Thursday 21st May is Ascension Day, marking the end of Jesus’ earthly days - forty days beyond Easter; ten days before Pentecost. Archbishop Desmond Tutu once reminded an Ascension Day congregation that worship, “...however beautiful an echo of heaven, is not there to lead us away from earth.” He drew attention to the question put to the disciples on the original Ascension Day: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven?” The task(s) of love lie here before us.
Christ is risen; He is risen indeed! A happy, continuing Eastertide to you.
In normal circumstances, this Saturday (16th May 2020) would see the opening of the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. In the Presbyterian tradition, the General Assembly represents the highest church court, responsible for decisions that shape the life of the entire denomination. Each year the new Moderator of the General Assembly (a minister or elder, male or female) is installed on the first day of the Assembly, to undertake the duties of that office, for the following twelve months.
Christ is risen; He is risen indeed! A happy, continuing Eastertide to you.
Lockdown and the live streamed services have led to some interesting reflections. With permission granted from the church member, I offer the following as both thought-provoking and inspiring.
Christ is risen; He is risen indeed! A happy, continuing Eastertide to you.
Last week’s e-newsletter borrowed from the wisdom of monks and nuns who voluntarily live “enclosed” lives – “Good habits 24/7!” Judging by responses, that seemed to strike a chord. So, here’s some advice sent to me this week, offered by another monastic, from Ampleforth Abbey in Yorkshire. It is his so-called: Commandments of confinement:
Christ is risen; He is risen indeed! A happy, continuing Eastertide to you.
This week there was an entertaining newspaper article, entitled: “Good habits: surviving lockdown, by nuns who do it 24/7.” (The Times, 20 April 2020, Joanna Moorhead.) The writer asked: What can we learn from nuns in enclosed communities – those who experience a kind of voluntary lockdown on a permanent basis? There was both a of recognition of inevitable tensions and creative ways to manage those things.
Christ is risen; He is risen indeed! A happy Easter to you.
Thank you to all of you who have been able to join in the worship of our live streamed services throughout Holy Week. And thank you for so many lovely messages received, indicating that even an empty sanctuary, can bring us together. From your messages, there are precious glimpses of your own homes. One friend corresponded: “Easter 2020 has been special in so many ways – time for reflection and meditation. My dining room has morphed into a sometime Pilates studio and, during a part of every day this past week, my sanctuary, complete with candle lit and, on Thursday evening and today, Easter Sunday, bread and wine.” Another described how a toy-strewn room became, an hour later, the place to share bread and wine on the evening of Maundy Thursday. Another spoke about Easter morning – “trumpets sounding in our hearts, if not our ears!” Post service get- togethers for “coffee in the virtual Upper Hall” continues. As a church member wrote last week: “Self-isolating doesn’t mean that we are without communication or communion.”
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St Columba’s is located on Pont Street in Knightsbridge in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The Church is within easy reach of three London Underground stations – Knightsbridge (Piccadilly Line), South Kensington (Piccadilly, Circle and District Lines) and Sloane Square (Circle and District Lines).
St. Columba's Pont Street London SW1X 0BD
+44 (0)20-7584-2321
office@stcolumbas.org.uk
Getting here by tube
Knightsbridge Station
Take the Harrods exit if open (front car if coming from the East, rear car if coming from the West). Come up the stairs to street level, carry on keeping Harrods on your right. Turn right into Basil Street. Carry straight on into Walton Place with St Saviour’s Church on your left. At the traffic lights, St Columba’s is to your left across the street. If the Harrods exit is closed, take the Sloane Street exit, turn right into Basil Street. Carry straight on past Harrods with the shop on your right, into Walton Place as before.
South Kensington Station
Come up the stairs out of the station and turn left into the shopping arcade. Turn left again into Pelham Street. At the traffic lights at the end of Pelham Street cross Brompton Road, turn left then immediately right into the narrow street of Draycott Avenue. After just a few yards turn left into Walton Street. Carry on walking up Walton Street until the traffic lights at the corner of Pont Street. Turn right and after a few steps you will be at St Columba’s!
Sloane Square Station
Cross over the square into Sloane Street. Walk along Sloane Street until the traffic lights at the corner of Pont Street. Turn left into Pont Street. St Columba’s will then be in sight.
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