30 Northumberland Square | North Shields | NE30 1PW Weekly Update #257 – Sunday 6th July 2025
From the Minister The Sun Shone …
Years ago, I went on a package holiday. The travel company’s travel rep visited the hotel each day to see how we were doing (and to try to sell us all sorts of extras). On the penultimate day she gave us a feedback sheet, asking us to score our holiday experience with the firm. The first question was, “How was the weather?” I commented that I didn’t see how I could give them a score for something over which they had no control. The rep agreed, but said that this was an important question because their experience showed that when the weather was better the scores for everything else were higher as well! So it helps that last Sunday afternoon, when 40-50 people took part in our afternoon event in Northumberland Square, the sun was shining. That said, it was good to explore our response to God’s creation, to say thanks for it in worship, and to picnic together. And, of course, when we stepped outside the church building conversations with other people, including some who just happened to be in the Square, were able to take place. I wonder how we can enable more of those sorts of conversations to occur – though I can’t guarantee that the sun will shine on every occasion! Trevor
Image: St Columba’s from the Square on a sunny day. Photo by LM
Prayer
Go-between God: interweave the fabric of our common life, that the many-coloured beauty of your love may find expression in all our exchanges. Amen. (Jennifer Wild)
Worship Sunday 6th July 10.30 a.m. A service led by the Revd Jack Macadam.
Livestream of morning services from Saint Columba’s
Please note, for technical reasons, there will be no livestream of our morning service this week. If you wish to follow a service on livestream you could watch the 10.30 a.m. service at the URC General Assembly click here
or the 11.00 a.m. service at St Andrew’s URC, Monkseaton click here
Sunday 13th July 10.30 a.m. A communion service led by the Revd Dr Trevor Jamison
Bible readings Isaiah 66:10-14 Jerusalem pictured as a nursing mother
Psalm 66:1-9 The whole earth worships its Maker
Galatians 6:1-16 ‘Let us not grow weary in doing what is right’
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Jesus sends out representatives
Nobody likes rejection. Maybe that’s why so many of us are reluctant to invite anyone to a church event – though if we don’t ask anyone then no one will be able to say “yes.” In the reading from Luke 10 Jesus sends out representatives ahead of him ‘to every town and place where he himself intended to go.’ (10:1) It’s going to be a risky business; they will be ‘like lambs in the midst of wolves’ (10:3); and part of the risk they face is of being rejected. Sometimes they will be accepted. Indeed, they will even be invited in for a meal. (10:7) On other occasions, though, the reception will be much frostier. (10:10) Yet both those who accept the presence of Jesus’s disciples and those who reject them get to receive the same message: ‘the Kingdom of God has come near to you.’ (10:9, 11) It might help to remember that it’s not about us; it’s about Jesus and the kingdom of God. As Jesus put it, ‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’ (10:16) Though of course that’s only true when it’s Jesus and God’s activity we’re talking to others about rather than ourselves. Image by Robert Fotograf from Pixabay
A song that responds to the readings
“Lord, you gave the Great Commission: heal the sick and preach the word.” A hymn by Jeffrey Rowthorn click here
News and Notices
Church Prayer Space – this week: Mission and Outreach (Luke 10:1-11)
Space available in the church for personal prayer on Tuesday and Sunday mornings.
Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to serve you in mission and outreach. We ask for your guidance and your wisdom as we seek to share your love with the world. Bless our efforts, protect us, and open the hearts of those we encounter to receive your message. May your will be done through us, bringing glory to your name. Amen. Photo by CC
URC General Assembly, 4th – 7th July
The annual meeting of the URC, with representatives from all thirteen of our Synods across England, Wales and Scotland, takes place at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire, from the 4th to the 7th of July. Four people from our congregation will be there in various capacities. You can read the Book of Reports HERE For those who want to watch, the meeting will also be livestreamed.
Pairs of Parables – four conversations, starting on 17th July
Trevor Jamison leads four relaxed conversations about parables told by Jesus
There will be four in-person meetings at 7.15 pm on Thursday evenings in July and August at Saint Columba’s United Reformed Church, North Shields.
17th July The parables of The Rich Fool and The Ten Pounds 24th July The parables of The Good Samaritan and The Unjust Steward 31st July The parables of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, and The Widow and the Unjust Judge 7th August The parables of the Prodigal Child and The Great Feast
Come along and explore what these stories might be saying to you about ourselves, about the world, and about God.
Next Update – Sunday 13th July
Please get your information to Andrew Atkinson by Tuesday 8th July
Keeping in Touch
You can contact your Elder, the Minister, or Church Secretary.
Years ago, I went on a package holiday. The travel company’s travel rep visited the hotel each day to see how we were doing (and to try to sell us all sorts of extras). On the penultimate day she gave us a feedback sheet, asking us to score our holiday experience with the firm. The first question was, “How was the weather?” I commented that I didn’t see how I could give them a score for something over which they had no control. The rep agreed, but said that this was an important question because their experience showed that when the weather was better the scores for everything else were higher as well! So it helps that last Sunday afternoon, when 40-50 people took part in our afternoon event in Northumberland Square, the sun was shining. That said, it was good to explore our response to God’s creation, to say thanks for it in worship, and to picnic together. And, of course, when we stepped outside the church building conversations with other people, including some who just happened to be in the Square, were able to take place. I wonder how we can enable more of those sorts of conversations to occur – though I can’t guarantee that the sun will shine on every occasion!
Nobody likes rejection. Maybe that’s why so many of us are reluctant to invite anyone to a church event – though if we don’t ask anyone then no one will be able to say “yes.” In the reading from Luke 10 Jesus sends out representatives ahead of him ‘to every town and place where he himself intended to go.’ (10:1) It’s going to be a risky business; they will be ‘like lambs in the midst of wolves’ (10:3); and part of the risk they face is of being rejected. Sometimes they will be accepted. Indeed, they will even be invited in for a meal. (10:7) On other occasions, though, the reception will be much frostier. (10:10) Yet both those who accept the presence of Jesus’s disciples and those who reject them get to receive the same message: ‘the Kingdom of God has come near to you.’ (10:9, 11) It might help to remember that it’s not about us; it’s about Jesus and the kingdom of God. As Jesus put it, ‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’ (10:16) Though of course that’s only true when it’s Jesus and God’s activity we’re talking to others about rather than ourselves.
Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to serve you in mission and outreach. We ask for your guidance and your wisdom as we seek to share your love with the world. Bless our efforts, protect us, and open the hearts of those we encounter to receive your message. May your will be done through us, bringing glory to your name. Amen.