Author: Justin Dyche

17th December 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 23 December 2023

Dear All,

I have just returned home from carol singing in the Town Centre which was a real joy, both to be with Christians from other churches in Corby but also to hear some wonderful testimony of what the Lord is doing here in our town. As we celebrate Christmas let us remember that we celebrate a Lord who came, but who is with us still, and is able to transform our lives just as he was able to transform the lives of Mary and Joseph, the Shepherds and the Wise Men all those years ago.

Mention of the characters in the Christmas story reminds me of St Columba’s NATIVITY SERVICE happening in church tomorrow morning at 10am. Just a reminder to parents that children in the Nativity need to be at church by 10am tomorrow, although the service will not begin until 10.30am as usual. If you are not able to be in church the service will be shown on youtube via this link:
https://youtube.com/live/ymcRRonoN5M?feature=share

Later tomorrow we have our CANDLELIT CAROL SERVICE in St Columba’s at 6pm. This is always a special service, with the unique atmosphere created by candlelight adding to the wonder of hearing again the familiar Bible readings telling the Christmas story alongside the singing of carols.

MORE CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Thursday 21st December 7pm – CAROLS, MINCE PIES & MULLED WINE in Rockingham Village Hall open to all
Sunday 24th December (Christmas Eve):
10.30am – COMMUNION at St Columba’s – a quieter service with no children’s groups
4.30pm – CHRISTINGLE at St Columba’s – a service especially for children and families – which is all of us!
11.15pm – MIDNIGHT COMMUNION at St Columba’s – a traditional celebration
and on Christmas Day:
10am (note the time) – FAMILY COMMUNION at St Columba’s – a fun celebration for everyone
11am CHRISTMAS COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham – a more traditional Christmas morning service.

PRAYER NEWS
Please do read the latest Prayer Letter from M&H who will be back in this country for Christmas and some necessary rest and recovery after the challenges of the past few months. You can read all about these in the letter which will be on display at the back of church. Unfortunately we cannot copy this or link to it, so do take the time to read the letter and please do pray for them.
I have received the latest Prayer Update from Hope from Above, and so do have a read of that and use it to inspire your prayers.

And finally, if you have not already done so, do pick up a copy from church of our CHRISTMAS MAGAZINE that Steve has once again produced with Puzzles, Funnies, Stories and Activities for Adults and Children to keep you all amused over the Christmas Holidays.

I look forward to seeing you at one/some/all of the Christmas services.

God bless you at this special time of year,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

10th December 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 16 December 2023

Hello everyone,

We had a wonderful Christmas Afternoon Tea yesterday and big thanks to Sheila and her team for arranging that, and baking lots of lovely things to eat! The Christmas events will follow at regular intervals now, so do make a note of all the dates and details below. There are still places at the Lodge Park Christmas Dinner on Friday 15th (full details below) and Energize parents should note the information about the Nativity practices.

I encourage you to think who you could invite along to one or more of our Christmas services, there are so many of them because they all have a different flavour, child friendly, traditional or community focussed – so hopefully something for everyone. Even if you are not bringing someone along do try and come to as many services as you can, sometimes at Christmas we have more visitors than church family members which always feels rather odd.

Notice for Parents about the Nativity Service
The Nativity Service is fast approaching so we would really appreciate as many of the children to be in church tomorrow to continue practising the Nativity play. The dress rehearsals for the children and Get Closer groups will be next Friday 15th December in church starting at 5.30pm finishing by 7.00pm. Please can you make this a priority. If for any reason your child/young person is unable to come then, please can you let Miriam know asap so we can arrange a further rehearsal for those children/young people.
The Nativity and Sketch will take place in our Sunday service at 10.30am on 17th December, but please can children/young people arrive by 10.00am to get ready!
Thank you for your support.

Spring Harvest 2024
This is a reminder for those booked in for Spring Harvest 2024 that Miriam needs all outstanding balances by Sunday 7th January 2024. If this is a problem for anyone, or you don’t know how much your balance is, please speak with Miriam. Thank you.

