1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

News and Events
February 2015
St Columba’s Church, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EL
Contact details
Minister
The Rev’d Nigel
Uden
[email protected]
(office) 514 389
(manse) 314586
Church Secretary & Nicholas Morgan
Clerk to the Church
Meeting
[email protected]
Church Secretary
[email protected]
Joan Laidlaw
353 870
327 751
Church Treasurer
Director of Music
Church
Ian Strachan
[email protected]
Ian de Massini
574 047
[email protected]
Elaine Barker
Administrator
242 644
Mornings only—Wednesday is
Elaine’s rest day
[email protected]
Hospital Visitor
Cambridge Voices
Website
Hazel Morrison
Ian de Massini
312 814
244 947
(contact details above)
www.stcolumbaschurch.org
From the Minister
February 2015
Of recent days I have had cause to join two or three things. My annual
swimming pool membership came up for renewal, the National Trust
subscription disappeared from our account by Direct Debit and Amazon
Prime, by which one’s orders are delivered free of carriage costs, just
seemed a good idea. To put it crudely, I joined them because they had
what I thought it worthwhile having: exercise facilities, opportunity to
preserve the heritage of these islands, free postage. In other words, I
didn’t sign up because I wished to turn my back on something, so much as
because of what I wanted, or persuaded myself I needed.
Of course, there are things we join because we are motivated by wanting
to turn our backs on something. For example, we might sign up for one of
the ‘anonymous’ groups in order to deal with our misuse of potentially
abusive things like alcohol, drugs or sex. But even then, our motivation is
only partly because of what we wish to resile from. It’s also because we
yearn for something different: the alcoholic for sobriety, the overweight
person for a svelte figure, or at least for the weighing scales not to say ‘one
at a time, please’.
With Lent beckoning – as I write Ash Wednesday is a mere four weeks
away – this all seems relevant, as the season of pre-Easter preparation
involves repentance. In truth, there is an element of repentance which is
about confession and forgiveness, about turning our backs on sin. It is
important for us all to undertake that self examination which, whilst
rejoicing in the good things about who we are, also gets real about our
flaws and errors. That’s part of repentance. Yet it is not everything, and
for me it is not the most important bit.
At the heart of the word repentance there is the idea of turning. Yes, we
turn away from things – the cheats from their defrauding, the liars from
their deceit, the chocoholic from his Twix-a-day – but much more
importantly Lent’s repentance is about turning towards God. In the words
of the American Presbyterian minister, Meda Stamper, ‘It is a turning
towards God’s future for us, a fundamental shift in the direction of God’s
transforming love for us and for the whole world.’ (Embodying Mark, 2014)
Here is the inspirational meaning of repentance. As we turn away from
what is not-God, from what distracts us from God, we are enabled to face
God. And in faith (as in so many other dimensions of life) the difference
we long for comes about more by what we embrace than by what we reject.
This is good news indeed as we cope with the hand life has dealt us. So
often when life’s wheels seem to have fallen off it doesn’t do us much good
to be told to give up something, or to beat our breasts in shame (even if we
think there is some sense in which we are properly mortified). Much more
constructively, much more usefully, we take time carefully and deliberately
to face God, ‘God’s future for us … God’s transforming love.’ That is what
makes possible a new tomorrow, that is what nourishes hope, that is what
offers light that can dispel life’s shadows.
And if that is true for us as individuals, then it seems to me it is a wise
word for the church as a community, too. True, we dare not be complacent
about the health and effectiveness of the British church in 2015, but we
achieve little in Lent if all we do is lament, and look back with fond
memories (which are often seen through somewhat rose coloured
spectacles anyway). This can be a six week season of turning determinedly
to face God’s future. And then, on Easter Day, to revel in our celebration
of the new living that is possible because ‘love’s redeeming work is done’.
I wish you a good Lent; repent well.
Nigel Uden
Forthcoming Events
BOOK GROUP
Sidney Chambers and The Shadow of Death by James Runcie.
On Monday 23rd February meeting at 5 Fenners Lawn at 8pm.
