For Sunday 29th October 2023, 22nd Sunday after Pentecost
“There is nothing to fear in choosing a period of solitude.” So write Malcolm Doney and Martin Wroe, joint authors of Hold On Let Go: How To Find Your Life. “At the kitchen table, with the radio turned off. In the bedroom, when everyone else has left the flat, smartphone exiled. A lunchtime walk from the office, turning through the doors of that building we rarely look twice at.” Doney and Wroe reference Michael Palin, former Monty Python member, taking a lunch break after being cross-examined in a court case in London. Not permitted to talk to anyone, he wanted somewhere to sit quietly and get himself together. Unable to find a seat that didn’t involve eating, drinking or some commercial transaction, he stumbled upon the Church of St Dunstan-in-the-West in the heart of Fleet Street. “I was never so grateful for a place of repose, an oasis of peace and quiet in the midst of the mayhem,” Palin said.
Doney and Wroe reflect: “In the furious activity of a world where the volume is turned up, houses of worship may be just the place to sit quietly and alone, to hear the silence speak.” And according to novelist Francis Spufford: “Churches are vessels of hush, as well as everything else they are. And when I block out the distractions of vision, the silence is almost shockingly loud.”
Each day someone comes into the sanctuary at St Columba’s and spends time in its space and quiet. It is impossible to say what people find or feel, but there is surely the sense that for some at least, they feel it to be a place of welcome, calm, peace, perspective and prayer. That is no small gift to give and receive in our busy, busy city.
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.
Hymns, Music & Readings for Sunday 29th October 2023
Hymn 173 Sing to God new songs of worship (Ode to joy)
Hymn 193 God is love: his the care (Personent Hodie)
Hymn 502 Take my life, Lord, let it be (Nottingham)
Hymn 247 Moved by the Gospel, let us move (Ellacombe)
Anthem: Set me as a seal, Page
Musical Interlude: Te Deum in B flat, Stanford
Old Testament Reading: Exodus 3:1-15
New Testament Reading: Romans 4: 13-25
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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for bank details or other means of donating.
THIS WEEK: New Members’ Conference, Saturday 28th October, 10am – 1pm
On Saturday 28th October, we will hold a New Members’ Conference for those who wish to consider becoming members of the Church of Scotland here at St Columba’s. Topics for discussion will include: An Introduction to Christianity; an Introduction to the Church of Scotland; and the promises taken by new members. Attending the Conference does not oblige participants to become members, but we do ask that those wishing to become members attend the Conference. For more details, please contact Rev William McLaren, our Associate Minister. For those who attend the day and then wish to formally join the congregation a New Members’ Service will be held on Advent Sunday – Sunday 3rd December 2023, at 11am.
THIS SUNDAY: Change of Clocks
Clocks go back an hour on Sunday at 2am.
THIS SUNDAY: Congregational Lunch in Lower Hall
Please note the small increase to £4.00 per lunch – still exceptional value for a two course meal. Big thanks to all our catering teams who provide for us on congregational lunch Sundays. Coffee will continue to be served every Sunday as usual in the Upper Hall – donations for coffee most welcome. Future Dates are Sunday 5th and 19th November 2023
Sunday School Future Dates
Please note one date change for Sunday School next month. We will not meet on the first Sunday of the month (Sunday 5th November) however there will be Sunday School on Remembrance Sunday, 10.45am, Sunday 12th November) and the third Sunday of the month (Sunday 19th November. As always a big thank you to our volunteers who enable these activities.
Festival of Silence at St Columba’s, Saturday 18th November 2023
The Festival of Silence is the first event of its kind taking place at St Columba’s, inviting the public into our beautiful building for a day of quiet, contemplative and peaceful activities amidst the hustle and bustle of the capital city. Offering a mixture of artistic workshops, music-framed communal silence and prayer, the day offers something for those already familiar with the fascination of silence and those curious to explore new terrain.
From whichever tradition of prayer you come or none, there is an activity for everyone at the Festival of Silence. These include: Sketching Into Silence: A guided drawing class with London’s oldest sketch club, the Langham Sketch Club and the Royal Drawing School’s Sharon Brindle. Turning Into Silence - Movement to Prayer: Revd. Pauline Steenbergen combines body, breath and mediation in a powerful, accessible yoga session. Speech Without Words: A masterclass in mime with theatre producer and practitioner Rowan Tolley. Profound Simplicity: Internationally renowned Scottish poet, Kenneth Steven, offers a prerecorded soundscape of poems, read and curated by him. Silence In The Sanctuary: With a selection of Scottish nature-influenced compositions, classical saxophonist Jonathan Radford frames periods of intermittent meditative silence. CÂN Y COED Rainforest Symphony: Groundbreaking sound installation created by Rainforests of Wales and Environmental Sound Artist, Cheryl Beer. A house of prayer: Opportunity throughout the day to find quiet in the prayerful space of the London Scottish Regimental Chapel, with prayer resources provided by the World Council of Christian Meditation (WCCM).
