Author: Justin Dyche

22nd January 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 4 February 2023

Hello again everyone,

I begin with some NEWS FOR PRAYER.
Last week we heard about Jim & Debbie’s son James who is in Northampton Hospital after suffering a stroke. He is only 35yrs old. I have heard from Debbie today that James is showing some improvement but it is going to be a long road. She adds that she has a permanent headache from worry but that otherwise she and Jim are ok. Please pray for complete healing for James and peace for Jim and Debbie.
Please also pray for Pam Williams who is Kettering General Hospital with abdominal issues. This has led to Pam not eating and so she is also very much in need of our prayers.
On a more positive note Margaret Freeland was moving back into her bungalow today after a stay in the Community Hospital since before Christmas. Let us give thanks for this and pray that Margaret settles in to the new routine with more carers coming in each day.

GIVING TO THE CHURCH
Thank you to everyone who responded to the letters our Treasurer James sent out last year asking people to review their giving. There are some people who said they would increase or round up their giving via the PARISH GIVING SCHEME (PGS) but have not yet contacted PGS to change their Direct Debit. Unfortunately James cannot do this for you and you have to contact PGS either via their website where you can log in to your account: https://www.parishgiving.org.uk
You can also contact PGS by post to: 76 Kingsholm Road, Gloucester, GL1 3BD
Phone: 0333 002 1260
or Email: info@parishgiving.org.uk
If anyone else would like to increase their giving, or start giving, to the church please do speak with James who will be able to provide all the details you need.

SERVICES ON SUNDAY
There are two services on Sunday. At St Leonard’s, Rockingham there is HOLY COMMUNION at 9am and at St Columba’s MORNING WORSHIP (with ENERGIZE groups) at 10.30am.
We also have our regular PRAYER MEETING at 6pm in St Columba’s.

WARM SPACES
Thank you to everyone who helped with the Warm Spaces for our Community on Tuesday and Wednesday last week. There is still space for others to help out, especially on a Wednesday, so do look out for the SIGN UP SHEETS at church again tomorrow. The Green Room in the Church Hall will be open again this week from 2-4pm on Tuesday and 12-4pm on Wednesday for anyone who wants to spend some time out of the cold and to enjoy some tea, cake and friendly conversation so do spread the word of you know anyone who may benefit.

FELLOWSHIP GROUPS
Our new season of Fellowship Groups started last week with an introduction to the book of Colossians. The groups both meet on a WEDNESDAY, either in the morning from 10.30 to 12 noon (after which you could join the Warm Space for an hour or so) or the evening from 7.30 to 9pm. Please do come along, it won’t matter that you missed the first session as we are looking at Colossians 1 this week.

SONGS OF PRAISE
Next Sunday at 5pm we have a Songs of Praise service but we still need you to suggest more songs that you would like to sing in the service, and that you would be prepared to introduce, saying why it is a favourite. You can do this either by replying to this email, or by speaking to Trevor or me at church tomorrow.

SUNDAY MORNING
Our morning service at St Columba’s next Sunday at 10.30am will be HOLY COMMUNION with ENERGIZE groups for children and young people.

PANTOMIME
We are delighted to once again host the Great Easton Little Theatre Company’s Pantomime, which this year is DICK WHITTINGTON. This will be happening in the Church Hall on Friday 3rd February at 7.30pm, Saturday 4th February at 3pm and Sunday 5th February also at 3pm. Tickets cost £7 for adults, £5 for children and £20 for a Family Ticket (2 adults & 2 children) and are available either after services at St Columba’s, by phone to 01536 400225 or by email to gelttickets@gmail.com
I understand there are plenty of tickets for Friday evening and Sunday afternoon while Saturday afternoon is selling fast but there are tickets available. Do plan to come along, bring family and friends with you, and tell everyone you know.

PUZZLES
Please find attached a BIG ISSUE of Steve’s Puzzles and Other Stuff. This not only refers to the mushroom pictures, but also the puzzles! However Steve says there won’t be an edition next week as he is working on the next print edition of SCANS, so you have a fortnight to complete them!