GIBSON’S LUNCH CLUB
The Lunch Club normally meets on the third Thursday of the month, at
12.30pm in the Gibson Hall. All are welcome.
February’s Lunch Club is on 19th February 2015.
Enquiries and/or transport needs to Dixon Hutchinson (tel: 01223 312046).
TUESDAY CLUB JOINT MEETING WITH EMMANUEL URC
The February meeting is an afternoon meeting and is on Monday 23rd
February at 2.30pm at 47 Gough Way.
The speaker is Hilary Richie speaking on ‘My Work as an Archivist’.
TRAIDCRAFT
A stall selling fairly traded goods usually runs on the third Sunday of the
month. The next Traidcraft stall will be on Sunday 15th February 2015.
BOOKSTALL
The bookstall in February is planned for Sunday 22nd February 2015.
Sheila and Rob Porrer.
Desert Island Discs
A meal and music for a desert island at St Columba’s February 7th at 7pm
Cost £10 plus donation in aid of the roof appeal
Events and Catering Group Meeting.
Wednesday 11th February at 7.30pm. At 43, Lone Tree Avenue,
Impington, Cambridge CB24 9PG.
We would like to welcome any newcomers to our meetings, because we are
keen both to swell the numbers but also to consider new ideas.
We don’t meet very often during the year but there are certain busy times.
Currently we are providing the Events, which have become established dates
in our Church’s calendar.
Catering for each Roof Appeal event, is being arranged by the organiser’s of
that event; BUT that doesn’t preclude our group from assisting where
needed/or asked. One huge benefit of the Roof Appeal has been the
explosion in our Church’s Social Life---- we want that to continue after the
money is raised.
Hope to see you on the 11th February in Impington and on the 17th February
for Pancakes.
Daphne Thomas
Roof Appeal Fund Raising Events
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Here is a reminder of major fund raising events at St Columba’s over the next
six months. We hope that you will be able to come – and perhaps bring
friends and neighbours.
Second Sunday of every month - Produce stall selling garden produce
(flowers, fruit and vegetables), home-made cakes, jam and chutney; also St
Columba’s pens for sale at £2 each, and the opportunity to purchase ‘roof
tiles’ at £5 each.
Saturday 7th February - Desert Island Discs with Nigel Uden.
Saturday 7th March - Auction of Promises.
Please send your ‘promises to Yvonne, ([email protected])
Monday 13th April - ‘A Life in the Law’ with Jonathan Laidlaw QC.
Saturday 23rd May - Cambridge Voices Singathon.
Saturday 6th June - Concert by Rev, the University Christian Gospel Choir.
Other events are being planned for the summer months.
Saturday 7th November - Shannon Express Barbershop Choir
So far we have raised £28,000 - we need your help to meet the target of
£50,000 in 2015.
With many thanks and best wishes
Jenny Jacobsberg, David and Daphne Thomas
St Columba’s pens in aid of the roof appeal
Please remember that we have a supply of biro pens for sale in aid of the
Roof Appeal. They are gun metal finish and are of high quality. Pens will be
on sale at the Produce stall on the second Sunday of each month or can be
purchased at any time through Elaine Barker ([email protected]).
Orders taken on a first come first served basis via Elaine.
Diary for February
Date/Month
Time
Event
Additional Info
11.00am
Holy Communion
with Reception of
new members
By The Minister
12.10pm
Social Hour
In the Gibson
2.00pm
Cambridge Chinese
Christian Church
Centre of
Cambridge
Churches’ Forum
February
Sunday 1st
Tuesday 3rd
7.30pm
Saturday 7th
7.00pm
Nigel Uden’s Desert In aid of the Roof
Island Discs
Appeal
Sunday 8th
11.00am
Morning Worship
Principal Neil
Thorogood
12.10pm
Social Hour
In the Gibson
2.00pm
Cambridge Chinese
Christian Church
Inter-denominational
Service for LGBTI,
their Friends and
Families during
LGBTI History
Month 2015
Wednesday 11th
7.30pm
Zion Baptist
Church
At St Columba’s.
