News and Events

St Columba’s Church, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EL

December 2017 & January 2018

Contact details

Website www.stcolumbaschurch.org

Minister The Rev’d Nigel Uden minister@urc.candf.org

(office) 514 389

(manse) 314586

Church Secretary

& Clerk to the

Church Meeting

Nicholas Morgan nicholas.morgan@pmb.oxon.org

353 870

Church Secretary Yvonne Norgett yvonne@norgett.com

264619

Church Treasurer Ian Strachan iancstrachan@ntlworld.com

574 047

Director of

Music

Ian de Massini iandemassini@gmail.com

07801 234343

Church

Administrator

Elaine Barker Mornings only—Wednesday is

Elaine’s rest day

elaine@stcolumbaschurch.org

312 814

The Church Office is open

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and

Friday from 9.00am to 1.00pm

Hospital Visitor Hazel Morrison 244 947

Cambridge

Voices

Ian de Massini (contact details above)

FROM THE MINISTER

I suppose there are few of us who do not appreciate the Nativity stories

in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Expectant parents on a journey;

shepherds distracted from their sheep and rushing to Bethlehem; kings

kneeling in the straw. Revealing the agenda of their writers, these tales

help us explore both the wonder and the significance of the birth of

Jesus. Because the Gospels are not simple histories of Jesus, we do not

have to read them as if they were accurate in every detail. Their purpose

is to offer us windows onto what God is like, and doorways into a closer

connection with God.

Something occurred to me this Autumn as yet again I thought about

these ever-so familiar narratives: almost every one of them tells us of

the devotional demeanour of the characters. The shepherds returned,

glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. The magi

knelt down and paid him homage. Mary treasured all she heard and

pondered them in her heart. Even Herod recognised that worship was

an appropriate response to the Christ-child. Indeed, if David Kossoff

were to be believed, the donkey, too, responded with a down-to-earth

sense of excitement when he heard what folk were saying about the

difference his mistress’s baby would make. And so it can be for us, too.

A rich tapestry of social, cultural and charitable activities has come to

typify our celebration of the festive season, with parties that delight,

music that inspires, and good works that bless. For the religious person,

all of those are given a particular wholeness as we add to them a

devotion that emulates what is attributed to the Bible’s Christmas

characters. So, we sing our praise in carols old and new and we reflect

upon the theology behind it all through sermon and sacrament. But

those are public expressions of our devotion. Maybe some of us are

more like Mary, preferring quieter, even solitary opportunities for

reflection upon ‘the great mystery of the incarnation’. After all, the

claim that in the infant of the manger God is with us, full of grace and

truth, is pretty breathtakingly awesome. Public worship isn’t the only

way to react to it.

Maybe one way of letting this story give shape and purpose to our

lives is to resolve to build a moment of devotion into each day. Many

do, and witness to the benefits, both to their sense of spiritual health

and to their more general equilibrium. Often some help can be useful.

There are countless books available, and if anyone would like talk

about what’s out there, please do not hesitate to ask me.

There is also the internet. A recent United Reformed Church

innovation is called Daily Devotion. At 6am every morning those who

have signed up receive an email which has a Bible passage, a reflection

upon it and a topical prayer for the day. One hundred URC people are

writing for this site, and over 1700 are now getting the email. It’s also

available on Facebook. There are all sorts of plusses to this option.

First, its reaching one’s Inbox is an immediate prompt not to forget.

Secondly, there is usually unfolding subject matter, as themes or books

of the Bible are gradually explored. Thirdly, the range of writers is

diverse and therefore the messages offered appeal to a similarly wide

range of people; if one day’s doesn’t speak to you, it’s highly likely that

quite soon another’s will. Fourthly, the devotions are not lengthy and

can easily occupy a few minutes chosen to suit the reader’s timetable.

If you are interested in this specific option for nourishing your

discipleship, then you can sign up at http://tinyurl.com/

URCDailyDevotions.

