For Sunday 14th July, Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Friends,
It was a huge honour to be invited to the recent ordination of Monsignor James Curry as Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and titular Bishop of Ramsbiria. It fills me with joy that whatever the differences between our denominations we can share these special occasions and I was delighted to be able to wish "Father Jim" well as he embarks on this new phase of his ministry. The invitation to attend the service in Westminster Cathedral and the party afterwards came from Cardinal Nichols, the envelope looking very official, complete with his coat of arms, and I must confess that I've never lost the sense of excitement I had as a youngster when an unexpected and important-looking letter arrives.
Our New Testament lesson this week comes from St. Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus in modern Turkey. No doubt the Ephesians were very excited to hear from Paul, and his letter would be read aloud when they gathered for worship and copied and passed on to other Christian communities so that they too could read Paul's message for themselves. The letter begins, as ancient letters usually did, with a greeting and acknowledgement of the good that God is doing in the recipients' lives. It is shaped as a celebration of blessing, freedom, forgiveness and grace, God's choice of these people to receive the good news of salvation. Paul believes that God's plan is already in action. Christ's leadership will bring together the whole of creation for good, and has already begun to do so. One New Testament scholar has summed up the message of the letter to the Ephesians as "Christians, get along with each other!" The Christian community at Ephesus is first to the party, their invitation the gift of the Holy Spirit - so there is much to celebrate.
William.
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.
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.
THIS SUNDAY: Hymns, Music & Readings for Morning Worship
Sunday, 14th July 2024, Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Hymn 18 (i) The earth belongs to God alone (St. Matthew)
Hymn 404 I danced in the morning (Lord of the Dance)
Hymn 741 Glory to you, O God (Darwell's 148th)
Hymn 747 Jerusalem, the golden (Ewing)
Anthem: Tantum ergo, Vierne
Musical Interlude: Panis angelicus, Saint-Saëns
Old Testament Reading: 2 Samuel 6: 1-5, 12b-19
New Testament Reading: Ephesians 1: 3-14
Gospel Reading: Mark 6: 14-29
Reader: Ruth Kattumuri
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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for bank details or other means of donating.
THIS SUNDAY: Congregational Prayer Group, 10.15am-10.30am, Kirk Session Room.
THIS SUNDAY: Morning Worship followed by Coffee and Tea in the Upper Hall (by donation)
Church Member
We are sorry to announce the death of St Columba’s member, Frances “Ann” Cummins. Funerals details to be announced in due course. “Rest eternal grant unto her and let light perpetual shine upon her.”
NEXT WEEK: Midweek Prayers, Wednesday 17th July, 1pm, London Scottish Chapel
NEXT SUNDAY: Sounds of St Columba’s Recital, 1.30pm, Upper Hall
Maria Sotiropoulou (Mezzo-Soprano) and Benedict Lewis-Smith (Piano). Programme includes George Bizet and Camille de Saint--Saëns.
UPCOMING: Book Club, Monday 22nd July, 6.30pm
The Book Club met on 3 June to discuss Frederick Backman's Anxious People. There were mixed views about the book and some confusion but it generated a lot of discussion. Our next choice is The Ginger Tree by Oswald Wynd, son of Scottish missionaries in Japan. The novel is set in the first half of the 20th century in China and Japan and we shall meet to discuss it on 22 July by Zoom. After that we plan to read A Single Thread by Tracey Chevalier. New members to the book club are welcome, for more information please contact the church office.
NEXT WEEK: Summer Tuesdays
Summer Tuesdays season of Scottish Country Dancing in the Lower Hall, Tuesday each week, until the 10th September. Dance to a live band with all the profits going to the Church. Summer Tuesdays have run for over 50 years; the opportunity to dance weekly to live music from a top band, attracts dancers from all over the South. The dances are not suitable for beginners, and there are only very limited recaps and few walkthroughs. Details, including links to cribs and videos of the dances, www.summertuesdays.org
Glass Door's annual Sleep Out, Friday, 4 October 2024.
Participants give up their bed for one night to give someone a chance to find a pathway out of homelessness. Find out more and sign up at www.glassdoor.org.uk/sleep-out
RESTART’s Annual Sleep Out, Friday 6th December 2024, outside St Columba’s Church.
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. We can only accommodate 80 sleepers at this event, so if you would like to reserve your spot, don’t delay and sign up now
News from the Presbytery
https://corbyhighlandgathe.wixsite.com/highlandgathering
Corby Church of Scotland send news of the annual Corby Highland Gathering, taking place this weekend, Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July; the annual celebration of the town’s Scottish heritage. Attendees can enjoy the sights and sounds of pipe bands, watching dancers from around the country and beyond compete in the All-England Highland Dancing Championships, and other cultural activities. This year the congregation are offering a mini–Messy Church with activities - prayer tree, bible resources and children’s literature. They ask us for our prayers in this new venture reaching out to the wider community. We wish them well.
ScotsCare Podcast, Series 2
ScotsCare is back with series 2 of its podcast, where in each episode a well-known guest chats about how their Scottish background influenced the person they’ve become today, life journeys and how being Scottish relates to their interactions with the world. The charity supports Scots away from home in London with a range of services. The series has already aired episodes with football legend Pat Nevin (Chelsea, Everton and Scotland), bestselling cookbook author The Hebridean Baker and comedy actress Michelle Gomez (Green Wing, Doctor Who) with more to come. The series will be released in three blocks over the course of the next year. Tune in on all regular podcast platforms and the ScotsCare website www.scotscare.com. Missed series 1? It’s available on podcast platforms and the website, with guests such as broadcaster and singer Isla St. Clair, Star Wars and Andor actor, Duncan Pow and celebrity chef Tony Singh MBE, to name a few.
Scots in London presents the St Andrew’s Book Festival
Scots in London’s most ambitious collaboration to date is the St Andrew’s Book Festival (25th November – 1st December 2024.)
St Columba’s is one of the three venues hosting a superb array of authors – both household names and new writers. Sir Alexander McCall Smith and Judy Murray are among headline speakers Look out in the coming weeks for ways to get involved including volunteering.
If you are interested in Friends and other memberships with exciting benefits, visit this link for options.
For more information about Scots in London, please follow this link. You can join their newsletter here to be informed about their latest news, events and opportunities as well as their member organisations. The July Scots in London Newsletter is just published at https://mailchi.mp/6ab0f4bf731f/scots-in-london-july-newsletter
Office Hours
The church office is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
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