Sunday 10th December
At St Columba’s tomorrow we have a service of HOLY COMMUNION for the second Sunday in Advent, with sung worship from 10.15 and the full service beginning at 10.30am. For those who are unable to be in church, the service will be available on Youtube via this link: https://youtube.com/live/tSbsOfksBL8?feature=share
At St Leonard’s, Rockingham we have a CHRISTMAS FAMILY SERVICE tomorrow at 3pm so do come along there if you are free in the afternoon. The Castle will be open for visitors so just say at the gate that you have come for the church service and you will be shown where to park.
There will also be our regular PRAYER MEETING at 6pm on Sunday evening.

Lodge Park Academy Christmas Party
You are invited to Lodge Park on Friday 15th December from 2.30pm – 4pm for a FREE Turkey Roast Dinner, Dessert and Christmas Party Games! Please let me know if you would like to go either by speaking to me at church tomorrow, by emailing ianpullinger@btinternet.com or by phone (numbers below).

Christmas Services
Thursday 14th December 6pm – COMMUNITY CAROL SERVICE with school choirs and congregational carols so come along and support the children
Sunday 17th December:
10.30am – NATIVITY with the children’s traditional Christmas production and a sketch from Get Closer.
6pm – CANDLELIT CAROL SERVICE a traditional service of readings and carols followed by mince pies and mulled wine.
Thursday 21st December 7pm – CAROLS, MINCE PIES & MULLED WINE in Rockingham Village Hall open to all
Sunday 24th December (Christmas Eve):
10.30am – COMMUNION at St Columba’s – a quieter service with no children’s groups
4.30pm – CHRISTINGLE at St Columba’s – a service especially for children and families – which is all of us!
11.15pm – MIDNIGHT COMMUNION at St Columba’s – a traditional celebration
and on Christmas Day:
10am (note the time) – FAMILY COMMUNION at St Columba’s – a fun celebration for everyone
11am CHRISTMAS COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham – a more traditional Christmas morning service.

And finally, please do pick up a copy from church of our CHRISTMAS MAGAZINE that Steve has once again produced with Puzzles, Funnies, Stories and Activities for Adults and Children to keep you all amused over the Christmas Holidays.

With very best wishes,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

3rd December 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 9 December 2023

Hello everyone,

Can I begin by sending best wishes for Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas. I was discussing Christmas decorations in Lodge Park yesterday and heard two extreme approaches, one person spoke of decorations going up at the beginning of November and another (a teacher) of not putting them up until “sundown on Christmas Eve”. I agree to some extent with the latter idea, because it allows for the proper observance of Advent, which in turn leads to a proper observance of Christmas, the celebration of the birth of the Son of God. However I do think that, when we invite people to join us in church in the week or so before Christmas, and that includes children from Studfall Infants and Juniors, Rockingham and Woodnewton schools, it is good that we share their excitement.

I have listed again the full list of our Christmas services below, and along with other news there are details of the Christmas Afternoon Tea and an invitation from Lodge Park Academy to join them for Christmas Dinner – so do keep reading.

Christmas Fayre
Thank you to everyone who helped make our FAYRE such a success this year. There was a wonderful atmosphere in the Hall and a number of good conversations and a magnificent £1036 raised for church funds. Thank you if you helped in any way or came along and supported the Fayre. Thanks also to the Studfall shops who supported us with raffle prizes: Studfall Pharmacy, Costcutter, Studfall Chippy, One Stop, Union of Barbers, Golden Tanning, High Street Bakery, Pam’s Florist, Rocky’s, Studfall Laundry room and Crust n Crumb cafe. Please do support these businesses who have supported us so well not just this year but for many years.

Sunday 3rd December
At St Columba’s tomorrow we have a service of MORNING WORSHIP for Advent Sunday, with sung worship from 10.15 with the full service beginning at 10.30am. The children will be continuing their preparations for the Nativity Service in two weeks time. For those who are unable to be in church, either because of illness or this extremely cold weather (the heating will come on earlier in church tomorrow) the service will be available on Youtube via this link: https://youtube.com/live/GlcEyZ7MSus?feature=share

There will also be our regular PRAYER MEETING at 6pm on Sunday evening.

