For Sunday 2nd November 2025, Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost

Friends,

“Sometimes people just need a reason/excuse to enter a church – especially if they haven’t been in one for a long time.” That was a comment made this week by a non-church member, but who was enthusiastic about what goes on within our building throughout the week. Yesterday, a member of one of the support groups that meet here regularly said she had been coming to “Pont Street” for thirteen years, describing it is an essential part of recovery. But it is only this year that she fully realised that there is a church upstairs – which now adds to her peace and the sense that “it feels like home.”

This month the reasons to enter our building are numerous and varied. This Sunday morning, we celebrate both an infant and an adult baptism. In the evening we welcome family and friends recalling and honouring loved ones who have died. Where St Columba’s ministers have conducted funerals, we invite next of kin to the annual Bereavement Service, for the following seven years. In the first year we specifically remember by name and candle lighting, those who have died recently.

The following Sunday (9^th November) there will be the solemnities of Remembrance both in the morning service (10.45am) and for the London Scottish Regimental Church Parade (3pm.) You are welcome at either service. While on Sunday 16th November we celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the laying of the St Columba’s foundation stone. It is a moment to give thanks for so many things, and a moment to share our love of this building with others who appreciate it via a variety of different ways. We have sent invitations to the many groups who meet at St Columba’s and hope they will join us. It is also our opportunity to invite family members and friends to come and be part of the celebrations. (Make a day of it by booking for the lunch that follows and enjoy the afternoon music recital.)

All of which leads to another huge opportunity to open our doors, as we become venue for the second St Andrew’s Book Festival, presented by Scots in London. For four days we will 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.

“Sometimes people just need a reason/excuse to enter a church…” As supporters of St Columba’s you don’t need an excuse, but you might be the person who encourages someone else to cross our threshold, or be the person who gives a warm welcome to a first-time visitor – and so makes all the difference.

Angus

THIS SUNDAY: Hymns, Music & Readings for Sunday, 2nd November 2025, Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost

Hymn 106 Bring to the Lord a glad new song (Jerusalem)
Hymn 182 Now thank we all our God (Nun Danket)
Hymn 740 For all the saints, who from their labours rest (Sine Nomine)
Hymn 748 Through the saints we glimpse the light of Christ (Wareham)

Anthem 1: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace (Wesley)
Anthem 2 – Ave verum (Byrd)

New Testament Reading: Ephesians 1: 11-23
Gospel Reading: Luke 6: 20-31
Reader: Hamish MacKay

THIS SUNDAY: Sunday 2^nd November, Morning Service, Sunday School and Baptisms followed by Congregational Lunch in the Lower Hall
Join us for worship at 11am. A special welcome to the family and friends of Archie Hay (infant) and Lorna Yamaguchi (adult) on their baptismal day.

Sunday 2^nd November, The Craft Group
The Craft Group will be running from 1:30pm in the Session Room. Everyone is welcome to bring a craft to do while sharing tea or coffee after lunch.

Sunday 2^nd November, 5pm, Annual Bereavement Service. A quiet and reflective moment for remembering loved ones both from recent and times passed. All welcome. (Subject to confirmation, it is hoped that this service will also be livestreamed.)

NEXT SUNDAY: Remembrance Sunday 9^th November
10.00am Congregational Prayer Group, London Scottish Chapel
10.45am Remembrance Sunday Morning Service & Sunday School
3.00pm London Scottish Parade Remembrance Service

October-November Church Magazine
With thanks to the Editor, Susan Pym and her contributors, the excellent October/November issue of the church magazine is now 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.

UPCOMING: St Columba’s Book Club: Monday 10^th November Next book choice, “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Neapolitano, a novel inspired in part by Little Women. After that we shall be reading “Free – Coming of Age at the End of History” by Lea Ypi, which promises to be very interesting, as are all our choices. For details of how to join the book club, please contact the church office.

RESTART LIVES annual Winter Resource Fair is coming up – taking place on Friday 14 November.

