Sunday Service

Category: Sunday Service

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

8th October 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 14 October 2023

Hello everyone,

First of all can I say a big thank you to everyone who helped make last Sunday’s Harvest celebration such a success, including all the children who took part in the service, and especially the Events Team who put on a wonderful Lunch. Sadly a number of them have gone down with Covid this week, so please pray for them to make a full recovery. Also thanks to everyone who donated to the FOOD BANK, we donated a wonderful 189kg last week alone! Don’t forget that you can bring donations for the Food Bank to church any Sunday, and leave them at the back behind the table with the offering basket.

On the subject of giving the PCC agreed the following charitable donations at our meeting on Tuesday:
CMS for M&H £1500 plus an additional £387
Hope From Above for Tim & Carol £1500
Hope Into Action (for the house we look after) £645
It’s Your Move books for Year 6 children at Studfall, Woodnewton and Rockingham £675
Homestart £506
Christians Against Poverty £208
Spring Harvest Bursary Fund £268
Rooted in Jesus (Mathetes Trust) £90
Toilet Twinning £238
Tearfund £268
World Vision £238
Barnabas Fund £268
Word for Today £208
As we said at the meeting what a privilege to be able to support so many good causes both locally, nationally and around the world. We do pray for some of these at our 6pm Prayer Meetings so do come along if you would like to find out more about them.

SUNDAY 8th OCTOBER
We have two services and a prayer meeting on Sunday:
HOLY COMMUNION at St Columba’s at 10.30am, but don’t forget to try and arrive early to join in the sung worship from 10.15. This service will include the next sermon in our series on Philippians, as well as ENERGIZE groups for children and young people. If you are not able to be in church you can watch this service here: https://youtube.com/live/u_blBWQDXsc?feature=share
In the afternoon we have the HARVEST FAMILY SERVICE at St Leonard’s, Rockingham at 3pm.
And at 6pm there is the PRAYER MEETING at St Columba’s.

PAUL KERENSA in KETTERING
Also on Sunday you can go and see Paul Kerensa at the Kettering Arts Centre (St Andrew’s Church) at 7pm performing his one man show “The First Religious Broadcast: Re-staged”. I saw this at Spring Harvest and can assure you it is more entertaining than it might sound! Although it is not a comedy (Paul has written for shows like Miranda and Not Going Out) it is an interesting look back to one man’s efforts to broadcast his church service in July 1922! Tickets cost £12 (with concessions at £8). Do look at the flyer for more details.

HOMEGROUPS
More of our new groups will be starting this week and I pray that God will bless all those people who have signed up to be part of one.

DEANERY SYNOD
This gathering of people from Church of England parishes in and around Corby will be happening on WEDNESDAY 11th OCTOBER at Weston by Welland church and will include both Holy Communion and an opportunity to hear from our Archdeacon Alison Booker. We have three elected members of the Synod (David, Steve, and William) but the meetings are open to everyone.

AFTERNOON TEA
This Friday the ladies Afternoon Tea will be happening in the Church Hall at 3pm on Friday. All ladies are welcome for tea, sandwiches, cake and good conversation.

MURDER MYSTERY EVENING
This is also happening next Friday in the Church Hall from 7.30pm. As well as discovering whodunnit you will be able to enjoy a meal. Tickets are available for £12 each from James or Louisa. This is suitable for adults and teenage children but probably not younger children. It is also a good opportunity to invite friends along.

NEXT SUNDAY
There is a service of MORNING WORSHIP at St Columba’s on Sunday 15th October at 10.30am with ENERGIZE groups for children and young people.

HOPE FROM ABOVE
Please see the latest Prayer Update from Hope From Above in Australia. Do have a read and pray for this work.

May God bless you all in the coming week,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

1st October 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 7 October 2023

Hello everyone,

I hope you are looking forward to our Harvest Festival on Sunday with an All Age service at St Columba’s at 10.30am followed by Lunch. All the details are below so do keep reading.

I do however have some other exciting news. The new Bishop of Peterborough was announced this week, Rt Revd Debbie Sellin, currently Bishop of Southampton, will be installed at a service in Peterborough Cathedral in early 2024. There are more details about Bishop Debbie in the new print edition of SCaNS (out tomorrow – see below for more details) or you can read a longer article by going to this link:
https://peterboroughdiocese.cmail19.com/t/y-e-pukhuc-dlhrthxhy-p/
where you can also watch an interview with her.
I do not know her but from what I can tell it seems Bishop Debbie is from an evangelical church background and will therefore be a good supporter of churches like St Columba’s. We look forward to getting to know her in the years to come.

HARVEST FESTIVAL
As mentioned above our Harvest All Age service is at 10.30am on Sunday, but please could all children and young people aim to be in church for 10.15 so we can make sure you are ready for the part you have to play in the service. It is good if everyone can be in church at this time to join in the opening worship, which is a good opportunity to focus your mind on God, sing God’s praise and learn new songs.
For those who are not able to join us the service can be watched on youtube by going to this link: https://youtube.com/live/661CYjnciYs?feature=share
Thank you to those people who provided Bible verses about God’s provision for the service, if anyone else has a verse please email ianpullinger@btinternet.com giving me the details, thank you.

