30 Northumberland Square | North Shields | NE30 1PW Weekly Update # 203 – 19th May 2024 Pentecost Sunday
From the Minister
Today is Pentecost Sunday. Sometimes that’s described as the Christian Church’s birthday. Jesus had been raised to life, but he had departed the earth. His disciples had been left in standby mode. Now, however, his Spirit – God’s Spirit – the Holy Spirit – arrived, and did so in spectacular fashion. There was a rushing wind, flames, and apostles speaking in different languages, much to the puzzlement of overseas visitors in Jerusalem. It was a great reversal of the Tower of Babel story (Genesis 11:1-9) where people were frustrated in their endeavours because they spoke different languages. Now, though, in Jerusalem, everyone could hear the news about Jesus in their own language – they could understand. Today, in a complex world, facing a climate crisis, living with conflicts between peoples, it’s worth remembering that God wants to help us to listen and to understand each other.
Trevor
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Prayer
Come, free, abundant Spirit of God; fill this place with the wonder of your presence; fill our hearts with your love; fill the whole Church with the power of Christ. Amen.
(Michael Fooler)
Worship Sunday 19th May – Pentecost Sunday
10.30 a.m. A Pentecost service led by members of the congregation
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 service led by Trevor Jamison, celebrating Trinity Sunday
6.30 p.m. “Tea and Trinnity” – members from Saint Columba’s and Saint Andrew’s URC Monkseaton, join together to drink tea (or something else), eat cake, and choose their favourite Trinity hymns – all led by Louise Sanders and Trevor Jamison
Bible readings (from the Revised Common Lectionary)
Acts 2:1-21 ‘All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit …’
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b God’s Spirit renews creates and renews in the world
Romans 8:22-27 ‘The Spirit helps us in our weakness …’
John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 ‘Spirit of truth … will guide you into all truth’
‘The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.’ (Romans 8:26) Sometimes it is difficult to know what to pray for. That might be because we can’t pray for everything in the world. There just isn’t the time to fit in all the situations in the world and our lives that deserve our prayers. Then there are individual situations that are so complex we don’t know whether we should be praying for one thing or the other to happen (or not). We can offer a general prayer, hoping to include anything we have forgotten or did not have time to include by name, but that’s not always satisfying. Saint Paul suggests that the Holy Spirit is available to help us in such times. Maybe I should start my prayers not with words but with silence, listening before speaking, believing that God will help me in my prayers, including the ones where I just don’t know what to say.
A hymn that responds to the readings
‘Like the murmur of the dove’s song, like the challenge of her flight … come, Holy Spirit, come’ by Carl P Daw Jr.
On Sunday 12th May Peter Taylor was ordained as an Elder in the United Reformed Church and inducted for service at Saint Columba’s – welcome, Peter! At the same service Norma McAvoy was inducted to a further period of service as an Elder. Welcome back, Norma! Peter is pictured with his ordination certificate, along with Alison (Church Secretary), Trevor (Minister), and Norma.
Photo by LMc
Messy Church – 2nd June – appeal for materials
Messy Church will take place on Sunday 2nd June.
In an effort to reduce costs and be more ecologically minded please would you rummage through your cupboards for the following:
Old mugs (either plain coloured, flowery or with insect designs!)
Plain coloured paper cake cases.
Paper plates.
Plastic containers from fruit, veg etc
A box will be placed in the hall for any contributions.
Strawberry Fayre – 8th June The next social event at St Columba’s will be the Strawberry Fayre on Saturday 8th June. We are looking for items for the tombola stall, preferably wrapped. If you have anything suitable for the stall, please see Evelyn Spence.
To watch the morning service live, catch up with it later in the week, or view previous services,
On Sunday 12th May Peter Taylor was ordained as an Elder in the United Reformed Church and inducted for service at Saint Columba’s – welcome, Peter! At the same service Norma McAvoy was inducted to a further period of service as an Elder. Welcome back, Norma! Peter is pictured with his ordination certificate, along with Alison (Church Secretary), Trevor (Minister), and Norma.
The next social event at St Columba’s will be the Strawberry Fayre on Saturday 8th June. We are looking for items for the tombola stall, preferably wrapped. If you have anything suitable for the stall, please see Evelyn Spence.