For Sunday 8th September, Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Friends,
One of the consequences of the pandemic was the change it provoked to the “lifting up”, or dedication of the weekly offering, during Sunday morning worship. Pre-pandemic, we passed the collection bags along the pews; then, once assembled, carried them to the communion table, where they were received with prayer. It was a regular and recognisable feature of our worship. Consciously, or not, while it was the financial offerings that were processed forward, they represented something bigger. Each week, via this collective, symbolic act there was a recognition and thanksgiving for the gifts we receive from God – and the gifts of our time, talent and treasure that we offer to God. As a congregation we prayed for generosity and wisdom in the way that we used such gifts, serving not just our own needs, but also those of others beyond our walls.
This Sunday we will trial the reintroduction of the dedication of our offerings into the morning service. We recognise the ways people make their financial giving has changed – very few people carry cash; many give by Gift-Aided standing orders; others utilise the tap and go machine in the entrance hall – so, we do not intend to reintroduce the passing of the collection bags. However, on Sunday, following the sermon and second anthem, a symbolic offering plate will be brought forward by one of the duty elders to the communion table. As the plate comes forward the congregation will be invited to stand and sing one of the doxologies in our purple hymnbook (CH4.) This Sunday it will be the familiar:
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (CH4 807) The Prayer of Dedication will follow, offered by minister and congregation:
Minister: Father, Son, and Spirit Holy,
we give you thanks and praise:
Congregation: We dedicate to you
our thoughts, our words,
our gifts, our deeds,
the working of our hands,
the thinking of our minds,
the loving of our hearts. Amen.
Those words, taken from the Church of Scotland’s, Common Order, emphasise what we offer is not just about our financial giving. Hearing the Word of God as it is read, preached and considered, we are asked to respond – with what we spend and what we share – with the way we live, and the way we love. I’m sure it may take a while to get used to doing things differently. But in time, our hope is that it will return a significant moment to our collective worship.
Angus
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, 8th September 2024, Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Hymn 124 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation (Lobe Den Herren)
Hymn 213 Every new morning (Bunessan)
Hymn 685 For everyone born, a place at the table (A Place at the Table)
Hymn 706 For the healing of the nations (St Helen)
Anthem: Behold the tabernacle of God, William H. Harris (1883–1973)
Musical Interlude: O for a closer walk with God,
Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7a
New Testament Reading: James 2:1-17b
Gospel Reading: Mark 7:24-37
Reader: Rona Black
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.
Hymns Books and Bibles Mending:
If you find any of these books need attention, please kindly put them on the bookcase on the left-hand side of the sanctuary as you leave, or give them to an elder after the service.
THIS SUNDAY: The Congregational Prayer Group
Meets to pray for the continuing life and work of St Columba’s. 10.15 – 10.30am, in the Kirk Session Room. All welcome. Morning Worship at 11am is followed by refreshments in the Upper Hall
NEXT WEEK: Midweek Prayers, Wednesday 11th September, 1pm, London Scottish Chapel
NEXT WEEK: St Columba’s Book Club, Monday 9th September, 6.30pm
Our next meeting will be by Zoom on 9 September, when we shall be discussing A Single Thread by Tracey Chevalier. The book after that one will be Colm Toibin’s Brooklyn. New members to the book club are welcome, for more information please contact the church office.
UPCOMING: Sounds of St Columba’s, Sunday 15th September, 1.30pm, Upper Hall
Jonathan Radford, Saxophone and Dina Duisen, Piano Recital
Join us to enjoy music from Paule Maurice, Vaughan Williams, Sarasate and Vitali
Some other dates for your diary:
- Sunday 20th October 2024 - Ruby Skilbeck, Soprano and Liz Hayley, Piano Recital
- Sunday 17th November 2024 – Choir of St Columba’s, Requiem by Duruflé
- Sunday 16th February 2025 – Choir of Imperial College, Let My Love Be Heard with music by James MacMillan, Gustav Holst, Stephen Paulus, A Cappella
- Sunday 16th March 2025 - Emily Sun, Violin and Caterina Grewe, Piano Recital
UPCOMING: Congregational Outing to St Columba’s Tennis Club, Sunday 22nd September, 2.00 – 4.00pm
Come and enjoy an afternoon of activity at our very own tennis club. We have two courts booked for those feeling active, with club coach on hand . Alternatively just enjoy an afternoon at a hidden gem of west London. The club is a ten minute walk from Acton Town tube. We will provide tea and cake during the afternoon.
https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/StColumbasTennisClub.
