30 Northumberland Square | North Shields | NE30 1PW
Weekly Update #94 February 6th 2022
From the Minister Gone Fishing This Sunday lots of church services will include a Gospel reading that features boats and fishing. Jesus borrows Peter’s boat, using it as a floating pulpit from which to address a crowd on the shoreline. Teaching concluded, he persuades Peter and his fishing partners to cast their nets in the sea, despite their having come up empty the previous night. The resulting catch is so large that the boat is in danger of sinking and Peter invites Jesus to go away! In fact, though, it’s Peter who goes away, leaving a fishing career behind, in order to be with Jesus. This is one of a number of events recorded in the Gospels, where Jesus is associated with boats and fishing. In North Shields we live adjacent to the sea, on a river full of boats, are awash in fish restaurants, and possess a working fishing port. Now there’s a good reminder that Jesus might just be interested in people like us. Trevor
Prayer How blest are all the saints, our God, Who, having crossed the troubled sea, Have gained the harbour of your peace And rest in your tranquillity.
Watch over us who voyage still, With risk and danger yet to face; Remember all beset by storms And hold them in your steadfast grace
Alan Gaunt (1935 -) adpt from St Augustine (354-430) (R&S 539)
WORSHIP SERVICES AT ST COLUMBA’S
Sunday 6th February at 10.30 a.m. – What’s God Calling You to Do? A service led by the Reverend Trevor Jamison
Sunday 6th February at 6.30 p.m. – Zoom Communion Service Do you have ’the patience of Job’? What the Old Testament is saying to us today Service led by Roberta Ritson and Trevor Jamison To join the service https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84481915331 Meeting ID: 844 8191 5331 Phone: 0131 460 1196
Sunday 13th February at 10.30 a.m. – a communion service led by the Reverend Trevor Jamison
Bible readings for this week (from the Revised Common Lectionary)
Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13) Having a vision in the middle of worship
Psalm 138 God’s steadfast love endures forever
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 People to whom Jesus appeared after his resurrection
Luke 5:1-11 From catching fish to catching people
Reflection on the Readings So long, and thanks for the fish!
‘They caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break … when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.’ (Luke 5:6, 11) You have to wonder what happened to the pile of fish that got left behind, along with the nets and boats. I suppose Zebedee, James and John’s father (5:10), was left to sort them and sell them, maybe splitting the profit with Peter and Andrew’s family. In following Jesus, most of us don’t feel called to make such a radical break with the past as did these disciples. Still, whether we’re talking about church congregations or individuals, this Gospel reading suggests that heeding the call to follow Jesus might involve leaving some things behind. As our church moves forward in 2022, I wonder if there is anything you think we need to leave behind so, that we can better know the joy of following Jesus? As I move forward in 2022, I wonder if there’s anything I’ll be leaving behind in order to follow Jesus. Image by Pexels on pixabay.com
Other Responses to the readings
URC minister, Nick Stanyon, imagines himself into Peter’s situation when Jesus wants to go fishing,
Sunday Coffee rota – No servers = no drinks! We have restarted post-service tea and coffee on Sunday mornings, but we have not (yet) recruited enough volunteers to prepare and serve the drinks. Three or four people are required each week. Volunteers, please put your name on the list on notice board in the church hall asap, otherwise we will experience a serious and sustained drinks drought. Photo by Nick Samoylov on Unsplash
‘They never look up’ – Learning from Luke – Thursday Feb. 10th at 7.15 p.m.
Trevor Jamison leads our fourth conversation in this series, asking, ‘Why does Jesus invite himself to dinner with an unpopular, vertically-challenged tax collector?’ Everyone welcome. No previous knowledge or involvement is required in order to take part.
To join this and subsequent meetings, Click Here
To join by phone: 01314601196 Meeting ID: 878 1032 5730
Trevor Jamison will lead a workshop at the church on leading prayers in worship. This is a chance for those who’ve never done this before to ‘give it a go’ (without future obligation). If you are interested in taking part, or want to know more, please contact Trevor Jamison.
Keeping in Touch
You can contact your designated Elder, the Minister, or Church Secretary.
This Sunday lots of church services will include a Gospel reading that features boats and fishing. Jesus borrows Peter’s boat, using it as a floating pulpit from which to address a crowd on the shoreline. Teaching concluded, he persuades Peter and his fishing partners to cast their nets in the sea, despite their having come up empty the previous night. The resulting catch is so large that the boat is in danger of sinking and Peter invites Jesus to go away! In fact, though, it’s Peter who goes away, leaving a fishing career behind, in order to be with Jesus. This is one of a number of events recorded in the Gospels, where Jesus is associated with boats and fishing. In North Shields we live adjacent to the sea, on a river full of boats, are awash in fish restaurants, and possess a working fishing port. Now there’s a good reminder that Jesus might just be interested in people like us.
‘They caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break … when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.’ (Luke 5:6, 11) You have to wonder what happened to the pile of fish that got left behind, along with the nets and boats. I suppose Zebedee, James and John’s father (5:10), was left to sort them and sell them, maybe splitting the profit with Peter and Andrew’s family. In following Jesus, most of us don’t feel called to make such a radical break with the past as did these disciples. Still, whether we’re talking about church congregations or individuals, this Gospel reading suggests that heeding the call to follow Jesus might involve leaving some things behind. As our church moves forward in 2022, I wonder if there is anything you think we need to leave behind so, that we can better know the joy of following Jesus? As I move forward in 2022, I wonder if there’s anything I’ll be leaving behind in order to follow Jesus.
We have restarted post-service tea and coffee on Sunday mornings, but we have not (yet) recruited enough volunteers to prepare and serve the drinks. Three or four people are required each week. Volunteers, please put your name on the list on notice board in the church hall asap, otherwise we will experience a serious and sustained drinks drought.
Nick Samoylov
Trevor Jamison leads our fourth conversation in this series, asking, ‘Why does Jesus invite himself to dinner with an unpopular, vertically-challenged tax collector?’ Everyone welcome. No previous knowledge or involvement is required in order to take part.