It’s often said that a ‘a dog is not just for Christmas’. Nor is Christmas

just for Christmas. The God who comes to us in the child whose birth

we celebrate in December is for every day. A daily devotional moment

is an ideal way of letting God define who we are.

Bethan, Jess and I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a good New

Year.

Nigel Uden

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

FILM NIGHT

Advance notice that the next Film Night is planned for Thursday 1st February. This will be at the usual venue and the film is yet to be decided. Suggestions are welcome. Doors open 6.45 for a 7.00pm start, followed by ice cream and conversation. Venue details from Nigel or Rosemary. Lifts can be offered. It would be helpful, but not essential, to know who plans to be there.

BOOK CLUB

The book club dates for the next few months are yet to be agreed but the books for discussion are as follows: January - “Conclave” by Robert Harris at 18 Fenners Lawn , CB1 2EH February - “The Arrival “ by Shaun Tan at 5 Fenners Lawn , CB1 2EH

EVENTS AND CATERING NEWS

Epiphany Service, Sunday January 7th starting at 6pm.

A Cheese and Wine, light supper will be served after the Service.

It has been decided to ask for Donations towards the costs.

Burns Night Supper, Saturday 27th January—6.30 for 7pm

Tickets costing £15.00 will be on sale 10th and 17th December as well as Sundays in January.

Shrove Tuesday February 13th 2018

Now that our granddaughter has started school, our son has asked us to help with childcare. I therefore feel unable to offer to organise the Shrove Tuesday Coffee morning, in half term, next year. I wondered if someone felt they could organise it instead.

Obviously I will consult the people who have been involved in past years, but it would be extra special if a new face might want to do it. Seasons Greetings

Daphne Thomas and the team

GIFT DAY

The staff at Cambridge Women’s Aid who received our donations were quite overwhelmed by the gifts from the congregation. We have received a letter thanking you all for your generosity towards women and children who have lived with domestic violence. Many thanks to all.

Yvonne Norgett

BOOKSTALL

A bookstall will be held in the Gibson Hall after the service on Sunday 10th December 2017. Christine and Michael Russell

HEIDELBERG EXCHANGE

Many of you will know that Cambridge is twinned with Heidelberg, and that there are regular contacts between the two city councils. What some of you may not know is that for many years, Churches Together in Cambridge have also operated exchange visits, whereby every two years, guests from each city are accommodated and entertained for a few days. The next visit planned is for the Heidelbergers to come to us from Sat.29th Sept 2018 till Wednesday 3rd October.

If you are interested in joining this group, please contact Rosey Feuell: roseyleaf@talktalk.net, or 01223 213305. It is really a most enjoyable experience for people of all ages, and many wonderful friendships have been formed over the years. Do think seriously about it! Most of them speak excellent English too! Christine Clarke

STREET PASTORS

As we host the Street Pastors’ NightLite, members of St Columba’s

may be interested to learn of two Street Pastor -shaped events on

Sunday 21st January 2018:-

At 4.00pm in Great St Mary’s Church the annual service for the

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will have as its preacher

The Revd Les Isaacs, founder of Street Pastors

At 6.00-7.30pm Mr Isaacs will speak less formally about Street

Pastors at Wesley Methodist Church, Christ’s Pieces

REFORMATION TODAY

On Saturday 4th November some forty people gathered at St Columba’s to think about the events of five hundred years earlier when Martin Luther gave particular expression to his critique of the Church – events that led to the start of the Reformation.

In the morning there were three lectures by Professor Ulinka Rublack of St John’s College, The Revd Dr John Bradbury of Emmanuel Church and Dr Gareth Atkins, of Queens College.

