19th October 2025
By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 25 October 2025
Hello everyone,
After last week’s very late email I am sending this one early because I am spending Friday night and Saturday away with nine young people, all boys, at the Frontier Centre near Irthlingborough for 24 hours of fun, food, faith and football! Please pray for us.
I am pleased to say that John Pender is coming home today, so please pray for him as he adjusts to that after a stay in hospital and for the last seven weeks at Thackley Green.
Do keep reading as there is news below of our annual Memorial Service, the Shoebox Appeal and our Christmas Fayre…
SUNDAY 19th OCTOBER
10.30am HOLY COMMUNION at St Columba’s with Linda preaching the next in our series of sermons looking at Spiritual Warfare. There will be ENERGIZE groups for children and young people and service can be watched on YouTube here:
https://youtube.com/live/079JEnetLCM?feature=share
6pm PRAYER MEETING at St Columba’s.
ROMANS COURSE
The ROMANS COURSE continues on either Wednesday morning (10.30am) or evening (7.30pm). Do join us even if you have not been to any of the sessions so far – you will learn so much.
SUNDAY 26th OCTOBER
9am HOLY COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham. Everyone is welcome to this quieter service, why not try it out if you can’t make either of the services at St Columba’s today.
10.30am MORNING WORSHIP at St Columba’s with another sermon about spiritual warfare, this time looking at the Armour of God. There will be ENERGIZE groups for children and young people.
5pm MEMORIAL SERVICE at St Columba’s when we remember those we love but see no longer. Everyone is welcome to this service, whether you were bereaved recently or many years ago. There is an opportunity to light a candle in memory of your loved one, to hear comforting words from Scripture and familiar hymns and songs, as well as to pray.
CHARITY UPDATE
There will be more news about the outcome of the PCC discussion of charitable giving soon. I have been asked to pass on thanks from the FOOD BANK for our Harvest donations which amounted to 119.4kgs. Please also see below about the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal.
This week’s charity is M and H who visited us in August before returning to North Africa. There is an article about them in the latest CMS magazine which I will copy and put up at the back of church. They are also the subject of today’s prayer in the CMS Prayer Diary which I have copied here:
Praise God for M and H who serve remote communities in North Africa. M writes: “Walking with friends and neighbours through difficult times can mean carrying heavy burdens with them, yet if we do not walk through this and be the light of Jesus, who will?” Pray for encouragement for them in their work of discipling local Christians, sharing Jesus with people and leading trekking groups. As they sow seeds in the lives of people around them in many different ways, pray for God to soften hearts and cause faith to grow.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD – SHOEBOX APPEAL
It is that time of year when our thoughts turn to packing shoeboxes. Operation Christmas Child is a hands-on way for you to bless children in need across the world by filling shoeboxes with toys, personal care items, school supplies, and fun gifts. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations.
There are three ways you can help:
Pack a box – you can collect a box from church with a leaflet telling you what can and cannot go inside, then make sure you return it to church by Sunday 16th November.
Bring an Item – if you can’t manage to pack a whole box just bring an item or two to church and they can be added to others to pack a whole box. Items must be at church by Sunday 16th November and can be small toys, school supplies, personal care items BUT NOT toothpaste, sweets, lotions & liquids; used or damaged items; war-related items (e.g. toy guns, model soldiers, military vehicles); seeds, gum, chocolate or food items; religious or political literature; medicines, aerosol cans, knives, sharp or fragile items.
Donate to pack a box online by going to: https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/shoebox-online
When you pack a box you will be asked to pay £5 towards the cost of sending it to the destination and also to contribute to “The Greatest Gift” a teaching programme for children who receive shoeboxes telling them about Jesus.
CHRISTMAS FAYRE
Our Christmas Fayre is on Saturday 22nd November from 11am, that’s just five weeks away! Please can you:
Put the date in your diary and plan to be there
Consider offering to help – the more the merrier
Think about making a donation for the Bottle or Teddy Tombola
More details in the coming weeks.
AND FINALLY
If anyone is in need of a MOBILITY WALKER, or knows someone who is, there is one available for FREE. Please see this photo and contact Jim Hare either at church or by email to: jimhare64@googlemail.com
Best wishes to all,
Ian
01536 400225
07903 644609