It has been good to see some sun over the last couple of days. A shame we were not able to experience the total eclipse that was seen over the USA earlier in the week, I always think that the way the moon perfectly covers the sun leaving just the outer rim visible is a sign of God’s attention to detail in creation. If the moon or the sun were larger or smaller, or the distance between the earth and moon or moon and sun any greater or less, this phenomenon would not happen – thank you Lord!
On the subject of thanks can I thank the people who have shared answers to prayer in our “Praises for Prayers” slot over the last few weeks. This is such an encouragement to hear how God is at work among us. If you have had an answer to prayer why not share with us to encourage your church family – just speak with me or email ianpullinger@btinternet.com.
Church Lawn Mowing You may have noticed that the church grass has been growing rather long this year. We need to recruit two or three volunteers to cut the grass on a regular basis. We have the lawn mower and petrol but are lacking the manpower. If the grass is cut regularly then it is a much easier task. If you think you may be able to help please speak with John Lynch or you can email ianpullinger@btinternet.com. Thank you.
Sunday 14th April There are two services on Sunday as follows: 10.30am Morning Worship at St Columba’s with a sermon looking at Jesus’ encounter with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. There will also be ENERGIZE groups for children and young people. For those not able to be in church this service will be available as a live stream via this link: https://youtube.com/live/CnOhfi2UjPA?feature=share 3pm Family Service at St Leonard’s, Rockingham. This will be an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful news that Christ is Risen! In the evening at 6pm we have our regular Prayer Meeting.
Family Quiz Night Next Saturday, 20th April, there will be a family friendly Quiz Night in St Columba’s Church Hall, starting at 7pm. Nibbles will be provided but please bring your own drinks. You can either come in a team or on your own.
Next Sunday 21st April We have a service of Holy Communion at St Columba’s at 10.30am.
Snippets from the Shires Please find here the latest news from Tim and Carol Derbyshire. Do have a read, and pray for Carol and Tim who will be with us at St Columba’s in June.
Mid Life Crisis Concert Nat’s band “Mid Life Crisis” are performing at St Giles church, Northampton on Saturday 18th May at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from nat.minister@grangeparkchurch.com and cost £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s with proceeds in support of the Lighthouse Trust, a charity that supports work in schools in Northampton. Bring your own snacks and drinks.
Steve is having a well deserved Easter break so no Puzzles or SCaNS this week.
I hope you have all had a good Easter Week. The group who went to Spring Harvest certainly did, and you will be hearing more about that in the coming weeks. This will be a short email this week, but it does contain details of a Quiz later this month as well as the latest Puzzles and Other Stuff, so do read on.
Sunday 7th April We have one service tomorrow, Holy Communion at 10.30am at St Columba’s, during which Energize will be meeting for some Easter Activities to which all children are welcome. The service will be available to watch on youtube here: https://youtube.com/live/bI9R7bExkAI?feature=share
Prayer Meeting We will be gathering in St Columba’s at 6pm for our regular Sunday Prayer Meeting – everyone welcome.
Sunday 14th April Next Sunday there is a service of Morning Worship at St Columba’s at 10.30am and an Easter Family Service at St Leonard’s, Rockingham at 3pm.
Family Quiz Night On Saturday 20th April there will be a family friendly Quiz Night in St Columba’s Church Hall, starting at 7pm. Nibbles will be provided but please bring your own drinks.
Puzzles and Other Stuff 111 Steve has produced his 111th online Puzzles. He writes: “The Lord kept pressing me to write about His Return, so I have done just that, though I did wrestle with it somewhat. In the end I felt (was told!) the Scriptures should largely speak for themselves. Some grand (as we say up north) true–life stories. I discovered quite moving things I didn’t know about the late Robin Williams and Franz Kafka – I hope they will speak to you, too – and another amazing one about God answering prayer in an unexpected way. New puzzles and some regular ones. News about Franklin Graham’s forthcoming outreach in Birmingham and associated Christian Life and Witness Courses being run this month in Northampton and Leicester – and, course, funnies.”
