Easter began with an early Communion service, followed by a fairtrade breakfast.
Then came the family service, which included an Easter baptism. After hearing the story from John’s Gospel, we had an Easter quiz, and found we had a knowledgeable congregation this morning. As part of our prayers for others, worshippers were invited to come forward with daffodils to place on the wooden cross.
This was also the final service for our Minister, Revd Liz Blair. We wish her well in her future ministry.
After last year’s heavy rain, we were blessed this Good Friday with glorious warm sunshine!
Our ecumenical open air service was a little different this year.
Members from four of our churches gave reflections on the stations of the cross, as we journeyed around the town centre, starting with worship in Northumberland Square, then stopping in three places in Bedford Street, before returning to the square for the final hymn. We also had some chants. There was a good turn out for the procession, led by a huge wooden cross and the band of the Salvation Army. We were also joined by Alan Campbell MP and Mayor Norma Redfearn, who brought greetings to the community.
As each station was reached, the words were nailed to the cross, bringing the reflections to life:
Fear, betrayal, denial, judgement, powerlessness, torture, burden, mercy, tears, forgiveness, hope, family, death and tomorrow.
As we walked along, we also gave out Easter cards, inviting spectators to come to church this Easter.
church, Easter, Good Friday, march
On Sunday 13 March, St Columba’s bade farewell to its Minister, Revd Liz Blair, after 10½ years in North Shields.
The morning service picked up the theme of a topsy-turvy world from Saturday’s Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Indeed, the Mad Hatter herself put in an appearance during the service, in full costume. We reflected that Jesus turned the world upside down by turning our values on their heads. The first shall be last, and the greatest shall be servant of all. The things that are truly important are kindness, gentleness and childlike wonder, rather than a striving after money, fame and power. Sometimes the world seems unjust, when good people suffer and bad ones are rewarded, but the important thing is to keep on looking to God and supporting each other.
The church was packed for this all-age service, with friends from other churches and children who had been baptised by Liz. We sent up our prayers of thanks to God with the help of a bubble machine, and we enjoyed music from the organ and clavinova as well as a saxophone and a sung duet.
Liz reflected on the bad and good times, baptisms, weddings and funerals, and stories we had shared as we had journeyed together as a community of faith. She expressed gratitude for the team of people who had supported her in her ministry at St Columba’s. In 10½ wonderful years she felt we had blessed one another on the way.
Church members also reflected on some of the new things that Liz had started at St Columba’s – the Tuesday coffee morning that had grown into Café 2.21, and the regular Messy Church sessions enabling the young and not so young to engage with Bible stories through crafts. Liz had been “a breath of fresh air” and a supportive “angel” in St Columba’s. Presentations include flowers and an angel made at the Christmas Messy Church session. She will be greatly missed.
Celebrations of Liz’s ministry continued for some time with a large buffet in both halls.
St Columba’s is supporting Fairtrade Fortnight.
Come to our Traidcraft Cake Stall on Sunday 28 February at 11.30.
fairtrade
Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church Revd David Grosch-Miller visited St Columba’s on the weekend of 23-24 January.
After the Burns Night on the Saturday, David led worship on Sunday morning.
The Moderator came with words of both encouragement and challenge. The church needed to find a way to continue to be faithful and to celebrate what had been achieved in the past, whilst changing to meet the needs of the present and future. He urged us to draw on God’s promises to bring about a new age, with hope and joy.
Over coffee in the church hall after the service, David took part in a wide-ranging question and answer session.
In response to a question about ministry, he explained the system whereby ministers were deployed, and acknowledged that family ties can sometimes prevent ministers from moving as far as they otherwise might.
He regretted that the URC is often ignored by the media, but spoke positively of the ecumenical working with Methodists, Baptists and the Church of Scotland through the Joint Public Issues Team. The URC is engaged in public life, and does speak on matters on which it has a settled view. He offered the example of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan (which he had visited during his moderatorship) where a minority church was able to serve the whole country through holding large events and running schools and hospitals. The UK should continue to exercise Christian values, but the church needed to acknowledge that its position in that society has changed.
Asked about the future of the United Reformed Church, he pointed out the difficulty for all organisations in planning many years ahead because of the pace of social and technological change. There seemed to be little appetite for organic union between denominations, but there were opportunities for churches to work together or unite locally. The style of church was changing in respond to changing society with fresh expressions of church such as Messy Church and café church. Greater diversity, informality and use of social media, and new ways of learning were coming to the fore.
David concluded by encouraging the church that even small acts can have significant effect.
