Friends,
Christian Aid sent this message of appeal earlier this week: “Yesterday morning ,1st September 2025, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck eastern and rural Afghanistan – and shook buildings from Kabul to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad. It has killed more than 800 people. Afghanistan is one of the lowest-income countries in the world. Even before this devastating earthquake, the country was under immense strain. Colleagues and partners tell us that people have been severely impacted by the earthquake, causing both human casualties and significant financial losses to local communities. We’ve been told homes made of mud and wood collapsed as helicopters were sent in to evacuate the injured. The remoteness of the areas hit by the quake makes the search and rescue even harder.
Christian Aid’s partner – OCHR (Organisation for Coordination of Humanitarian Relief) – maintains a strong operational presence in the East, particularly in Kunar Province. Life-saving rescue operations are needed to save the masses trapped under the rubble. Many more are in need of drinking water, food, shelter, blankets and cooking sets, and critical medical supplies. Together, we can share hope with people in need and ensure local responders can continue to support people who have lost their homes, livelihoods and loved ones. Every prayer, every gift, every action brings hope to people hit by disaster.
When the earth trembles
and the mountains quake
and the earth melts away…
Hold our hearts, God.
Send our hands and feet to help however we can.
When the skies darken
and the foundations falter
and hell erupts underneath…
Hold our hearts, God.
Send our hands and feet to help however we can.
When fear and grief shake foundations to the core
and continue their devastation long after the world falls still…
Hold our hearts, God.
Send our hands and feet to help however we can.
Our sisters and brothers, our family, in Afghanistan live this horror – now.
God of uncontrollable love and mercy,
may we match your love in the way we respond – now. Amen
Should you wish to donate you can do so via https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/emergencies/afghanistan-earthquake-appeal
We hope also to have appeal envelopes available at church in the coming days.
Angus
THIS SUNDAY: Hymns, Music & Readings for Sunday, 7th September 2025, Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Hymn 124 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation (Lobe DenHeren)
Hymn 402 ‘Take up your cross,’ the Saviour said (Breslau)
Hymn 96 (Psalm 139) You are before me, God, you are behind (Sursum Corda)
Hymn 500 Lord of creation, to you be all praise (Slane)
Anthem: The Heavens are telling – Haydn (1732-1809)
Anthem: Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen – Brahms (1833-1897)
Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 18:1-11
Gospel Reading: Luke 14:25-33
Reader: Charlie Newsome
THIS SUNDAY: Morning Service, Sunday School and Baptisms followed by Congregational Lunch in the Lower Hall. A special welcome to the family and friends of Lachlan Charles Sanderson Chan who gather for his baptismal service this Sunday. Join us for food and friendship after service.
St Columba’s member
We are sorry to announce the death of St Columba’s member Duncan Duckett. Details of funeral will be announced when known. Rest eternal grant unto him and let light perpetual shine upon him.
Church Magazine The August/September Church Magazine is available at the Bookstall for £1.50. Why not pick up copies for yourself and one for a friend or neighbour? Big thanks to Editor Susan Pym and all who help bring us the good news of St Columba’s and beyond.
NEXT SUNDAY: Morning Service followed by Coffee/Tea in the Upper Hall
Churches Together – an Ecumenical Service for the Season of Creation
10th September 2025 at St Mary The Boltons, at 7.30pm
Time: 7.30pm – Light Refreshments follow the Service – all are welcome.
Church: St Mary’s,The Boltons, SW10 9TB [Entrance opposite 23 The Boltons]
Preacher: John Woodhouse, Co-ordinator of Laudato Si’ Animators UK, and Organiser of Westminster Cathedral Interfaith Group
Theme: “Peace with Creation” And the symbol is “Garden of Peace” inspired by Isaiah 32: 14-18.
RSVP: chrislfriends@aol.com to get idea of numbers for catering and printing.
UPCOMING: Sunday 21st September, Upper Hall, 1.30pm, Sounds of St Columba’s Jonathan Radford (saxophone) and Dina Duisen (piano) “Across the Pyrénées” – Join us for an hour of French and Spanish music for saxophone and piano to include Debussy, Albéniz and Bizet.