My subject for this email is rather early, we have another day of waiting before Easter arrives, and I always think this Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Day should be a time of reflection on the despair of the disciples at what had happened, and remember, in spite of Jesus’ predictions, they were not expecting Him to be alive the next day. If we miss out on the despair of this day then our joy will be diminished, if we truly want to experience the excitement of the women who discovered that “Jesus is alive!” we need to try and enter in to their sense of loss.
We have been blessed with some special times of worship over the last few days, including our final Lent Groups, the Maundy Thursday service and two very different services on Good Friday. The fun and creativity of the Hot Cross Bun Feast, communicating the wonderful news that the death of Jesus is a sign of how much God loves us, contrasted with the quiet reflections at Rockingham on Jesus’ seven words spoken from the Cross. We still have some wonderful Easter worship to look forward to, and then there is Spring Harvest, to which many are going, some just for a day and others can watch at home – see below.
Don’t forget the clocks go forward on Saturday night, so the times for services on Sunday are BST, an hour earlier than you may be expecting.
EASTER DAY SERVICES 7am SUNRISE SERVICE at Rockingham. This is always a special time, gathering early in the morning, just at the time the women would have been discovering the empty tomb. The service includes Communion and is followed by breakfast rolls in the Village Hall. 10.30am ALL AGE COMMUNION with BAPTISM at St Columba’s – always a highlight of the church year and this year even more so with the Baptism of Chuka and Njideka’s baby, Kamto. The service will include children’s activities and is family friendly, but there are no ENERGIZE groups. It will be available to watch at home via this link: https://youtube.com/live/eu5-dIvFB4U?feature=share There won’t be a Prayer Meeting on Sunday as many of us will be packing for Spring Harvest.
SPRING HARVEST First, for anyone who is interested, you can find an online programme by going to the following link, registering with My Spring Harvest and then you will have access to the full event programme. This will be vital for everyone who is going to Skegness. Log in or Sign up for MY Spring Harvest – home of the 2024 event programme – Spring Harvest Second, you can still join us at Spring Harvest as a Day Visitor. The best days are Tuesday 2nd – Thursday 4th April and to get the most out of the day arrive by 10am and don’t leave until after the evening meeting at about 9pm. Day tickets cost £44 for adults (15+), £32 for 5-14 year olds, and £24 for 2-4 year olds. You can book your tickets for Skegness here: https://ecevents.uk/sh2024-day-visitors/days/Site/Register Do let us know if you are coming and we can look out for you. Third, if you can’t get to Skegness you can watch five days of worship, teaching, community, encouragement, and inspiration, online at home. You don’t have to watch live, with a Spring Harvest Home ticket you can catch up and watch it all until the end of April. You can see the full details of what is available before you buy a ticket here: FINAL-SH-Home-Programme_2024_dft3.pdf (springharvest.org) If you would like to buy a Spring Harvest Home ticket, costing £27.50 just go to this link: Spring Harvest Home 2024 Registration – Spring Harvest Home Registration (ecevents.uk) Once you’ve bought your ticket, you’ll be sent the link to join with your unique code. Spring Harvest Home can be watched anywhere with WI-FI, in any browser – or cast to (some) TV’s.
NEXT SUNDAY 7th APRIL We just have one service next Sunday, Holy Communion at St Columba’s at 10.30am with a special Easter Activity for children.
ATTACHMENTS Please find here the latest Prayer Update from Hope From Above and Steve’s Puzzles and Other Stuff issue 110, about which Steve says: This mag includes a great story of a boy delivering leaflets for his church who stopped a lady committing suicide when the Lord pressed him to keep knocking at her door. An extract from my sermon of 1993 about Thomas who I believe gets a bad press and the Lord, did, too! A hidden birds puzzle that kept Sue and I busy for over half an hour trying to find the last three. A humming bird rescued by prayer. An Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer being built and lots more fun things to enjoy as you sunbathe this weekend!!
May you know the joy of the risen Lord in your heart this Easter,
Please find below details of all our services for this Holy Week and Easter. I do hope you will be able to join us for one or more of these services which remind us why this season of the year is so important. There are also detail of a meeting about SPRING HARVEST for all those who are going, and more details about our new PRAISES FOR PRAYERS feature in St Columba’s services in which we hope to hear about answers to prayers from members of our church family. There are also details from last week’s Annual Meetings at St Columba’s, and the latest Snippets from the Shires from Tim & Carol Derbyshire in Australia, with an update advising the news that Tim’s dad, who we have been praying for, died during this last week, after the first Snippets was sent out. Do look out for the latest printed edition of SCaNS in church on Sunday as well.
