4th May 2025
By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 10 May 2025
Hello everyone,
Thank you for your prayers for the Church Commissioners meeting on Wednesday. They have decided to hold a hearing at which we will be able to speak and explain our position. No date has been fixed for this but I will let you know when this will be so you can pray for that hearing and for those who will have the opportunity to speak on behalf of St Columba’s.
I have a prayer request this morning for John Pender who fell yesterday and broke his elbow. John was kept in hospital overnight as his blood pressure was low, but is hoping that, following a change to his medication, he will be able to return home later today. Please pray for a quick healing of his elbow and that his blood pressure rises.
SUNDAY 4th May
We have two services at St Columba’s on Sunday as follows:
10.30am ALL AGE WORSHIP – with children leading us as we continue to celebrate the resurrection. This service will be available to watch on Youtube here: https://youtube.com/live/LQJxEPZYWUs?feature=share
6pm HOLY COMMUNION – can I encourage people to come to this service, where, as well as a quieter service of Communion, we will be reflecting on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Because of the evening service there will be no Prayer Meeting on Sunday, but see the news below about a special prayer time on Tuesday.
CALL TO PRAYER
A couple of years ago we hosted the Northamptonshire Call to Prayer and they are joining us again on Tuesday 6th May from 10am in St Columba’s. Please do join us for a time of prayer, thinking about St Columba’s as well as other churches across the county and beyond. The origins of this monthly gathering lie in a letter sent from Jonathan Edwards in Northampton, Massachusetts to ministers in Northampton, England in 1784. Much fruit followed, including the second Great Awakening in 1792 and the growth of the modern mission movement with William Carey leaving Kettering for India in 1793. Although the monthly meetings stopped, for 200 years, they restarted in 1996 and have been going ever since on the second Tuesday of the month. Everyone is welcome for this special time of prayer.
MOVIE NIGHT
We are showing the Disney film “ENCANTO” in the Church on Saturday 10th May at 6.30pm. The film is FREE but there will be popcorn, sweets and drinks available to buy (not at cinema prices!). Everyone is welcome for what might be the first in a series of film shows.
NEXT SUNDAY
We have two services next Sunday as follows:
10.30am HOLY COMMUNION at St Columba’s, Corby – with children and young people’s ENERGIZE groups during the service.
3pm FAMILY SERVICE at St Leonard’s, Rockingham – this service is open to all, just tell the person in the kiosk as you enter the Castle grounds that you are going to church.
And at 6pm we will have the PRAYER MEETING in St Columba’s.
AFTERNOON TEA
After a break in April because of Spring Harvest the Ladies Afternoon Tea is happening again on Friday 9th May at 3pm in the Church Hall. All ladies are very welcome for tea & sandwiches, scones & cake, good conversation and an inspiring talk.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the success of the Lent Groups we are planning on running a new course in the next few weeks. This will continue for 6-8 weeks before the summer holidays and then we will have a break before starting another course in the autumn.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
It may seem a strange time of the year to be praying for Samaritan’s Purse Shoeboxes, but as we start a second cycle of prayers for the charities St Columba’s supported last year it is their turn again. Please pray for all the children who received a shoebox last Christmas and for the opportunity they have had to attend “The Greatest Journey” – 12 fun and interactive Bible lessons, where they get the chance to discover who Jesus is and how to begin their own journey of faith. Pray that, as a result of those lessons, they will now know Jesus and want to follow Him – all because someone like you showed them love by sending (or helping to send) a shoebox of toys last Christmas.
Best wishes to all,
Ian
01536 400225
07903 644609