30 Northumberland Square | North Shields | NE30 1PW Weekly Update #247 – Sunday 27th April 2025
From the Minister Honesty and Curiosity On The Pilgrimage Way
I’ve been watching the 2025 series of Pilgrimage on BBC2 (all three episodes available via BBC iPlayer). Seven celebrities (a couple of whom I vaguely recognised) walk together across Austria and Switzerland, following a medieval pilgrim route whose eventual destination is Santiago de Compostela in Spain. They are a mixed bunch. One is a practising Catholic, and another is also a convinced Christian. There is one person from a mixed Jewish/Christian family, a “modern Muslim”, and two former Catholics (one now “spiritual”, one agnostic), plus someone exploring the Bahai faith. Along the way, through the stunning landscape, with stops at religious sites, they talk about spiritual matters, connecting this with their life experiences, some of which have been very challenging – a leg amputation as a teenager, the death of a close friend to a brain tumour, fleeing the Taliban for a new life in the UK for example. As television, it works because the participants are both willing to share their experiences, their faith (or lack of it) and questions. They also seem to be genuinely interested in what others have to say about themselves. All in all, in seems like a good model for how we at church should share with each other, and also how we should be open in the ways we relate to others.
Dear God, bless us as we travel today. Guide our minds as we learn from those who came before us on the pilgrim way, and nurture our fellowship with others on the journey to your blessed kingdom.
Amen.
(Based on a prayer by Nineveh Murray)
Worship Sunday 27th April
10.30amA service led by the Revd Jack Macadam.
Our Annual Church Meeting will follow this service
6.30 p.m. Our monthly evening service, led by Trevor Jamison, contemplating and responding to resurrection appearances to disciples on their way to Emmaus, and to Thomas and others in Jerusalem
Livestream of morning services 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 Stephen Cook, North Shields Salvation Army.
6.30 p.m. Joint service with members of St Andrew’s URC, Monkseaton – at St Andrew’s, and led by Louise Sanders and Trevor Jamison.
Bible readings
Acts 5:27-32 ‘The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus’
Psalm 150 Let everything praise the Lord
Revelation 1:4-8 Jesus: ‘the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead’
John 20:19-31 Thomas proclaims his faith: ‘My Lord and my God!
How much does it take to convince you? What’s your minimum requirement for belief? Thomas’s fellow disciples told him that they had seen the risen Lord Jesus. He said that unless he saw for himself ‘and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ (John 20:25) But did Thomas have to touch in order to believe? The next time Jesus appeared to the disciples, this time with Thomas present, he invited him to do just that: ‘Reach out your hand and put it in my side.’ (20:27) Many artistic representations of this scene portray Thomas doing exactly that, but this Gospel account does not explicitly say that he did so. Instead, the next thing that’s recorded, right after Jesus’s invitation to him, is Thomas’s declaration, ‘My Lord and my God!’ (20:28) Maybe seeing was enough for Thomas. Of course, unlike those disciples, including Thomas, we don’t get the opportunity to see or touch the risen Lord, so many years after the event. We rely upon the witness of others, including Thomas. There’s no need to feel jealous, though. In fact, as far as Jesus is concerned, ‘blessed are those who have not seen [or touched!] and yet have come to believe.’ (20:29)
“These things did Thomas count as real” – a hymn by Thomas H Troeger which does envisage Thamas touching the wounds of Jesus: “May we, O God, by grace believe and thus the risen Christ receive …”
This Sunday the church prayer space allows for quiet reflection and prayer concerning two disciples recognising the risen Lord Jesus when he breaks the bread at the start of a meal at Emmaus.. The space features broken bread, a reading (Luke 24:13-35) and a prayer: Loving God, you know that we can feel different things at the same time. We pray for those that are angry, but long for peace; for those who are hopeful, but anxious; those who are faithful, but have doubts too; those who want to believe that Jesus loves them, but think it’s too good to be true! We pray for ourselves, in all our mix of disbelief, joy and wondering. Thank you for helping and guiding us. Amen. Photo by CC
On the Death of His Holiness Pope Francis
For a thoughtful, positive and realistic response to the news of the death of Pope Francis, see this statement from the United Reformed Church.
It’s our Spring Granny’s Attic sale on Saturday. Please bring any goods to sell to the Church hall on Friday between 2pm and 4pm.
Curry and Quiz tickets – 3rd May
Tickets for the Curry and Quiz lunch on Saturday 3rd May at 1.00 pm. can still be obtained from Norma.
Christian Aid Week events and opportunities – 11th-17th May
Envelopes for donations will be available from Sunday 27th April.
Saturday 10th May – Fundraising coffee morning at Hawkey’s Lane Methodist Church. St Columba’s will be responsible for the cake stall. Please contact Shirley or Evelyn with your offers of donations of cakes and scones.
Sunday 11th May at 6.00 p.m. – Christian Aid Service at Church of the Holy Saviour, Tynemouth. Image: www.christianaid.org.uk
Next Update – Sunday May 4th
Trevor Jamison will edit the next Update. Please get your information to him by Tuesday 29th April.
Keeping in Touch
You can contact your Elder, the Minister, or Church Secretary.
I’ve been watching the 2025 series of Pilgrimage on BBC2 (all three episodes available via BBC iPlayer). Seven celebrities (a couple of whom I vaguely recognised) walk together across Austria and Switzerland, following a medieval pilgrim route whose eventual destination is Santiago de Compostela in Spain. They are a mixed bunch. One is a practising Catholic, and another is also a convinced Christian. There is one person from a mixed Jewish/Christian family, a “modern Muslim”, and two former Catholics (one now “spiritual”, one agnostic), plus someone exploring the Bahai faith. Along the way, through the stunning landscape, with stops at religious sites, they talk about spiritual matters, connecting this with their life experiences, some of which have been very challenging – a leg amputation as a teenager, the death of a close friend to a brain tumour, fleeing the Taliban for a new life in the UK for example. As television, it works because the participants are both willing to share their experiences, their faith (or lack of it) and questions. They also seem to be genuinely interested in what others have to say about themselves. All in all, in seems like a good model for how we at church should share with each other, and also how we should be open in the ways we relate to others.
To watch the morning service live, catch up with it later in the week, or view previous services,
How much does it take to convince you? What’s your minimum requirement for belief? Thomas’s fellow disciples told him that they had seen the risen Lord Jesus. He said that unless he saw for himself ‘and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ (John 20:25) But did Thomas have to touch in order to believe? The next time Jesus appeared to the disciples, this time with Thomas present, he invited him to do just that: ‘Reach out your hand and put it in my side.’ (20:27) Many artistic representations of this scene portray Thomas doing exactly that, but this Gospel account does not explicitly say that he did so. Instead, the next thing that’s recorded, right after Jesus’s invitation to him, is Thomas’s declaration, ‘My Lord and my God!’ (20:28) Maybe seeing was enough for Thomas. Of course, unlike those disciples, including Thomas, we don’t get the opportunity to see or touch the risen Lord, so many years after the event. We rely upon the witness of others, including Thomas. There’s no need to feel jealous, though. In fact, as far as Jesus is concerned, ‘blessed are those who have not seen [or touched!] and yet have come to believe.’ (20:29)
Envelopes for donations will be available from Sunday 27th April.