Friends,
Those able to attend worship at St Columba’s this Sunday will encounter two new developments; or more accurately, two restorations. Thanks to ongoing experimentation with microphones, the choir are due to return to their traditional perch in the gallery. While it has been good to see our singers up front for a while, Director of Music, Ben, assures me that for optimal music-making, proximity to the organ is definitely the choir’s preferred spot. Following service, we also anticipate the welcome return of hospitality; refreshments will be served in the Upper Hall, adhering to the appropriate protocols. (See information below.) This is much looked forward to by many.
You may also have noticed that we have reinstituted the carrying in and out of the Bible at the start and conclusion of service. Even though congregational singing is still not yet permitted, those in the pews are now invited either to stand or sit during the hymns, depending on their preference. This is in response to the observation that sitting throughout the service diminished the sense of participation. Over the last two weeks it does feel that that small adjustment has enhanced the sense of collective worship.
So, little by little, we are finding our way forward. Next week (Sunday 11th July) will be a very special day as we welcome our new Associate Minister, Revd William McLaren to his first Sunday at St Columba’s. The same day will see the first baptism of 2021. By chance, a lovely reminder of that sacrament, the newest baptismal banner* was delivered to the church this week. You may recall that following the success of Gael Robertson-Gorvey’s baptismal names art installation, at the time of the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice (2018), we started collecting the names of those baptised at St Columba’s, contemporary and in times past. Signed, in most cases by a parent, then embroidered by the craft group and finally pieced together by church member, Jeni Rutherford, we are slowly building up the collection. On baptismal Sundays we place the banners on the pew ends. At the point in the baptismal service when the newly baptised come down the aisle, “presented” to the wider church family, (and vice versa), they are “companioned” by the names of all those baptised in this place before them. It is a gentle, visible reminder of the precious, invisible ties that bind us all.
Have a great weekend and see you on Sunday,
Angus
Attending Morning Worship
If you would like to “book a pew” for the service at St Columba’s please contact the Church Office either by telephone, 0207 584 2321 or email, office@stcolumbas.org.uk by 3pm on Friday. Booking a place speeds up the test and trace process as you arrive at Church.
Live Streaming of Worship
Services can be watched via the church website, https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/live-stream
To access the live stream from the homepage (front page) click the Menu button in the top right-hand side of the page and scroll down and click on “Live Stream”. This will bring up the live stream to the church. The act of worship of approximately 60 minutes, includes include prayers, a sermon and music. (Note: This will not be public worship that everyone can attend, but an offering of prayer and praise, on behalf of us all.) The words for the hymns will be on the website.
We believe it is really important to continue to live-stream the Morning Service under; its current format i.e. for the benefit of those joining worship from afar or those as yet unable to make the journey to Pont Street. For those without internet, the Dial-In facility continues. Many people comment that they do have a sense of worshipping together, even if invisible to each other. While current regulation forbids singing in; the pews, the live stream strongly recommends singing in the sitting room!
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 now phone in to join the Sunday service. No visuals clearly, but at least they can hear the service. Those interested should follow:
Step 1: At 10.40am call phone number 0203 051 2874.
Step 2: You will be prompted to enter a meeting ID. Please type (using your telephone keypad) 266 883 5072#
Step 3: You will then be asked for a participant number – simply press the #.
Step 4: Enjoy the service! You will hear Ben’s organ music from 10.50am.
Hymns, Music & Readings, 4th July 2021
Hymn 103 Fill your hearts with joy and gladness (Rhuddlan)
Hymn 253 Inspired by love and anger (Salley Gardens)
Hymn 682 Go in grace and make disciples (Abbot’s Leigh)
Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 2:1-5
New Testament Reading: II Corinthians 12:2-10
Gospel Reading: Mark 6:1-13
Anthem: My eyes for beauty pine (Howells)
Musical Interlude: Ave verum (Byrd)
Organ Postlude: Postlude in G (Stanford)
Hospitality
From Sunday 4th July our coffee teams will start serving coffee and tea again in the Upper Hall, after the Morning Service, providing that the lockdown situation does not change in the meantime. Our plan is to serve people seated at tables of four. Milk and sugar will be placed on every table, and as a trial, cups and saucers will be in place on the tables with coffee already in the cups and to fill the cups with hot water at the tables. Please ask for tea if required. Both doors to the Upper Hall will be open to avoid any congestion and also to have windows open at both ends of the hall. Anyone taking coffee should go straight into the Upper Hall, masked until they sit down, wait to be served, and not to move around.
This service can only be provided if we have sufficient coffee team members on the rota – once every eight weeks, and we are looking to fill three vacancies. Could you be one of them? If so, please contact James MacHardy by e-mail: jamesmachardy@yahoo.com. Thank you. [We anticipate starting lunches again as from Sunday 19th September.]
Office Hours
Please note the Church Office will be closed from 2pm on Friday 25th June to Tuesday 29th June at 9am.
Tel: 020 7584 2321
E-mail: office@stcolumbas.org.uk
Website: https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk
Facebook: @stcolumbaschurchpontstreet
Twitter: @LondonKirk
Pastoral Emergency Number (out of office hours): 07591926271
Maintaining Community and Supporting Each Other
Everybody can play a part in maintaining contact with others via telephone, e-mail or letter, especially those who are particularly vulnerable. Our Elders are encouraged to make contact with those in their districts, and church members are welcome to contact the church office to request a contact from their elder or the Minister.