Speaker - Mgr
Peter Leeming of
Our Lady and the
English Martyrs
Catholic Church.
Thursday 12th
11.00am
Midweek
Communion
By The Minister
Sunday 15th
11.00am
Public Worship
By The Minister
12.10pm
Social Hour and
Traidcraft
In the Gibson
2.00pm
Cambridge Chinese
Christian Church
Monday 16th
Tuesday 17th
NO BOOK
GROUP
MEETING
10.30am
Coffee Morning
with Pancakes and a
Bring & Buy stall
7.30pm
A reading of St
Mark’s Gospel
At Westminster
College Chapel
7.30pm
Holy Communion
With music from
Cambridge Voices
12.30pm
Gibson’s Lunch
Club
(Shrove Tuesday)
Wednesday 18th
(Ash Wednesday)
Thursday 19th
Re-scheduled to
23rd February See below.
Sunday 22nd
11.00am Public Worship
Ms Naomi Young
preaches at a service
led by The Minister
In the Gibson
12.10pm Social Hour
2.00pm
Monday 23rd
Cambridge Chinese
Christian Church
6.00pm
Holy Communion
2.30pm
Tuesday Club Joint
Meeting
At Fulbourn URC by
The Minister
With Emmanuel URC
At 5 Fenners Lawn
Tuesday 24th
8.00pm
Book Group (Sidney
Chambers and the
Shadow of Death by
James Runcie)
2.30pm
The Word Together
At Fulbourn URC
7.30pm
House Group
At The Manse
Thursday 26th 11.00am Midweek Worship
7.30pm
Junior Church and
Crèche leaders
By Dr Pamela Cressey
At Fulbourn URC
with Mrs Nicola
Grieves, the Eastern
Synod’s Children’s and
Youth Development
Officer
March
Sunday 1st
11.00am
Holy Communion By The
Minister
Saturday 7th
12.10pm
Social Hour
2.00pm
Cambridge
Chinese Christian
Church
7.00pm
Auction of
Promises in aid the
Roof Appeal
In the Gibson
Lectionary, Readers, Intercessors and Prayer
Topics for February
Sunday 1 February
Malachi 3.1-4
Psalm 84
Hebrews 2.14-18
Luke 2.22-40
Reader
Prayers
Presentation of the Lord
TBA
The Minister
WORLD CHURCH PRAYER TOPIC
Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia) is a country in southern
Africa with a population of 15 million. Christians are 85% of the
population, and the United Church has 1 million people.
Sunday 8 February
Isaiah 40.21-31
Psalm 147
I Corinthians 9.16-23
Mark 1.29-39
Reader
Prayers
Principal Neil Thorogood
TBA
TBA
WORLD CHURCH PRAYER TOPIC
Jamaica and the Cayman Islands are in the West Indies. Jamaica’s
population is 2.8 million, of whom 80% are Christian. The United
Church has 47,000 people.
The Cayman Islands have 59,000 people, with 77% Christians and
15,000 in the United Church
Sunday 15 February
II Kings 2.1-12
Psalm 50
II Corinthians 4.3-6
Mark 9.2-9
Reader
Prayers
Transfiguration Sunday
TBA
TBA
WORLD CHURCH PRAYER TOPIC
Poverty Action Week. Thousands in Britain depend on food aid.
Feb 19th is Chinese New Year.
Wednesday 15 February
Isaiah 58.1-12
Psalm 51
II Corinthians 5.20b-6.10
Matthew 6.1-6, 16-21
Reader
Prayers
Sunday 22 February
Genesis 9.8-17
Psalm 25
I Peter 3.18-22
Mark 1.9-15
Reader
Prayers
Ash Wednesday
TBA
The Minister
Ms Naomi Young
TBA
TBA
WORLD CHURCH PRAYER TOPIC
Palestine/Israel. Palestine has 5 million people, of whom 1.5% are
Christian and 8% are Jewish. Pray particularly for the people of
Gaza.
Israel has 8 million people, of whom 2% are Christian and 75% are
Jewish.
