Hosanna!

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Last Week’s Worship!

Dear Friends,

Last year we paraded into church singing Hosanna and waving palm branches.  This year we will be waving our palm branches alone in our homes!

I hope you can join us this Sunday!  This is the link to this week’s “meeting”.  Just click here before the service on Sunday to join.

Those crowds shouting hosanna would now be forbidden by rules on social distancing.  The Passover week festivities would have been cancelled and the Temple and synagogues closed.  Jesus would have been able to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, but only if his journey was “strictly necessary!”

Last Year’s Palm Sunday Service!

These are strange and unprecedented times.  Even in World War I and II the churches remained open and people were able to celebrate the Christian feast together.

But… God is with us!  And we can count our blessings.  We may be confined to our homes, but we have homes, and we have food to eat and beds to sleep in, and friends to talk to – even if it is remotely!

Yesterday we had our All Saints Trustees Meeting via Zoom, and we have decided to continue paying our organist and cleaner in full during this time – they need our continuing support.

The trustees also agreed to send THB 15,000 to Bishop Henry of the Anglican Church of India, with whom we are developing links.  He is stuck in the US, but he and his wife has been buying food for the destitute in their congregation using their credit cards!  Things will be hard for people in Thailand, but they will be catastrophic for many in India!

Bishop Henry in the slums in Delhi

Hopefully, the children of the Youth Charity Foundation will again join us in our worship this week, and we will see how we can help them also!

YCF Kids Last Week

Which brings me to my next point.  Although we are not meeting together face-to-face, the expenses of All Saints remain – indeed, they may increase as we seek to support those in need!

Although there is no basket being passed around in our service, you can still give your offering.  People in Thailand can transfer directly to the church bank account.  (Which is in my name, but managed by our treasurer, Don Williams.)

The details are:

Account Name: Iain Girvin Baxter
Bank: Krungsri Bank
Account Number: 7181-05586-5
SWIFT Code: AYUDTHBK

Those in the UK, or with UK banking, can donate via All Saints Chiang Mai Mission.  Their account details are:

Bank: Coop Bank
Account Name:  All Saints Chiang Mai Mission
Account Number: 65877142
Sort Code:  08-92-99

Alternatively, you can donate with PayPal or with any debit or credit card via the All Saints Website on the Donate Page.

Please email Don on dbjkwms@gmail.com  if you would like a receipt.

Meanwhile, let us worship God together and give thanks for all we do have!

The scripture readings for this Sunday will be Matthew 21:1-11, Philippians 2:5-11, and Matthew 27:11-54, and we will be singing the hymns Hosanna in the Highest, All Glory Laud and Honour, Hosanna Loud Hosanna, and Ride on Ride on in Majesty!  

I hope you can join us on Sunday!  This is the link to this week’s “meeting”.  Just click here before the service on Sunday to join.

(The meeting ID is 548 801 501 if you need it!)

The service will consist of our usual Eucharistic worship – and we will have some hymns this week!  All are welcome to join in the prayers and liturgy, to listen to the readings and sermon, and to receive virtual communion if they feel comfortable.

If you want to receive virtual communion then have a small piece of bread and a small glass of wine or grape juice prepared.  Whether “virtual communion” is effective is something for a theological discussion, but I am sure that God will bless our actions at this time if we act in a loving and reverent manner.

The words of the bulletin are pasted below at the end of this email, or you can download them as a pdf to view or print from this link, so that you can read and join in the liturgy if you wish.

Easter Services for 2020

Good Friday last year!

Easter Sunday last year

We will not be able to meet together in person – but we can still worship together.

We will have a Tenabrae Service on Good Friday, 10th April, and our Easter Sunday Eucharist on Easter Day, 12th April!  Both services will begin at 6 p.m.  The services will be on Zoom and we hope they can also be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube!

Keeping in Touch

At this time of isolation it is important that we keep in touch with each other.  We have an All Saints church directory with a list of many people’s phone numbers, so if you would like a copy please email me, on iain@AllSaintsChiangMai.com and I will send it to you.

Please feel free to share this email.  People may be feeling especially alone and vulnerable at this time.  Let them know that we are there for them and that God is with us!

God bless,

Father Iain

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you
And also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.

The Gospel Reading: Matthew 21:1-11

This is the Gospel of the Lord.  Praise to you, O Christ.

Let us go forth, praising Jesus our Messiah.

Hymn: Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest!
Youth Charity Foundation

The Greeting

The Lord be with you! And also with you!

Words of welcome

Hymn:  All Glory, Laud and Honour

Prayer of Preparation

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Prayers of Penitence

Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly, love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.  Amen.

The Collect

Psalm 31

Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in trouble;
my eye is consumed with sorrow,
my soul and my body also.
For my life is wasted with grief,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails me because of my affliction,
and my bones are consumed.

  I have become a reproach to all my enemies
and even to my neighbours,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
when they see me in the street they flee from me.

  I am forgotten like one that is dead, out of mind;
I have become like a broken vessel.
For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;
fear is on every side;
they scheme together against me,
and plot to take my life.

  But my trust is in you, O Lord.
I have said, ‘You are my God.
‘My times are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.
‘Make your face to shine upon your servant,
and save me for your mercy’s sake.’

New Testament Reading: Philippians 2:5-11

This is the word of the Lord.   Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Christ humbled himself
and became obedient unto death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him
and given him the name that is above every name.

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.

The Gospel Reading: Matthew 27:11-54

This is the Gospel of the Lord.  Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

The Creed

We trust in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We trust in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven, 
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit
and the Virgin Mary
and was made man. 

For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.   
On the third day he rose again 
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead, 
and his kingdom will have no end.   

We trust in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son, 
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,    
who has spoken through the prophets. 

We trust in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. 
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.          
We look for the resurrection of the dead,   
and the life of the world to come. 

Hymn:  Hosanna, Loud Hosanna     

Prayers of Intercession

Response:      Lord, give us grace this Holy Week
to follow in your Son’s path
from death to resurrection,
from darkness to light:
                        In your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord, whose son rode through the streets
to a triumphant welcome,

We welcome you today into our hearts.
We ask you to enter our Church,
permeating every hidden corner,
so that we in turn may proclaim
your name to the whole world. Amen.

The Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you!
And also with you!

Peace be with you Name.  Peace to All!

Offering and Preparation of the Table

The Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord is here.
God’s Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks
to the Lord our God.
It is right to give
thanks and praise.

… for ever praising you and saying:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the Highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the Highest.
….

Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.
….

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, 
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.   Amen.

Breaking of the Bread

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.

Giving of Communion

Jesus is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world.
Blessed are those who are called to his supper.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed. 
Most merciful Lord,
your love compels us to come in. 
Our hands were unclean,
our hearts were unprepared;
we were not fit even to eat the crumbs
from under your table.

But you, Lord, are the God of our salvation,
and share your bread with sinners. 
So cleanse and feed us
with the precious body and blood of your Son,
that he may live in us and we in him;
and that we, with the whole company of Christ,
may sit and eat in your kingdom.
Amen.

We share in the Body and Blood of Christ

Prayer after Communion

Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself
in taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross
for our salvation:
give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

Hymn:             Ride On! Ride On in Majesty!

May the Father, who so loved the world
that he gave his only Son,
bring you by faith to his eternal life.   Amen.

May Christ, who accepted the cup of sacrifice
in obedience to the Father’s will,
keep you steadfast as you walk
with him the way of his cross.   Amen.

May the Spirit, who strengthens us
to suffer with Christ
that we may share his glory,
set your minds on life and peace.  Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ.  Amen.