I won’t be around this week as I am taking a Reading Week, but Kevin is here and can be contacted on 07512 822422.

May God bless you all in this coming week.

Ian

15th January 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 21 January 2023

Hello Everyone,

Can I begin by thanking you all for your prayers over the last few weeks while I have not been well, I am pleased to say that they have been answered and I am almost back to 100%, although after doing next to nothing for three weeks it is taking a little longer than I would like to be fully fit! The lesson I learnt from my experience is that I should have had the flu jab, and will definitely be doing so in future!

There are details of everything that is happening over the next few weeks below, so please do have a read and take note of all that is going on.

WARM SPACE
Before Christmas St Columba’s signed up with the Council to open as a warm space for people who needed somewhere safe and warm to go during the winter. We have not started this yet, but with the weather turning colder next week now seems to be the perfect time to do so. We have advertised that we are open on Tuesday afternoon from 2-4pm and on Wednesday from 12 noon to 4pm. Both of these sessions will make use of the Green Room in the Church Hall and on Wednesday we will offer soup as well as tea & coffee. We need volunteers to help with the sessions, which might just be sitting in the Green Room for an hour or two, or might involve making drinks and chatting with people who come in. There will be a SIGN UP SHEET in church tomorrow so if you are available at any of these times, even if it is just for an hour, please do put your name down. If we have lots of volunteers we may have a rota so people do not need to help every week.
Please note that we chose those times because there will already be, or have been, heating on in the Hall, and that some of the PCC’s charitable giving last year was set aside to fund projects to help with the cost of living crisis which we will use to help with the cost of heating.
THANK YOU if you are able to help with this important initiative.

SONGS OF PRAISE
We have planned a Songs of Praise service in two weeks time on Sunday 29th January at 5pm. In order to do this we need you to suggest songs that you would like to sing in the service, and that you would be prepared to introduce, saying why it is a favourite. You can do this either by replying to this email, or by speaking to Trevor or me, as soon as possible and definitely by next Sunday (22nd January) morning.

SUNDAY 15th JANUARY
This week sees the return of ENERGIZE groups for children and young people after the Christmas break, so please do encourage those you know to come along and join in. The service in St Columba’s tomorrow at 10.30am is HOLY COMMUNION, including a sermon by David Bavin on John 1.29-42. If you are not able to come to church then the service can be watched via the following Youtube link: https://youtu.be/tLVPtuBJUC8

PRAYER MEETING
This will meet again on Sunday at 6pm and everyone is very welcome to join us for an hour of prayer.

FELLOWSHIP GROUPS
I am pleased to announce that Fellowship Groups will be starting again this week. They will both be meeting on a WEDNESDAY, either in the morning from 10.30 to 12noon (after which you could join the Warm Space for an hour) or the evening from 7.30 to 9pm. The groups will be a simple Bible Study (more like the Advent Course on Wednesday morning) which will hopefully mean that different people can be involved in leading them each week. Please do come along, even if you have not been to one of these groups before you would be most welcome.

PRAYER REQUEST
I have received an urgent prayer request from Debbie & Jim Robb as follows:
“Please can I ask the church family to pray for our son James. He is in Northampton Hospital after suffering a bleed on the brain, a stroke. He is very poorly. At only 35yrs old this has been very unexpected. Any help from our Lord will be most valuable.”
Please do pray for James, and Debbie & Jim.

PUZZLES AND OTHER STUFF
Here is Steve’s Puzzles and Other Stuff, with thanks as ever to Steve for preparing these.

NEXT SUNDAY
There are two services next Sunday 22nd January. At St Leonard’s, Rockingham there is HOLY COMMUNION at 9am and at St Columba’s MORNING WORSHIP (with ENERGIZE groups) at 10.30am.