Harvest Appeal 2025 – The Upper Room (UR4 Meals) www.theupperroom.org.uk
Harvest is approaching and we will be collecting again for The Upper Room (UR4 Meals). The charity provides thousands of meals a year to the homeless and disadvantaged people. Your food donations will contribute to such a valuable meal service.
We will be collecting: tuna, mixed herbs, curry powder or paste, paprika, vegetable stock cubes, sunflower or vegetable oil, chopped tomatoes, basmati rice, biscuits, instant coffee, tea bags (not loose tea) and sugar.
Collection point: Upper Vestibule by the Harvest Display Board, on three Sundays 21st, 28th September and 5th October (culminating at the Harvest Festival Service).
Thank you in advance, UR4 Meals!
St Andrew’s Book Festival 2025
The St Andrew’s Book Festival team are delighted to announce that first 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!
For more see https://www.standrewsbookfestival.org/
Membership Scheme for 2025 is also now open. To become a Festival Friend please click here.
Scots in London September newsletter.
For a variety of events and activities of interest see https://mailchi.mp/scotsinlondon.org/scots-in-london-september-newsletter-12818372?e=a7a1f1deca. 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.
St Columba’s Book Club: Our next meeting by Zoom will be on September 22nd when we shall discuss “The Other Side of the Bridge” by Mary Lawson, a novel set in Canada exploring the tensions both between two brothers and between fate and free will. For the subsequent meeting we shall read “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano. New members are welcome. Please contact the church office for details
UPCOMING: A Song among the Stones, Thursday 25th September, St John’s Cathedral, Oban. An afternoon of poetry and music with Kenneth Steven and Euan Fulton. Proceeds will support the St. John’s Cathedral Organ Appeal Fund 2025 and the Week of Prayer for World Peace 2025. Tickets are £15, please use the QR code to book. It is possible to attend online.
UPCOMING: Tuesday 21st October, 2pm, Dr Graham’s Homes 125th Birthday Songs of Praise at St Columba’s, Pont Street (events@drgrahamshomes.co.uk)
There is an open invitation to attend this special anniversary service, followed by refreshments in the library.
Dr Graham’s Homes was founded in September 1900 in Kalimpong, West Bengal in the Himalayas by Rev John Anderson Graham, a Church of Scotland missionary. The School was built on the “cottage homes” model which are family style houses named after benefactors, with “auntys” looking after the children. Originally aimed to educate and give vocational training to impoverished Anglo-Indian children; over time it became a wider community school. By the 1920’s it housed nearly 600 children and had grown into a near self-sufficient village with a church, hospital, farm, and workshops.
The UK charity arm (DGH UK) currently sponsors over 100 children in need, mostly from the streets of Kolkata, through fundraising and individual sponsors, some of whom have lifelong connection with their sponsored children. Today it continues as a boarding and day school on a large hillside campus at Kalimpong. The new Chairman of the Board of Management was a sponsored child from the age of two. He is now a world renowned neurosurgeon based in Shillong, near Kalimpong.
There are records of Dr Graham visiting St Columba’s during his visits to London. St Columba’s is the London home for all the DGH UK events, hosting an annual curry lunch for several years.
For further information see www.drgrahamshomes.co.uk
RESTART’s Annual Sleep Out, Friday 5th December 2025, outside St Columba’s Church. The number of people sleeping on the streets in the UK is at a record high. London saw a 10% increase in rough sleeping in 2024/2025 compared to the previous year. Every year the staff, volunteers and supporters of Restart Lives spend one night outside. Although there is much that separates the experience of the controlled environment of the Sleepout from that of a person living life on the streets, we hope the event will help all those who participate to imagine what London’s homeless have to contend with. To participate to 2025 SleepOut, sign up on this link or you can donate and set up a fundraiser on this page. Adults or children over the age of 10 accompanied by an adult are welcome, as are school groups or other groups of children under adult supervision. Contact us if you would like any information or have questions: Olivia olivia@restartlives.org
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 –
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
Pastoral Emergency Number (out of office hours): 07591926271
