Monthly Archives: August 2019

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

A white and shiny All Saints last Sunday!

Dear Friends,

Last week, All Saints was repainted inside and out!  It is almost like having a new building!  I like church buildings because, unlike great country houses, they don’t “belong” to anybody – they belong to us all!  All Saints is no great cathedral or even beautiful parish church, but it is a place of welcome to all!

In this week’s Gospel reading, Jesus talks about humility – not grabbing the best seats at a banquet – and about hospitality – of the need to welcome all people equally regardless of status.  Making All Saints “welcoming” is part of our ministry of hospitality, of making welcome the stranger amongst us, for in God’s kingdom all are welcome!  This is our calling to declare God’s welcome to the world!

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be from Proverbs 25:6-7, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, and Luke 14:1, 7-14 and we will be singing the hymns Praise to the Lord the Almighty, Lord You Teach Us To Be Humble, From Heaven You Came, 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!

All Saints Tithing

Last week’s Trustees Meeting reaffirmed our intention to tithe 10% of our budget surplus each year.  We already give to individuals in need, and support all the costs of the annual Festival of Carols which raises money for the Youth Charity Foundation.  If you have any suggestions of where we could also give, please speak to me or to one of the Trustees.

Harvest Festival – Advanced Notice

This year’s Harvest Festival at Thung Dong Farm will be on 3rd November.  This was the only day when the farm and the children from the Youth Charity Foundation were both available!  It should be a great day to enjoy worship, lunch, and the beauty of the countryside together.

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

All Saints last Monday!

Dear Friends,

Jesus said “Behold, I make all things new!”

This week we have had painters at All Saints, and this coming Sunday we should have a renewed white sanctuary, and a shiny new kitchen and office!  Even the outside of our building is being renewed!

In our Gospel reading this week, Jesus heals a crippled woman and is attacked by the religious leaders for healing in the Sabbath. In other passages he describes them as “whitewashed tombs”.   I am sure our newly painted church is not a whitewashed tomb, but we will be looking at true renewal this week at All Saints.  Jesus healed the woman and met her need.  Can we allow Jesus to renew us too?

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be from Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, and Luke 13:10-17, and we will be singing the hymns O Worship the King, O Christ the Healer, Christ Be Our Light, and Tell Out My Soul!  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

New Teachers’ Potluck

Thanks to all who made last week’s potluck such a success!  We had wonderful food and a great time of fellowship!

All Saints Trustees Meeting

Our next Trustees Meeting will be next Tuesday, 27th August, at 6 p.m.  The trustees are: Mark Crawford, Helga Spring, Bill Moeller, Chris Tananone, and Caitlin Littleton.  Please speak to me, or one of the trustees, if there is anything you would like them to discuss.

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

Clashes in Hong Kong on Tuesday

POTLUCK THIS WEEK!

Dear Friends,

Last week our deacon, Gene Bourquin, arrived from New York.  He was a day late, delayed for 24 hours by the protests at Hong Kong airport.  My mum is supposed to be flying back to the UK this Thursday, via Hong Kong, we don’t yet know if she will be leaving, after the airport was again closed for two days this week!

The protestors have a valid desire for freedom and democracy, but it is not clear how this can end well.  It is ironic that the Chinese communist government is condemning the protestors as lawless violent terrorists, aren’t communists suppose to believe in revolution and direct action?

Peace seems to be in short supply in our world today!  Jesus is called the Prince of Peace, yet in this week’s Gospel reading his words are challenging:

Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 

Jesus knew that wherever there is the struggle for justice and righteousness then opposition will arise.  Those of us coming from relatively free stable western democracies easily forget that our rights did not fall out of the sky, but were the result of the struggle and even deaths of many men and women.  Our challenge as Christians is to know how to live in this world of compromise and contradictions, while still holding fast to our faith and the message of Christ!

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be from Jeremiah 23:23-29, Hebrews 11:29-12:2, and Luke 12:49-56, and we will be singing the hymns Praise my Soul the King of Heaven, Christ Be Our Light, Be Still for the Presence of the Lord, and Christ is made the Sure Foundation!  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

New Teachers’ Potluck

This Sunday we will have a potluck lunch to welcome new teachers, and other people new to Chiang Mai, to All Saints.  I have emailed ten international schools asking them to pass on the information to their new teachers so hopefully we will see some new people this week.  Please bring food to share and invite your friends – just tell them that we are having a special service and lunch and ask them if they would like to come!

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,

In this week’s Gospel reading Jesus says:

Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Challenging?  You bet!  Not just giving away our money, but selling our possessions and giving the proceeds away – and Jesus spoke in a society with no social security safety net, no Medicare or national Health Service!  As I said last week, it’s all about where your treasure is – for there your heart will be.  The things that are important to us are shown by how we spend our money!  The real Christian life is a challenge – but it is an exciting one!

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be from Genesis 15:1-6, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, and Luke 12:32-40, and we will be singing the hymns The God of Abraham Praise, I will offer up my life, Take My Life and Let it Be, and Now Thank We All Our God!  The readings can be found via this link and past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Sharing Soap!

Last Saturday, Chris Tananone took the soap-filled milk cartons up to the children at the Youth Charity Foundation.  They each decorated their carton and it should last them all year for doing their laundry!  Thanks to Chris, the Chase family, and all who made this great project possible!

Comings and Goings!

Elena is safely back with her daughter in California,  Jantra has arrived at boarding school in India, and Gene our Deacon arrived on  Tuesday – after a 24 hour delay in Hong Kong!  The Chases are also settled back in Egypt, and the Tiptons have arrived in Malta!

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