Congregational Offerings
Details on the many ways you can support St Columba’s can be found here https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/giving/supporting-st-columbas
Would anyone wishing to contribute to St Andrew’s, Newcastle please contact the Session Clerk on standrewssessionclerk@gmail.com for bank details or other means of donating.
Service of Introduction for Revd William McLaren, 6pm Thursday 8th July 2021.
The Presbytery of England will hold the Service of Introduction at St Columba’s, Pont Street for our new Associate Minister on Thursday 8th July 2021. The service will be open for attendance in person and also available via the live stream. The list to reserve a place to attend in person is now open, via the Church Office. Following the service hospitality will be offered in the Lower Hall. Under current guidance refreshments will be served at seated tables.
William’s first Sunday at St Columba’s will be on Sunday 11th July. Please keep him in your prayers as he prepares to leave Dundee and begin his new ministry in London.
St Columba’s Coffee Mornings
The last of the coffee mornings before the summer break will be on Wednesday, 14th July 2021- 10.30am- Revd William McLaren. William joins us as Associate Minister from Stobswell Church in Dundee. This is a chance to get to know William a little better and for William to introduce himself “virtually” to us all.
Summer of Sport & Sporting Conversation: A Cricketing Year to Savour
Thursday July 15th – start 7pm (for one hour) – link to livestream at https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk
All you need to know about the world of cricket – the launch of The Hundred competition, the India tour, the T20 World Cup and the Ashes. Plus, reflections on Scotland’ s unknown but remarkable cricketing heritage. Join us for a fascinating livestreamed discussion with Fraser Simm, historian of Scottish cricket and Emma John, award winning cricket author and broadcaster. Chaired by Hugh Pym (BBC Health Editor and cricketing occasional) at St Columba’ s Church of Scotland, Pont Street in partnership with Scots in London. There is room for a limited audience in the church – please email office@stcoumbas.org.uk
St Columba’s Book Club
The next meeting of the St Columba’s Book Club will be the 23rd August (via Zoom) at 7pm. The month’s book will be “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett. If you would like to join please contact the office for more information.
Youth Survey
We (the Youth Committee and the Sunday School team) are exploring the possibility of creating a new youth group and we need your help to create something that works for you! Grown-ups, we’ll need your help with the survey, but we would love the answers to come from the youngsters aged 9 and above. Please visit https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/youth-survey to watch a short video and to complete the survey before 23 July 2021.
Scotscare Open Day
(A message from ScotsCare): On Friday 9 July, from 1pm until 4pm, we are hosting an open day (and socially distanced garden party) at Rothesay Court (Lewisham) to celebrate the opening of our 12 new flats alongside the refurbishment works that have been carried throughout the development. We would like take this opportunity to invite you to join, mingle with staff, volunteers, trustees and residents and celebrate with us that afternoon. The afternoon will be a great opportunity to really get a sense of what our sheltered housing flats could offer you, or a family member. Tea and refreshments will be provided. The ScotsCare choir will be performing, as well as the Piper, who usually plays at our client social events will also provide entertainment.
Please RSVP by Tuesday 6th July to info@scotscare.com or call 0800 652 2989.
St Columba’s Quiz
Due to the COVID 19 restrictions we were not able to get together for the annual St Columba’s Quiz. So, this year we have taken the quiz online. The quiz is available on the website here: https://www.stcolumbas.org.uk/community-life/quiz-2021 – for the answers please email the Church Office.
Iona: New & Selected Poems by Kenneth Steven.
A new volume of Iona poems may be of interest. About the publication Kenneth writes:
‘Iona’ comprises some 75 of my best-known poems from 30 years of writing. And at its heart, almost inevitably, are poems inspired by the Celtic Christian story and by my own long relationship with the island. But before and after the Iona poems, almost like doorways, are the poems set in Highland Perthshire that remember the years of growing up. This book is much larger than my usual collections and costs a bit more: each copy is £14 with postage. Please send an email if you’d like to request a book either for you or as a gift for someone else: the one thing I can offer that Amazon can’t are personal dedications! kenneth.steven@btinternet.com
Women Making History Exhibition at London Scottish House
Making History is an extraordinary exhibition that brings together artworks inspired by banners of the suffrage movement and highlights the continuing struggle to achieve gender equality. In June 2018, tens of thousands of women marched through the streets of Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London to mark 100 years since the first UK women were allowed to vote.
This mass-participation artwork, PROCESSIONS, was commissioned by 14-18 NOW and produced by Artichoke. Now you can see these pieces up close for one exhibition only, hanging in the Drill Hall of London Scottish House, Westminster. Tickets are free but you require to register:
https://londonscottishhouse.org/events/women-making-history-exhibition/
Congregational Picnic.
Young, and not so young, had a lot of fun last Sunday at the congregational picnic in Hyde Park. Following Sunday School activities in the morning, the weather stayed dry and we were rewarded with a relaxed afternoon of fresh air, good company and plenty of running around for those who wanted to. Many thanks to Sunday School team who organised things both in the morning and afternoon; and to all who participated.