If you are able to bring a donation for the FOOD BANK that would be wonderful. We will collect these during the service so please don’t put them at the back of church as you normally do. The items most needed at the moment are: SOUP, TINNED MEAT, TINNED FISH, TINNED FRUIT, RICE PUDDING, CUSTARD, BISCUITS, LONG GRAIN RICE, COFFEE, LONG LIFE JUICE, REGULAR TAMPONS, SHOWER GEL, and TOOTHPASTE – Thank you.

If you have brought an apple pie or crumble for the lunch please drop that off in the Hall before the service. After the service do stay in church for coffee and then move over to the Hall between 12 and 12.15 ready for lunch. Thanks to our Events Team for organising and cooking the lunch.

PRAYER MEETING
We will be meeting at 6pm on Sunday evening in St Columba’s for prayer and everyone is welcome to join us.

PCC
St Columba’s PCC will be meeting on Tuesday to consider the church’s Charitable Giving for this year. If you have any suggestions about deserving local causes or Christian charities working nationally or internationally please do let me or another PCC member know. We will also be finalising a survey of church members that will be going out in October with this year’s Stewardship Review.

HOME GROUPS
Some of our NEW Home Groups will be starting this week, on Wednesday morning, Thursday afternoon and evening, other groups will be starting in the next couple of weeks on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. I think I have spoken with almost everyone about the groups, but if you have not heard which group you are in please do get in touch with me.

NEXT SUNDAY
On Sunday 8th October we have two services as follows:
10.30am HOLY COMMUNION at St Columba’s with ENERGIZE groups for children and young people.
3pm HARVEST FAMILY SERVICE at St Leonard’s, Rockingham.

AFTERNOON TEA
The next Ladies Afternoon Tea will be on Friday 13th October at 3pm in the Church Hall. Do make a note of the date and plan to come along.

MURDER MYSTERY EVENING
On Friday 13th October at 7.30pm in the Church Hall we have another Murder Mystery Evening. This will include a meal and tickets are available for £12 each from James or Louisa. This is suitable for adults and teenage children but probably not younger children. It is also a good opportunity to invite friends along.

SCaNS
As mentioned above there is a new print edition of SCaNS available in church on Sunday. Steve tells me this includes a summary of the news about the new bishop as well as photos from Kevin’s induction. The lead article is an amusing/challenging article by a lady coping with her husband’s dementia. It’s rather good – a mixture of laughs and tears, with lessons for us all.

Steve has also produced (or should that be re-produced) an A4 sheet “My Personal Prayer Diary” where you can record your prayers and God’s answers. This is something I mentioned in my sermon the other week as we often forget to thank God for His answers to our prayers, this is a way to remember. The sheets are available to pick up at the back of church.

May God bless us all as we celebrate Harvest this weekend,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 64460

24th September 2023

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 30 September 2023

Hello again everyone,

I hope you have had a good week. There is lots of news below about our services tomorrow, Home Groups, Harvest, Films at the cinema, News from Carol & Tim Derbyshire and a couple of requests for your help. So do grab yourself a coffee and have a read.

SUNDAY 24th SEPTEMBER
There are three services to choose from this Sunday:
9am HOLY COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham
10.30am MORNING WORSHIP at St Columba’s, Corby. This service will include the latest in our sermon series from Philippians looking at chapter 2 verses 1-11, one of the great passages in the Bible. There will be ENERGIZE groups for children and young people and the service will be available to watch on Youtube via this link: https://youtube.com/live/UeyMDIgzA2s?feature=share
6pm HEALING SERVICE at St Columba’s, Corby. Everyone is welcome to this service, especially those who need healing themselves or know someone who does, but do come along and support these people and share in the fellowship of prayer, singing and reflecting on God’s goodness.

Because of the Healing Service there will be no Prayer Meeting this week but we will be back again next Sunday at 6pm.

HOMEGROUPS
I have been in touch with some of you with details about the new Homegroups, and I will be speaking with others at church tomorrow. Most groups will begin in the first week of October, which will soon be with us!

HARVEST FESTIVAL
On Sunday 1st October we will be celebrating HARVEST at St Columba’s with an ALL AGE service at 10.30am. I would be really grateful if YOU could send me (by emailing ianpullinger@btinternet.com, by text or by phone – numbers below) a Bible verse about God’s provision. This will help you prepare to celebrate Harvest. We will also have our usual collection for CORBY FOOD BANK. The items they most need at the moment are:
SOUP, TINNED MEAT, TINNED FISH, TINNED FRUIT, RICE PUDDING & CUSTARD, BISCUITS, LONG GRAIN RICE, COFFEE, LONG LIFE JUICE,
REGULAR TAMPONS, SHOWER GEL, TOOTHPASTE.
After the service there will be a HARVEST LUNCH in the Church Hall. More details of the lunch will be available at church tomorrow.