PRAISES FOR PRAYERS At our Annual Meeting last Sunday I launched what I hope will become a regular feature of our worship, an opportunity for people from our church family to share in the service their answered prayers, a feature we are calling PRAISES FOR PRAYERS. I hope this will encourage all of us to pray more, and as such this is another part of our YEAR OF PRAYER. If you have an answer to prayer you would like to share please do let me know, ideally before Sunday so we can plan these in the service.
PALM SUNDAY SERVICES There will be two services on Sunday morning. At 9am in St Leonard’s, Rockingham we have HOLY COMMUNION and at 10.30am in St Columba’s there is a service of MORNING WORSHIP, during which the children and young people will be preparing for both the Hot Cross Bun Feast on Good Friday and our Easter Day service. This service will be available as a livestream here: https://youtube.com/live/5pS_6lQfU94?feature=share
SPRING HARVEST MEETING Also on Sunday we have a meeting at 5pm in St Columba’s for all those going to Spring Harvest at Butlins, Skegness after Easter. It is always helpful if everyone can be at this meeting so we can share all relevant information with you. This is especially important if you have not been before. If you have not booked to go as part of our group it is still possible to go as a Day Visitor, the best days are Tuesday 2nd – Thursday 4th April and to get the most out of the day arrive by 10am and don’t leave until after the evening meeting at about 9pm. Day tickets cost £44 for adults (15+), £32 for 5-14 year olds, and £24 for 2-4 year olds. You can book your tickets here: https://ecevents.uk/sh2024-day-visitors/days/Site/Register Do let us know if you are coming and we can look out for you. It will also be possible to watch Spring Harvest at Home, being broadcast from Skegness so you may even see some familiar faces in the crowds! Tickets will cost £27.50 and full details will be available next week.
PRAYER MEETING Also on Sunday we have our regular 6pm Prayer Meeting at St Columba’s, so if you are coming to the Spring Harvest meeting why not stay on and join us for prayer.
LENT GROUPS Our Lent Groups conclude this Wednesday at 10.30am or 7.30pm looking at the subject of Praying to Serve. These groups will be held in the Meeting Room of the Church Hall where we can enjoy some warmth without being squashed!
HOLY WEEK and EASTER Later in the week we have the following special services for HOLY WEEK and EASTER: Maundy Thursday 7.30pm Holy Communion at St Columba’s – always a special time to reflect on the Last Supper. Good Friday 10am Hot Cross Bun Feast in St Columba’s Church Hall – a service designed to explain to children and families why we have a cross on our Hot Cross Buns – who could you invite to join us? Good Friday 2pm Hour by the Cross in St Leonard’s, Rockingham – a quiet reflective service as we remember Christ’s death on the Cross for us. Easter Day 7am Sunrise Service at St Leonard’s, Rockingham – because the Lord was found to have risen “very early in the morning”! This will be followed by breakfast in Rockingham Village Hall. Easter Day 10.30am All Age Communion at St Columba’s – always a highlight of the church year and this year even more so with the Baptism of Chuka and Njideka’s baby, Kamto.
ST COLUMBA’S ANNUAL MEETINGS At St Columba’s Annual Meeting of Parishioners we re-elected John Lynch and Janet Taylor as churchwardens and at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting we elected Elaine Bavin, Linda Coleman, Justin Dyche, James Ireland and Margaret Smith to the PCC. If you were not at the meeting and would like a copy of either the reports booklet or the financial accounts to 31st December 2023 please do reply to this message and they can be sent electronically. Thank you to everyone who has served St Columba’s in whatever capacity on the last year and especially to those people elected last Sunday and also to all who contributed to a very enjoyable Hot Lunch after the meeting.
CONFIRMATION Sunday 21st JULY We have arranged a Confirmation Service in our Sunday morning service at St Columba’s on 21st July so if there is anyone who has not been confirmed, or baptised, then please do speak with me in the next couple of weeks as we will be gathering a group together for Confirmation Preparation after Easter.