Sunday 1 March
Genesis 17.1-7, 15-16
Psalm 22
St David’s Day
Romans 4.13-25
Mark 8.31-38
Reader
Prayers
TBA
The Minister
WORLD CHURCH PRAYER TOPIC
Many churches have been affected by social changes. About
20% of the people speak Welsh.
March 6th Women’s World Day of Prayer.
Lent House Group
or Emmanuel and St Columba’s
Following the success of the joint house groups held during November,
four joint house groups are planned during Lent. They are at slightly
different times and venues, so check carefully for the one you will find
most suitable. We will all be looking at the same material about the last
week of Jesus’ life:
The Bible passages will be from Mark’s gospel and a useful book is:
‘The Last Week: What the gospels really teach about Jesus’ final days in Jerusalem’
by Marcus Borg and Dominic Crossman. SPCK 2008
Exact times and venues are to be announced in the churches’ weekly
sheets, but the groups will all begin week commencing 23 February, for
five weeks until week commencing 23 March.
There will be at least one day time group, but details remain to be
finalised.
One of the evening groups will definitely be at the St Columba’s Manse,
9 Highworth Avenue (Tel 314586) at 7.30pm on a Tuesday (sic) evening,
starting on Tuesday 24 February. It will be led by Nigel Uden, who will be
joined by Margaret Thompson from Emmanuel.
A Wednesday evening group, commencing at 7.30pm on 25 February, will
meet at 17 Fulbrooke Road, CB3 9EE (Tel 500593) with hosts Maureen
and John Kendall, and led by Ian Morrison and Maureen Kendall.
Another evening group is on Thursdays at 7.30pm at Freda and Jim
Bradbury's, 93a Cottenham Road, Histon CB24 9ET (Tel: 235929). Starting
on Thursday 26 February the leaders will be Rosemary Johnston, Freda &
Jim.
It would be helpful – but is not essential - to let group leaders know if you
plan to attend. And please note that for most groups lifts can be arranged.
READING ALOUD OF MARK’S GOSPEL
- the lectionary Gospel for 2015
How often have you read right through at one time a whole book of the
Bible?
It was thought that we do not often take that opportunity, so this is the
plan:
On Shrove Tuesday, 17th February, at 7.30 at Westminster College, a
small group will be reading aloud the whole of Mark’s Gospel. Do come
along to listen . . . .all are welcome!
PASTORAL NEWS
Illness and mishap
Rosa Tripp is recovering from a fall in Edinburgh.
Arthur Sempers is at home recovering from Pneumonia.
Alison Gilbert-Davies is elegantly booted, recovering from a broken foot.
We send them all very best wishes for speedy return to normal health.
Marriage
Donald Adey and Ray Carlos converted their previous Civil Partnership
into marriage at Shire Hall on 21 January.
We send congratulations and warmest good wishes
Bereavement
Tony Spring’s mother, Dilys , died on 31 December, aged 101. We send
to Tony and Helen sympathy and love.
Deaths
On 20 January 2015, peacefully at home Pat Impey, aged 94 years. We
extend deep sympathy to Madeline, who has cared for her over many
years, and Robin. Funeral arrangements are yet to be finalised. A service
at St Columba’s will be followed by burial in Ascension Parish Burial
Ground on Huntingdon Road. There she will join her late husband, Eric,
for many years Organist of St Columba’s.
On 20 November 2014, Sylvia Rosemary Dalby, aged 80 years. Her
funeral was at Cambridge City Crematorium on 11 December. Those
attending included Dr Alan Rickard, her elder, and three others from St
Columba’s. We offer condolences to her cousin, Val. The following is a
transcript of the Minister’s address at the funeral.
Born in 1934 Sylvia lived eighty years. They were 80 years
unlike those that many of us live and I think that the old
saying applies: ‘God threw away the mould’ when he’d made
her.
She had all sorts of experiences, some of which gave her joy,
others that she found irksome. That dichotomy of delight
and difficulty is true not least in some of her relationships.