AND FINALLY…it’s PANTO TIME
We are delighted to once again host the Great Easton Little Theatre Company’s Pantomime, which this year is DICK WHITTINGTON. This will be happening in the Church Hall on Friday 3rd February at 7.30pm, Saturday 4th February at 3pm and Sunday 5th February also at 3pm. Tickets cost £7 for adults, £5 for children and £20 for a Family Ticket (2 adults & 2 children) and are available either after services at St Columba’s, by phone to 01536 400225 or by email to gelttickets@gmail.com
I understand there are plenty of tickets for Friday evening and Sunday afternoon while Saturday afternoon is selling fast but there are tickets available. Do plan to come along, bring family and friends with you, and tell everyone you know.

May God bless you all in this coming week,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

8th January 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 14 January 2023

Dear Church Family

“We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Tomorrow is the feast of the Epiphany when we look together at the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus. They bring their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to present to him.

I wonder what you got for Christmas gifts this year? I can probably make a good guess that it wasn’t frankincense or myrrh, although perhaps someone got something gold, but if you got something interesting, odd or unusual for Christmas, I’d love you to bring it with you to tomorrow’s service at St Columba to show us all as we talk about gifts! We’re meeting at 10:30am as normal and if you’re unable to be there you can see it live on YouTube or catch up later using this link – https://youtu.be/iIBl3VXqBpg

Our prayer meeting is also back tomorrow at 6pm, we’ll be praying for the year ahead, it would be great to see you there.

COMING UP THIS WEEK

Bishop Donald’s farewell service, Sunday 8th January 3:30pm

Choral Evensong at Peterborough Cathedral this Sunday is also the farewell service for Bishop Donald Allister as he retires, all are welcome.

The Alpha Course, Monday 9th January 7:30pm

Our Alpha Course is back this week, so if you were coming before Christmas do make sure it’s in your diary as we continue meeting. For anyone interested in joining it’s not too late, you are very welcome to come, if you have any questions do have a a chat with me (Kevin).

PCC, Wednesday 11th January 7:30pm

A reminder to all PCC members that PCC is back this Wednesday, 7:30pm in the Church, hope to see you there.

COMING UP SOON

Fellowship Groups

We had a lovely finish to our Advent course as we had our Epiphany fellowship group on Wednesday morning, a new fellowship group series will be starting up soon so do keep an eye out for that.

Dick Whittington Pantomime

I was at rehearsals for the pantomime this morning and it’s looking like it’s going to be lots of fun, the performances in the Church Hall are 7:30pm Friday 2nd Feb and 3pm Saturday 3rd Feb and Sunday 4th Feb, tickets are available in Church on Sunday or from Ian, cost is £7 for adults, £5 for children or £20 for a family ticket for two adults and two children.

HOPE FROM ABOVE

The latest newsletter from Hope From Above is now available , do take a look and keep praying for them.

Have a good and blessed day, and hope to see you at Church tomorrow!

With every blessing

Kevin

New Year’s Day 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 7 January 2023

Dear Church Family,

I hope you’re all doing well this week, have had a good Christmas and are looking forward to celebrating New Year. As it’s still New Year’s Eve as I write I wonder how many of us are heading out this evening to celebrate with friends or family or indeed party with the masses! This is the point where I admit that I’ll be tucked up at home instead, but do hope those who are out and about have a good time welcoming in the New Year.

SUNDAY SERVICE
As our Sunday service falls on New Year’s Day this year, we’re having a more relaxed all-age service including Communion where we’ll be welcoming in the New Year together, 10:30am Sunday 1st January 2023. For those of you unable to make it you can be part of the service by joining us live on YouTube using this link: https://youtu.be/V5_7ObfB_t4 – you’ll also be able to catch up with the service later on the same link.

COMING UP
There is no prayer meeting this Sunday, but do keep an eye out for its return in the New Year on Sunday 8th January at 6pm.

Alpha will also be restarting on the 9th January at 7:30pm, if you’re interested it’s not too late to join so do have a conversation with me if you’d like to come along.

We have our Epiphany Fellowship group coming up at 10:30am this Wednesday 4th January 2023 which will finish the Advent course we started before Christmas, everyone is welcome, you don’t have to have been to previous sessions.

