Monthly Archives: July 2019

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

Jesus told the story of a rich farmer:

‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”  But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

Jesus calls on us to be wise in our use of the money and resources we have, but the important question is Where is our treasure?  Is our treasure in earthly things, in money, position, or power, or is it in the things of God – in love of God and neighbour, in doing good for the world?  We will be looking at these issues this Sunday!

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be from Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23, Colossians 3:1-11, and Luke 12:13-21, and we will be singing the hymns Let All the World in Every Corner Sing, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart, and Go forth and tell!  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Comings and Goings!

Elena – leaving this Friday!

Elena will be flying back to California on Friday, and Jantra will be off to boarding school in India next weekend.  Meanwhile, Gene our Deacon will be arriving on Tuesday 6th August!  Please hold them all in your prayers!

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

Saying Farewell – last Sunday!

Dear Friends,

Last week we had our potluck to say goodbye to Pamela, Ken, Emily, Elena, and Jantra!  This Sunday, the Chase family will be on their way down to Bangkok, although Elena and Jantra will be with us for another week!  As you may know, the Chases are moving into the unknown with no jobs or home to go to – I know they have been praying a lot!  Let’s hold them in our prayers too!

In this week’s Gospel reading, Jesus teaches his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, and then says to them “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”  We ask, we pray, on behalf of each other.  But what about when our prayers seem not to be answered?  Some thoughts this week!

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be from Genesis 18:20-32, Colossians 2:6-15, and Luke 11:1-13, and we will be singing the hymns Holy, Holy, Holy;  Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God; King of Kings Majesty; and At the Name of Jesus!  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

New Organist

After a year of backing-tracks, we now have a new organist!  Her name is Gaew and she is a piano teacher here in Chiang Mai.  She played for the first time last Sunday and it was excellent!  We are very blessed to have her with us!

Soap Box!

The Chase family have collected 50 milk cartons for the orphans at the Youth Charity Foundation!  They are filling them with soap powder so that each child will have their own container for doing their laundry.  Last Sunday we collected a further THB 800 to buy more soap powder!

Bill Moeller and Chris Tananone will take the cartons to the orphanage!

Advertising All Saints

I believe that All Saints is a good place to worship.  For those who love an inclusive or a liturgical church it is a place to encounter God in Chiang Mai!  The problem is, so many people don’t know we are here.  We don’t need to “convert” people to grow as a body, but we do need to get the word out that All Saints exists and is here for them!

We have now paid for a Google ad.

If someone searches for “church Chiang Mai” or even just “church” and they are within a 25 km radius then our small listing ad appears.

This does not cost us anything unless someone clicks on the ad to go to our webpage or on the phone number to call the church!  We will be watching how this works over the next month.  Why not have a go?  (But don’t click on the link as this will cost money!)

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

Which are you?

POTLUCK THIS SUNDAY

Dear Friends,

Jesus was very close to the family of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.  Lazarus is famous for being raised from the dead, but Mary and Martha are noted for a different reason.   When Jesus came to visit their home, Martha was the perfect host, preparing all that was needed and working hard in the kitchen.  Mary, on the other hand, sat listening at Jesus’ feet – something which some of the men present may have disapproved of – it certainly annoyed Martha!

Which are we?  Doers or thinkers?  Servants of God or worshippers of God?  Of course, we should be both, but how do we get the balance right?  How do we know what God wants us to do?

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be from Amos 8:1-6, Colossians 1:15-20, and Luke 10:38-42, and we will be singing the hymns All People that on Earth do Dwell, Be Still for the Presence of the Lord, Be Thou My Vision, and Born in Song!  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Potluck this Sunday 21st July!

We will have a potluck following this week’s service to say goodbye to the Chase family and also bon voyage to Jantra, who is off to boarding school in India!  We will also be saying goodbye to Elena as she returns to the States to live with her daughter!   All are welcome – don’t forget to bring something!!!

Ken, Emily, and Pamela, are some of our longest-standing members, and Jantra and Elena have been coming for almost as long!  They will all be greatly missed!

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

Love your neighbour as yourself?

Dear Friends,

It is easy to love people that we like – that’s the natural way of the world.  But we are called to love our neighbours and, as Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan tells us, our “neighbour” is often the one we might have thought to be our enemy!  In any case, Jesus went further and explicitly told us to love our enemies too!

God will not judge us on how tidy are homes are or how big our car, or even how much money we earn or give away.  We will be judged on how we love, on how we really care for others.

It’s not always easy, but the good news of the Gospel is that we won’t be condemned for our failings, that in Jesus we have forgiveness.  So we are called to love, not for any reward, but because it is the right thing to do because God first loved us.

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be from Deuteronomy 30:9-14, Colossians 1:1-14, and Luke 10:25-37, and we will be singing the great hymns Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise; When I needed a Neighbour; Jesu, Jesu, Fill us with Your Love; and In Christ alone my hope is Found!  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Church Renovations

We haven’t redecorated since July 2014 but repair work has begun on our building.

As you will have seen, our landlord has begun renovations on our church building.  Some of the rotten woodwork has being replaced or removed and the gate has being made safe.  They are waiting for heavy rain so they can find the exact points where the roof is leaking.  When that is complete we will begin repainting.  If you have a painter you could recommend, please see Father Iain.

Potluck – Advanced Notice – Sunday 21st July

We will have a potluck on Sunday 21st July to say goodbye to the Chase family and also bon voyage to Jantra who is off to boarding school in India!

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,

Jesus sent his disciples out to proclaim “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”  But was Jesus a bit premature?  What did this mean? Has God’s kingdom come even now, or are we still waiting?  We will look at these questions this week at All Saints!

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be Isaiah 66:10-14, Galatians 6:1-10, and Luke 10:1-11, and we will be singing the hymns A Mighty Fortress, Called as Partners in Christ’s Service, Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart, and God is Love!  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Church Renovations

Five years ago – William, Mary, and a very small Jantra!

We haven’t redecorated since July 2014 but on Sunday you will notice that repair work has begun on our building. The landlord is repairing and replacing some of the rotten wood work, and the wall outside the entrance.  He will also be repairing the few places where the roof leaks!

When this is done we will be getting the church repainted!  We painted the fence and gate when we moved in but nothing has been done since, and the inside and outside of our building could now do with a fresh coat of paint!

Potluck – Advanced Notice

We will have a potluck on Sunday 21st July to say goodbye to the Chase family and also bon voyage to Jantra who is off to boarding school in India!

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