There is lots in this week’s email, with details of tomorrow’s Annual Meeting and Lunch at St Columba’s, a meeting for those going to Spring Harvest, our services tomorrow, next Sunday and in Holy Week leading up to to Easter Day as well as information about a Confirmation Service in July. Do have a read and make a note of all the relevant dates and times.
SUNDAY 17th MARCH At St Columba’s tomorrow we have a service of HOLY COMMUNION at 10.30am with ENERGIZE groups for children and young people. This service will be available to watch on youtube via this link: https://youtube.com/live/-70258i_U4o?feature=share We will also have our PRAYER MEETING as usual at 6pm.
ST COLUMBA’S ANNUAL MEETING St Columba’s Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting is happening tomorrow after the service, at about 12 noon in the Church Hall. This will be followed by a Hot Lunch, there is no need for you to book or bring food (unless you have been asked to do so) but please do stay and continue our fellowship. After lunch there will be a short meeting of the newly elected PCC at which we appoint officers for the coming year – this will only be short.
LENT GROUPS Our Lent Groups continue on Wednesday at 10.30am or 7.30pm looking at the subject of Praying in Weakness. These groups will be held in the Meeting Room of the Church Hall where we can enjoy some warmth without being squashed!
PALM SUNDAY – 24th MARCH There will be two services next Sunday morning. At 9am in St Leonard’s, Rockingham we have HOLY COMMUNION and at 10.30am in St Columba’s there is a service of MORNING WORSHIP, during which the children and young people will be preparing for both the Hot Cross Bun Feast on Good Friday and our Easter Day service.
SPRING HARVEST MEETING Also on Sunday 24th March we have a meeting at 5pm for all those going to Spring Harvest at Butlins, Skegness after Easter. It is always helpful if everyone can be at this meeting so we can share all relevant information with you. This is especially important if you have not been before.
If you have not booked in to go as part of our group it is still possible to go as a Day Visitor, the best days are Tuesday 2nd – Thursday 4th April and to get the most out of the day arrive by 10am and don’t leave until after the evening meeting at about 9pm. Day tickets cost £44 for adults (15+), £32 for 5-14 year olds, and £24 for 2-4 year olds. You can book your tickets here: https://ecevents.uk/sh2024-day-visitors/days/Site/Register Do let us know if you are coming and we can look out for you.
HOLY WEEK and EASTER You may like to make a note of the time of the following special services for HOLY WEEK and EASTER: Maundy Thursday 7.30pm Holy Communion at St Columba’s Good Friday 10am Hot Cross Bun Feast in St Columba’s Church Hall Good Friday 2pm Hour by the Cross in St Leonard’s, Rockingham Easter Day 7am Sunrise Service at St Leonard’s, Rockingham Easter Day 10.30am All Age Communion at St Columba’s
CONFIRMATION Sunday 21st JULY We have arranged a Confirmation Service in our Sunday morning service at St Columba’s on 21st July so if there is anyone who has not been confirmed, or baptised, then please do speak with me in the next couple of weeks as we will be gathering a group together for Confirmation Preparation after Easter.
Please excuse the early email this week. It is in part because last week I forgot to mention the Ladies Afternoon Tea that is happening tomorrow, FRIDAY 8th MARCH at 3pm in St Columba’s Church Hall. All ladies are most welcome. I must also apologise that there was no livestream last Sunday, this was because I forgot to press the button to start streaming! All being well normal service will resume this week.
MOTHERING SUNDAY SERVICES We have an ALL AGE SERVICE at 10.30am in St Columba’s on Sunday with lots of involvement by children in our church family so it would be really good to see lots of mothers and children there. If your child was involved in the preparation last Sunday then it would be helpful if they could arrive by 10am so we can have a quick practice before the service. This service will be available as a livestream here: https://youtube.com/live/tAzoqNRSSO0?feature=share In the afternoon at 3pm there is a FAMILY SERVICE in Rockingham Village Hall and again it would be good to see mothers and children (of any age) there.
LENT GROUPS Our Lent Groups continue on Wednesday at 10.30am or 7.30pm looking at the subject of Praying Dependently. These groups will be held in the Meeting Room of the Church Hall where we can enjoy some warmth without being squashed!