Afternoon Tea
This coming Friday, 8th December, sees a very special AFTERNOON TEA. First it is for Christmas and second it is open to the husbands of ladies who come along, so do plan to join us for this very special gathering at 3pm on Friday in the Church Hall.

Great Easton Christmas Festival
This event features a celebration of the Nativity with a beautiful display of nativity sets (including one from St Columba’s) in the Church and stalls and refreshments in the Village Hall. It is open from 10am to 1pm on Saturday 9th December and the church only from 12 noon to 3pm on Sunday 10th December. Entry costs £3 for both church and hall, with under 12’s going free, and the proceeds are for St Andrew’s church, Great Easton.

Next Sunday 10th December
There will be a service of HOLY COMMUNION in St Columba’s at 10.30, with ENERGIZE continuing to rehearse for the Nativity and a CHRISTMAS FAMILY SERVICE in St Leonard’s, Rockingham at 3pm.

Lodge Park Academy Christmas Party
You are invited to Lodge Park on Friday 15th December from 2.30pm – 4pm for a Turkey Roast Dinner, Dessert and Christmas Party Games! Please let me know if you would like to go either by speaking to me at church tomorrow, by emailing ianpullinger@btinternet.com or by phone (numbers below). I need to know by Friday so I can pass on the numbers to the school.

Christmas Services
Thursday 14th December 6pm – COMMUNITY CAROL SERVICE with school choirs and congregational carols
Sunday 17th December:
10.30am – NATIVITY with the children’s traditional Christmas production and a sketch from Get Closer.
6pm – CANDLELIT CAROL SERVICE a traditional service of readings and carols followed by mince pies and mulled wine.
Thursday 21st December 7pm – CAROLS, MINCE PIES & MULLED WINE in Rockingham Village Hall.
Sunday 24th December (Christmas Eve):
10.30am – COMMUNION at St Columba’s
4.30pm – CHRISTINGLE at St Columba’s
11.15pm – MIDNIGHT COMMUNION at St Columba’s
and on Christmas Day:
10am (note the time) – FAMILY COMMUNION at St Columba’s
11am CHRISTMAS COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham.

And finally, please find here the latest PRAYER UPDATE from Hope From Above in Australia.

With very best wishes to all in this Advent season,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

26th November 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 2 December 2023

Hello everyone,

It is that time of the year again and we are looking forward to St Columba’s CHRISTMAS FAYRE tomorrow, Saturday 25th November, from 11am to 1pm in the Church Hall. Please do come along and support the Fayre which supports our church, there are a variety of stalls including the ever popular Bacon Rolls from the Cafe, our own Home Made Cake Stall, Raffle and Tombolas, Books and Games, as well as a number of outside stall holders selling a variety of Christmas crafts and other goodies. Having said all that, I always think that the best thing about the Fayre is the opportunity to meet people, some who come along every year. Please do join them and invite your family and friends to come with you to enjoy all the fun of the Fayre!

Sunday’s Services
We have a choice of three services on Sunday as follows:
9am HOLY COMMUNION at St Leonard’s
10.30 HOLY COMMUNION at St Columba’s with sung worship from 10.15am and ENERGIZE will begin their preparations for the NATIVITY on 17th December. This service will also be available as a livestream for anyone not able to be in church, just go to this link: https://youtube.com/live/YRpuMxkcQSg?feature=share
5pm ADVENT PRAISE – although it is not Advent Sunday until the following week we are using this service of song, reading and reflection to prepare us for the season, which is meant to be a time of preparation for Christmas, rather than the beginning of the Christmas season. DO come along and enjoy a mixture of traditional Advent hymns and more modern worship songs as well as time to reflect on the question “What are we waiting for?”
As a result of this service there will be no Prayer Meeting this week.

