For Sunday 3rd November, Twenty Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Written by William McLaren on .
Friends,
Our Old Testament lesson this week (Ruth 1: 1-18) tells the story of Ruth and Naomi, homeless refugees suffering as a result of famine. Naomi decided to return to her homeland of Judah and urged her two widowed daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to find new husbands and security. Ruth, however, refuses, vowing to stay with Naomi and to follow her God.
What does love look like? In the centre of the story of Ruth stands someone who willingly becomes a refugee as she continues to support her beloved mother-in-law rather than return to her own family. So let us explore our understanding of what it means for us to love our neighbours today as we focus on the example of Ruth and on Jesus' challenge to love God with all our being.
For Sunday 20th of October, Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost
Written by William McLaren on .
Friends,
From time to time the BBC or one of our more serious newspapers will ask the public who they regard as the greatest Briton of all time. Very often Winston Churchill tops the poll or sometimes the 1st Duke of Wellington (despite being born in Dublin so technically not a "Briton"). Both these men were military and political leaders although perhaps Wellington was less successful as Prime Minister than he was on the battlefield.
For Sunday 13th of October, Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost
Written by William McLaren on .
Friends,
Our gospel lesson this week from St. Mark 10: 17- 31 tells the story of "The Rich Man" who was reluctant to part with his possessions but today I'm thinking of another prosperous young man who used his money to benefit others and whose influence is still felt today, many years after his death. Douglas Macmillan was born into a well-to-do family in Somerset in 1884. He was educated at Birkbeck College, University of London and became a civil servant with the Ministry of Agriculture. He founded the Society for the Prevention and Relief of Cancer in 1912, the year after his father died of the disease, making an initial donation of £10, a large sum in those days. The charity he founded is now known as Macmillan Cancer Support and you can learn more about their work supporting cancer patients of all ages and their families here - www.macmillan.org.uk.
For Sunday 6th of October, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Written by Angus on .
I was entertained this week by a church member recollecting the baptism of her child – many years ago and in a neighbouring church of St Columba’s. The vicar had removed his spectacles prior to the baptism at the large marble font – symbolically placed near the entrance to the church at the west door. Just at the key moment, the child’s mother, while handing over the infant, dislodged the clerical spectacles from their resting place - propelling them into the depths of the font. Opps! Happily, the baptism was completed, and the vicar appears to have maintained a sense of humour.
For Sunday 29th September, Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Written by William McLaren on .
Friends,
I love cinema, especially old films such as Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and The Third Man. The golden age of Hollywood also produced biblical epics such as The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston, and more recently, Risen, starring Joseph Fiennes was a very effective retelling of the Easter story. I can't help thinking that the story of Esther which we read in our Old Testament lesson this week would make a wonderful film. Esther was a Jewish woman, married to Ahasuerus, King of Persia. Esther was chosen as queen following a "beauty contest" when the king was looking for a new wife although Ahasuerus did not know of her Jewish heritage.
The office is open from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m, Monday to Friday.
There is a 24-hour answering machine service.
Connect with us
Find us
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.
We use cookies to maintain login sessions, analytics and to improve your experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies and Privacy Policy.
