30 Northumberland Square | North Shields | NE30 1PW Weekly Update # 210 – 7th July 2024
From the Minister Welcome To Your New(?) Home! Dear Ed / Keir / Rishi /A.N.Other (delete above as appropriate)
Congratulations! You’re now the Prime Minister of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. You must be really chuffed. Perhaps you can’t believe it, but it’s true! (Apologies for the vague address at the top of this letter, but I’m writing this before the votes are all counted, and one wouldn’t want to make unwarranted assumptions.) I wonder how long the honeymoon will last before the criticisms start coming your way. Not very long I would think. We Christians are supposed to respect those in government, regarding you as God’s appointed servants for the public good no less (Romans 13:4). And the Apostle Paul also wrote that we should give you due honour and respect (Romans 13:7). Of course, that’s not a blank cheque to just do anything you want as far as we are concerned. God has appointed you for the public good. For Christians ‘the public’ are our ‘neighbours’, and Jesus told us to love our neighbours just as we love ourselves. He also defined ‘neighbour’ in very wide terms – see the ‘Parable of the Good Samaritan’ for that. (Luke 10:25-37) So, in the coming days we’ll be looking to see how your policies are designed to help others, not just your own supporters; how powerful people like you help those who are weaker or powerless.
With all best wishes for your time in office. Trevor
Photo: Sergeant Tom Robinson RLC/MOD, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Prayer Almighty God, whose is the eternal only power, and others’ power but borrowed of thee: we beseech thee for those who hold office that, holding it first from thee, they may use it for the general good and to thine honour: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. William Tyndale, c.1494-1536 (adapted)
Worship Sunday 7th July
10.30 a.m. A service led by the Revd Dr Trevor Jamison – In the Gospels Jesus struggles to make headway in his home town and despatches disciples elsewhere
Livestreamed Worship from Saint Columba’s
To watch the morning service live, catch up with it later in the week, or view previous services,
10.30 a.m. A communion service led by Mr John Drew
Bible readings
Ezekiel 2:1-5 God commissions Ezekiel to speak to those who may not listen
Psalm 123 Suffering people look to God for mercy
2 Corinthians 12:2-10 ‘Power is made perfect in weakness’
Mark 6:1-13 Jesus gets a tepid response at home and sends disciples elsewhere
Reflection on the Readings
It’s proverbial to say, ‘a prophet is not without honour, except in their hometown’, but how many people know that the proverb comes from the Bible? (Mark 6:4) Jesus teaches in the synagogue in his hometown, much to the astonishment of the congregation. (6:2) This was not what was expected from someone they knew as (only) being from a local carpenter’s family! (6:3) If nothing else there is a reminder here for church congregations not to take their own people for granted, or to have low expectations about them and what they can do. There’s also a warning that wisdom is just as likely to come from a manual worker as it is from a university professor. Sadly, people’s low expectations about the Jesus they thought they knew put limits on what he could do for them (6:5), so he went off in search of a more receptive audience. (6:6) Let’s not be like that hometown crowd, either concerning Jesus, or the people that we think we know.
Saint Columba’s Summer Concert – Tickets Available
Our Summer Evening Concert takes place on Friday 19th July at 7.00 p.m. Tickets are on sale from Sunday 7th July, price is £10.00 which includes refreshments. Please see Judith B to get your tickets.
Coming Soon (1) – Big Questions and Conversations on Sunday mornings A recent Church Meeting generated big questions that people would like to ask God, or ask about God. As part of our response to that, each Sunday for five weeks in July and August, in his sermon, Trevor Jamison will tell you what he thinks about a “big question”. Then, after the service, anyone who wishes can join with others for 30 minutes of conversation, to share their responses to what he said (including telling Trevor what he got wrong if they so wish!). Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
21st July If there is a God what are they like and why does it matter? 28th July Why is there so much trouble and suffering in the world, and what can be done about it? 4th August Why doesn’t God intervene to make things better? 11th August Why is Church irrelevant as far as so many people are concerned, and what should we do about it? 18th August What happens to us (and others) when we die?
Coming Soon (2) – Summer Bible Study Series on 1 John
Louise Sanders and Trevor Jamison will be leading a five-session, conversational Bible Study on 1 John during July and August: Monday afternoons at St Andrew’s, Monkseaton, and Monday evenings on Zoom, from 22nd July; Thursday evenings at St Columba’s from July 25th. This is open to all in the churches and anyone they wish to being along. You can find more details HERE
Next Update – Sunday 14th July
Trevor Jamison will edit the next Update. Please get your information to him by Tuesday 9th July.
Keeping in Touch
You can contact your Elder, the Minister, or Church Secretary.
Dear Ed / Keir / Rishi /A.N.Other
To watch the morning service live, catch up with it later in the week, or view previous services,
A recent Church Meeting generated big questions that people would like to ask God, or ask about God. As part of our response to that, each Sunday for five weeks in July and August, in his sermon, Trevor Jamison will tell you what he thinks about a “big question”. Then, after the service, anyone who wishes can join with others for 30 minutes of conversation, to share their responses to what he said (including telling Trevor what he got wrong if they so wish!). Image by