PANTOMIME
As we look into the New Year the Great Easton Little Theatre Company are performing their 2023 Pantomime DICK WHITTINGTON in our Church Hall on Friday 3rd February at 7.30pm, Saturday 4th February at 3pm and Sunday 5th February at 3pm. Tickets cost £7 for adults, £5 for children or £20 for a Family Ticket for 2 adults and 2 children and can be purchased either after St Columba’s services or by contacting Ian.

MINI-SCANS
With thanks to Steve Scholes we have our first Mini-SCaNS of 2023, with some challenges both spiritually and in puzzle form, attached to this email.

Have a great New Year!

With every blessing

Kevin

Christmas Day 2022

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 31 December 2022

Good morning and a very Happy Christmas to you all.

I hope you are full of joy at the thought of celebrating the birth as a human baby of the Son of God who was with God as the world was created. That thought never ceases to amaze me. I hope too that you are all keeping well. Sadly I have been suffering for the last week with the bug that is going round, fortunately Kevin has recovered and has been a great help as I have had very little energy all week.

Just a short email this week to remind you of our remaining Christmas services, and to offer an online alternative for anyone who can’t make it to church.

TODAY – CHRISTMAS EVE
4.30pm CHRISTINGLE at St Columba’s – the perfect family occasion with oranges (kindly donated by Tesco – thank you very much), candles and the joy of singing Away in a Manger by the light of those Christingle candles!
11.15pm MIDNIGHT COMMUNION at St Columba’s – a more traditional service to reflect on the wondrous events of this night all those years ago in Bethlehem.

TOMORROW – CHRISTMAS DAY
10am ALL AGE COMMUNION at St Columba’s
10.30am HOLY COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham.

• before the turkey, crackers and party games a chance to gather with our church families to celebrate the birth of our Saviour.

ONLINE ALTERNATIVE
I realise there are lots of services on television today, but if you would like something more familiar then we are making available last year’s online Christmas Communion Service. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZNwsFNsyVg

And don’t forget we will gather again on Sunday 1st January 2023 at 10.30am in St Columba’s.

I pray that the joy and peace of Christmas would be with you and all those you love.

Ian

18th December 2022

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 24 December 2022

Hello everyone,

Christmas celebrations are well under way at St Columba’s and St Leonard’s. We have had a busy week of school activities, with St Columba’s full for the Studfall Year 4 Christmas Service on Thursday. Those who came later that day to the Community Carol Service were treated to performances by Lodge Park Academy, Studfall Infants School and Woodnewton – a learning academy, which were all very special.

We also had an entertaining Christmas Family Service at St Leonard’s last Sunday and if you couldn’t make that (the weather was awful) then do join us in the Village Hall on Wednesday evening, when as well as being warm we will enjoy singing some favourite carols, accompanied by mince pies and mulled wine!

There are still lots of Christmas services to look forward to, and all the details are below. Please note that because tomorrow’s Nativity and Candlelit Carol Service are so much better live and in person we are not live streaming them. Do make a note of all these dates as there may not be an email coming out next Saturday, Christmas Eve.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

Tomorrow, Sunday 18th December
10.30am Nativity Service at St Columba’s with the children presenting the traditional Nativity story and the young people a sketch to make us think.
6.30pm Candlelit Carol Service at St Columba’s. Because of this there will be no Prayer Meeting, and as the next two Sundays are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day the next Prayer Meeting will be on 8th January.

Wednesday 21st December
10.30am Wednesday Morning Communion at St Columba’s. It is a long time since we had a midweek Communion so I hope you will come along and support this extra Christmas service, especially if you are unable to come along to Communion services on Christmas Eve or Day. The sermon will be based on the material that we have been looking at in our Advent Fellowship Group which is not meeting this week. It will become an Epiphany Fellowship Group to finish the course on Wednesday 4th January.
7pm Carols, Mince Pies & Mulled Wine at Rockingham Village Hall

Christmas Eve
4.30pm Christingle Service at St Columba’s
11.15pm Midnight Communion at St Columba’s

Christmas Day
10am (note the time) Christmas Morning Communion for All Ages at St Columba’s
10.30am Holy Communion at St Leonard’s Rockingham

New Year’s Day
10.30am All Age Worship at St Columba’s.

IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR PARENTS
Please can all children and young people who are involved in the Nativity or Get Closer sketch please come to a dress rehearsal in church TODAY 17th December at 4pm for about an hour and a half. Then on Sunday 18th if they could be at church for 9.45am that will helpful.

PANTOMIME
As we look into the New Year the Great Easton Little Theatre Company are performing their 2023 Pantomime DICK WHITTINGTON in our Church Hall on Friday 3rd February at 7.30pm, Saturday 4th February at 3pm and Sunday 5th February at 3pm. Tickets cost £7 for adults, £5 for children or £20 for a Family Ticket for 2 adults and 2 children and can be purchased either after St Columba’s services or by replying to this email.

After the school services in church we ran out of copies of the Christmas Newsletter, but I am pleased to say that Steve has printed more so if you have not yet had one be sure to pick up your copy from the back of church tomorrow.

God bless

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

11th December 2022

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 17 December 2022

Hello everyone,

I have been carol singing in the town centre this morning with Christians from other churches in Corby. Apart form the cold it was good to be outside singing about the Saviour who is coming into the world and whose birth is the reason we celebrate Christmas! I have included again a list of Christmas services below, but can I draw your attention to two:

COMMUNITY CAROL SERVICE – this Thursday 15th December at 6pm with choirs from Studfall Infants and Lodge Park Academy. It is great that the schools support this service, but we also need you to come along and support them, and especially to listen to their choirs sing in church. There will also be congregational carols so do come prepared to join in singing. Unfortunately this clashes with an event in Coronation Park, but as that is from 5.30-8.30 I would encourage church members to come to St Columba’s for an hour in the warm and then, if you wish, go down for the last hour in the park.

WEDNESDAY MORNING COMMUNION – on Wednesday 21st December at 10.30am. It is a long time since we had a midweek Communion so I hope you will come along and support this extra Christmas service, especially if you are unable to come along to Communion services on Christmas Eve or Day.

THIS WEEK’S SERVICES
We have a service of HOLY COMMUNION in St Columba’s at 10.30am on Sunday morning. There will also be ENERGIZE groups for children and young people who will be practising for the Nativity next week (see below). For those unable to be in church you can watch this service via this livestream link:
https://youtu.be/ETkJmiJxuJg

Also tomorrow we have a CHRISTMAS FAMILY SERVICE at St Leonard’s, Rockingham at 3pm and everyone is very welcome to join us for that.

Also this week we have our PRAYER MEETING in St Columba’s on Sunday evening at 6pm, ALPHA in St Columba’s on Monday evening at 7.30pm and ADVENT FELLOWSHIP GROUP on Wednesday morning at 10.30am.

LODGE PARK CHRISTMAS DINNER
All those people who spoke with me about the Christmas Dinner at Lodge Park School are booked in and should aim to arrive at the school for 2pm with a good appetite ready for a school Christmas Dinner. Parking is limited to disabled drivers at the school but plentiful at the Sports Centre. If you have passengers with mobility issues it would be best to drop them at school and drive round to park.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Thursday 15th December
6pm Community Carol Service with school choirs and congregational carols at St Columba’s

Sunday 18th December
10.30am Nativity Service at St Columba’s with the children presenting the traditional Nativity story and the young people a sketch to make us think.
6.30pm Candlelit Carol Service at St Columba’s

Wednesday 21st December
10.30am Wednesday Morning Communion at St Columba’s
7pm Carols, Mince Pies & Mulled Wine at Rockingham Village Hall

Christmas Eve
4.30pm Christingle Service at St Columba’s
11.15pm Midnight Communion at St Columba’s

Christmas Day
10am (note the time) Christmas Morning Communion for All Ages at St Columba’s
10.30am Holy Communion at St Leonard’s Rockingham

IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR PARENTS
Please can all children and young people who are involved in the Nativity or Get Closer sketch please come to a dress rehearsal in church next Saturday 17th December at 4pm for about an hour and a half. Then on Sunday 18th if they could be at church for 9.45am that will be helpful.

