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Thank you and Scottish Blessing from Revd Iain Lothian

I would like to Thank You so much for the gifts from you all, which was so so generous. I look forward to wearing my stole which will remind me of services taken in both church buildings in Crosspool, Sheffield and I intend to put the rest of the gift towards a bike, which will be my main means of transport for my first few months in Edinburgh! Fortunately, Edinburgh is less hilly than Sheffield so my fitness won’t be so tested. The book is also a lovely gift to remember you all and I was very touched by your comments and the amazing photos – I will treasure it. I will miss you more than I can express and look forward to seeing many of you on September 12th 2021. I leave you with this a Beannacht – a Scottish Blessing written by one of my favourite writers, John O’Donohue:

On the day when the weight deadens on your shoulders and you stumble, may the clay dance to balance you.

And when your eyes freeze behind the grey window and the ghost of loss gets into you, may a flock of colours, indigo, red, green and azure blue, come to awaken in you a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays in the currach of thought and a stain of ocean blackens beneath you, may there come across the waters a path of yellow moonlight to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours, may the clarity of light be yours, may the fluency of the ocean be yours, may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow wind work these words of love around you, an invisible cloak to mind your life.

With Much Love

Iain xxx

Happy Easter!

The PCC of St Columba have taken the decision to suspend all face to face worship for the time being. Sunday services are available via Zoom. Please email admin@stcolumbacrosspool.org.uk if you need the log in details (these are the same each week).

National Lockdown & Vaccination News

We believe at this critical time, if we can reduce the risk in any way it helps the common good, so we have now prioritised St. Columba as a vaccination centre and will have all services and activities at Stephen Hill when it becomes possible.

The church office is still operating as a community hub: 0114 2670006

Pizzas for Saturday Vaccine Volunteers

St Columba Vaccine Hub Thanks Papa Ciccio’s in Crosspool.  Local Italian Restaurant made the vaccine volunteers day with generous donation of Pizza.

St Columba Vaccine volunteers were delighted by the surprise pizza delivery and humbled by such kindness and generosity.  The pizza verdict? Delicious! Thank you Papa Ciccios of 10 Sandygate Road in Crosspool, Sheffield. The Vaccine Hub remains so grateful for and so encouraged by our local community.  

Thinking the winter snow was long gone and British Summer Time here, many were surprised to wake up to light snow fall in Crosspool on Saturday 27 March. Thankfully the Hub has now installed a grit box at the church so is well stocked and always well prepared. 

Pizza was a highlight in a very special week for the Vaccine Hub.  Nationally we so poignantly marked the One Year On from the first Lockdown.  Locally we also reflected on the first anniversary of setting up of the Covid-19 Community Hub in the St Columba Church Office and our community support to the Firvale Foodbank collecting and delivering weekly donations on Fridays from St Columba and Stephen Hill Methodist Church collection points. 

The Vaccine Hub achieved it’s own major milestone too, celebrating delivery of over 13,000 first vaccinations since January. Dr Tom McAnea, lead clinician said:

‘A word of thanks to our volunteers.  They worked as efficiently and effectively as ever (…) ensuring the process was smooth for patients.  It is a testament to the goodwill and positivity associated with this work which brings out the best in people. I am as always grateful to Steve, Brenda and the whole team at St Columba’s who make this all possible.’

This week the Hub welcomed the return of many friendly faces too.  The Hub offered second vaccines to those who received the very first batches of vaccinations just 12 weeks ago.  For many of our 80 and 90 year old’s and others who have been shielding, it has again been a rare and positive opportunity to get out of the house. Everyone is eagerly looking forward to Lockdown easing.

A volunteer commented:

‘It is a privilege to serve and be part of the Vaccine Hub at St Columba.  We are so grateful to Papa Ciccio’s – in Crosspool since 1988, for their support and very kind and welcome donation on Saturday.  As we head into Holy Week and celebrate the new hope that Easter brings, we are so thankful to be part of, and located at the heart of, such a caring and generous local community in Crosspool.  Such a blessing.

Seeing God’s Kingdom in a Vaccination Centre – Reflection by Clare Wood

I’ve been walking past St Columba’s, the church used to host the vaccination programme in Crosspool, for weeks. During the heavy snow of January and February, the people in their yellow high vis jackets cheerfully cleared the paths so that those in wheelchairs could still access the building. Always chatting, always smiling, always laughing, a spirit of joy and hope surrounding the building, seen from many meters away. I had walked past many times. It always brought a smile to my face. It has been like a window into the rest of the country. First came the most frail, the aged, the most vulnerable. Carers guiding them with utmost tenderness. Hope and fire still present in the wrinkled faces and watery eyes. Wrapped up in thick coats and blankets, sometimes hardly visible, they passed through the church, exiting with new life and renewed hope. A hug with a grandchild, a cup of tea with a friend, coming, coming soon. And imperceptibly the people attending changed, fewer wheelchairs, louder laughing at the gate, people skipping out of the way as they do the 2m distanced dance. Occasionally a younger person, what are they doing there? What’s happening with them? An insight into how life is not the same for us all. What challenge has given them an early place in the queue. As the hours of daylight grow, the energy and the vitality of those queueing changes too. So much life waiting to happen, so many things paused that will soon begin. The church, once a beacon in the cold, snow covered dusk of a January afternoon now becomes a joyful blast of colour, matching the daffodils that are beginning to open. And still I walk past, not my time yet. But it is coming. Facebook posts show friends that have received theirs, joy and hope shining like lights through my newsfeed. 

