Month: June 2019

It’s hard to believe that we’re already half-way through the Tercentenary Year! And what a year it’s been! The anthem composition competition was a resounding success, and the Celebration Service on 24 March surpassed all our expectations, with an absolutely packed church and many old friends present. Then there was the triumph of the Tercentenary Ball at the Caledonian Club on 3 May, which was thoroughly enjoyed by 100 guests, and which raised £5,000 for Borderline and Christian Aid.

Over the next few months we will be welcoming back a number of former Ministers and Assistant Ministers as guest preachers:

7 July: Reverend Malcolm Duff, former Assistant Minister
1 September: Reverend Stanley Hood, former Minister
29 September: Friends Sunday: Reverend Timothy
Fletcher, former Auxiliary Minister
20 October: Reverend Melvyn Wood, former Assistant
Minister
17 November: Reverend Sigrid Marten, former Minister.

And we still have these exciting events to look forward to:

Sunday 21 July: Garden Party in the Martlett Court Garden after the morning service. Food and refreshments will be provided, and we hope that members and visitors alike will join us just across the Court.

Saturday 14 September: A Tercentenary concert at 7.30 pm in the church by Ensemble Hesperi, telling the story of the founding of Crown Court through 18th century chamber music and readings. Featuring our own Mary-Jannet Leith (recorders) and Thomas Allery (harpsichord), with Magda Loth-Hill (violin) and Florence Petit (cello). The concert will be followed by a reception in the hall.

Saturday 19 October: Tercentenary Ceilidh at 7.30 pm at St Columba’s Church, Pont Street. Dancing to the Frank Reid Dance Band. Food and refreshments will be provided. Further information will be available in due
course about the price of tickets and other details.

Members may recall the visit a few years ago by Ignite Theatre from Glasgow, run by Aileen Ritchie, sister of Alex.  They are in London again on Wednesday 26 June, when they will be showing films written and directed by the young people during the year at Twentieth Century House, Soho Square, W1D 3AP, from 5 – 6 pm.  There will be two short fiction films, and a piece called “What gives me strength” which was performed in Glasgow last year as part of the European Games.  All are welcome.

The guest preacher on Sunday 7 July will be Reverend Malcolm Duff, who was an Assistant Minister here in the days when we were fortunate enough to have an Assistant Minister to help the Minister.  He is the second guest preacher who has accepted our invitation to preach during the Tercentenary year. 

We look forward to welcoming Reverend Stanley Hood on 1 September, Reverend Timothy Fletcher on Friends Sunday (29 September), Reverend Melvyn Wood on 20 October  and Reverend Sigrid Marten on 17 November.

The Local Church Review (LCR) takes the place of what used to be known as Quinquennial Visitations by the Presbytery to congregations. The LCR Team will be led by Reverend Andrew Anderson, of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, together with Dr Hilary Boyle, Session Clerk of Guernsey St-Andrews-in-the-Grange, and Mrs Sheena-Jane Clark, elder at St Columba’s, Pont Street.

On Saturday 13 July the team will meet the Minister at 12 noon, and this will be followed by a meeting with the Kirk Session. On Sunday 14 July, Reverend Anderson will preach at the morning service, and this will be followed by a meeting with the congregation.

The purpose of the Review is stated on the Church of Scotland website as follows:
“The object of the review by members of the Presbytery is to give encouragement and counsel to the congregation; to facilitate the congregation in setting out their priorities and plans for at least the next five years; and where anything unsatisfactory is found in the state of the congregation or not in accord with church law and order they shall give advice or take supportive or remedial action.“

This is an important event for our church, and we look forward to a good turnout that weekend.