In the first talk, we were enabled to reflect upon some of detail of what Luther initiated through some of his seminal work, including the Ninety Five theses, but also his 1520 thoughts on marriage, which he saw as a state that enables humanity not to be sinful and his debate with Erasmus 1524. As Professor Rublack put it, Luther reminds us that ‘God has taken salvation out of the control of my will and taken it into his’. John Bradbury, who suggested that the Reformation unleashed a love affair with Scripture, focussed upon a basic understanding of the Reformation’s significance as less about the newness than the restoration of the doctrine of justification by faith. With immediate relevance to the journey Emmanuel and St Columba’s are taking, John mused on how the church is ordered, observing that ‘we have never sorted out whether there is an essential form to the life of the church’, and that that, however uncomfortable, is good. In an illustrated talk, Dr Atkins spoke of the way previous generations have marked Luther anniversaries, and particularly Edwardian England.

After lunch, we came together again for a roundtable discussion

about the implications of the Reformation for today as seen through

the lens of various traditions. Chaired by Professor David Thompson

(URC), the speakers were, in alphabetical order, Professor Eugenio

Biagini (Baptist), The Revd Alice Goodman (Anglican), Dr Cynthia

Lumley (Lutheran), Dr Simone Maghenzani (Waldensian) Professor Ian McFarland (Lutheran) and The Revd Colin Smith (Methodist).

Participants in the REFORMATION TODAY round table discussion: L to R, Professor Ian McFarland (Lutheran), the Revd Colin Smith (Methodist), Professor Eugenio Biagini (Baptist), Professor David Thompson (URC, in the Chair), Dr Cynthia Lumley (Lutheran), Dr Simone Maghenzani (Waldensian). Missing from the picture, the Revd Alice Goodman (Anglican).

The day concluded with a thoughtfully programmed concert by Cambridge Voices, the Ersamus Chamber Choir and the Baroque Band of Cambridge. Two Reformation-related cantatas by J. S. Bach were complemented with related organ music and Ian de Massini’s a capella setting of Karg-Elert’s Nun danket.

On Sunday 5th, at 4.00pm there was an ecumenical service at the renowned Reformation church of St Edward, King and Martyr, by kind permission of the Vicar Chaplain, The Revd Dr Mark Scarlata. An enthusiastic congregation filled the church, and participants included people from Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist,

Roman Catholic and United Reformed Churches.

The choir of Girton College sang music from the fifteenth to twentieth centuries, and the General Secretary of Churches Together in England, The Revd Dr David Cornick, preached.

The weekend enabled us to ponder the ambivalences and ambiguities of the Reformation, not least how it emphasised the way our contact with God is mediated through the Bible and the mind.

UPDATE IN UNION PROGRESS

Statement from John Bradbury at the Joint Church Meeting

Sunday 19th November 2017

General

Emmanuel and St. Columba’s Church Meetings agreed to an outline time-line for union earlier this year. The joint Elders Meeting has subsequently been working to realise this. A (hopefully) final draft of the constitution is now available for consultation, and both Church Meetings will be invited to adopt this before March 2018. We will begin worshipping together from Easter Sunday, 1st April, 2018. For the period of time where we have two usable buildings, we will spend blocks of time worshipping in each. Bringing the two congregations together as one legal entity will follow on shortly after this at the end of May 2018. This will give time for uniting the accounts of both churches, and uniting as Charities with the Charity Commission. There are also implications for the staff employed by both churches, and a small group is working on the process by which staff will transfer employment to the new church without losing any of their accrued benefits of employment.

Alongside these broad general matters, various groups have been set up to address specific matters of importance.

Worship and Music Group

This group has been thinking through the implications of uniting our Sunday morning worship and how we honour our existing patterns of worship whilst enabling the new church to find its own worshipping identity. David Cornick offered a talk on Reformed Worship for us recently, and the ‘Together Groups’ running at the moment are giving opportunity for people to reflect on the nature of worship and the aspects of worship important to us. Later this year will be a questionnaire going out to all members of the congregations about worship, and a chance for open discussion at a ‘forum’ in the early part of next year.

In the meantime we are already worshipping together a significant amount, and Nigel and John have been exploring in worship how we find a pattern of worship that will enable all of us to feel ‘at home’ within the new congregation.