PANTOMIME
As we look into the New Year the Great Easton Little Theatre Company are performing their 2023 Pantomime DICK WHITTINGTON in our Church Hall on Friday 3rd February at 7.30pm, Saturday 4th February at 3pm and Sunday 5th February at 3pm. Tickets cost £7 for adults, £5 for children or £20 for a Family Ticket for 2 adults and 2 children and can be purchased either after St Columba’s services or by replying to this email.

And finally big thanks to Steve producing a printed Christmas Newsletter – do make sure you pick up your copy from the back of church tomorrow with lots to inform and entertain.

God bless

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

4th December 2022

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 10 December 2022

Hello everyone,

First I must thank everyone who helped with our Christmas Fayre last Saturday, it was a great success with lots of people coming in, good conversations being had, even prayer amid the sale of raffle tickets! We also raised just over £800 for the church which was a magnificent total and something we could not have done without the hard work of everyone who helped in advance, at the Fayre or afterwards.

We are also grateful to the shops on Studfall Avenue who donated raffle prizes: One Stop, Pam’s Florist, Golden Tanning, Healthline Pharmacy, Studfall Chippy, Costcutter, Union of Barbers, High Street Bakery, Crust n’ Crumb and, on their first full day of being open, Rocky’s Local – thank you all.

As we look forward there is news below of our regular weekly groups, December’s Afternoon Tea (open to men as well as ladies this time!), invitations to Carol Singing in the Town Centre and Christmas Dinner at Lodge Park School, details of Christmas services, a notice about the Panto (oh no there isn’t, oh yes there is, etc) and an important message for those going to Spring Harvest next Easter; but before all that some prayer news:

PRAYER NEWS
Please pray for Margaret Freeland who is in hospital, no further details as I write but please keep Margaret in prayer.
Please also pray for Linda, Marie and William who all have medical procedures this month and who we will be praying for in our service on Sunday.
Let’s give thanks for the ministries of Steve and Sue Scholes who will be re-licensed as Reader and Lay Minister (Pastoral) in a service in Irthlingborough on Thursday afternoon.
Here is the latest Prayer Update from HOPE FROM ABOVE in Australia, and if you did not read it last week the latest prayer letter from M&H in North Africa is at the back of church.

SUNDAY’S SERVICE
We just have one service this Sunday, MORNING WORSHIP at 10.30am in St Columba’s church, with children and young people rehearsing for the Nativity and their Christmas sketch respectively, and it is not too late for children to grab a part so do come along on Sunday. For those who are unable to be with us in church the service can be watched via livestream by going to the following link: https://youtu.be/eYBDZGoZvFo

PRAYER MEETING
We will be gathering in St Columba’s at 6pm on Sunday for an hour of prayer so do come along if you are able and especially if you have anything that you would like us to pray about.

ALPHA and FELLOWSHIP GROUP
These groups meet as usual in St Columba’s this week, Alpha on Monday at 7.30pm and our Advent Fellowship Group on Wednesday morning at 10.30am

AFTERNOON TEA
This month’s afternoon tea is a Christmas Special and as a result is being opened up to include men as well as ladies! There will be tea, sandwiches and cakes to enjoy along with good company and conversation so why not come along on Friday afternoon at 3pm.

CAROL SINGING IN THE TOWN CENTRE
Christians in Corby are joining together to sing carols in the Town Centre, outside McDonalds, on Saturday 10th December, from 11am. Do come along and support this united church witness to our wider community.

LODGE PARK CHRISTMAS DINNER
Some of you will remember going to Lodge Park Academy for their Jubilee Celebration earlier in the year. Now they are inviting people for Christmas Dinner on Thursday 15th December at 2pm. This will be a full Christmas Dinner so my advice is not to have any lunch beforehand! Please let me know, either by replying to this email or in church on Sunday, if you would like to go as I need to give them numbers.