SCANS
There is a new PRINT edition of SCaNS out this week so do make sure you take a copy from church on Sunday. Steve writes about it:
It’s got extra pages, 15 puzzles and activities, anecdotes, cartoons and three great stories, including one which changed my life. I also asked David to consider writing a series about boys and girls, who may have accompanied Jesus and who He could have sent on errands, etc…a bit like Sherlock Holmes’ Baker Street Irregulars. A sort of ‘behind the scenes’ approach to the Gospels. His first Epiphany-based story about the son of one of the Magi accompanying his dad to meet with Jesus is great! I cannot wait for the next one.

Sunday 3rd December
We have a service of MORNING WORSHIP at St Columba’s next Sunday, beginning with sung worship from 10.15am and the formal service from 10.30am. ENERGIZE will be continuing with their Nativity Rehearsals.

CINEMA NEWS
I didn’t get to see “Journey to Bethlehem” last week but it is on again this coming week, Tuesday at 2pm, Wednesday at 2.10pm and Thursday at 2pm.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Full details of our Christmas services were in last week’s email and will appear again in a couple of weeks before the first of those services.

I hope to see many of you at our Christmas Fayre tomorrow or one of our services on Sunday.

God Bless you in this coming week,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

19th November 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 25 November 2023

Hello everyone,

An early message this week, so you have plenty of time to digest the news below, especially about next week’s Christmas Fayre. On the subject of Christmas there is a full listing of our Christmas services below so you can make your festive plans around them. Thank you to all those people who helped with the SHOEBOX drop off, I know some had no-one call in and others had over 100 boxes! If you have not yet returned your box this Sunday is the final opportunity. It is not quite the final opportunity to return SURVEY FORMS and STEWARDSHIP REVIEWS but if you have not yet returned yours and you can bring it on Sunday that would be helpful, thank thank you.

Sunday 19th November
There is just the one service at St Columba’s on Sunday, MORNING WORSHIP led by Rosie and with a sermon from William. Don’t forget to arrive from 10.15 to join in the early worship, with the full service starting at 10.30am. There will be ENERGIZE groups for children and for those who are not able to be in church you can watch on youtube by going to this link:
https://youtube.com/live/rPbFtkEAbXc?feature=share
We also have our PRAYER MEETING at St Columba’s at 6pm.

Christmas Fayre
Next Saturday is our Christmas Fayre from 11am until 1pm and it would be great if you can all be involved in some way.
Thank you to those who have already offered to help, we could still do with a few more to help with clearing up afterwards.
On Saturday if you’re helping with a stall, please be there from 9.30am or if you prefer clearing up this will be from 1.00pm.
We need cakes for the cake stall, which can be brought to the hall Friday evening between 6-7pm or as soon as possible after 9.30am on Saturday morning.
If you’re wanting to donate anything else at this stage we would appreciate more bottles and teddies for the Tombolas, which can be taken to the vicarage from Tuesday onwards or to the Hall on Friday evening at the setting up session.
For those who are not helping, please come and support our Fayre, bring your friends and families and spend some money, either cash or card will be welcome!
There will be home-made cakes, Christmas crafts, Christmas present ideas and more!
We look forward to seeing you next Saturday.
If you want any further information do speak to Riaan after the Service on Sunday if you’re in church or contact Miriam from Tuesday.
Thank you very much.

Coming soon to the Savoy Cinema
A recording of one of Cliff’s Blue Sapphire (65th anniversary) concerts at the Hammersmith Apollo being shown at the Savoy cinema at 7pm on Saturday 25th November, a good way to relax after the Fayre! There is also a performance on Sunday afternoon but as that will clash with our Advent Praise service (see below) I am not advertising that!
There is also a film on next week called Journey to Bethlehem which is described as “Classic Christmas melodies and modern pop songs tell the story of a young woman with an unimaginable responsibility, a young man torn between love and honour, and a jealous king”. I know nothing about the film but it may be worth seeing, especially with non-Christian friends and family because you can then talk about what really happened, whether or not that is shown in the film. It is on Friday 17th at 14.45, Saturday 18th 15.30, Sunday 19th 12.15 and 20.25, Monday 20th 15.15, Tuesday 21st 16.25, Wednesday 22nd 15.00, and Thursday 23rd at 15.30.