ST COLUMBA’S ANNUAL MEETING St Columba’s Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting will be on Sunday 17th March in the Church Hall after the morning service and will be followed by a Hot Lunch, no need for you to bring food unless asked to do so.
Thank you to those people who signed up to join our Church Electoral Roll (membership list). The new list is on display in church in accordance with the rules, but if you have not yet joined please do speak with me.
If you are responsible for any group or activity in the church would you be able to write a short report that can be included in the book of reports that is given out at the meeting.
Thank you also to all those who have asked about the vacancies on our Parochial Church Council. There are still some Nomination Forms that need to be completed before the meeting.
SUNDAY 17th MARCH As well as our Annual Meeting St Columba’s have a service of HOLY COMMUNION at 10.30am with ENERGIZE groups for children and young people.
HOLY WEEK and EASTER You may like to make a note of the time of the following special services for HOLY WEEK and EASTER: Maundy Thursday 7.30pm Holy Communion at St Columba’s Good Friday 10am Hot Cross Bun Feast in St Columba’s Church Hall Good Friday 2pm Hour by the Cross in St Leonard’s, Rockingham Easter Day 7am Sunrise Service at St Leonard’s, Rockingham Easter Day 10.30am All Age Communion at St Columba’s
Mini SCaNS Here is the latest Mini SCaNS about which Steve writes: “In this issue of Mini–SCaNS you can read of two great stories of God helping people pray – in one case by sending a dog! (I’m sure it must have been an angel in disguise!) The second story is of a man who enlisted a friend to ensure he prayed. Great idea! There are also three great new ways of studying the Scriptures available via YouTube – and a few pics of our new bishop’s installation – of which more in the next printed SCaNS (out March 24). New puzzles, including ones for St Patrick’s Day, and Mothering Sunday which occur this month and funnies to cheer us along in the gloomy weather.
This is an important weekend in the life of our diocese as Bishop Debbie is installed as our next Bishop. We look forward to getting to know her over the coming months, and finding out what she thinks about some of the issues dividing the Church of England at this time, but for the moment it is good that a small group of folk representing both St Columba’s and St Leonard’s will be in the Cathedral on Sunday afternoon for her Installation Service. This service is by invitation only but it will be possible to watch a livestream, see the details below.
SUNDAY’S SERVICE There is just the one service of Morning Worship in St Columba’s on Sunday at 10.30 with the next in our series of sermons looking at prayers in the New Testament, this time Peter’s prayer in Acts 10 v1-33. In ENERGIZE we will be preparing for the Mothering Sunday service the following week, and so it would be really good if as many children and young people as possible could come along and help with those preparations. The Prayer Meeting will be happening at 6pm in church as usual.
BISHOP OF PETERBOROUGH’S INSTALLATION SERVICE
The Right Reverend Debbie Sellin will be installed as the 39th Bishop of Peterborough at a service of welcome in Peterborough Cathedral on Sunday 3rd March at 3pm. As mentioned above the service is by invitation only but to allow for as many people as possible to join in the event, it will be lived streamed on the Diocesan YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_dIaRbOIkw
LENT GROUPS Our Lent Groups continue on Wednesday at 10.30am or 7.30pm looking at the subject of Praying Confidently. Please note these groups will be held in the Meeting Room of the Church Hall where we can enjoy some warmth without being squashed!
MOTHERING SUNDAY 10th MARCH We have two opportunities to celebrate Mothering Sunday, All Age Worship at 10.30am in St Columba’s and Family Service at 3pm in Rockingham Village Hall. Hopefully all our wonderful mums will be able to join us for one of those. As mentioned above our children and young people will be preparing this Sunday (3rd March) to take part in the service at St Columba’s.
ST COLUMBA’S ANNUAL MEETING St Columba’s Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting will be on Sunday 17th March in the Church Hall after the morning service and will be followed by a Hot Lunch, no need for you to bring food unless asked to do so.
Thank you to those people who signed up to join our Church Electoral Roll (membership list). The new list is on display in church in accordance with the rules, but if you have not yet joined please do speak with me.
If you are responsible for any group or activity in the church would you be able to write a short report that can be included in the book of reports that is given out at the meeting.