And it was true of her working life, too. I sensed that she
enjoyed some of what it was to be a Civil Servant, though
she didn’t say so much about the actual role she had as
she did about the impact upon her life-long asthma of
colleagues smoking!
There were certain interests that never left her. She loved
travelling around, particularly into North Norfolk, but also
west towards the Cotswolds. She appreciated the kindly taxi
drivers who would take her on peregrinations of many miles,
perhaps to the coast at Hunstanton, or at other times to visit
friends with whom she didn’t wish to lose contact.
That commitment to friends is something we mustn’t forget.
Although Sylvia spent much of her life alone – it wasn’t hard
to tell when she wanted no company - and although
relationships weren’t always straightforward, she nonetheless
went out of her way to maintain the friendships she
treasured. When she invited you round she could be very
hospitable and generous, going to great trouble cooking a
meal. I recall one evening when she was busy preparing
supper in the kitchen for so long that I fell asleep in the
armchair!
She loved painting, and took great pride in what she created.
And perhaps above all she appreciated music. She inherited
something of her mother’s skill at the piano and latterly she
still wanted to improve and was taking lessons until very
recently. More than once my visits to her included me having
to sight read whatever piano piece she was learning. I am not
sure whether my greater challenge was mastering the dots or
staying safely on the piano stool that consisted of me
perching precariously on piles of Beethoven, Mendelssohn
and Mozart!
Until the end music was especially meaningful for Sylvia, and
I think she’d have appreciated John Rutter’s sentiments in
the anthem we’ll hear a little later, when we leave. It says:
‘Would you wish for youth and beauty, or wealth to make a show? Or
power and position and strength? Oh no: For your youth it will
vanish, and beauty will fade, and your wealth and position are all just
a passing parade. May your soul have the gift of music, may your
heart be inspired with song.’
Throughout Sylvia’s eight decades Christian faith was one
of life’s ‘enduring melodies’, the good news about Jesus like
a sort of musical accompaniment to life – an
accompaniment that in places is dominant and at other
times all-but silent. That’s how I sensed faith was for Sylvia:
sometimes it was of immense importance to her, and at
other times it receded into the background. When it was at
the front of her mind she wanted to talk of it and to
explore what it is about and how different interpretations
and understandings made her feel. She worshipped in
various places, but of recent years perhaps at St Columba’s
in Cambridge or mostly at Barnwell Baptist Church, which
was nearer to her home in Fen Ditton. Stuart, their minister,
has asked me to express the Baptist congregation’s love and
condolences, with his regrets that he is not able to be with
us this afternoon.
That she lived 80 years put Sylvia’s span at the top of the
Psalmist’s range of what we can expect, and perhaps that is
why when a few months ago she was diagnosed with a
serious illness she chose simply to let it take its course.
Admitted to Cambridge Nursing Centre for respite care her
sudden passing was eventually rather unexpected but I
imagine it was as she would have wished: peaceful, quick
and painless. And so she completed her life with the sort of
death that modelled common sense and showed an
understated but real faith in the God who made her, and
whose presence she seemed to accept as one of life’s
‘givens’.
As during some music we now each ponder Sylvia and recall
what we value about her, Val’s choice reflects Sylvia’s
patriotism – she loved ceremonial and I imagine therefore
would have enjoyed the sentiment in the first verse of ‘I vow
to thee my country’. But its second verse also points toward
that ‘other country’, the dearest and greatest country to them
that know about it. This idea alludes to that overarching
theme of Christianity, that God’s promised love is not just
for this life, but for the eternity that is beyond death. Cecil
Spring–Rice says of that country that ‘her ways are ways of
gentleness and all her paths are peace.’ As we give thanks for
everything we have treasured in Sylvia, as we pray God’s
mercy for her, and for ourselves, and as we release her from
our care into God’s, what more could we wish for her, than
that union with Christ which affords her the peace this world
doesn’t always give?
May her soul indeed have the gift of that music which is the
enduring melody of God’s grace: ‘Come unto me, all ye that
labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Emmanuel URC
‘I WITNESS’ : images of hope from Haiti
Christian Aid Photographic Exhibition
17th February to 27th March
Tuesdays to Fridays 10.30 to 3pm
Emmanuel United Reformed Church
Trumpington St. CB2 1RR
THE FAIR SHARES CAFE
Supporting people with learning disabilities since 2000.
