For Sunday 4th May, The Third Sunday of Easter

Friends,

We are wonderfully lucky to receive visits from many different people. As often quoted, “People come to St Columba’s for one reason, but come back for others”. In recent days poets and poetry enthusiasts came for the Free Verse Book & Magazine Fair 2025, including one author who first came to the building to attend a Support Group. On Sundy we had Chris Snow speaking about the upcoming Christian Aid Week – and this year’s Guatemala Appeal. And yesterday, Fr Dmitry Ismagilov of St George’s Cathedral, London (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland) spoke to the children, staff and parents of Hill House School about traditions of an Orthodox Easter. That was rounded off with some profound, deep-voiced singing by the accompanying Orthodox choir – made primarily of Lebanese and Syrian Christians.

Now, our chance to be visitors. As the country prepares to mark the 80^th Anniversary of VE Day (8^th May) with national events, thanks to the collaborations of Scots in London, you can participate locally. See https://www.scotsinlondon.org/events.

On Tuesday 6^th May, Scots in London presents, VE Day: Then and Now – What do we remember and what do we need to learn? It promisesan evening of insightful and timely discussion on the historical significance of VE Day and its relevance today. Chaired by James Landale, the BBC’s diplomatic correspondent, panel members are politician, Sir Malcom Rifkind, chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament 2010-2015, Professor Lucy Noakes, historian and author of a new social history of how Britons experienced VE Day and St Columba’s-connected, Professor David Fergusson, Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. It all takes place in the Grade II listed Victorian Dill Hall at London Scottish House. Visitors can explore the permanent London Scottish Regimental Museum exhibits, as well as a pop-up exhibition on VE Day. So, in the run-up to a significant anniversary – plenty to see, plenty to hear – plenty to reward being a visitor. Hope to see you there.

Angus

THIS SUNDAY: Hymns, Music & Readings for Sunday, 4^th May 2025, The Third Sunday of Easter

Hymn 425 The Saviour died, but rose again (St Andrew, Tans’ur)
Hymn 637 Now through the grace of God we claim (Strathcathro)
Hymn 417 Now the green blade riseth from the buried grain (Noel Nouvelet)
Hymn 459 Crown him with many crowns (Diademata)

Anthem: Surrexit pastor bonus – Lassus (1532-1594) 
Anthem: Most glorious Lord of life – WH Harris (1883-1973)

New Testament Reading: Acts 9:1-6
Gospel Reading: John 21:1-19
Reader: Sheila Nicoll

THIS SUNDAY: Morning Service, Sunday School & Baptisms followed by Lunch in the Lower Hall, A special welcome to the family and friends of Lilly Katrina Al Hachem and Romy Barbara Hawkins-McKay who come for their baptismal service this Sunday.

THIS SUNDAY: St Columba’s Craft Group, 1.30pm – 3.30pm, Kirk Session Room Many of us are knitters and crocheters of varying levels of experience; others are embroiderers spinners and patchworkers, so whatever your interest is you will find a welcome with us. For more details contact Susan Pym or Fiona Lang via the church office.

THIS SUNDAY: Evening Service, 5pm, London Scottish Chapel followed by Tea and Coffee in the Upper Hall

Post Easter Book Group

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 7^th May. 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.

UPCOMING: Friends of St Columba’s Visit, Saturday 10th May

The summer weather will hopefully make our visit to Leighton House all the more attractive. Surrounded by its own garden , it was once home to Frederic, Lord Leighton, the great classical painter of the Victorian age. The house is hung with his paintings, plus those of his friends Millais and Burne-Jones, with ceramics by William de Morgan. The domed Arab Hall is the centrepiece: a Moorish fantasia complete with a full mosaic frieze, antique Iznik tiles, and a gently playing fountain. The house has recently had award-winning refurbishment and restoration, including a full story of the artists. Lunch is at the well-known Chelsea hostelry: “The Hansom Cab”.

NEXT WEEK: 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.  

NEXT WEEK: 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.

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.

NEXT SUNDAY: Sunday 11^th May, St Columba’s, Pont Street, 11am, 80^th Anniversary VE Day Service with invited European and Commonwealth diplomatic guests, followed by a catered lunch 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. Please note lunch tickets are now sold out but you can still attend the service and book your tickets for the talk on this link

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.

NEXT SUNDAY: 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

Guatemala Appeal – QR Code for card donations

If you would like to make a card donation to help raise funds for the indigenous farming communities in Guatemala to help them buy basic farming tools, get specialist farming training to help them push-back again poverty which is being caused by climate change and by deforestation of their land by large organisations. Your donations will make a real difference. We have our own St. Columba’s / Christian Aid Week e-envelope for card donations, you can also Gift Aid if you are eligible, tick box. Many thanks.

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: 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.

UPCOMING: Please note the change of date for Congregational Prayers Group, Sunday 18^th May, 10.15am, Kirk Session Room

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.

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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