Monthly Archives: January 2020

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Celebrating Christ the Light of the World!

Dear Friends,

I believe this will be an exciting year at All Saints.  We have our message for the year:

     God love you, and God has a purpose for you!

We also have the four “con”s:

Construction, Consecration, Connection, and Compassion.  (I know compassion doesn’t begin with con but it was the best I could do!)  More will be revealed in due course!

Construction?

This week we mark the Feast of Candlemas as the Season of Epiphany draws to a close.  Candlemas recalls Jesus’ dedication at the Temple as an eight day old baby, when Simeon declares him to be

         ‘A light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to the people of Israel.’

We will be celebrating Jesus, the Light of the World, this Sunday!

Our readings this Sunday will be Malachi 3:1-5, Hebrews 2:14-18, and Luke 2:22-40, and we will be singing the hymns Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent, Give me Jesus, and Christ Be Our Light!

Past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!  This is a great place to catch up if you’ve been away!  Each sermon only lasts around 15 minutes.

Discussion Groups for the New Year

Mpho and Desmond Tutu

In previous years we have had very popular Lent Groups, but this year we would like to begin the groups earlier – and maybe continue longer!  We will begin by studying Desmond and Mpho Tutu’s book, The Book of Forgiving.  Copies will be available to purchase this Sunday.

The groups will be on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the Vicarage, and on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. at the Gymkhana Club (following lunch) and the first meetings will be on Tuesday 4th and Thursday 6th February.  Email if you need directions.  It would be very useful if you could let me know if you are interested so that I can make sure I get enough copies of the book!

All are welcome – I hope you can join us!

Gymkhana Lunch

Our weekly lunch at the Gymkhana Club will again be at midday on Thursday!  Please feel free to join us!

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

Hidden Growth!

POTLUCK LUNCH THIS SUNDAY!

Dear Friends,

Those of you who were at church last Sunday, or who look at the All Saints Facebook Page, will know that about a week ago one of my rabbits gave birth.  The first I knew about it was last Friday morning when I saw a nest full of five or six wriggling bodies in the compost heap behind my house.

We were shocked when we checked again on Friday evening to find them gone – seemingly buried alive!  After a quick Google search I found that rabbits do this – burying their young to keep them safe and then opening up the nest once or twice a day to feed them milk.

It wasn’t until Sunday lunchtime that we saw them again and found out that they weren’t dead but were safe and growing.  As I write this on Wednesday night, at least two babies are well and thriving and there may be others deeper in the nest which can’t be seen.

Mother and one of the babies (behind the leaf)

This made me think of All Saints, and of how spiritual growth is often something which is hard to see, but which may be going on below the surface, where only God knows whether it is thriving or struggling.  We have seen numerical growth at All Saints over the Christmas period, but only God knows what is in our hearts and souls.

This is going to be an exciting year at All Saints with many new possibilities ahead, but for us to proceed we need to be united in vision and love.  That is theme of our New Testament reading this week and will be the subject of my sermon also.

People of All Saints last Sunday

Our scripture readings this Sunday will be Isaiah 9:1-4,  1 Corinthians 1:10-18, and Matthew 4:12-23, and we will be singing the hymns All People that on Earth do Dwell, Bind Us together Lord, Blest Be the Tie That Binds, and Christ Be Our Light!  Past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Potluck Lunch – This Week!

Our next potluck will be this Sunday!  Please bring food to share!

Discussion Groups for the New Year

In previous years we have had very popular Lent Groups, but this year we would like to begin the groups earlier – and maybe continue longer!

We are thinking of one group being held on Tuesday night at the vicarage, and another on Thursday afternoon following the lunch at the Gymkhana Club.  (Attendance at the lunch would not mandate attendance at the discussion group!)

Let me know if you are interested – and if you have any suggestion for a book/topic to study!

Gymkhana Lunch

Our weekly lunch at the Gymkhana Club will again be at midday on Thursday!  Please feel free to join us!

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

Last Sunday at All Saints!

Dear Friends,

We are called to be a thankful people!  This Sunday our New Testament is the opening of St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, where he gives thanks for the Christian believers in the church there.

We at All Saints have much to be thankful for, and I want to give thanks for the wonderful congregation we have and for how much support and love I have felt over the last seven years!  This should be an exciting year ahead at All Saints, and we need to be ever thankful to God for God’s love, and for one another!

Our readings this Sunday will be Isaiah 49:1-6, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, and John 1:29-42, and we will be singing the hymns Praise my Soul the King of Heaven, Be Still for the Presence of the Lord, Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart, and Tell Out My Soul!  Past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Potluck Lunch

Our next potluck will be on Sunday 26th January.  Please bring food to share!

Trustees Meeting

We had a good Trustees Meeting last night in which we discussed possibilities for a new building and other important issues.  More news will be coming soon!

Discussion Groups for the New Year

In previous years we have had very popular Lent Groups, but this year we would like to begin the groups earlier – and maybe continue longer!  We are thinking of one group being held on Tuesday night at the vicarage, and another on Thursday afternoon following the lunch at the Gymkhana Club.  (Attendance at the lunch would not mandate attendance at the discussion group!)

Let me know if you are interested – and if you have any suggestion for a book/topic to study!

Gymkhana Lunch

After the frantic activities of Christmas, things will slow down a little at All Saints, but our weekly lunch at the Gymkhana Club will again be at midday, Thursday!  Please feel free to join us!

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

Blessed in he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Dear Friends,

Who is Jesus?  This Sunday we celebrate the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan.  But who is he?  What does that mean to us today?  How does it change who we are, what we think, how we act?  This will be the theme this week at All Saints, Chiang Mai!

Our readings this Sunday will be Isaiah 42:1-9, Acts 10:34-43, and Matthew 3:13-17, and we will be singing the hymns Let All the World in Every Corner Sing, On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry, In Christ alone my hope is Found, and Christ is made the Sure Foundation!  Past services and sermons can be viewed via the All Saints audio-visual page!

Gymkhana Lunch

After the frantic activities of Christmas, things will slow down a little at All Saints, but our weekly lunch at the Gymkhana Club will again be at midday, today (Thursday)!  Please feel free to join us!

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