Mission Group

The Mission Group was responsible for organising a significant session at our joint Away Day in September, and subsequently have been working through some of the ideas and material gained at that. It is thinking through our already existing activities, in terms of which of those it might make sense to unite. It is also thinking through the question of how many activities the new church can hold so that we are effective without spreading ourselves too thinly. It is also thinking through possible new pieces of mission work that might be effective within the context of the city of Cambridge, paying attention to work that is already happening elsewhere and ideas that have worked in other similar places. The next joint Elders Meeting in January will give significant time to thinking through the work of the Mission Group. Reports with suggestions will then come to Church Meetings next year.

Buildings Group

The buildings group is at a stage in its work where it is doing ‘ground work’. It cannot begin serious design work until it is clear how we wish the building to be used, which depends on the work of the Mission Group. In the meantime it is in the process of meeting potential architects to appoint a firm to undertake survey and feasibility work on the Downing Street site. There is a need for detailed knowledge of the building as it is, as well as digital drawings of the building which will form the basis of later design work. The hope is that by the time we are ready to give a more detailed brief to architects about what we want from the buildings, all the spade work will be in place to be able to proceed with reasonable speed.

Operations Group

The operations group is thinking through the nitty-gritty of day to day

church life and how we will unite our Sunday operations next April. It is thinking about creating a new system for Sunday morning rotas,

how we will unite our Church Magazines, what groups will be needed in the new church, how data bases will be integrated and the like. In so far as is possible any new work being done in either church at the moment is being done in such a way as can be easily united with the other. For example, the Emmanuel Membership list has recently been updated and the opportunity taken to turn it into a form easily merged with St. Columba’s membership list.

Finance and Staffing

Groups have been looking at matters of finance and staffing, and thinking through how to merge our financial systems. The way the Emmanuel System is set up, and the fact that it already supports the employment of a number of staff, means that the Treasurers are recommending that we use a system based on the Emmanuel system for the new church. Advice has been sought about how to ensure a smooth transition for staff in both congregations to being employed by the new church from the middle of next year.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

All conducted by the Minister, except where stated

Sunday 17th December Advent III

11.00am

Festival Service - A joint all age service

at St Columba’s—Led by the Ministers

3.00pm

Carols with Cottenham Band at Fulbourn URC

6.00pm

A Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at Emmanuel

- Led by the Ministers

Sunday 24th December Christmas Eve

11.00am

Public Worship at St. Columba’s

7.30pm

Holy Communion in St Columba’s Chapel

11.30pm

Midnight Communion at Emmanuel URC

Monday 25th December Christmas Day

9.30am

Christmas Service at Fulbourn URC

11.00am

Christmas Service at St Columba’s

Sunday 31st December Christmas I

11.00am

Joint Service at St Columba’s

With The Revd Dr John Bradbury

Sunday 7th January Epiphany I

11.00am

Joint Communion Service at Emmanuel URC

6.00pm

Joint Epiphany Service with Cambridge Voices

at St Columba’s

Date/Month Time Event Additional Info

NOVEMBER

Sunday 26th

The Sunday next

before Advent—

Christ the King

11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

6.00pm

Public Worship

Coffee

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

Holy Communion at

Fulbourn URC

The Minister

Gibson Hall

Gibson Hall

The Minister

Monday 27th 2.30pm Together Group 5 Fenners Lawn

Wednesday 28th 7.30pm Together Group 17 Fulbrooke Road

Thursday 29th 7.30pm Together Group 9 The Crescent,

Impington

DECEMBER

Sunday 3rd

Advent Sunday

11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

Holy Communion

Coffee

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

The Minister

Gibson Hall

Monday 4th 4.00pm Office &

Communications

Group

Minister’s Room

Tuesday 5th 2.30pm Together Group 2A Rathmore Road

DIARY

Sunday 10th

Advent II

11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

Public Worship

Coffee and bookstall

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

The Revd John Proctor

Gibson Hall

Monday 11th 6.30pm Joint Officers’