Sunday 26th November
A choice of three services next Sunday as follows:
9am HOLY COMMUNION at St Leonard’s
10.30 HOLY COMMUNION at St Columba’s with ENERGIZE beginning their preparations for the NATIVITY (see below)
5pm ADVENT PRAISE – although it is not Advent Sunday until the following week we are using this service of song, reading and reflection to prepare us for the season, which is meant to be a time of preparation for Christmas, rather than the beginning of the Christmas season.

Steve is busy preparing the next printed edition of SCaNS and the CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER but there is a Hope From Above PRAYER UPDATE, so do have a read of that and pray for the points raised.

Christmas Services
Sunday 10th December as well as a COMMUNION service at St Columba’s in the morning there will be a CHRISTMAS FAMILY SERVICE at St Leonard’s, Rockingham at 3pm.
Thursday 14th December 6pm – COMMUNITY CAROL SERVICE with school choirs and congregational carols
Sunday 17th December:
10.30am – NATIVITY with the children’s traditional Christmas production
6pm – CANDLELIT CAROL SERVICE a traditional service of readings and carols.
Thursday 21st December 7pm – CAROLS, MINCE PIES & MULLED WINE in Rockingham Village Hall.
Sunday 24th December (Christmas Eve):
10.30am – COMMUNION at St Columba’s
4.30pm – CHRISTINGLE at St Columba’s
11.15pm – MIDNIGHT COMMUNION at St Columba’s
and on Christmas Day:
10am (note the time) – FAMILY COMMUNION at St Columba’s
11am CHRISTMAS COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham.

With best wishes to all,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

12th November 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 25 November 2023

Good morning everyone,

It is Remembrance weekend and yesterday I observed silences with children and young people at Rockingham Primary School and Lodge Park Academy. Both schools gave me the opportunity to speak and pray and the silences were well observed, the full two minutes at Lodge Park. We will, of course, be having silences in our services tomorrow, see all the details below. You should also have a look at the mini-SCaNS below which has a Remembrance theme, again more details below.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 12th NOVEMBER
As mentioned above it is Remembrance Sunday this week and both St Columba’s and St Leonard’s have a service tomorrow morning so that they can both 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. This service can also be watched on youtube via this link: https://youtube.com/live/RBrirRLmTHc?feature=share
At St Leonard’s there is a FAMILY SERVICE starting at 10.45.

PRAYER MEETING
We have our regular Prayer Meeting in St Columba’s at 6pm on Sunday.

SURVEY OF GIFTS AND TALENTS and STEWARDSHIP REVIEW
Thank you to those people who have already returned their surveys and reviews, but that is less than half the number that were given out. 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 you have lost your copy there will be spares available in church or you can request a copy by replying to this email.

SHOEBOXES
Please remember to return your shoeboxes, either tomorrow or at the latest by next Sunday. St Columba’s will also be open for people to drop off shoeboxes this coming week on Monday 13th, Wednesday 15th and Friday 17th between 9am and 1pm. If you are able to help with any of these, even if only for an hour or two, please email ianpullinger@btinternet.com or sign the list in church. We especially need people to help on Friday morning.

CHRISTMAS FAYRE
Please do remember our CHRISTMAS FAYRE that will be happening on Saturday 25th November from 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.

CLIFF at the SAVOY
Not in person sadly but there is a recording of one of Cliff’s Blue Sapphire (65th anniversary) concerts at the Hammersmith Apollo being shown at the Savoy cinema at 7pm on Saturday 25th November. I understand that our former vicar’s wife Judy Eden went to see him live in London this week and says his voice is as good as ever.

SUNDAY 19th NOVEMBER
There will be just the one service next Sunday, MORNING WORSHIP at 10.30am in St Columba’s with ENERGIZE groups for children.