Open Tuesdays to Fridays 10.30am to 3pm
Good snacks and lunches prepared on the premises and
using fairly traded products where possible.
Fair Trade shop also available.
Emmanuel United Reformed Church
Trumpington St. CB2 1RR
FREE lunchtime concerts at 1pm
Jan 29th Visiting Italian pianists
Feb 5th Erik Azzopardi piano
Feb 11th Konrad Wagstyl violin Graeme Mitchison piano
Feb 18th A Musical Miscellany
Feb 25th Jessica Lawrence Hares & Patrick Hemmerle
Emmanuel United Reformed Church
Trumpington St. CB2 1RR
Wesley Church
SCIENCE MEETS FAITH
9th February 2015 - Revd John D Buxton
Honorary Treasurer, Faith and Thought, Harlow,
Essex.
“Your God is too small - issues in science and religion”.
Fulbourn URC
FULBOURN URC – SERVICES FOR FEBRUARY 2015
1
10.30am
5pm
Morning Worship – The Revd Allen Morton
Breathing Space – Jenny Mashford
8
10.30am
Morning Worship with Holy Communion
– The Revd Nigel Uden
15 10.30am Morning Worship – Mark Hayes
NO Breathing Space
22 10.30am
6pm
Morning Worship – Dr Janet Bottoms
Evening Worship – The Revd Nigel Uden
The Word Together – Bible Study Group
at FULBOURN UNITED REFORMED CHURCH
‘The Word Together’ is held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at
2.30pm.
The next meeting will be on 17 February.
St Columba’s Activities
A Social Hour takes place after Public Worship on Sunday mornings and
provides an opportunity for the members of a scattered congregation to meet
other members, friends, students and visitors over refreshments.
Interest in the Developing World is catered for, among others, by the
ecumenical International & Social Affairs Christian Network (ISAC). St
Columba's has a special relationship with the Myung Um Church in Seoul,
Korea, with Emanuel Presbyterian Church, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, with
Christ Anointed Church in Krobo-Odumase, Ghana, with Bethel
Presbyterian Church, Ola Estates, Cape Coast, Ghana, and (through
Commitment for Life) with Christian Aid supported work in Jamaica. St
Columba’s supports the Council for World Mission (CWM), the United
Reformed Church's annual Commitment for Life appeal, Centre of
Cambridge Churches, Churches Together in England (CTE) and the St
Columba Group Therapy Centre housed in part of the Church’s premises.
The Tuesday Club, an informal meeting for the women of the
congregation, meets monthly on a Tuesday evening at 7.30 pm from October
to June.
Gibson’s Lunch Club is held on the third Thursday of each month in the
Gibson Hall.
The Book Group meets monthly to share ideas on authors and books
members have enjoyed.
A Traidcraft Stall selling fairly traded goods will be in the Gibson Hall every
third Sunday of the month following the morning service.
The Church Choir sings at Public Worship from time to time. In 2006, a
strong and enthusiastic nucleus of singers drawn from our own church
membership became established. Membership of the choir is open to all, and
attendance at the choral services and their attendant rehearsals is purely
voluntary. Also, there are no auditions! If you would like to sing in the choir,
simply turn up at one of the advertised rehearsals, ideally contacting the
Director of Music, Ian de Massini, on 0780 1234 343.
St Columba's is an open and inclusive church, and welcomes all.
The church was founded in 1879 as the Presbyterian church in Cambridge
and has continued since 1972 as a congregation of the United Reformed
Church, and the Church of Scotland chaplaincy to the
University of Cambridge.
St Columba's is also the home of the St Columba Foundation (Group
Therapy Centre), the Cambridge Chinese Christian Church, and the citycentre home of Cambridge Voices.
The next News and Events, will be published on Sunday 1st March. Please
send items for inclusion to Elaine Barker ([email protected]) by Monday
23rd February.