Thank you also to all those who have asked about the vacancies on our Parochial Church Council. I will be asking you to fill out Nomination Forms in the next couple of weeks, but again if there are other people who would like to stand please let me know.
HOPE FROM ABOVE Please find here the latest Prayer Update from Hope From Above.
I hope you have all had a good week. Our Games Night was a great success and enjoyed by all who came along, not just the overall winner Daley Hirtsch. Below are details of upcoming services and other events and the latest mini SCANS.
SUNDAY 25th FEBRUARY There are three services to choose from tomorrow so hopefully something for everyone: 9am HOLY COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham 10.30am MORNING WORSHIP at St Columba’s with the latest in our sermon series on prayers in the New Testament, this week with Linda looking at Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. There will be ENERGIZE groups for children and young people and the service will be available as a LIVESTREAM at this link: https://youtube.com/live/t_xzxVGuRoA?feature=share 5pm HEALING SERVICE at St Columba’s – do come along if you or someone you know needs prayer for healing of any kind, or simply to enjoy a quieter service with singing and reflection. Because we will be praying in the Healing Service there will be no Prayer Meeting tomorrow.
LENT GROUPS Our Lent Groups continue on Wednesday at 10.30am or 7.30pm looking at the subject of How to Pray.
NEXT SUNDAY 3rd MARCH There is just one service next Sunday, MORNING WORSHIP at 10.30am at St Columba’s. This will include ENERGIZE preparing for the Mothering Sunday service the following week (see below)
MOTHERING SUNDAY 10th MARCH We have two opportunities to celebrate Mothering Sunday, All Age Worship at 10.30am in St Columba’s and Family Service at 3pm in Rockingham Village Hall. Hopefully all our wonderful mums will be able to join us for one of those.
ST COLUMBA’S ANNUAL MEETING St Columba’s Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting will be on Sunday 17th March in the Church Hall after the morning service and will be followed by a Lunch – details to follow. At this time there are three things to think about:
We need to make sure that anyone who is not on our Church Electoral Roll (our membership list) has the opportunity to join, so do see me after church if you think that might be you.
If you are responsible for any group or activity in the church would you be able to write a short report that can be included in the book of reports that is given out at the meeting.
We have a couple of vacancies on our Parochial Church Council and I would encourage everyone to pray about this and ask the Lord if this is something that you may be called to do. There are usually ten evening meetings a year on either Tuesday or Wednesday, as well as a short meeting after the Annual Meeting to appoint church officers. If you would like to know more or to put your name forward please speak with me.
Mini SCANS 38 Please find here the latest mini SCANS. Steve writes: “This edition contains the amazing story of cowboy star Clint (Cheyenne) Walker, who had a skiing accident in which his ski pole went through his chest into his heart.” Not surprisingly he prayed – open up the mini SCANS to read what happened next or watch the YouTube interview with him (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03mt7C8-fJg). Steve continues: “Let God speak to you through this story. There are the usual funnies and puzzles (some new) and an opening piece to meditate on about God’s love for us.”
I hope you enjoyed some pancakes on Tuesday and that if you have decided to do anything different in Lent that is going well. It is not too late to decide to give something up so that you can spend more time with God, either in prayer (why not join us for the Sunday evening Prayer Meeting?) or reading. There are lots of books in the “library” at the back of church and they are there to be borrowed and read, so why not have a browse over coffee tomorrow and see if there is something that looks like a good read. Don’t forget the Lent Groups will be happening on Wednesday, all the details are below. As well as details of all that is happening in coming weeks and the usual attachments, Steve has written about an answer to prayer this week (see below) and as he says “PRAYER WORKS – because GOD LOVES US and WANTS THE BEST FOR US!”
GAMES NIGHT Lent does not have to be a miserable time, and we are planning to have fun at our Games Night this evening, in St Columba’s Church Hall from 6pm. This is an event for all the family and will involve people playing table top games (snakes & ladders, ludo, dominoes, etc) for a fixed time and then moving on to a different game. Do come along, even if you have not signed up, it will be great to see you and share with you. The evening will begin with food at 6pm, soup & roll with tea & coffee for adults and hot dogs with squash for children, but you are also welcome to bring your own drinks. The games will start at 6.30pm with an aim to finish about 8.30pm. There is no charge for this evening but there will be an opportunity for people to make a donation.