MOVIE NEWS
Some of you will have seen the film “Sound of Freedom” about child abduction and rescue in South America that has been on at the cinema for the last few weeks. This is still being shown this week on Saturday (today), Sunday (tomorrow), Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday all at 14.45.
Another film being shown next week is “Surprised by Oxford”. This is the true story of Carolyn Drake a headstrong American student who wins a scholarship to study for a PhD at Oxford. Whilst there she discovers the writings of C.S. Lewis; and her life and lifestyle are transformed.
I have been encouraged to encourage everyone aged 12+ in our church, especially parents and teenage children, to watch this film. It is only being shown on Wednesday at 20.05 and next Saturday (30th September) at 15.00, although if demand is high I am sure more showings will be scheduled.

SNIPPETS FROM THE SHIRES
Here is the latest Prayer Letter from Carol & Tim Derbyshire who work with Hope From Above in Australia, although, as you will read in the letter, their plans are changing. Do have a read and pray for them.

CHARITABLE GIVING
Mention of Carol & Tim reminds me to say that at our PCC meeting on 3rd October we will be discussing where St Columba’s spends our budget of £7000 (approximately 10% of our income) for charitable giving. If you have any suggestions of either local charities or Christian charities working in this country or worldwide please pass them to a PCC member or reply to this email with as much information as possible about the charity.

God bless you all,

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609

17th September 2023

By Riaan Niemandt in Sunday Service on 17 September 2023

Hello everyone,

First this week many congratulations to Colin and James who made it to the top of Ben Nevis on Tuesday where they were rewarded with the most spectacular views.

Thanks to John for organising these epic adventures which have seen men from the church climb Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis this year, and for driving all the way up to Scotland and back. If anyone still owes sponsor money for the climb please give this to John, and, on the subject of sponsor money, if anyone sponsored Ian, James & Colin for the Ride & Stride please give this money to James. Thank you all.

SUNDAY 17th SEPTEMBER

There is a service of Holy Communion at St Columba’s at 10.30am, with the second in our series of sermons looking at Paul’s letter to the Philippians. There will also be ENERGIZE groups for children and young people. For those who are unable to be in church the service will be available to watch on Youtube via this link: https://youtube.com/live/rrUq-TaWyng?feature=share

PRAYER MEETING

Apologies for the confusion about last week’s Prayer Meeting which was not mentioned in this email. There definitely is a PRAYER MEETING at 6pm in St Columba’s tomorrow, Sunday 17th September. The following week is our Healing Service at 6pm so although there will be no Prayer Meeting as such there will be plenty of time for Prayer in that service. 

HOMEGROUPS

Having spoken with leaders of the new Homegroups there is agreement that the groups will begin in October which gives me a little more time to finalise all the details, and, if you have not yet signed up, it gives you time to do so! There will be groups on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening and on Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon – so hopefully something for everyone. Do let me know if you are interested in being involved and have not already done so.

Mini SCaNS 34

Attached is the latest edition of mini SCaNS. Steve writes:

Apart from puzzles and funnies, this issue has just one big story with real hope for all of us.  Betty Malz was misdiagnosed several times with a seriously toxic appendix, eventually ended up in hospital where she had several operations, was in a coma for 44 days – died – went to heaven and came back to tell us all about it!   She wrote a book “My Glimpse of Eternity” and you can also watch her tell this story on YouTube.  You really do need to read this article to learn something about heaven – and prayer – not least that one of the most effective prayers for her was by someone she really didn’t like!  (Now there’s a lesson for us!)

PRAYER NEWS

Sheila has passed on the following from Andrew Cook, who was a member of our music group for several years. Andrew’s mum Eileen passed away on 3rd September after his dad Laurie passed away last October. Laurie and Eileen were both regulars at Lunch Club until they moved to a retirement facility in Market Harborough some years ago. Eileen was 95. Her celebration is on 27th September at Market Harborough Methodist church. Andrew didn’t give Sheila a time but if anyone wants to go, we can find out. Please remember Andrew in your prayers at this time of loss.

NEXT SUNDAY 24th SEPTEMBER

There are three services to choose from next Sunday:

9am HOLY COMMUNION at St Leonard’s, Rockingham

10.30am MORNING WORSHIP at St Columba’s, Corby. This service will include ENERGIZE groups for children and young people.

6pm HEALING SERVICE at St Columba’s, Corby. Everyone is welcome to this service, especially those who need healing themselves or know someone who does, but do come along and support these people and share in the fellowship of prayer, singing and reflecting on God’s goodness.

HARVEST FESTIVAL
On Sunday 1st October we will be celebrating HARVEST at St Columba’s with an ALL AGE service at 10.30am followed by HARVEST LUNCH in the Church Hall. More details of the lunch will be available shortly but I wanted to make sure you had it in your diary now.

AND FINALLY…Bicycle for sale

Sarah-Jane is trying to sell her bike, which she has only ridden once so it is as good as new.

If anyone is interested please speak with Sarah-Jane or reply to this email. Sarah-Jane has kindly agreed to share the proceeds with the church. 

May God bless you all 

Ian

01536 400225

07903 644609