SERVICES FOR DECEMBER
We have lots of special services to look forward to so make a note of all the following:
Sunday 11th December
10.30am Holy Communion at St Columba’s
3pm Christmas Family Service at St Leonard’s, Rockingham

Thursday 15th December
6pm Community Carol Service with school choirs and congregational carols at St Columba’s

Sunday 18th December
10.30am Nativity Service at St Columba’s with the children presenting the traditional Nativity story and the young people a sketch to make us think.
6.30pm Candlelit Carol Service at St Columba’s

Wednesday 21st December
10.30am Wednesday Morning Communion at St Columba’s
7pm Carols, Mince Pies & Mulled Wine at Rockingham Village Hall

Christmas Eve
4.30pm Christingle Service at St Columba’s
11.15pm Midnight Communion at St Columba’s

Christmas Day
10am (note the time) Christmas Morning Communion for All Ages at St Columba’s
10.30am Holy Communion at St Leonard’s Rockingham

PANTOMIME
As we look into the New Year the Great Easton Little Theatre Company are performing their 2023 Pantomime DICK WHITTINGTON in our Church Hall on Friday 3rd February at 7.30pm, Saturday 4th February at 3pm and Sunday 5th February at 3pm. Tickets cost £7 for adults, £5 for children or £20 for a Family Ticket for 2 adults and 2 children and can be purchased either after St Columba’s services or by replying to this email.

SPRING HARVEST 2023
This is just a reminder to those who are going to Spring Harvest next Easter.

If you still have an outstanding balance to pay, we do need it by the end of this month if possible, by cash, cheque, bank transfer OR via the card reader at church (though please see James or Ian before doing so!)
If you have any questions, please speak to Miriam.

AND FINALLY
Please find here the latest Puzzles and Other Stuff from Steve.

God bless you all,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

27th November 2022

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 3 December 2022

Hello everyone,

I am sending this week’s email out early as a reminder about our CHRISTMAS FAYRE this Saturday morning from 10am to 12.30. Please come along and support the Fayre, which I always think is not only an opportunity to make some money for the church, but also a great way of building relationships with people from our local community who support the Fayre but don’t yet come to church. It is not too late to offer to help on the day, or simply turn up and support our various stalls, including the craft stalls from outside of the church, and, of course, to enjoy a bacon roll from the cafe!

If you are driving to the Fayre please note there will be limited space in the car park as the stall holders and disabled visitors have priority. As well as parking in the Council car park on Dovedale Road you may be able to find a space behind the vicarage as the Nursery is not open on Saturdays.

This Sunday is Advent Sunday which is not simply the start of the countdown to Christmas, but is the day in the year when we reflect on the Lord’s second coming. This is something we affirm in the creeds, but don’t often think about, and Advent is a great reminder that we need to be ready to meet the Lord when He comes. There are HOLY COMMUNION services in St Leonard’s, Rockingham at 9am and St Columba’s, Corby at 10.30am. For those unable to attend in person the service from St Columba’s will be available as a livestream via the following link: https://youtu.be/C2BNfvaS240

Our children and young people will begin their preparations for the Nativity Service on 18th December this Sunday, so do encourage them all to come along and join in. As ever there will be a variety of speaking and non-speaking parts and Get Closer will be making us all think with a challenging sketch.

On Sunday evening there will be our regular PRAYER MEETING in church at 6pm to which everyone is welcome.

ALPHA continues on Monday evening in church at 7.30pm. It is not too late to join if you are interested. Do speak with Kevin of you would like to know more – 07512 822422

We had a good start to our Advent Fellowship Group last Wednesday and we will be meeting again in church this Wednesday at 10.30am. I do encourage others to join us as we continue to think about the events that led up to the birth of Christ, and how they relate to us.

Next Sunday, 4th December, we have a service of Morning Worship at St Columba’s at 10.30am and everyone is welcome.