SUNDAY 18th FEBRUARY We have just the one service on Sunday, Holy Communion at St Columba’s at 10.30am, with ENERGIZE groups for children and young people and there will be a livestream available here: https://youtube.com/live/dJ13wzpLgmY?feature=share We also have a Prayer Meeting in St Columba’s at 6pm.
LENT 2024 Lent began with our Ash Wednesday services and continues with Lent Groups every Wednesday between now and Easter, one in the morning at 10.30am and one in the evening at 7.30pm. These groups are designed to bring the whole church family together to look at “Real Prayer – connecting with our heavenly Father” and next week’s session will be thinking about “How NOT to pray”! I do encourage you to come along and join one of these groups.
SUNDAY 25th FEBRUARY We have a choice of service next Sunday morning, with HOLY COMMUNION at 9am in Leonard’s, Rockingham and MORNING WORSHIP at 10.30am in St Columba’s, Corby. The St Columba’s service will include ENERGIZE groups for children and young people and will be available as a livestream. There will also be a HEALING SERVICE at 5pm in St Columba’s to which everyone is welcome, especially anyone who is need of prayer for healing, or who knows someone we can pray for, but the service also gives us an opportunity to gather at a different time of day and with a quieter and more reflective form of service.
ST COLUMBA’S ANNUAL MEETING We will hold our Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Sunday 17th March in the Church Hall after the morning service which will be followed by a Lunch – details to follow. At this time there are three things to think about:
We need to make sure that anyone who is not on our Church Electoral Roll (our membership list) has the opportunity to join, so do see me after church if you think that might be you.
If you are responsible for any group or activity in the church would you be able to write a short report that can be included in the book of reports that is given out at the meeting.
We have a couple of vacancies on our Parochial Church Council and I would encourage everyone to pray about this and ask the Lord if this is something that you may be called to do. There are usually ten evening meetings a year on either Tuesday or Wednesday, as well as a short meeting after the Annual Meeting to appoint church officers. If you would like to know more or to put your name forward please speak with me.
ATTACHMENTS Please find here the latest PRAYER UPDATE from Hope From Above in Australia and also STEVE’S PUZZLES and OTHER STUFF 109. Steve writes this is: “full of stories, puzzles and other goodies! This is a rather special edition because God pointed me to two amazing answers to prayer, and a couple of moving stories – one about being old, and the other about a young lad setting us all an example in not judging others by appearances. Every edition I bathe in prayer and ask God to point me to what He wants me to include and to bless you with it – because, as far as I am concerned, it’s His magazine, not mine. and each week, He astonishes me with what I come across. There’s some great funnies and new puzzles, and a copy of an outreach leaflet I was given years ago at an evangelists’ conference. Some of you may not know Sue has problems with her eyes, and this week she went to Specsavers for her annual check-up. I prayed so much the night before that her sight would not have deteriorated – and PRAISE GOD – not only have they not got worse – her eyes have actually improved! PRAYER WORKS – because GOD LOVES US and WANTS THE BEST FOR US!”
I am sending out our weekly email earlier than usual because it includes details of the Night of Prayer happening at St Columba’s tomorrow, with different themes for each 20 minutes session between 6pm and 9pm. Also included are details of Sunday’s services, our special Ash Wednesday services, Lent Groups, the Support Group for Bereaved Parents, Games Night, and more. I do hope to see you at one or other of the many events detailed here.
NIGHT OF PRAYER Our first special event for our Year of Prayer will be happening TOMORROW, FRIDAY 9th FEBRUARY with a NIGHT OF PRAYER at St Columba’s from 6pm to 9pm. I do encourage you to come along, either for the whole three hours, or any part of it. The evening will be divided into 20 minute sections with different topics as shown below, so you might just want to join in for one or two of these that especially concern you, or come at a time that suits you. 6:00 – 6:20pm = Give Thanks To God + Forgiveness 6:20 – 6:40pm = The Church (as a whole ) & St. Columba 6:40 – 7:00pm = All who are struggling (financial, health, mentally, grieving, etc ) 7:00 – 7:20pm = King Charles, our government and all other world leaders 7:20 – 7:40pm = Schools & Teachers 7:40 – 8:00pm = Corby 8:00 – 8:20pm = Marriage, parents and children 8:20 – 8:40pm = War & catastrophes 8:40 – 9:00pm = Thanksgiving & the Blessing People are welcome to pray out loud but there is no expectation about this (other than the occasional Amen), several people come to our regular 6pm Prayer Meetings on Sundays and only pray silently.
