30 Northumberland Square | North Shields | NE30 1PW Weekly Update #259 – Sunday 20th July 2025
From the Minister General Church / Local Church
From the 4th to the 7th of July I was at the United Reformed Church General Assembly, which was meeting at a conference centre in Derbyshire. In the early days of the Christian church, when they were looking for a word to describe groups of early believers, they chose a common secular word: “ekklesia.” This was the word for any “assembly” of people. We Reformed churches have hung on to that “assembly” word, perhaps not realising or not always remembering that “General Assembly” means “General Church”. A “congregation” (another interesting word we tend to take a bit for granted!) which we often call “church”, is the local gathering. When you are at General Assembly one of the things you soon realise is that the congregations which provide the representatives can’t all look and be the same because their representatives form such a wonderfully diverse group. Of course, once you start to look, you realise that there’s a lot of diversity in a local congregation as well. There are few secular groups that are as diverse in their membership as a church. That’s something to be celebrated, if for no other reason that this means both you and I too can be part of God’s “assembly”, whether that be a general or a local one.
Every history of ours, O Lord, is history of all. For no church is an island entire of itself. For the fire and faith of your servants in far centuries and far places, your name be praised. And we ask, preserve, renew and multiply your servants in this place also. In Christ’s name. Amen.
(Inspired by a prayer by Kenneth Cragg)
Worship Sunday 20th July
10.30 a.m. A service led by the Revd Dr Richard Firth, from the Methodist Church.
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 the Revd Dr Trevor Jamison.
6.00 p.m. Churches Together Summer Service at Saint Columba’s – the first of our popular Churches Together evening services, led by Trevor Jamison. Please note the 6.00 p.m. start time!
Bible readings Genesis 18:1-10a Abraham hosts visitors (but Sarah and servants do the work)
Psalm 15 Abiding with God where God is present
Colossians 1:15-28 In Christ ‘the fulness of God was pleased to dwell’
Luke 10:38-42 Mary and Martha host Jesus (but who is doing the work?)
Who and what is Jesus Christ, and what has he done for us and for the world? For Paul, writing to Christians in Colossae, Christ is ‘the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation … in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.’ (1:15, 19) So Jesus is much more than a good person and teacher. He’s the one holding creation together (1:17); the head of the Church. (1:18) He is the way through which God achieves reconciliation and peace, including with us. (1:20) God’s desire for reconciliation is wide ranging. Paul knows this to be the case, since it includes even himself! He’s so reconciled with God through Jesus Christ that he ends up being one who shares this good news of reconciliation. (1:25) We can’t all be the same as Saint Paul (which might be a relief), but we can ask ourselves what we might do to share the good news that God is reconciled with us.
Church Prayer Space – this week: Spiritual Development (Luke 10:36-42)
Space available in the church for personal prayer on Tuesday and Sunday mornings.
Lord Jesus, we praise you for the way you love us – a way that calls us to sit and to listen as well as to go and to serve. Remind us that we have not been left to do the work by ourselves, for you are with us along the way. In your holy name, Amen.
Photo by CC.
Pairs of Parables – Thursday 24th July, 7.15 p.m. at St Columba’s
Trevor Jamison leads a relaxed conversation about the parables of The Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-22) and The Ten Pounds (Luke 19:11-27). Come along and explore what these stories might be saying to you about ourselves, about the world, and about God.
Saint Columba’s Family Fun Day, Wednesday 30th July, 1.00-4.00 p.m.
Saint Columba’s is running a family fun day at the church, featuring a wide range of fun activities, accompanied by refreshments.
Everyone’s invited to come along, bringing their family, friends and neighbours. There are rumours that the minister will be in charge of “Splat the Rat”!
This free community event takes place on Wednesday 30th July, 1.00 p.m.-4.00 p.m.
If you would like to find out more, or wanted to offer to help with one of the activities, please contact our Synod Pioneer Worker, Irene Frith irene.frith@urc-northernsynod.org
Tel: 07350 397770.
Large Shoal of Fish Sets Out From St Columba’s
Following months of furious fish knitting and crocheting, your creations have been netted – thank you Helen – and taken to the collection point at North Shields Methodist Church, Hawkeys Lane. It is expected that an installation will be created somewhere in North Shields over the summer. This will be followed by a ‘yarn bomb’ later in the year after the installation. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the massive haul of fish, a wonderful achievement. (One of the fish slipped the net!)
Photo by LM.
New Recycling Opportunity at Church
The Eco Team shared at the June Church Meeting that a grey recycling bin for soft plastics would be placed in the Hall. It is now in situ next to the black bin for general waste. Please ensure that any wrappers that are placed in the bin are clean and bear the correct logo.
URC General Assembly 2025 – reflections and reports
The URC General Assembly took place at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire, from the 4th to the 7th of July. You can read reflections from some of the Northern Synod representatives here.
For a roundup of each day’s business and videos about winners of the 2025 church community project awards, see the Assembly digest.
A date for the 2026 Diary – Induction Service for the Revd Louise Sanders
The induction service of the Revd Louise Sanders will take place at St Columba’s on Saturday 28th February 2026 at 2.00 p.m. More details will follow in due course.
Church Magazine deadline – Thursday 24th July
The very last date for submission for items for the next Magazine is 24th July. Please note, this issue of the magazine covers both August and September.
Next Update – Sunday 27th July
Please get your information to Trevor Jamison by Tuesday 22nd July.
Keeping in Touch
You can contact your Elder, the Minister, or Church Secretary.
From the 4th to the 7th of July I was at the United Reformed Church General Assembly, which was meeting at a conference centre in Derbyshire. In the early days of the Christian church, when they were looking for a word to describe groups of early believers, they chose a common secular word: “ekklesia.” This was the word for any “assembly” of people. We Reformed churches have hung on to that “assembly” word, perhaps not realising or not always remembering that “General Assembly” means “General Church”. A “congregation” (another interesting word we tend to take a bit for granted!) which we often call “church”, is the local gathering. When you are at General Assembly one of the things you soon realise is that the congregations which provide the representatives can’t all look and be the same because their representatives form such a wonderfully diverse group. Of course, once you start to look, you realise that there’s a lot of diversity in a local congregation as well. There are few secular groups that are as diverse in their membership as a church. That’s something to be celebrated, if for no other reason that this means both you and I too can be part of God’s “assembly”, whether that be a general or a local one.
To watch the morning service live, catch up with it later in the week, or view previous services,
Lord Jesus, we praise you for the way you love us – a way that calls us to sit and to listen as well as to go and to serve. Remind us that we have not been left to do the work by ourselves, for you are with us along the way. In your holy name, Amen.
Trevor Jamison leads a relaxed conversation about the parables of The Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-22) and The Ten Pounds (Luke 19:11-27). Come along and explore what these stories might be saying to you about ourselves, about the world, and about God.
Saint Columba’s is running a family fun day at the church, featuring a wide range of fun activities, accompanied by refreshments.
Following months of furious fish knitting and crocheting, your creations have been netted – thank you Helen – and taken to the collection point at North Shields Methodist Church, Hawkeys Lane. It is expected that an installation will be created somewhere in North Shields over the summer. This will be followed by a ‘yarn bomb’ later in the year after the installation. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the massive haul of fish, a wonderful achievement. (One of the fish slipped the net!)
New Recycling Opportunity at Church