For Sunday 1st September, Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Friends,
This Sunday we celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. This is always a very special occasion as parents bring their child into the church and promise to raise her in the Christian faith with the support and prayers of her Godparents and the congregation. But it is always important to remember that this is a sacrament of grace, a gift from God and that baptism is not something we do for God but a celebration of what God has already done for us in Christ. I am especially pleased to baptise Matilda as I married her parents two years ago, a reminder of how long I've been at St. Columba's. I hope that Matilda and all children baptised into the church will find a welcome and a church family to join wherever in the world life takes them.
Our epistle this week is from the very practical letter of James who reminds us that all good gifts come from God. Those who receive them should acknowledge this in the way they live their lives, putting their faith into action by being doers of the Word and not merely listeners.
James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the church in Jerusalem, was writing to dispersed Christian communities, giving everyone clear directions about what to do when hearing Scripture: pay attention and imitate the way of Jesus. James challenges us in the same way today - we hear the word, and we explore and practise the best way for us to respond as individuals and as a Church.
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, 1st September 2024, Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Hymn 482 Come, let us to the Lord our God (Paraphrase 30) (Kilmarnock)
Hymn 632 Our children, Lord, in faith and prayer (Belmont)
Hymn 193 God is love; his the care (Personent Hodie)
Hymn 502 Take my life, Lord, let it be (Nottingham)
Anthem: Teach me O Lord, William Byrd (1540–1623)
Musical Interlude: Thou knowest Lord, Henry Purcell (1659–1695)
New Testament Reading: James 1: 17-27
Gospel Reading: Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Reader: Jo Wallis
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: Morning Worship & Baptisms followed by Congregational Lunch in the Lower Hall
Special welcome to the baptismal family and friends of Matilda Elspeth Patricia Erskine who will join us on Sunday for her special day.
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.
NEXT WEEK: Midweek Prayers, Wednesday 4th September, 1pm, London Scottish Chapel
NEXT SUNDAY: Congregational Prayers Group, 10.15am, Kirk Session Room
Come and join us for 15 minutes to pray for our church, our community, our nation and our world …everyone is welcome and our prayers, both spoken and silent do make a difference.
Memorial Service:
A memorial service for the late Revd Dr Cameron Hunter Langlands, member of the Presbytery of England & the Channel Islands, will be held on the 6th of September 2024 at 1pm at the Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham BR3 3BX. Reception to follow at the Museum of the Mind. If you would like to attend please let Revd Ian MacDonald (Head Chaplain) know This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
THIS WEEK:
St Columba’s choir singer, Oscar Simms, is directing a play around dementia awareness. There will be 3 performances in Camden this week, each dedicated to fundraising as follows:
Friday 30th August 7:00pm in aid of The National Brain Appeal
Saturday 31st August 2:30pm in aid of The Alzheimer’s Society
Saturday 31st August 6:30pm in aid of The British Heart Foundation
You can still book your tickets via this link.
UPCOMING: St Columba’s Book Club, Monday 9th September
The Group met last Monday to discuss The Ginger Tree by Oswald Wynd. Unusually there was no disagreement about this choice which was universally liked. It was difficult to believe it was a work of fiction. 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.
News from the GKexperience
We received the following news from Calum Johnston, youth worker with the GKe. “To let you know that we have had another very successful residential season here at GK. This included our first ever foreign residential to Italy, (supported by the Murray J Napier Fund), Mountain Biking in Aviemore, a girls road trip around Scotland and a trip to the Isle of Mull staying at the Camas Centre. I was just looking ahead to what is coming after the summer and got very excited at the thought of being able to return to St Columbas! Please pass on my best wishes to the rest of the congregation.” The young people of GKexperience will be bringing staying at St Columba’s 22nd – 24th November. It will be a real pleasure to welcome them back.
https://www.thegkexperience.org.uk/.
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