LADIES AFTERNOON TEA This is also happening on Friday 9th February at 3pm in the Church Hall, with tea, sandwiches, scones and cake. All ladies are most welcome to this occasion which are always most enjoyable and includes Linda Coleman’s next talk on what faith means to her.
SUNDAY 11th FEBRUARY We have a choice of service next Sunday with HOLY COMMUNION at 10.30am in St Columba’s, with the next in our series of sermons looking at Prayers in the New Testament, and then a FAMILY SERVICE at 3pm in Rockingham Village Hall. The St Columba’s service will include ENERGIZE groups for children and young people and will be available as a livestream via this link: https://youtube.com/live/uHN3Atw-lfc?feature=share We will also have a PRAYER MEETING in St Columba’s at 6pm.
LENT 2024 Lent begins next week with two identical HOLY COMMUNION services on ASH WEDNESDAY, 14th FEBRUARY, one at 10.30am and the other at 7.30pm, both at St Columba’s. These services will be an introduction to the Lent Groups that will follow at the same times on the following weeks, also in St Columba’s. These groups are designed to bring the whole church family together to look at “Real Prayer – connecting with our heavenly Father”. Our HOME GROUPS will be taking a break during Lent, but will in most cases resume after Easter – look out for more information about this. Again I do encourage you to come along and join in the Ash Wednesday services and the Lent Groups that follow.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR BEREAVED PARENTS Following a very well supported first meeting last month the new Support Group for Bereaved Parents is meeting again on THURSDAY 15th FEBRUARY at 7.45pm in the Church Hall. This is the initiative of one bereaved parent in our community and if you would like to join the group, or know someone who may find it helpful, please come along or pass on the details. Although the group is not a church group I will be attending and offering spiritual support to those who come along. The group will meet on the third Thursday of each month.
GAMES NIGHT Our Games Night is happening on SATURDAY 17th FEBRUARY in St Columba’s Church Hall from 6pm. This is an event for all the family and will involve people playing table top games (snakes & ladders, ludo, dominoes, etc) for a fixed time and then moving on to a different game. The evening will begin with food at 6pm, soup & roll with tea & coffee for adults and hot dogs with squash for children, but you are also welcome to bring your own drinks. The games will start at 6.30pm with an aim to finish about 8.30pm. There is a sign up sheet at the back of church, essential for those who would like food, helpful for everyone. There is no charge for this evening but there will be an opportunity for people to make a donation.
SUNDAY 18th FEBRUARY We have just the one service next Sunday, Holy Communion at St Columba’s at 10.30am, with ENERGIZE groups for children and young people and there will be a livestream available.
PCC The PCC decided last week that we would object to the proposed Pastoral re-organisation (which has been the subject of notices in church over the last few weeks). The reasons for this are complicated and simply by objecting we don’t stop the scheme happening, only delay it while further discussion takes place. If you would like to know more about our thinking please do contact me, either by replying to this email, using the phone numbers below, or after one of our services.
MOBILITY WALKER Someone in church is offering a mobility walker with basket free to anyone who needs it. We don’t have space to keep things like this at church, but if you are interested do let me know and I will arrange for you to be able to see it.
AND FINALLY Steve has produced another Online Puzzles and Other Stuff about which he says: “Among the other stories and puzzles there is a piece about our being Ambassadors for Christ, with some amusing personal confessions, and including two great stories about groups of young people being ambassadors to one another. Also the story of a family in Tanzania in trouble who prayed for God’s help received it via the Compassion Christian organisation that aims to help young people around the world. You can sponsor a child through them. I’ve included a link to their website. Hope you enjoy it all.” There is also last week’s print edition of SCANS available in church if you did not pick one up last week.