Meeting

St. Columba’s Manse

Tuesday 12th

2.30pm

7.30pm

The Word Together

Tuesday Club

Christmas Service

Fulbourn URC

Fulbourn URC

Thursday 14th 11.00am

12.30pm

Midweek

Communion with

the Minister

Gibsons’ Lunch

Club Christmas

Meal

Chapel at St. Columba’s

Cambridge Regional

College

Sunday 17th

Advent III

11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

6.00pm

Joint Festival Service

at St. Columba’s

Coffee

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

Joint Carol Service

at Emmanuel

The Minister

Gibson Hall

The Minister

Sunday 24th

Advent IV

Christmas Eve

11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

6.00pm

7.30pm

11.30pm

Public Worship

Coffee

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

No Evening Service at

Fulbourn URC

Holy Communion in

the Chapel at St.

Columba’s

Holy Communion at

Emmanuel URC

The Minister

Gibson Hall

The Minister

The Revd Dr. John

Bradbury

Monday 25th

Christmas Day

11.00am

Christmas Morning All

Age Service

The Minister

Sunday 31st

Christmas I

11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

Joint Service at St.

Columba’s

Coffee

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

The Revd Dr John

Bradbury

Gibson Hall

JANUARY

Sunday 7th

11.00am

2.00pm

6.00pm

Joint Communion

Service at Emmanuel

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

Epiphany Service with

Cambridge Voices at St.

Columba’s

The Revd Nigel Uden

The Minister

Tuesday 9th 2.30pm Tuesday Club. The

Curious Tale of

Redundancy, Joye

Grenfell and Maureen

Lipman’s Handbag.