Mini SCaNS
Here is the latest edition of mini-SCaNS. Steve writes: This issue of Mini-SCaNS has a heroic remembrance theme. You can read about two young men who lost their lives in the dreadful mud at Passchendaele in WW1. There’s Robert, who had just become a father—an ordinary lad, not a Chaplain—who before he was killed, was seen by a friend, standing, “in an open field with an open Bible, a group of young men around him, finishing a talk to the young soldiers, and then leading them in singing, ‘Rejoice, the Lord is King. Your Lord and King adore.” And there’s Rochdale lad, William Robinson, 18 (could be an distant relative – my mother was a Robinson from Rochdale/Oldham area), whose body, like so many young men of that war, was never found. See the beautiful hand-stitched Christmas card he had sent his parents.

Take a ‘Trip into the Past’ with a page of amazing pictures from before WW2. You think electric cars are new? See the lady charging hers in 1912; the miner being washed by his wife in a tub in front of the fire in 1931; early roller skates and an electric scooter; and kids having fun!

Discover the more recent story of Francine, for whom “something was missing” in her family’s religion, so she started attending an evangelical church in the Philippines, as a result of which her father beat her every Sunday, until, after she was baptised, she started to bring home food parcels, and he relented. Pray for him. There’s a Word Search about The Titanic, from which so many people were lost; lots of puzzles, some with a music theme and the usual funnies. Hope you enjoy them!”

May God bless us all, and help us to reflect this weekend on the absence of peace in our world today.

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

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

29th October 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 4 November 2023

Hello everyone,

An early and shorter email this week as I will be sorting out some furniture down in Southampton over the next couple of days.

SHOEBOXES
Some of you were able to pick up shoeboxes last Sunday. When these are packed they will be sent to children round the world who will not otherwise receive a gift at Christmas. You can choose to pack a box for a boy or girl and select an age category 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14. Make sure you pick up a leaflet which tells you what can, and importantly, what cannot, go in the boxes and don’t forget you need to make a donation of £5 to cover project costs, including shipping and to enable a local church or group overseas to lead a safe, well-organised children’s event where your shoebox will be given to a child in need.
Shoeboxes will be available again this week and next but do need to be returned by Sunday 19th November. If you are not able to pack a whole box don’t forget there is the opportunity to give individual items which will then be sorted and packed into boxes, or you can donate online for a box to be packed, just go to: https://shoeboxonline.samaritans-purse.org.uk/

SUNDAY 29th OCTOBER
Don’t forget the clocks go back one hour on Saturday night!
We have two services at St Columba’s on Sunday. At 10.30am there is MORNING WORSHIP with the final sermon in our series on Philippians as well as ENERGIZE groups for children and young people. This service will also be available to watch on youtube by following this link:
https://youtube.com/live/_bhCZg5H_xE?feature=share
At 5pm we have our SERVICE TO REMEMBER THOSE WE LOVE BUT SEE NO LONGER. This special service, which happens once a year, includes an opportunity to light a candle in memory of loved ones who have passed away as well as prayers, Bible reading and well known hymns. If you have been bereaved, either recently or longer ago, then please do come along to this service which will be followed by tea and cake. And if you know someone who is grieving please invite them to the service.
There won’t be a Prayer Meeting this Sunday because of the 5pm service.

SUNDAY 5th NOVEMBER
We have ALL AGE WORSHIP at 10.30am next Sunday with a theme of remembering.
It would be really helpful if lots of people could film themselves saying what their earliest memory is and send this to me on WhatsApp (just like we used to for online services during lockdown). My number is 07903 644609 and it would be great to receive lots of your memories. However we won’t have space for stories, only a simple message saying “My earliest memory is…whatever it happens to be”. If you could do that sooner rather than later it will help me edit the films. Everyone is very welcome to the service, whether or not you have shared a first memory.
There will also be a Prayer Meeting at 6pm next Sunday.

