Monthly Archives: February 2019

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Who do you say that I am?

PANCAKE POTLUCK THIS SUNDAY!

Dear Friends,

It has been a wonderful week!

Last Thursday a number of people from All Saints marched in Chiang Mai Parade – witnessing to God’s love for all!

The day before, just after last week’s email was sent, we received confirmation that All Saints Chiang Mai Missionhas been approved and registered as a UK charity by the Charity Commission.  We are Registered Charity Number 1182147.  The official listing can be found here!

This approval provides us with an additional layer of accountability and transparency, and will also enable us to reclaim tax from donations by UK taxpayers.  The application was first submitted in March 2018 and it has taken nearly a year for approval.  Many thanks to all who helped in this long and difficult process!

Then last Saturday, we had the first meeting in preparation for the registering of All Saints as a Thai Foundation.  The meeting went very well, and we will reconvene on 23rd March, by which time we should be ready to submit the paperwork.  The foundation will be called the Lokartorn Foundation. Lok Ar Torn means Whole Earth.  All Saints does not translate well into Thai, and having a different name gives the option of the foundation expanding its work further in the future!

Our worship this Sunday will focus on the Transfiguration of Jesus.  He must be our vision as we live together as God’s people the church, for we are Christians!  It is because of our vision of Jesus and his love, that all are efforts are made relevant.

Our readings this Sunday will be Exodus 34:29-35, 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2, and Luke 9:28-36, and we will be singing the hymns Alleluia Sing to Jesus, Transfiguration Hymn, Be Thou My Vision, and Lord Jesus Christ!

The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Chiang Mai Pride 2019

It was wonderful to see a good number of All Saints people marching last Thursday.  We shared God’s love with those around us and valuable contacts were made.  At least two people came to church last Sunday due to our presence in the parade, but more importantly we stood for the Gospel of God’s unending and unlimited love!

Pancake Potluck – This Sunday!

Our Pre-Lenten Pancake Potluck will be this Sunday, 3rd March.  As we prepare for Lent, we will eat pancakes – symbolising the removal of fat from our diets as we enter the Lenten fast.  People are asked to bring toppings to share!

Ash Wednesday – Next Week!

We will have a special Ash Wednesday service next Wednesday, 6th March, beginning at 7 p.m.  The service will include the imposition of ashes.

Lent Study Groups – The Power of Love!

This year, our weekly Lent Study Groups will look at the book The Power of Love by the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Michael Curry.  It is a collection of his sermons, beginning with the one which he preached at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and which was watched by an estimated audience of over a billion people!  (That sermon can be viewed here!)

The groups will meet on Tuesday and Thursday in Sansai and Hang Dong.  If you would like to join a group please sign up at the back of the church.

Preaching in Lent

 We are mightily blessed at All Saints to have a whole host of preachers.  Throughout the Season of Lent, I will be handing over the pulpit to five of them.  Over the five weeks we will hear from Christa Crawford, Helga Spring, Taylor Pfaff, Nate Tipton, and David McPhee!  It will be great for me to hear them preach, and for the church to have a rest from my voice!  We are all part of the body of Christ and we can all share with one another!

Treasurer

Richard Murray has done a fantastic job as treasurer for the last two years, but his tenure has come to an end and we are looking for a new treasurer.  If you could be interested in serving in this role, please speak to Richard, or to Mark Crawford, or to me.  A sharing of the role may be possible!

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 worshipping with us,

God bless,

Iain

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

For the first time in ten years, Chiang Mai will be holding a Pride march.  This will occur this Thursday, 21st February, exactly ten years to the day since the last march.  The march will gather at 6 p.m. at the Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center and end at Thapae Gate.  All supportive people are invited to join.  All Saints will be marching behind a Christians at Pride banner.

We will gather at 5:30 p.m. at church, or you can join us at the Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center, which is just across the road from the Governor’s Mansion at the end of the Nawarat Bridge.  This will give all of us the chance to share the message that God loves everyone – and has no favorites!  (More details below.)

On Sunday, we will be focussing on how we should trust in God with our very lives!  If God is for us, who can be against us?

Our readings this Sunday will be Genesis 2:4-9, Revelation 4:1, 6-11, and Luke 8:22-25, and we will be singing the hymns Praise my Soul the King of Heaven, Will Your Anchor Hold?, Now Thank We All Our God, and When we walk with the Lord!  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Chiang Mai Pride 2019

The march will gather at 6 p.m. at the Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center and end at Thapae Gate.  All supportive people are invited to join.  All Saints will be marching behind a Christians at Pride banner.

The events are as follows:

17.00 – 19.00 Hrs. Parade Registration
Starting Location: Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center by the Nawarat Bridge

19.00 – 20.00 Hrs. Parade Begin From Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center to Night Bazaar Chiang Mai and end at Thapae Gate

20.00 – 20.15 Hrs. Parade arrives at Thapae Gate. Opening Ceremony Begins

20.15 – 20.25 Hrs. First Speaker – The History of Chiang Mai Pride

20.25 – 22.00 Hrs. Speeches and Ceremony

Treasurer

Richard Murray has done a fantastic job as treasurer for the last two years, but his tenure has come to an end and we are looking for a new treasurer.  If you could be interested in serving in this role, please speak to Richard, or to Mark Crawford, or to me.  A sharing of the role may be possible!

Pancake Potluck

Our Pre-Lenten Pancake Potluck will be on Sunday 2nd March.  As we prepare for Lent, we will eat pancakes – symbolising the removal of fat from our diets as we enter the Lenten fast.  People are asked to bring toppings to share!

Ash Wednesday

We will have a special Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday 6th March, beginning at 7 p.m.  The service will include the imposition of ashes.