Calling our supporters at St Columba’s
At this time of the year, temperatures drop and the weather can become more challenging for our homeless guests. Please help us provide essential kit and keep homeless people safe and warm and help make their rough sleeping conditions a little more bearable. We’d gratefully receive items such as hats, gloves, scarves, warm socks (those would need to be brand new) or rucksacks (second hand accepted but in good condition only). Thank you so much in advance. We expect 50-100 guests at this Fair and will do all we can to meet demand. Thank you to the church as well for helping us collect and store donations for this event and hosting the space so that we can distribute essentials and support guests to make it through the Winter safely.
Donations will need to be brought in the church office between Sunday 26^th October to Sunday 9^th November.
You can also donate directly on https://www.restartlives.org/donate (please make sure that you mention this is for the Resource Fair so donations can be allocated accordingly).

UPCOMING: Scottish Singing Competition, Saturday 15^th November, The Caledonian Club, 9A Halkin Street, London SW1X 7DR

Talented young singers from across the UK and beyond will be competing for the Meikle trophy along with cash prizes and opportunities to sing for London audiences in the year ahead. You are invited to support and enjoy these young people and see the emerging talents in the field of Scottish Song.
1:00-1:50pm Reception, 2:00-5:00pm Competition

UPCOMING: ScotsCare Ceilidh, Saturday 15^th November
The second ScotsCare Ceilidh will take place on 15th November 2025, at St. Columba’s Church, Pont Street, London SW1X 0BD at 7pm (doors open 6:30pm).
We loved hosting the Scots and not-so-Scots community for a night of dancing and fun, which helps to raise money for ScotsCare’s frontline services. This year will feature again live music and the odd speech, as well as a raffle, food included and very reasonably priced bar.
Everyone is welcome to join in the fun – friends, family and colleagues. We will have a caller to guide dancers, step by step so everyone can join in regardless of experience.

Tickets cost £25. https://tinyurl.com/ynnt3j2j Evening will start promptly at 7pm (doors open 6:30pm).We look forward to seeing you on what will be a festive and memorable evening.All profits go to supporting Scots in need across London.

UPCOMING: 75^th Anniversary of the Laying of the Foundation Stone Service, Sunday 16^th November 205, 11am Seventy-five years ago, the foundation stone of the “new” St Columba’s was laid. From the ashes of war, a sign of hope, a loyalty to an unknown future. Since then so much life takes place here, every day of the week – school pupils play, support groups welcome, homeless guests find shelter, dancers twirl, food is cooked, music performed, and prayer offered. We are very grateful for all of that.

On Sunday 16th November we celebrate that anniversary milestone. We are specifically sending invitations to the many groups who know and love this special building to join us that morning. It is also opportunity for congregational members to invite family members and friends.

11.00 am Morning Service. All welcome (No ticket required)
12.15 pm Catered lunch by The Passage £7.50
(Tickets via Eventbrite for a 2 course meal:
Menu – vegetarian option available upon request
Sausage, Mash, Onion Gravy & Peas
Chocolate Fudge Cake & Cream)
1.30pm Choir of St Columba’s, sing Rheinberger Cantus Missae and other works – All welcome (no ticket required)

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/

St Andrew’s Book Festival 2025
The St Andrew’s Book Festival team are delighted to announce that tickets are now on sale with St Columba’s being one of the main venue. Events include Nicola Sturgeon, Val McDermid and Irvine Welsh. On Friday 28 November one of Scotland’s true national treasures, broadcaster and author Sally Magnusson,will speak at a special literary lunch celebrating her spellbinding new novel The Shapeshifter’s Daughter. Book now to avoid disappointment as some of the events’ tickets are already going fast! Book now to avoid disappointment.

See https://www.standrewsbookfestival.org/ for full programme and tickets

Scots in London October newsletter.
For a variety of events and activities of interest see https://mailchi.mp/scotsinlondon.org/scots-in-london-october-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.

Lent Appeal 2026: Small UK registered charity (that provides help overseas)
Over the last five years, thanks to your generosity, we have raised a total of £36,929 for small registered charities as a direct result of our Lent Appeals; this is a major part of our work on Mission. The Mission Committee would be grateful for any suggestions you may have for a small UK registered charity, that provides help overseas, that could be considered for the St. Columba’s Lent Appeal 2026. For more information, please contact Naomi Donaldson, naomi.60@live.co.uk (or via the Church Office). Deadline for applications is Wednesday 12 November.

Update on the MacMillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning
A very warm word of thanks to everyone who supported our third annual coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support – to those who donated, those who provided sweet treats and those who looked after the stall, as well as the coffee team – thank you all! I’m very happy to say that a grand total of £310 was raised for this wonderful charity. William McLaren.

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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