Tickets: The ticket structure for the event allows for an affordable entry ticket and additional purchases for individual activities. £10 Day Ticket: Includes entry to the building, access to live music performances, poetry listening sessions, Rainforest Symphony installation.
Additional cost £20 Sketching Pass: Includes entry to a two-hour sketching session £10 Movement and Mediation pass: Includes entry to an hour-long guided yoga session and equipment £10 Mime Masterclass pass: Includes entry to an hour-long mime masterclass session. Thanks to volunteer caterers, a “quiet” soup and sandwich lunch (£5 payable on the day) will be served between 12.30-1.30pm.
Volunteers for the Festival of Silence
To assist the smooth running of the day we are looking for members of the congregation to act as volunteer stewards. Please either sign up with Susan Pym, following service this Sunday, or via the Church Office. Offers for morning/afternoon/all day, are all welcomed. The Festival programme runs 10.00am 4pm, with doors opening for registration at 9.30am. To support the Festival we ask that our volunteer stewards purchase the £10 day ticket.
Glass Door Night Shelter - Volunteers Needed
Sunday evenings (beginning 12th November 2023, through to March 2024.) Can you help provide a warm friendly welcome and hot meal to 35 homeless guests at St Columba’s on Sunday evenings, when we will again host the Glass Door night shelter?
- Shelter volunteers needed to help set up, prepare and serve food, chat to guests and clear up.
- Cook volunteers needed to take the lead on cooking the simple 3 course meal.
Training and support for roles will be given. The rota is evolved according to volunteer availability. Please get in touch with Jill Bruce (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) if you or anyone you know is interested in helping. Volunteers often comment that they feel they receive far more than they give.
Glass Door Night Shelter - Donations Requested
We are now approaching another night shelter season and with it, another appeal for help with the food costs. For St Columba’s, the season starts on Sunday 12th November when we will feed and sleep up to 35 guests, continuing every Sunday evening throughout the winter months. A team of volunteers prepare a simple 3 course meal, the cost of which is of course ever increasing. To continue this work and repeat the success of previous seasons, will you help with these costs?
Your contribution of cash or a cheque made payable to St Columba’s Church of Scotland can be left in the church office (envelopes marked “Glass Door food appeal”).
Lent Appeal 2024(small overseas registered charity)
Over the last five years, thanks to your generosity, we have raised a total of £43,904 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 away/overseas registered charity that could be considered for the St. Columba's Lent Appeal 2024. For more information, please contact Naomi Donaldson, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (or via the Church Office) before Friday 10th November.
Happy Hour, Wednesday 1st November, 6.30pm,
Carpenters Arms, 12 Seymour Place, W1H 7NE. Our topic this month is carried forward from the last session, postponed because of transport problems, 'let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us’ drawing on Duncan Hamilton’s biography of Eric Liddell. No advance booking or reading required - just turn up on the evening and you will be most welcome.
St Columba’s Craft Group
The group will meet next, Sunday 5th November from 1.30pm to 3.30pm in the Library. This is a great opportunity to pick up tips and new techniques from our talented and experienced members. All welcome. For further information please contact Fiona Lang or Susan Pym through the church office.
St Columba’s Book Group
Our next meeting is on Monday 6th November at 6.30pm when we shall be discussing Nightbloom by Peace Adzo Medie. It is a story about two Ghanaian cousins who are great friends but whose lives take quite different paths. We then plan to read The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell. Contact the Church Office for the Zoom details
ScotsCare – Supporters needed
The CEO Sleepout will be held at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Monday 20th November 2023, 7pm-6am. The purpose of the CEO Sleepout is to raise funds for those experiencing homelessness and poverty with the help of CEO’s and similar senior management level personnel from all industry sectors. They need supporters to join us for this year’s effort so I am contacting you to ask if you would participate in the CEO Sleepout either as part of our ScotsCare team or individually.For more information please contact Jacqueline on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or if you ready to sign up, please visit the website at https://ceosleepout.co.uk/london/.
THIS WEEK: Hospitality
We have a quantity of wine glasses for disposal that are on offer, free of charge, to members of the congregation. The glasses will be available on a table in the Entrance Vestibule for the next few Sundays – please help yourselves.
Office Hours
The church office is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
Contact details; Tel: 020 7584 2321
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.stcolumbas.org.uk
Facebook: @stcolumbas churchpontstreet.
Twitter: @LondonKirk
Pastoral Emergency Number (out of office hours): 07591926271