Mini SCaNS
Please find here the latest mini SCaNS. Steve writes “Lots of new puzzles in this issue, some of which I’ve made up myself. Hope you like the RUDE quiz! Follow Moses as he leads his grumbling flock across the desert as they learn the lesson the hard way that God does things differently. Have you found that? How would you like to lead 2 million people who are hungry and thirsty and keep looking back? Some amazing cloud formations – including one that formed inside a church!! Hope you enjoy… and don’t forget to put your clocks BACK so you can have an hour’s lie-in on Sunday. People have been known to put them forward and wonder why the church is closed when they get there! Be blessed – and be a blessing!!”

God bless,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

22nd October 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 28 October 2023

Good morning everyone,

This is an important weekend in the life of St Columba’s as tomorrow we launch our Survey of Gifts and Talents and annual Stewardship Review. Both of these begin with a word of thanks to all those who so generously give of their time, talent and money to the church, and if you are one of them let me thank you here and now.
Moving forward the PCC realise that to do all that we would like to do as a church we need more people to volunteer to help with some of the tasks that need to be done and more money to be given as our costs increase. Of course, we could simply ask those who are already doing and giving to do and give more, but we are a family, and so we are asking everyone in the family to consider doing a little so that, together, we can achieve a lot.
The Survey and Review will both require prayerful consideration as you complete them over the coming days, so do take some time to sit down and pray before you thoughtfully and, hopefully, generously complete the forms. The answers will have an impact on the life of our church over the coming months and, potentially, years.
All the instructions for completion are on the printed forms which will be available in church tomorrow, and over the next couple of weeks if you are not in church tomorrow. However if you would prefer to have a copy sent by email do please let me, ianpullinger@btinternet.com, know. Either way please do take that time to complete the forms and then return them, either to the box in church or by email to ianpullinger@btinternet.com.
The forms are named, with couples sharing a form to save on printing, so couples can either write the name of the whoever is volunteering by any ticks on the form, or fill in separate forms by taking a blank form (or request an email copy) for one of you to complete.
I hope that all makes sense, do please come back to me with any questions.

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, with sung worship from 10.15am. The St Columba’s service will include ENERGIZE groups for children and young people and will also be available to watch online via this link:
https://youtube.com/live/re34Slbp3Ik?feature=share
We also have our PRAYER MEETING at St Columba’s at 6pm on Sunday.

Sunday 29th October
There will be a service of MORNING WORSHIP at St Columba’s at 10.30am with ENERGIZE groups.
In the evening at 5pm in St Columba’s we have a SERVICE TO REMEMBER THOSE WE LOVE WHO ARE NO LONGER WITH US. This service includes an opportunity to light a candle in memory of loved ones who have passed away and we hope to welcome a number of visitors to the church who have been bereaved in recent times. 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, and the service includes some well known hymns, Bible reading, sermon and prayers.
As the service is at 5pm there will be no Prayer Meeting that day.

Steve’s Puzzles and Other Stuff
The latest edition is here. Steve writes: “in case you wonder why there’s an ‘a’ in the file name its because my numbering of files has got out of sequence with the editions. The last issue was, in fact, 103 but the file number was 104….!!! There is a great story of a man who found faith in prison through reading a Bible. Wonderful fun things to do with miniatures. Lots of funny and meaningful quotes. New puzzles, a visit to Habakkuk (bet you don’t spell his name right!) and more cartoons than usual. Enjoy!!”

CHRISTMAS FAYRE
I know it is still October but our Christmas Fayre on Saturday 25th November from 11am to 1pm is only 5 weeks away. Please can you put the date in your diary, think how you might be able to help, in advance and on the day (all offers of help to Miriam either in person or on the sign up sheet in church) and possibly by bringing a donation to church (from next week) for the raffle, or bottle/teddy tombola. Also do invite people you know to come along and join in what is always a fun filled Fayre.

May God bless you all this week, and thank you so much to everyone in advance for completing the Survey of Gifts and Talents and Stewardship Review.

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

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

01536 400225
07903 644609