15th October 2023
By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 21 October 2023
Dear Friends of St Columba’s,
I wanted to write and confirm that the Murder Mystery evening, scheduled for this evening, Friday 13th October, has had to be postponed because of ill health. I am pleased to say that many of those who were ill last weekend have recovered, but not quickly enough, and not with energy enough, to put on this evening’s entertainment. Hopefully it will be re-scheduled in the New Year.
I also wanted to commend to you the following prayer from the Evangelical Alliance in response to the situation in Israel and Palestine.
God rich in mercy and love, we pray for the people of Israel and Gaza.
For the innocents, broken, scared, frightened, confused.
God who weeps with the weeping, have mercy.
We think of those who have lost their lives and those who grieve.
God who meets us in the darkness of the valley and in the stillness of the night, Oh God, meet with the bereaved.
For families shattered and children torn, Oh God, have mercy.
To the injured, bring healing.
To the bereaved, bring comfort.
To the frightened, bring love.
To the weary, bring hope.
God of grace, we pray for an end to bloodshed.
May peace come quickly.
We pray that peacemakers may find a voice and offer a way forward.
Father, have mercy.
Lord Christ, have mercy.
Holy Spirit, bring hope.
Amen
We all agree the actions of Hamas terrorists in Israel last Saturday was evil, but it seems to me that we must pray, fervently, that evil is not repaid with evil, as has so often been the case in the Middle East. The only lasting solution to this situation is through a peace agreement that can only “be secured with a commitment to the right of all in the region to democratically determine their own future, and to see justice based on mutual respect and equal rights for all”. Those words are quoted from Embrace the Middle East who work with many people in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, you can follow their Latest News at this website:
https://embraceme.org/israel-palestine-news?utm_source=embraceme.org&utm_campaign=0aa81c750d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_07_06_09_47_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_90b49af971-0aa81c750d-395421717
Sunday 15th October
Our service at St Columba’s this Sunday at 10.30am is Morning Worship with the latest sermon in our series on Philippians from William, this time looking at chapter 3 verses 1-16. There will be ENERGIZE groups for children and young people and for those unable to be in church the service can be watched on Youtube here:
https://youtube.com/live/9Sp5DqoXPTo?feature=share
There will also be a PRAYER MEETING on Sunday evening at 6pm to which everyone is welcome. As well as more local and personal topics I am sure we will be praying for peace in the Middle East.
Next Sunday 22nd October
We will have services of HOLY COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham at 9am and at St Columba’s, Corby at 10.30am.
The St Columba’s service will include ENERGIZE groups and will also see the launch of our Gifts and Talents Survey which will include our Stewardship Review for 2023. Everyone will have a survey to take away and prayerfully consider before returning it to church over the next few weeks. We pray that these surveys will reveal new talent that will bless our church family in many different ways as well as showing, once again, how good our God is by providing for our financial needs through the generosity of our church family. And if you have contributed your time, talent or money to the church in the past can I say now, as I will in my sermon on 22nd, THANK YOU!
Service to remember those we love who are no longer with us.
An advance notice about our annual service to remember all those we love but see no longer. This service is open to all whether your bereavement was in the last year or many years ago. You are also welcome to come along and support those who are grieving. The service will be at 5pm on 29th October and so there will be no Prayer Meeting that day.
Steve’s Puzzles and Other Stuff 104
Steve writes about this edition: “Lovely pics of happy youngsters, lots of puzzles and the story of St. Alban. Great anecdote to use when someone tells you there is no God…and a huge join the dots puzzle. Recommend you print this edition. Go on…take a break…Grab a coffee and join them up!”
May God bless you all this week. I will be blessed this afternoon as I am off to the Afternoon Tea!
Ian
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