A day comes when I receive an unexpected diagnosis. Still processing this new information, a text message appears. It is my turn. While the realisation that I now have an underlying health issue is an uncomfortable awakening, I have a date and time. As the time comes closer, I pay even more attention to those that are waiting their turn outside. What has brought them here, their age, their job, their health? The day comes, it feels like a significant day. In two days it will be a year since we became ill, a year of slowly reducing symptoms, a year of life on hold, a year of hopes and dreams paused or wiped out. It feels significant. We’ve lived here 9 months, there are many places we have never seen open, never been inside, never felt the life of the community uncowled. As I approach I smile at the wardens waiting outside. They wait at a door to a different future. Joy and grace permeate the building, God’s house, being used to bring life and hope. These willing servants filled with the joy and energy of serving. I move from one mark taped on the floor to another, slowly progressing through the socially distanced network, our path takes us through the back door of the church, a fire exit probably, a door used for practical purposes. I give my name and date of birth, am ticked off a list, given a number and shown into the church to a seat, I turn to face the altar and there in the midst of all the activity is the cross. Love, scarred from the worst elements of humankind, a light in the darkness, looks out over this hive of activity. As my eyes are filled with it the world around me slows and I realised that here is God’s Kingdom.

My number is called. It is my turn. I walk into a room filled with doctors and nurses, faces covered, eyes visible, kindness in every one. A buzz of life. I realise this is a sound I have not heard since our last church service at college, people together, working, joyful, the weight of fear absent. And it is done. I am given a card, my record. I am shown the way out. This time my route is out the front door of the church. I am sent out into the world. I have been given a vaccination but more than that I realise that I have received God’s hope and salvation. That too leads to new life and my role is to spread that hope. I have watched the activities at the church for the last few months, watching people go in with expectation and leave with joy. If we had been here during normal times, would I have seen that on a Sunday? Would I have been looking for it? I realise that God is our vaccination against despair, against fear, against death and that at my time of baptism I was given the most powerful vaccination. And yet I do not always act like I have received this free gift, this life giving miracle. Sometimes I forget. Sometimes I think it wasn’t true. Sometimes I become an anti vaxxer. But God knows this, and he loves us even more. He choses little things to remind us, little signs that will show us how much he loves us. Today I saw one of those signs. And it was joyful.

Message from Tom McAnea, lead clinician for the vaccination programme at St. Columba

We delivered another 3 days of vaccinating at St Columba’s at the end of last week. The batch of Pfizer was for 1170 vaccines in total (195 vials with 6 doses per vial) and over the 3 days 1167 appointments were filled of which 24 did not attend. 1143 patients attended and received a vaccine. In addition, 2 staff members at Moorville and 1 from Alexander Court were vaccinated as well as extra patients from Crookes, MRS, Broomhill and Stannington. A number of GPs and admin staff received their second dose. No vaccine doses were wasted over the 3 days. The 3 days were another example of safe and efficient work by the whole team of vaccinators, administrators and volunteers. It was bitterly cold throughout and I want to thank everyone for their hard work and persistence in difficult working conditions to ensure our patients are protected. As ever, patient feedback was very positive. As of this evening, after a total of 15 days at St Columba’s we have vaccinated approximately 7500 patients from across the 6 practices. This is an incredible achievement. It represents close to 25% of the adult population of all 6 practices. To be clear, your work will prevent patients being admitted to hospital, or to intensive care units and potentially dying from covid-19 infection. It has been a privilege and inspiring to see you work – the co-operation, humour, sense of camaraderie and general determination to get the job done remind me of what the NHS can be when it is at its best. Thank you. Remember that over 113,000 of our fellow citizens have died in this pandemic. We have one of the highest mortality rates in the world. As a nation we have not done well. Yet your work in the vaccination programme has been a model of professionalism and teamwork that is humbling to watch. The collaboration with the wonderful team of volunteers from the local community and colleagues from the city council has been key to our success. The challenge continues and we return next Saturday 20th for a clinic to deliver 400 AZ vaccines. This is followed with a further 3 days of vaccinating from Wednesday 24th-Friday 26th February to deliver 1170 Pfizer doses. Thanks again for all that you do, it is literally saving lives. Tom

Giving

If you normally give to church by envelope or via the plate on a Sunday, and would like to continue to give while the church building is closed, please consider setting up a standing order or making a one-off donation via your bank, either online or by telephone. The account details for St. Columba’s account are as follows:

Church of St Columba || S/C 05-08-18 || A/C  33146413 || Yorkshire Bank

Church of St. Columba, 503, Manchester Rd, Crosspool, Sheffield, S10 5PL