are unable to use Eventbrite, there will be opportunities to purchase tickets before and after the service on Sunday 20^th, 27th April and 4^th May in the entrance hall.

Other events from Scots in London partners that week:

Thursday 8^th May – the London Scottish Regimental Association are hosting an evening reception at London Scottish House to mark VE80. Tickets to the evening are £15. Please contact Martin Felstead for an order form if you wish to attend at mjfelstead99@gmail.com before 1^st May.

Saturday 10^th May – London Scottish House is hosting the ‘Peace in Europe Conference’ being organised by the newly formed Second World War Association. You can find out more about the event online here.

 Scots in London April newsletter.

For a variety of events and activities of interest see https://mailchi.mp/scotsinlondon.org/april-newsletter 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

Cake Sale – Sunday 11^th May – Entrance Vestibule – Calling all bakers! If you would like to bake a cake(s), or biscuits, scones, shortbread, meringues and either bring in to the Entrance Vestibule before the service on Sunday 11^th May, or you can leave it with the Church Office a few days beforehand. Please label cake packaging with what type of cake it is. Cakes etc. can then be purchased after the service. All money raised will go to Christian Aid Week. Please do come and buy a cake, or even a slice of cake to have with your coffee in the Upper Hall.

Christian Aid Week: 11^th to 17^th May

https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christian-aid-week/campaign

In the run-up to Christian Aid Week, we are delighted that Mr Chris Snow, Strategic Lead: Power & Poverty at Christian Aid, will be doing a brief talk during the service on Sunday 27th April and will be talking about the Guatemala Appeal which is the focus for CAW this year. The focus is to raise funds to help the indigenous communities in Guatemala whose farms are being destroyed by climate change, but with basic farming tools and specialist agricultural training their lives can be improved and help them to push back against extreme poverty. Please click on the link to watch a short video on the Guatemala Appeal.

https://christianaid.resourcespace.com/pages/view.php?ref=16200&k=1de57ce076

Ways to help/donate:

• There will be red CA collecting buckets in the Upper Vestibule after the service on Sundays 4th, 11^th and 18^th May. The main CA collection Sunday will be on Sunday 11^th May.
• CA envelopes will be available on a table in the Upper Vestibule, and a tick box for those eligible to Gift Aid their donation. Some CA envelopes will also be in the pews.
• Online donations: We have our own church e-envelope. Please click on the link: https://fundraise.christianaid.org.uk/envelope-2025/st-columbas-church-scotland-chelsea/christian-aid-week-2025

Donations will help improve the lives of some of the world’s poorest people. Thank you.

Save the date – On Thursday 12th June, there is an opportunity to attend a special service at Westminster Abbey for A Service of Thanksgiving and Reflection to mark the 80^th Anniversary of Christian Aid. Doors will open from 10.30am via the Great West Door on Victoria Street, all guests to be seated by 11.30. Service starts at 12.00. To attend, please register as soon as possible. Herewith link: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/events/80th-anniversary-service-ginvite#register

Please also take photo ID as you may be asked to produce it and you must register to attend. 

UPCOMING: Sounds of St Columba’s, Sunday 18^th May, 1.30pm, Upper Hall

John Holland-Avery (Baritone) and Michael Bevan (piano). Join us for an hour of repertoire “Love from early romantic-late romantic” with pieces from Ravel, Vaughan Williams and Finzi.

Restart Big Walk Challenge: This is the challenge:

• From 26th May – 8th June participants take on a daily walking challenge. We suggest they walk their commute to and from work or school, but where that’s not possible, some are doing things like setting a daily step count instead. Even if you aren’t in London, you can take part in your own challenge remotely and miss the walk on the 8th.
• Sunday 8th June, at 11am, we assemble in Hyde Park to walk a lap together and share our experiences and reflections around this challenge.
• Participants pay an entry fee and also raise money via JustGiving, but if you can’t pay and want to take part , just let RESTART know.
• Participants of any age are welcome – bring the family!
• Website Link: https://www.restartlives.org/summer-challenge
• JustGiving Link: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/restartbigwalk2025

Why are we doing this?

We’re raising awareness around the amount of walking that people facing homelessness have to do just to meet their basic needs. Those who are rough sleeping regularly walk an average of 10-15 miles each and every single day. We’re used to hearing about a ‘mental health walk’ and how good it can be to get out there and pound the pavement or wander in the park, but for some people walking is a day after day, night after night, exhausting reality, draining them, making them vulnerable to the elements, to attacks, and to injury. At RESTART, we’ve seen the condition that our homeless guests’ feet can get into from living like this, the blisters, open wounds, sores, and the impossibility of healing while walking remains the way to get around.

We’re also raising funds to support the incredible work that RESTART does to prevent and alleviate homelessness. Last year, we served over 14,000 hot meals, shared vital resources like sleeping bags, coats, thermals, hats and gloves. We took on 165 one to one cases, and saw over 85% of those guests able to move forward with their self defined goals. We saw 1/3 of those into permanent housing after 12 months or less of casework and 50% of them were able to improve their housing situation in the same time frame. We can make a huge impact, but this work requires funds. Our Summer Fundraiser is going to make it possible for us to continue being there for London’s homeless who need us.

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 – Please note change of opening 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: @LondonKirk

Pastoral Emergency Number (out of office hours): 07591926271