Hello everyone,

I hope you have coped with the cold weather this week, but if you or anyone you know is in need of anything please let me know. I hope you have also managed to settle back into the routine of life after the Christmas and New Year celebrations. Can I thank you for your prayers that enabled my voice to cope with all the services last Sunday, it is better than it was but still not completely back to normal so please keep praying, and for Miriam who is suffering with a cold.

On the subject of prayer, some of you were praying in the week for former church drummer Jeff Ison who had an emergency operation to remove a large cancer from his bowel and have a stoma inserted. After the operation on Thursday Jeff was able to drink and eat on Friday and things are looking much more hopeful but please continue to pray that he makes a full recovery and is restored to health. Also remember his wife Lynn in prayer, she was with us at both the Christmas Fayre in November and the Carol Service last month.

CHARITY OF THE WEEK
After a break for the holidays this feature is back, with a different charity supported by St Columba’s highlighted each week to encourage our prayers, in particular at the weekly Prayer Meeting which resumes tomorrow – see below.
This week’s charity is Christians Against Poverty (CAP) who have been providing free professional debt help through local churches across the UK since 1996 and sharing the gospel alongside their debt counselling work. They want to see an end to poverty in the UK, and so campaign, petition and produce research to influence government policy. Please pray for their work and in particular give thanks that, in the last year, 10,057 people were supported on their journey out of debt, 3,021 people became debt free and 103 people responded to Jesus for the first time.

SUNDAY 12th DECEMBER
There are two services tomorrow and the Prayer Meeting. The details are:
10.30am HOLY COMMUNION at St Columba’s with a sermon looking at Jesus’ Baptism, back to our baptism and at why we don’t have many baptisms at St Columba’s. This service will also see the return of ENERGIZE after the holidays and should be available as a livestream via this link (with apologies that last week’s service did not appear): https://youtube.com/live/_-iUQksOb1Q?feature=share
3pm FAMILY SERVICE in Rockingham Village Hall (where it will be lovely and warm!) Everyone is welcome to this service in which we will be considering several themes of the Epiphany season (Wise Men, Baptism and Jesus turning water into wine) in one service!
6pm PRAYER MEETING at St Columba’s. We look forward to welcoming back all those who regularly attend these hour long times of prayer, and to welcoming anyone who may be thinking of joining us – it will be a good investment of your time!

ST COLUMBA’S PCC on TUESDAY
The next meeting of St Columba’s PCC will be in church at 7.30 in Tuesday 14th January. Agendas will be sent out later but please do plan to be there.

SUNDAY 19th JANUARY
There is a service of HOLY COMMUNION at St Columba’s next Sunday at 10.30am, with ENERGIZE groups, and the PRAYER MEETING at 6pm.

ROY WILLIAMS FUNERAL
Pam William’s husband’s funeral will take place at Kettering Crematorium at 12.30 on Tuesday 21st January.

PANTOMIME
There is not going to be a Panto at St Columba’s this year, but the show does go on and tickets are available for PUSS IN BOOTS at Great Easton Village Hall on Friday 24th January (7.30pm), Saturday 25th January (3pm) and Sunday 26th January (3pm) as well as at Stenning Hall, Hallaton on Friday 31st January (7.30pm) and Sunday 2nd February (3pm). To buy tickets for any of these performances please contact gelttickets@gmail.com or call 07771 967322.

May God bless you all during the next week,

Ian

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