There is a new letter from M&H at the back of church. We are not able to circulate this by email so please do take a minute over coffee after church and have a read.

And finally, a big thank you to everyone who packed a shoebox and those who waited in church to receive them. If you still have a box at home you can bring it on Sunday and James & Louisa will be able to take it with them to the collection centre.

May God bless you all in this Advent season,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

20th November 2022

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 26 November 2022

Dear Church

I’ve been away for a few days in Belfast as I went to my Uncle’s funeral, it was a sad time as it always is when people have to say goodbye to a much loved family member, but it was also an occasion of joy as his life was commemorated and indeed as people who don’t always get to see each other that often spent some time together, caught up on life and remarked and exclaimed on how much older everyone looked, how much children have grown up and who had the least hair – amongst the men at least! As Christians we do feel sadness at the loss of a loved one but live in the hope that we will be reunited again one day with them through our shared faith in Jesus. Even as it was good to share time together with my family I also look forward to the time we spend together as a church family and there will be lots to look forward to in these coming weeks. For this week though do take a look through the email and catch up on all that is going on.

THIS WEEK’S SERVICE
This Sunday is the last Sunday of the year. You might be thinking, hold on, there’s a whole month and a bit to go, and indeed you are right! This is not the end of the calendar year but the liturgical year, the year that the church uses to mark all the events of the church year, and we finish on the theme of Christ the King before moving into our new church year with the first Sunday of Advent on the 27th November.

But before we get to Advent we have the joy of celebrating Jesus as King, do come along as we join together to explore this very special Sunday – 10:30am at St Columba. For those unable to be there we will have a livestream of the service available and you can watch via this link: https://youtu.be/EjyTZNJeIvs

PRAYER MEETING
Our prayer meeting is on as normal at 6pm this Sunday at St Columba, do join us as we seek God in prayer together.

SHOEBOXES
Thank you to everyone who has donated a Shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, and to those who sat in church last week waiting for boxes to be dropped off. We are sorry for the confusion about dates, and while this Sunday is officially the last day it is possible for people to bring boxes to the Vicarage from Tuesday to Friday this week. If any boxes arrive in church on Sunday 27th they will be taken by James when he goes to the sorting centre – but after that it really will be too late!

FELLOWSHIP GROUPS
The groups completed the 9 A DAY course looking at the Fruit of the Spirit last week. The evening group are taking a break until the New Year (Tuesday 10th January to be precise) when they will meet again and decide what they would like to study next. The Wednesday morning group are continuing to meet and will be starting a new course with an Advent theme. Everyone is welcome to join them at 10.30 on Wednesday mornings until Christmas.

ALPHA
Our Alpha evening got off to a good start, as we explored the beginning of “Is there more to life than this?”, there was some great chat about what made us happy, what one question we would ask God if we could, and some tea, coffee and cake was consumed. It’s not too late to come along this Monday to St Columba at 7:30pm as we explore “Who is Jesus?”, all are welcome – if you have any questions at all do get in touch with me.

CHRISTMAS FAYRE
Next Saturday is our Christmas Fayre from 10.00am until 12.30pm 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 Stalls and clearing up afterwards.
If you are helping to set up on Friday this will be happening from 5.30 – 6.45pm so there’s time for people to get home to watch the England match!
We need cakes for the cake stall, which can be brought to the hall Friday evening or as soon as possible after 9.00am on Saturday morning.
If you’re wanting to donate anything else at this stage we would appreciate more bottles for the Bottle Tombola, which can be taken to the vicarage from Tuesday onwards or Friday evening at the setting up session at the hall. 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!
Any further information contact Miriam. Thank you very much.

NEXT WEEK’S SERVICES – SUNDAY 27th NOVEMBER
For the first Sunday of Advent there will be services of Holy Communion at St Leonard, 9am and at St Columba, 10:30am, let’s come together and as we start this Advent season looking forward to the hope and joy of the future to come in God.

I hope to see you at church tomorrow, have a great day, every blessing.

Kevin

01536 647727
07512 822422