UPCOMING: Congregational Talk, Sunday 29th September, 1.30pm, Upper Hall
Viv Dickensen, the CEO of Crossreach will give a talk in the upper hall on the work of Crossreach. Crossreach is the social work arm of the Church of Scotland and is a key major contributor to social work in Scotland. At a time when the Scottish government is struggling with budgetary constraints and the Church itself is unsettled due to major changes, its work is more important than ever. Please come and hear about this vital but often under advertised work.
UPCOMING: Sunday 29th September at 7pm, Crown Court.
You are invited to a book launch for the newly published ‘Oh all right then: Stories from a Varied Ministry’ by The Rev Dr Marjory MacLean. Marjory is a well known and respected figure in the Church of Scotland, currently serving as a Parish Minister in Orkney, and formerly in various parishes as well as Depute Principal Clerk to the General Assembly. Her newly published book draws upon a wealth of experience in ministry to reflect on the call to ministry within the Church of Scotland. Of interest to any considering a call to the Ordained Ministry, but also to members of the Kirk at large, Marjory reflects on parish ministry with her trademark light-hearted humour, as well as serious and important reflection. Crown Court Church is delighted to host the London launch of her book on Sunday 29 September at 7 pm followed by book signing and refreshments. Please let us know if you are able to come by RSVPing to Laura Daniels our Church Administrator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
UPCOMING: SCOTSCARE CEILIDH, Saturday 16th November 2024, Lower Hall 7pm – 10.30pm
ScotsCare are excited to announce that they will be hosting their first ever Ceilidh on Saturday 16th November at St Columba’s Church, from 7.00 to 10.30pm (doors open from 6.30pm). The ScotsCare St. Andrew’s Festival Ceilidh will have live entertainment provided by the Craigievar Ceilidh Band and London Scottish Pipes and Drums. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun! We will have a caller to guide dancers, step by step so everyone can join in regardless of experience. Tickets include light bites, and a bar will be available to purchase drinks. All profits from the evening will go back into ScotsCare’s services. We look forward to seeing you on what a festive and memorable evening will be. Tickets are £20 each and can be bought via this link:
www.scotscare.com/project/scotscare-ceilidh/.
The first 50 tickets only are available at an early bird price of £17.50 (until the end of September).
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
The Ladies Educated in Scotland Club Informal Dinner, 12th September at 6.30pm, University Women’s Club, 2 Audley Square, W1K 1DB
LCLES was founded over 25 years ago. Any woman who spent any part of her education, school, college or University in Scotland is eligible to join. There is no joining fee or application process. It is an inclusive club and our members’ ages range from 20s to 90s and many schools, colleges and Universities in Scotland are represented. The cost of the dinner is £49 for a two-course buffet, with starters, main courses and coffee. Please contact Marjorie Bremner for more information/booking This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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. We are delighted to report that the new Scots in London St Andrew’s Book Festival is now live! Please head over to www.standrewsbookfestival.org to have a look around or if you are interested in Friends and other memberships with exciting benefits options.
There is a full A-Z listing of our authors and I think you will agree that this is a stellar line-up for our inaugural Festival.
You can also access the Festival first newsletter on this link.
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 August Scots in London Newsletter is published at https://mailchi.mp/6ab0f4bf731f/scots-in-london-july-newsletter
Office Hours
The church office is open from 9am to 5pm, 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