From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai
Christmas Tree Collapse!
Dear Friends,
I arrived at church today to water the plants and return the financial ledger. Disaster! The tree had collapsed and baubles were scattered all over the floor! Was Christmas at All Saints ruined? Of course, I exaggerate! But this is often how we feel at Christmas. We are so anxious for everything to be perfect that things get way out of proportion and the really important things get missed.
I love decorations, and turkey and mistletoe, but the really important thing about Christmas is Emmanuel, God will us! Then comes relationships, family and friends! These are the important things, as those members of our church recovering from accidents will surely attest!
So, as we prepare for Christmas, let’s not panic, let’s relax and enjoy the message of the angels, that in the end there will be peace on earth, goodwill to men!
The Tree Restored!
Our readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent will be Isaiah 7:10-16, and Luke 2:1-20, and we will be singing the hymns O Come All Ye Faithful, See Amid the Winter’s Snow, Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, Once in Royal David’s City, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!
Past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!
Christmas Activities at All Saints
Please join us for our Midnight Mass, or our Christmas Morning Eucharist. or both! We usually have lots of visitors at Midnight Mass so it’s good to have All Saints people to welcome them too!
Christmas Lunch
Forty people have already signed up for Christmas lunch! Please sign-up this Sunday, or send me an email, if you would like to join us! We will have roast turkey, and all the trimmings, followed by Christmas pudding or pumpkin pie!
Please sign up on Sunday for what you are planning to bring!
Elena’s Birthday
Elena’s birthday is this coming Saturday, 21st December. She has invited anyone who would like to join to come to the UN Irish Pub at 6 p.m.
Christmas Gifts for Children
at Youth Charity Foundation
This year we will once again give the 50 children from the Youth Charity Foundation a Christmas present from All Saints. If we spend 150 THB on each child, that will cost 7,500 THB and we would also like to give something to the adults who work at the homes.
If you would like to contribute to this project, please put money in the red box at the back of the church or give to Trustees Bill Moeller or Chris Tananone, or our treasurer, Don Williams. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
We plan to deliver the gifts on Saturday December 28. Let Bill or Chris know if you would be interested in joining this event (which will include food provided by the YCF).
Christmas cards
Another way to support the children of the Youth Charity Foundation is to purchase their beautiful handmade Christmas cards. They are 40 THB each. Take as many as you want and put the money in the box next to the cards.
New Year Potluck and House Blessing!
William and Tarntip would like to invite everyone to their home on Monday 30th December for a New Year Potluck and House Blessing!
Tarntip writes:
We will start at 4 pm. onwards and have a full blast this year. Food, Live Music, Puppet Shadow, Children Talent Shows, Bowl Singing from Nepal. Also, there will be cooking demonstration as well. Everyone is welcome. For persons who wish to participate, please email me at purn.karunsiri@ gmail.com
William has had his operation following his motorbike accident and is on the mend!
New Year’s Eve
Everyone is invited to bring in the New Year at the Vicarage! We will begin at 8 p.m. and go into 2020 together! Please come if you can – more details to follow!
Gymkhana Lunch
Our weekly lunch at the Gymkhana Club will again be at midday, today (Thursday)! Please feel free to join us! This will not happen next week on Thursday 26th December as it will be Boxing Day!
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
All Saints' Chiang Mai 