This Sunday at St. Columba's ...
we’ll be sharing music that sings God’s praises, and touches our hearts and minds in a variety of ways. The hymns are drawn from different centuries, genres, composers, and sources, yet all seek to continue our tradition of excellence in congregational singing while at the same time expanding and enriching our repertoire. Of special note is the opening hymn, “People of God, gather together” which comes to us from Voices Found: Women in the Church’s Song. This rich collection of hymns and spiritual songs by, for and about women reflects some of the very best texts and music available, and aims to “affirm and expand the spirituality of all women and men as they find new voices in the church’s song.”
~ a message from
Anne Timpane
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You won't want to miss ...
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Sunday Forum
This
Sunday, Feb. 16 at 10:15 am,
join
N Street Village's
Kenyatta Brunson
for a film screening and discussion of
"Segregated by Design,"
exploring DC's critical lack of affordable housing.
(Church Nave)
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Mardi Gras 2020
Buy your tickets this Sunday for Mardi Gras 2020, taking place
Tues., Feb. 25, 5:30 - 7:30 pm.
Tickets are on sale
at the Welcome desk and
online
. Make your purchase before Feb. 20 for the early bird discount!
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Caregivers' Support Group
Meeting on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, this group offers mutual support to caregivers. Join us
12:45-2 pm in Rm 212
. Facilitated by Sarah Laughlin and
Susan Flanders
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And Every Sunday at St. Columba's ...
8 am (spoken),
9 am (family-friendly service with children's choirs and an age-appropriate Gospel story for children 3-8), and
11:15 am featuring our adult choirs. The Great Hall service at
9:15 am is designed for pre-school aged children and their families.
Learn more about child care, Sunday School and the other family-focused programs St. Columba's offers.
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PILGRIMAGE
St. Columba's Holy Land Pilgrimage
Five days into their journey through the Holy Land, our St. Columba pilgrims have already covered significant terrain: spiritually, historically and geographically. Parishioner Lisa Battalia has graciously accepted the role of pilgrimage blogger, and has been sending amazing pictures and stories of their travels. Follow our pilgrims on
Facebook
and
Instagram
using the hashtag:
#ColumbaPilgrims
(just cut and past this phrase into the search bar on Facebook). If you are not currently following St. Columba's on social media, now is the sign up by clicking those links provided and liking us!
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Day 4: St. Columba's Holy Land Pilgrimage
Parishioner Lisa Battalia writes ....
What a spectacular day!
We began very early — and in silence — to arrive at the Wadi Qelt — the riverine gulch running through the Judean Desert from Jerusalem to Jericho — in time for sunrise and to celebrate an incredibly moving Eucharist. We sang together “Morning Has Broken” as the sun warmed the desert rocks.
Continuing to follow the wadi (by bus) we arrived in Jericho before the town awakened and stood under a sycamore tree — it was in Jericho that the short-statured tax collector Zacchaeus climbed the sycamore to see Jesus. Next we headed up by cable car, followed by a hike, to the the still active Monastery of the Temptation, built into and clinging to the cliffs of Mount Temptation. The Monastery’s church is built over the cave where Jesus resided for 40 days and nights tempted by Satan. After our exertions, we all enjoyed glasses of fresh squeezed pomegranate juice!
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From Jericho we continued to Nazareth where we will spend the next 3 nights. We walked up the old streets to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, built over the — still running — underground spring where the Greek Orthodox Church believes the Angel appeared to Mary as she drew water. We had the church to ourselves and read together the story of the Annunciation. “Let it be to me according to your word.” As we sat admiring the church murals — including a touching and unusual mural of Joseph carrying a toddler Jesus on his shoulders as they made the journey back from Egypt — we could hear the call to prayer from the nearby Mosque.
Our resting place — the guest house of the Sisters of Nazareth — sits a stones’s thrown away from the Basilica of the Annunciation — a much larger Catholic Church housing what is believed by Catholics to be the cave where Mary lived and where the Angel appeared to Mary. Like so many churches we have seen — including the Church of the Holy Sepulcher — the first “church” was a shrine (an altar placed in the cave), later enclosed in a church commissioned by St. Helena, Constantine’s mother, at some point destroyed by war and later rebuilt by the Crusaders over the ruins. The current church was constructed over the same site in 1969, and the courtyard contains 75 large, varied and beautiful portraits of the Madonna donated by 75 countries. Before we returned to our rooms exhausted, we stopped at a wonderful spice store recommended by Iyad, our guide — many of us will be returning home with a good supply of fresh, homemade Za’atar mix.
More to come ...
Click
here
for a complete photo album
Follow the pilgrimage from home: #ColumbaPilgrims
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FORMATION
Sunday Forums Continue to "Embrace our World"
February 16:
“Homelessness and Housing Discrimination in DC”
Gentrification, displacement, and a critical lack of affordable housing in our city can be traced to our long history and present day reality of systemic racism.
Kenyatta Brunson
, Chief Program Officer of N Street Village, will show a short film
"Segregated by Design"
and discuss the trends which have led to housing inequality in Washington. (Church Nave)
February 23:
"Causes and Policy Approaches to Housing Affordability"
A lack of affordable, permanent housing is one of the major causes of family homelessness in the District. But what causes such a housing shortage? Jenny Schuetz, a fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program and an expert in urban economics and housing policy will join us to discuss causes and policy approaches to housing affordability in DC and beyond.
(Church Nave)
Missed a past Sunday Forum?
