Monthly Archives: June 2017

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Abraham and Isaac

Dear Friends,

I had trouble finding a picture for this week’s email, not because there is a lack of images of Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son, but because of the shocking reality of even the most simple depictions.  Human sacrifice is simply wrong, and the barbarity of somebody believing that killing a child would please God is hopefully beyond our comprehension.

Happily, the bible as a whole condemns human sacrifice, and we see Abraham constrained from actually killing Isaac, yet the text has God telling Abraham to prepare to do it.  This is why we have to be very careful in how we understand and interpret scripture.  Although Jesus is often also pictured as a sacrifice, this is self-sacrifice, which is an altogether different thing.

However, although it is good that we understand that God will never tell us to slaughter our first born, we still need to ask ourselves what we would be prepared to give up for God or for a better world for all.

Our service this week will be led by Ann-Christin Salomonsson and our preacher will be Jacob Hale, as I am in the UK.  Please attend if you can, to give them your support during this season when many people are travelling!

Our bible readings for this Sunday are Genesis 22:1-14, Romans 6:12-23, and Matthew 10:40-42, and we will be singing the hymns Praise my Soul the King of Heaven, Let us Break Bread Together, and Love Divine all Loves Excelling!  The readings can be found via this link!

If you don’t know the way to All Saints, 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

Dear Friends,

We worship a triune God – three-in-one – one-in-three. We cannot really explain it, why would we expect to? But we know the God revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer!  God is revealed not as an alone or lonely God, but as a being in constant fellowship who reaches out to us in love.  This is at the centre of our faith and is why we remember this unity in diversity on Trinity Sunday!

Our bible readings for Trinity Sunday are Genesis 1:1-5, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, and Matthew 28:16-20, and we will be singing the hymns Holy Holy Holy, We All Believe in One True God, For the Bread Which You Have Broken, and Christ is made the Sure Foundation!

The readings can be found via this link!

Connie’s Ordination

A few of us gathered at All Saints on Monday night to take part in Connie’s ordination service by live-link to London.  It was a great service and wonderful to see Connie, Nat, and also Pat, present in the UK.  Chiang Mai people were also able to see Bishop Jonathan for the first time.  Please continue to hold Connie in your prayers!

Bishops Jonathan and Sheila laying hands on Connie

Inter-Continental Eucharist!

Greetings from newly-ordained Connie

And from Pat!

Potluck

Our next potluck will be on Sunday 25th June. This will be at the home of Anders and Ann-Christin who will shortly be leaving us to return to Sweden.  Their house is a five minute drive from church and we will travel there together after the morning service.

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