5th November 2023
By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 11 November 2023
Hello again everyone,
“Remember, remember, the 5th November” but not on this occasion “gunpowder, treason and plot” but our Remembering All Age Worship on Sunday morning at 10.30am at St Columba’s. I should explain that this is not a Remembrance Sunday service (that will be next week – see below) but a service in which we remember, above all, that God is good. Along the way I hoped we would be able to share some of your first memories, and while I have had a couple of people send me wonderful filmed contributions via WhatsApp there is still space, and time, for more. So please, have a think about the first thing that you can remember from when you were a child, film yourself saying what that memory is (just that no long story) and send it to me on WhatsApp to 07903 644609 so that I can include it in the service on Sunday.
For those not able to be in church on Sunday the service will be available to watch on Youtube via this link:
https://youtube.com/live/wOIeuqtjJz4?feature=share
PRAYER
Our PCC decided on Wednesday to make 2024 a YEAR OF PRAYER. There will be more details of what this will involve, but it will include a Night of Prayer in the New Year, and many other way to encourage us all to remember to pray as well as developing our prayer as individuals and as a church. More immediately we will have our regular Prayer Meetings in St Columba’s at 6pm on both 5th and 12th November.
SURVEY OF GIFTS AND TALENTS and STEWARDSHIP REVIEW
Thank you to those people who have already returned their surveys and reviews. If you have not yet done so please can you try and remember to complete them before Sunday and then bring them with you to church. Once most of the forms have been returned we will be able to start looking at them. If anyone needs any further motivation to consider increasing their financial giving to the church can I report that, at PCC on Wednesday, James, our treasurer, predicted that we would have a shortfall of about £3000 this year. Obviously that is only a prediction and things can change in the next two months, but it does indicate that our income is less than our expenditure at the present time.
SHOEBOXES
I know a good number of people have taken shoeboxes to be filled for OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD again this year. Please do remember to bring those boxes back, either on Sunday or at the very latest by 19th November. If you have not yet taken a box it is not too late as there are still two weeks before that final deadline, so do take a box on Sunday with a leaflet advising what can and cannot go inside.
AFTERNOON TEA
Ladies please remember that it is the monthly AFTERNOON TEA in the Church Hall on Friday 10th November from 3pm. Do plan to come along and enjoy good food, pleasant conversation all washed down with a cup (or two) of tea (other drinks are available).
CHRISTMAS FAYRE
Please do remember our CHRISTMAS FAYRE that will be happening on Saturday 25th November form 11am to 1pm. There are several ways in which you can help with this:
sign up to HELP ON THE DAY, either before, during or after the Fayre, or all three if possible – see the sign up sheet in church.
bring a BOTTLE or TEDDY for the tombolas – we especially need more teddies this year (other soft toys are also welcome!)
bring a donation for the RAFFLE
invite friends and family to come along and join in
Thank you to those people who have already donated raffle/tombola prizes and/or signed up to help.
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 12th NOVEMBER
As mentioned above it is Remembrance Sunday next week and so we have services at both St Columba’s and St Leonard’s that overlap so that both churches can observe the two minutes silence at 11am. The St Columba’s service is at 10.30am and includes HOLY COMMUNION as well as ENERGIZE groups for children and young people while at St Leonard’s there is a FAMILY SERVICE starting at 10.45. Please do come along to one of these important services.
STEVE’S PUZZLES AND OTHER STUFF
The 105th edition of Puzzles and Other Stuff is here so please remember to open this and have a look. Steve writes: “Herewith my latest epistle, which I hope will entertain, challenge, amuse and maybe even inspire you. You can meet Roddy, a teacher who brought back love to parents of a brain-damaged child who they had all but given up on. A real lesson for us in that story. Travel back in time with members of the Mothers’ Union group we used to have on a trip to London. Boggle at the pictures of the world’s tallest man, the first woman to go down Niagara Falls in a barrel (and live!) – and the soldiers in drag manning a massive gun during WW2. Enjoy amusing anecdotes of children and church, wrestle with challenging puzzles both regular favourites and some new ones, and, I hope, laugh at the funnies scattered throughout. May you be both blessed and be a blessing.”
I think that is all for this week, eight things to remember and a Remembrance!
God bless,
Ian
01536 400225
07903 644609