18th September 2022
By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 24 September 2022
Dear Friends of St Columba,
Jo and I went to London on Friday for the Lying in State of Her Majesty. We had to wait 13.5 hours, from 1am to 2.30pm, but made friends in the queue and were rewarded with an historic moment by the side of the Queen’s coffin. As Christians we believe that the body inside that coffin is an empty shell and that the soul of her majesty has been given a new body as she has gone to be with the Lord she served so faithfully. See below for one final commemorative service to be held at St Columba’s tomorrow (Sunday) evening, a special commemorative edition of “Puzzles & Other Stuff”, as well as news of other upcoming events.
SUNDAY SERVICES
We have our scheduled service of Morning Worship at 10.30am in St Columba’s on Sunday morning. This will include my latest sermon on the book of Ezra (looking at chapter 7) as well as our ENERGIZE children and young people’s groups – they will be remembering our late Queen in a special session. The service will be available to watch online from 10.30am on Sunday, or later, via the following livestream link: https://youtu.be/2JI4BGLIJfc
In the evening, at 6pm, we will have a special service to mark the eve of the Queen’s funeral. This will be in place of our usual Prayer Meeting at that time but will include space for people to pray for the needs of our world, our nation, our neighbours, and ourselves. We will finish at 7pm with a minute’s silence (I know this is an hour earlier than the national minute’s silence but you can observe that at home at 8pm). If anyone would like a lift to this service please let me know so we can organise this. Do also think if there are other people you know who may like to spend an hour in church at this significant moment in our nation’s life and invite them along.
FELLOWSHIP GROUPS
It was, perhaps understandably, a quiet start for our Fellowship Groups this week. But everyone is very welcome to join us this coming week, either on Tuesday at 7.30pm or Wednesday at 10.30am. Both groups will last about an hour and a half and include a time of prayer. This week we will be look at the second fruit of the Spirit – joy!
NEXT SUNDAY
On 25th September we have three services for you to choose from, or you can come along to two or even all three if you wish.
There are COMMUNION service at 9am in St Leonard’s, Rockingham and at 10.30am in St Columba’s. The St Columba’s service includes ENERGIZE groups for children and young people where they will be preparing for the following week’s Harvest Festival.
Then in the evening at 5pm we have our SONGS OF PRAISE service at St Columba’s. This includes songs and hymns chosen by members of the congregation who will introduce them to us. If anyone has a last minute choice please do let me know.
This service will be followed by the PRAYER MEETING at 6pm.
ALPHA
Many of you will have been on an ALPHA course at some time and will know what a good introduction to the Christian faith it is. I thoroughly recommend that everyone should join one of these courses at some time in their life, and what better time than…now! We have a new ALPHA course starting in St Columba’s on Monday 26th September at 7.30pm so please do come along if you are at all interested, or why not invite someone you know to come along. Kevin is going to be leading the course, so you can contact him with any questions (07512 822422) or ask me on Sunday (Kevin is away taking his second daughter, Rebecca, to Queen’s University in Belfast and visiting his father).
HARVEST
On Sunday 2nd October we will be celebrating Harvest at St Columba’s (and at St Leonard’s on 9th October). This means that we will be looking for a bumper collection of donations for the FOOD BANK. The latest list of most needed items includes: SOUP, SPAGHETTI IN SAUCE, TINNED FISH,
TINNED FRUIT, LONG LIFE JUICE, FEMININE PRODUCTS, SHAMPOO and SHOWER GEL but all donations of IN DATE canned food are welcome, as they are every week, but it is especially good to remember those in need at Harvest time.
We also plan to have a HARVEST LUNCH after the service that morning, so if you are able to stay and enjoy fellowship please bring along some food to share, hot or cold, but think dinner rather than sandwiches…and don’t forget the dessert (says the Vicar with a sweet tooth!)
ATTACHMENTS
Thanks to Steve for producing a special commemorative Puzzles and Other Stuff celebrating the Queen’s life. It also includes the usual selection of puzzles and an invitation to an event from CARE FOR THE FAMILY for parents, carers and anyone concerned with raising children to be held in Kettering on 13th October – see the attached for more details, pick up a postcard from the back of church or visit:
https://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/events/tourevents/a-mind-of-their-own/
Also here is the latest Snippets from the Shires, the Prayer Letter of Tim & Carol Derbyshire working in Australia with Hope From Above.
And finally a BIG thank you to everyone who sponsored Colin, James or myself to do the cycle ride last weekend. If you have not paid your sponsor money please bring it to church on Sunday – thank you.
May God bless you all at this time,
Ian
01536 400225
07903 644609