Speaker—Jane Bower

Organiser: Pamela

Cressey

147 Thornton Road,

CB3 0NE

Thursday 11th 11.00am Midweek Service Speaker TBA

Sunday 14th 11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

Public Worship

Coffee

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

Dr. Augur Pearce

Gibson Hall

Monday 15th 7.30pm World Church and

World Mission Group

147 Thornton Road

Tuesday 16th 2.30pm The Word Together Fulbourn URC

Thursday 18th 12.30pm Gibsons’ Lunch Club Gibson Hall

Sunday 21st 11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

4.00pm

Public Worship

Coffee

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

United Service to mark

the Week of Prayer

for Christian Unity at

Great St. Mary’s

Church

The Minister

Gibson Hall

Preacher—The Revd

Les Isaacs—Founder

of Street Pastors

Tuesday 23rd 7.30pm Worship and Local

Mission Group

Minister’s Room

Thursday 25th 11.00am Midweek Worship Speaker TBA

Saturday 27th 6.30 for

7.00pm

Burns Night Supper St. Columba Hall

Sunday 28th

11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

Public Worship

Coffee

Chinese Christian

Church

The Minister

Gibson Hall

FEBRUARY

Thursday 1st 7.00pm Film Night Usual Venue

Sunday 4th 11.00am

12.10pm

2.00pm

6.00pm

Holy Communion

A service to mark the

30th Anniversary of

Cambridge Voices

Coffee

Cambridge Chinese

Christian Church

The Minister preaches at

Sidney Sussex College

The Minister

Gibson Hall

LECTIONARY

Sunday 27th November Ezekiel 34.11-16

Psalm 100

Ephesians 1.15-23

Matthew 25.31-46

Sunday 3rd December Isaiah 64.1-9

Psalm 80

I Corinthians 1.3-9

Mark 13.24-37

Sunday 10th December Isaiah 40.1-11

Psalm 85

II Peter 3.8-15a

Mark 1.1-8

Sunday 17th December

11.00am Festival Service -readings TBA

6.00pm Carol Service – readings TBA

Sunday 24th December II Samuel 7.1-11, 16

Magnificat

Romans 16.25-27

Luke 1.26-38

Monday 25th December Readings TBA

Sunday 31st December Isaiah 61.10-62.3

Psalm 148

Galatians 4.4-7

Luke 2.22-40

Sunday 7th January

11.00am Holy Communion Jeremiah 31.7-14

Psalm 147

Ephesians 1.3-14

John 1.1-18

6.00am Epiphany Service Readings TBA

Sunday 14th January I Samuel 3.1-20

Psalm 139

I Corinthians 6.12-20

John 1.43-51

Sunday 21st January Jonah 3.1-5, 10

Psalm 62

I Corinthians 7.29-31

Mark 1.14-20

Sunday 28th January Deuteronomy 18.15-20

Psalm 111

I Corinthians 8.1-13

Mark 1.21-28

Sunday 4th February Readings TBA

For tickets or further information please contact Elizabeth

Thomson on 01954 210592

Or email elizthomson14@gmail.com

EMMANUEL URC - DECEMBER 2017 AND

JANUARY 2018

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS AT 1.00 P.M.

Free Admission with a Retiring Collection

Weds 6th December Cambridge Renaissance Ensemble

Weds 13th December Cambridge Voices directed by Ian de

Massini

Weds 10th January Amahl and the Night Visitors

Weds 17th January Ian de Massini (piano)

Weds 24th January Andrew Harsley (cello) Weds 31st January Drew Steanson (piano) ————————————————————————————-

30th November , 7th December and 14th December Advent Lunchtime Worship 1.00 to 1.20pm on the theme“Preparing the Way”. On 30th December this is followed by a print workshop At 2.00pm run by Jane Bower and Alan Revill 6th & 7th December Knit Café Table Top sale in the foyer from 1.00pm to raise funds for postage and more wool. Come and buy the wonderful goods knitted by the Knit Café members.

———————————

EMMANUEL URC - DECEMBER 2017 AND

JANUARY 2018 (Contd)

REGULAR WEEKLY EVENTS:

Mondays Young Adults Group meets

Contact Beth Humphries on

eh376@cantab.net

Tuesdays URCHINS—a weekly drop-in for

Parents, carers and under 5s. In the

Fair Shares café from 1.00-3.00pm.

Soft play area.

Thursdays Knit café 1.30 to 3.30pm in the Fair

Shares café.

Cherry Hinton Road

The Tuesday Fellowship meets in the Chapel at CHR every

Tuesday from 2.30 to 3.30 pm. Men and women welcome.

Contact the Revd Julia Stone 01954 781297

FULBOURN URC

SERVICES FOR DECEMBER 2017

3rd 10.30am Morning Worship – The Revd Allen Morton

10th 10.30am Morning Worship with Holy Communion -

The Revd Nigel Uden

2.00pm Christingle Service (Café Nativity and Christingle) – The Revd Nigel Uden

17th NO MORNING SERVICE

3.00pm Carol Service with members of Cottenham Brass Band – The Revd Nigel Uden

24th 9.30am Christmas Eve Morning Worship –

The Revd Nigel Uden

NO EVENING SERVICE

25th 9.30am Christmas Morning Family Service –

The Revd Nigel Uden

31st 10.30am Morning Worship – Brian Mizon

FULBOURN URC (Contd)

SERVICES FOR JANUARY 2018

7th 10.30am Morning Worship – The Revd Allen Morton

14th 10.30am Morning Worship with Holy Communion -

The Revd Nigel Uden

21st 9.30am Morning Worship – The Revd Nigel Uden

5.00pm Breathing Space – Jenny Mashford

28th 10.30am Morning Worship – Sue Foakes

6.00pm Evening Worship with Holy Communion –

The Revd Nigel Uden

THE WORD TOGETHER BIBLE STUDY GROUP AT FULBOURN UNITED REFORMED CHURCH

The first meeting in 2018 will be held on Tuesday 16 January at 2.30pm.

All are welcome to this ecumenical group.

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 (ISACN). St Columba's has a special relationship 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 Central America. 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 open to all, 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 city-

centre home of Cambridge Voices.

The next News and Events for February 2018 will be published and

available on Sunday 28th January. Please send items for inclusion to

Elaine Barker (elaine@stcolumbaschurch.org) to arrive no later than

Friday 19th January 2018