Lent Study Groups

This year, we will again be having weekly Lent Study Groups.  If you would like to join a group please sign up at the back of the church.  If you have suggestions for a book to topic we could study please see Father Iain.  The venues will be confirmed next week!

All Saints Foundation
We are beginning the process of registering All Saints as a foundation with the Thai government.  An initial official planning meeting will be held this Saturday, 23rd February.  Please hold all involved in your prayers and let me know if you would like to be involved.  All are welcome!

UK Charity

The process for UK Charity registration of All Saints Chiang Mai Mission is almost complete!  I am hoping for some good news this week!

New Building

Those of you who regularly attend All Saints will know that our new building project is not now going ahead.  This door has shut for the time being, but I am sure that God has got new plans for us just over the horizon.  All is well, and there has been no falling-out, but this particular project is not now going to happen!

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 worshipping with us,

God bless,

Iain

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Christmas Eve at the Youth Charity Foundation

Dear Friends,

In this week’s Gospel reading, Jesus has some challenging words about the rich and the poor.

‘Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.

‘But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
‘Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.

Let’s face it – we are the rich.  Which of us has ever lain awake wondering where the next meal was coming from?  Which of us has ever been homeless?  Which of us has seen a loved one die for lack of medical care?  Which of us has ever felt completely alone, abandoned to our fate?  Even if we have encountered occasional obstacles, this has not been the general pattern of our lives.  It is not a sin to be comfortable, to have what we need, but it is a sin to do nothing to help our brothers and sisters who need the same.

We live in a fallen world, this means that appealing to people’s “better nature” will never provide enough to feed the hungry or cloth the naked – it never has in the past, and it never will in this world.  That is why we have taxes – to ensure that the earth’s resources are more fairly shared.  People will disagree about how this should be done and what is the fairest way of doing this, but our goal must always be that none go to sleep hungry, that nobody is without a home, and that no one dies where they could be saved.

Our readings this Sunday will be Jeremiah 17:5-8, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, and Luke 6:17-26, and we will be singing the hymns All My Hope on God Is Founded, Beauty for Brokenness, Take My Life and Let it Be, and God Whose Almighty Word.  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Treasurer

Richard Murray has done a fantastic job as treasurer for the last two years, but his tenure has come to an end and we are looking for a new treasurer.  If you could be interested in serving in this role, please speak to Richard, or to Mark Crawford, or to Father Iain.

Lent Study Groups

This year, we will again be having weekly Lent Study Groups.  If you would like to join a group please sign up at the back of the church.  If you have suggestions for a book to topic we could study please see Father Iain.

Chiang Mai Pride 2019

For the first time in ten years, Chiang Mai will be holding a Pride march.  This will occur next Thursday, 21st February, exactly ten years to the day since the last march.  The march will gather at 6 p.m. at the Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center and end at Thapae Gate.  All supportive people are invited to join.  All Saints will be marching behind a Christians at Pride banner.

The events are as follows:

17.00 – 19.00 Hrs. Parade Registration
Starting Location: Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center by the Nawarat Bridge

19.00 – 20.00 Hrs. Parade Begin From Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center to Night Bazaar Chiang Mai and end at Thapae Gate

20.00 – 20.15 Hrs. Parade arrives at Thapae Gate. Opening Ceremony Begins

20.15 – 20.25 Hrs. First Speaker – The History of Chiang Mai Pride

20.25 – 22.00 Hrs. Speeches and Ceremony

All Saints Foundation

We are beginning the process of registering All Saints as a foundation with the Thai government.  An initial official planning meeting will be held on Saturday 23rd February.  Please hold all involved in your prayers and let me know if you would like to be involved.

The process for UK Charity registration is also continuing.

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 worshipping with us,

God bless,

Iain

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

Love is at the heart of the Christian faith and is there at the beginning of Creation.  The story of Adam and Eve, tells us how God created Eve saying, “It is not good for Adam to be alone”.  We are created to be in relationship with one another – not only in couples, but in families, in churches, in communities.

The Feast of Saint Valentine has become the yearly festival of love in the western calendar and is celebrated worldwide!  Saint Valentine’s origins are lost in history, but one story says he was martyred for performing marriage ceremonies.  The Roman emperor wanted soldiers, and he believed the single men made the best fighters, so he forbade couples to marry.  Saint Valentine believed that marriage was ordained by God and defied the emperor.

Other people, even now, are being killed for who they love, and who they seek to marry, not just gay people, but also women, and sometimes men, who are killed in “honour killings’ for defying the wishes of their families.  As Christians, we declare the love of God and the freedom to choose love and be with the ones we care for!

This year, Valentine’s Day falls on Thursday 14th February, and this Sunday our service will focus on the theme of love.   Included in this special service will be the opportunity for all couples to renew their vows to each other, and we will remember that whether we are single or coupled, we are all enfolded in God’s love.

This could be a good opportunity to include partners who don’t normally attend church!

Our readings for the Feast Saint Valentine will be Song of Songs 8:5-7, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, and John 15:12-17, and we will be singing the hymns The King of Love My Shepherd Is, Here is Love vast as the Ocean, In heavenly Love Abiding, and Love Divine all Loves Excelling!  Past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Chiang Mai Pride 2019

For the first time in ten years, Chiang Mai will be holding a Pride march.  This will occur on 21st February, exactly ten years to the day since the last march.  The march will begin at 6 p.m. at the Chiang Mai Religion Practice Center and end at Thapae Gate.  All supportive people are invited to join.  All Saints will be marching behind a Christians at Pride banner.

All Saints Foundation

We are beginning the process of registering All Saints as a foundation with the Thai government.  An initial official planning meeting will be held on Saturday 23rd February.  Please hold all involved in your prayers and let me know if you would like to be involved.

The process for UK Charity registration is also continuing.

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 worshipping with us,

God bless,

Iain