15th March 2026

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 20 March 2026

Hello everyone,

It is exciting to report that work on our new accessible toilet in church has begun! The walls of the new toilet are taking shape and the water supply has been installed, which explains why it looks as if a giant mole has moved across the church lawn! This makes our GIFT DAY on Saturday 21st March very timely, because the more money we receive on GIFT DAY the more work we can do. All the details of GIFT DAY are below, but can I encourage everyone reading this to consider if they could make a donation to our CHURCH IMPROVEMENT PROJECT to install not only an accessible toilet but a servery and new heating in the church. Please be praying now about what you might contribute to the GIFT DAY.

Before that we have our special MOTHERING SUNDAY service at St Columba’s at 10.30am on Sunday and everyone is very welcome, not only mums. The children have several contributions to make in the service and, just to remind parents, there is an extra rehearsal in church from 4 to 5pm today, Saturday 15th March. More details about the service are below.

There is no news yet about a date for Isobel Wasson’s funeral, but I will make sure people know in good time when it is arranged.

Details of all the upcoming events are as follows:

Sunday 15th March
10.30am – Mothering Sunday All Age Worship at St Columba’s – with puppets, flowers and gifts for mums this promises to be a very exciting service, and not just for mums. Please do come along. This service will be available to watch on YouTube here:
https://youtube.com/live/w9hpZ6sl8AU?feature=share
6pm – Prayer Meeting at St Columba’s – everyone welcome.

DISCIPLESHIP EXPLORED
The Discipleship Explored course has two weeks to go, with meetings on Wednesdays 18th and 25th March at 10.30am and 7.30pm. We will look at the homework from last week, before watching the next video and discussing questions in small groups. It is likely that the work on the new toilet will mean moving to the Church Hall on Wednesday mornings as we did last week. The evening group will be in church as usual.

GIFT DAY – Saturday 21st March 9am – 3pm

The plan for the day:
9am: Time to pray together in church – everyone is welcome to join this time of prayer before making their GIFT to the CHURCH IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
9am – 12noon: Opportunity for you to come to church to pray quietly for the Project and to make your donation (see below)
12noon: Time to pray together in church – everyone is welcome to join this time of prayer
12noon – 3pm: Opportunity for you to come to church to pray quietly for the Project and to make your donation (see below)
3pm: Time to pray together in church – everyone is welcome to join this time of prayer and thanksgiving for all that has been contributed during the day.

How to Donate:
In these days of online banking it is likely that many of you will want to make a bank transfer, and details of how to do that are on the Notice (which is also available in church). If you are doing that there will be an anonymous PLEDGE that you can write the amount of your donation on, just so that we have an idea how the Day has gone. You will also be able to give via the Card Reader, by cheque or in cash at the GIFT DAY.
Of course, you do not have to attend the GIFT DAY to give, and all donations are welcome however and whenever they are given. Having said that, we believe that coming into the church where the project will be happening, asking God to guide you about how much to give, dedicating your gift to the Lord’s work, and giving thanks to the Lord for gifts given, will bring God’s blessing on the GIFT DAY and on the CHURCH IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

Gift Aid
The Notice explains how people can add an extra 25p to every £1 they give by making use of GIFT AID. This allows the church to claim back the INCOME TAX you have paid on your donation. This means that if you donate £100 it will be worth £125 to us. You need to have paid as much INCOME TAX, on wages, salary, pension or savings, as the church, and any other charities you have given to with GIFT AID, have claimed. As a guide, if you multiply the amount of INCOME TAX paid this year (found on your payslip or similar) by 4 this will give you the maximum amount you can donate with GIFT AID in one tax year. Just to be clear this is ALL GIFT AID donations, to the Gift Day, General Church Funds and any other charities you support. If you are want to give more than the “4 times” figure you may be able to split the donation between this tax year (ending 5th April) and next tax year (starting 6th April) or only use GIFT AID on part of your donation. If you have any questions about GIFT AID please do speak with our Treasurer, Justin Dyche, or myself or a professional tax advisor.

Sunday 22nd March
9am Holy Communion at St Leonard’s, Rockingham
10.30am Morning Worship at St Columba’s
6pm – Prayer Meeting at St Columba’s – everyone welcome.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES
Unseen Witnesses, a series of reflections on less well known characters from the Passion narratives, each one will be available in a morning and an evening session as follows:
First Reflection “The Donkey” Monday 30th March 10.30am and Tuesday 31st March 7.30pm
Second Reflection “The Man with the Water Jar” Wednesday 1st April 10.30am and 7.30pm
Third Reflection “Peter’s Accuser at the Fire” Thursday 2nd April 10.30am and Good Friday 3rd April 7.30pm

Maundy Thursday Holy Communion with Hand Washing at Rockingham – 2nd April at 7pm
Hot Cross Bun Feast in St Columba’s Church Hall – Good Friday 3rd April at 10am

Easter Sunrise Service at Rockingham – 5th April at 6.30am. This is always a very special time to gather, initially round a fire outside the church, before moving to the font and then into the church for a short sermon and Communion accompanied by Easter hymns.
Easter Day All Age Celebration with Communion at St Columba’s – 5th April at 10.30am

PRAYER OF THE WEEK:
This week it seemed appropriate that we should focus our prayers on the GIFT DAY and CHURCH IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
Please give thanks that the work has begun and pray for the contractors who are working in and around the church, asking that God may speak to them. Give thanks too that we have the funds for this first phase of the work to install the accessible toilet, and for those who have given generously in the past to provide these funds. Please pray about your response to the Project, asking the Lord to suggest the amount you should give, and as you do this remember the WOW of giving that we thought about last year, however much you give to God you will never find yourself short of money! Please give thanks for all those who will be making contributions, small and large, to the Project, and for the government allowing us to claim back Income Tax on those donations through Gift Aid. And finally, pray that the amount raised will enable us to complete all the work we would like to do, and more, thanks to our generous God.

Thank you for your prayers and I hope to see you in church, on Mothering Sunday and for the GIFT DAY.

Ian
01536 400225
07903 644609