Monthly Archives: January 2015

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Ash Wednesday – 18th February 2015

Dear Friends,

New Year is behind us and we will soon be entering the season of Lent.  We still have three weeks before Lent begins on Wednesday 18th February when we will be having a special Ash Wednesday service at All Saints beginning at 7 pm.  This is a solemn service when we come before God and confess our sins.  The liturgy will include the imposition of ashes.

The day before Ash Wednesday is Shrove Tuesday, orMardi Gras. In the British tradition it is known as Pancake Tuesday, and many people enjoy pancakes on this day.  At All Saints we will have a pancake potluck following the service on Sunday 15th February. More details to follow.  Meanwhile our worship continues in this season of Epiphany as we remember our call to discipleship.

This Sunday our readings are Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, and Mark 1:21-28, and we will be singing the hymns Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, In Christ Alone My Hope is Found, For the Bread Which We have Broken, and Tell Out My Soul the Greatness of the Lord.  You can find the readings via this link.  Our sermon will challenge us to live prophetic lives.

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

We are now well in to the new year of 2015, and this Sunday we will hold our Covenant Service.  This is a Methodist tradition where the congregation recommit themselves to God, and his purposes for their lives, at the beginning of each year.  We will say together the words of the Covenant Prayer:

I am no longer my own but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,
exalted for you, or brought low for you;
let me be full, let me be empty,
let me have all things, let me have nothing:
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. 

So be it.
And the covenant now made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.’

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Further ahead, we are thinking about starting a Confirmation Class. Confirmation is the traditional way for publicly declaring your Christian faith and membership of the church. In doing so you confirm your baptism. If you have not already been baptised, then you can be baptised and then confirmed. It also signifies your receiving of the Holy Spirit.  If anyone, of any age, is interested in being confirmed please see let me know.

This Sunday our readings are Jonah 3:1-5,10, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, and Mark 1:14-20, and we will be singing the hymns Jesus Comes with Clouds Descending, Come let us use the grace divine, Wonder of wonders here revealed, and Let All the World in Every Corner Sing.  You can find the readings via this link.  Our sermon will be reflecting on our commitment to God.

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Christmas and New Year is over and we have moved into a quiet time in the Church year.  There are no festivals of note until we mark Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of Lent, on 18th February.  However, on 25th January our liturgy will contain the Methodist Covenant Prayer as we commit ourselves to God and to one another for another year.  But… it is still good to praise God together!

This Sunday our readings are taken from 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20),      1 Corinthians 6:12-20, and John 1:43-51, and we will be singing the hymns Jesus Shall Reign Wher’er the Sun, Spirit of God Descend Upon my Heart, Will You Come and Follow Me?, and Amazing Grace.  You can find the readings via this link.  Our sermon will ask the question: “Can anything good come out of All Saints, Chiang Mai?”

Video and audio of our major services can be found on the Audio-Visual page of the All Saints website and as always, directions can be found on the Where and When page.  Most people get to hear about us via the internet or by word of mouth, so please feel free to pass on this email to others.  All are welcome to join us as we share the presence of the risen Jesus in our lives!  We hope to see you soon and that you will enjoy worshiping with us,

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

All Saints at Christmas – over for another year!

Dear Friends,

What a wonderful Christmas season we have had! Today is the Feast of Epiphany and Twelfth Night, and we took down all the church Christmas decorations after the service last Sunday.  Thanks to everybody who made Christmas such a great celebration!

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Last Friday, Nancy, Harvey, and I, traveled up to Doi Saket and had a look at an organ that a friend of mine is building in his house.  It will be an exact electronic replica of the organ in Salisbury Cathedral – it already sounds amazing!  Hopefully we will be able to build something similar, but simpler, for All Saints!  It is good to worship God with music!  If anyone has an old MIDI compatible keyboard that they don’t want, please let me know.

 John’s Organ

Christmas is over, but we still have a Christ who we can worship!  This Sunday our readings are Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, and Mark 1:4-11, and we will be singing the hymns All People that on Earth do Dwell, Praise my Soul the King of Heaven, Immortal Invisible God only Wise, and Christ is made the Sure Foundation.  You can find the readings via this link.

The title of our sermon will be Don’t keep drinking Tequila!

God bless and Happy New Year!

Iain