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SAVE THE DATE
Mardi Gras 2020
Come
Tues., Feb. 25
and enjoy Shrove Tuesday pancakes, traditional New Orleans cuisine, festive beverages, live jazz music, and crafts for kids–a fun night for all ages! Join us in the Great Hall, 5:30-7:30 pm.
Purchase
tickets before Feb. 20 and get the early bird discount!
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MUSIC
Chants of Hildegard von Bingen
Chase away the winter blues and prepare for hearts and minds for Lent. In this gorgeous program on
Sun., Feb. 23 at 5 pm, Rosa Lamoreaux sings the extraordinary chants of Hildegard von Bingen, 12th century abbess, counselor and healer. The concert will include delightful medieval dances played by Olivia Castor, harp and Amy Domingues, strings. Tickets $10-$30 at
www.rosasings.com or at the door.
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Vestry Notes
At the vestry’s January 27, 2020 meeting:
- Director of Stewardship and Development Bronwyn Roy provided an update regarding the annual stewardship campaign, reporting that church had received pledges in an amount just under $2.39 million, a small increase over the prior year. The vestry will assist with additional followup in the coming weeks.
- The vestry adopted an Enabling Resolution and Endowment Policy establishing an endowment fund. The vestry also adopted related policies, including an investment policy, spending policy, donor-restricted funds policy, and a gift acceptance policy.
- Auditor Ron Walker discussed results of the church’s fiscal year 2019 audit, which was unmodified, or clean. The church is now up to date with respect to financial audits.
- St. Columba’s Nursery School Head of School Julia Berry joined nursery school board of governors Chair Kay Tatum and others to provide an update regarding the nursery school. They reported that the school remains fully enrolled but continues to face challenges arising from changing factors in the market for nursery school education and childcare.
- Reid Figel, chair of the search committee for a new Head of School, described the process that will be used to evaluate candidates for the position.
- The vestry approved the Nursery School’s 2020-2021 budget.
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Chants of Hildegard von Bingen
Chase away the winter blues and prepare for hearts and minds for Lent. In this gorgeous program on
Sun., Feb. 23 at 5 pm, Rosa Lamoreaux sings the extraordinary chants of Hildegard von Bingen, 12th century abbess, counselor and healer. The concert will include delightful medieval dances played by Olivia Castor, harp and Amy Domingues, strings. Tickets $10-$30 at
www.rosasings.com or at the door.
SUNDAYS
Healing Prayer
During Communion at the 9:15 and 10:30 am services, you are invited
for a healing prayer for yourself or others in St. Aidan's Chapel or at the 42nd Street entry.
Sunday Forums
10:15, in Church Nave or Great Hall. Presentations that stimulate our imagination about living the Christian life in this community, and in today’s changing world.
See speaker lineup.
Bible, Coffee & Conversation
Come 10:15 am, in Rm 238. When we open our minds and hearts to Scripture, we learn to see God’s story and God’s activity in our everyday lives. Join us!
MONDAYS & THURSDAYS
Centering Prayer
Join us Monday evenings (6:25-7:30 pm) and/or Thursday afternoons (12:55-2 pm), Rm 202.
WEDNESDAYS
Mothers' Group 10 am, Rm 203. Join us as we get to know each other better, sharing the highs and lows of motherhood. Free child care.
THURSDAYS
Thursday Morning Bible Study Group 7:45 am, Rm 212.
FRI., FEB. 14
Tenleytown's Middle C Music Store and St. Columba's Concert Series:
Valentine's Day Concert with Duo Spiro, Enkelejda and Frederik Spiro, violin and cello, 7 pm in the St. C's Music Rm.
SUN., FEB. 16
Caregivers' Support Group 12:30-2 pm, in Rm 212.
WED., FEB. 19
Benedictine Cell First and third Wednesday of the month, from 6-7 pm in the Deming Library.
SUN., FEB. 23
42nd Street Fellowship Luncheon 1 pm, House of Foong Lin (4613 Willow Lane, Bethesda).
"Sundays at 5 pm: Chamber Music for Hearts and Minds" with Rosa Lamoreaux, 5 pm in the Church Nave.
Tickets
TUES., FEB. 25
SAVE THE DATE
Mardi Gras Celebration 5:30 - 7:30 pm in the Great Hall.
Tickets
Branches Meditation Group meets (Fourth Tuesday) for meditation, prayer and sharing in community, 7:30-9 pm in Rm 203.
WED., FEB. 26
Ash Wednesday services
Look for the Lenten Preview of services, programs & activities next week!
SUN., MAR. 1
Environment Committee 12:30 pm, in Rm 215.
Fathers’ Group 8 pm at The Avenue (5540 Connecticut Ave., NW).
MON., MAR. 2
First Monday Prayer Group 9-10:30 am, in Rm 220.
THURS., MAR. 5
Creative Aging Network (CAN) 12:30-2 pm in Rm 212.
SUN., MAR. 8
Newcomer Tour & Talk 10:15 am, at the Welcome Desk.
Second Tuesday Grate Patrol 11:15 am, in Rm 205.
WED., MAR. 11
CIRCLE: Wisdom Circle 9:30-10:45 am, Rm 212. A chance to reflect on the experience of "Elderhood" with prayer, bible study and discussion. (Second Wednesdays)
Register or just come!
CIRCLE: LGBT Circle at 7 pm, in Rm. 220. Led by Mark Smith.
SAT., MAR. 14
Sticks-in-Stitches 10 am-12 pm in the Lounge at Friendship Terrace (2nd fl).
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