Monthly Archives: November 2020

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

This is Advent Sunday!

POTLUCK THIS WEEK!
Dear Friends,
After this year of Covid, Advent is suddenly upon us.  Whether we’ve been trapped in Thailand or trapped outside, it has certainly been a unique year!  I left Thailand in Lent, expecting to be away for around six weeks, but here I still am!

But Christmas is coming – and above all Christmas is a time for hope.  It is a time when we see the light of Christ shining in the darkness.  It is a time when we have good news to share with all the world.

So, let us prepare our hearts as we enter the season of Advent.  Come, Lord Jesus!
 Our scripture readings for Advent Sunday will be Isaiah 2:1-5, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, and Mark 13:24-37, and our hymns will be O Come, O come Emmanuel and Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus!

Last week’s service for the Transgender Day of Remembrance can be viewed here!

The Advent and Christmas Season

Advent Sunday

Celebrations for Advent and Christmas begin this Sunday, 29th November, when we will mark Advent Sunday.  This will be followed by decorating the church for Christmas and a potluck lunch.

Thammapratheep Christmas Bazaar

We will join with Thammapratheep Church on 5th December from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. for their Christmas Bazaar.  There will be Christmas decorations, food, desserts, secondhand items, cards, etc. for sale.  Clarice will be selling her jams and chutneys, and the Youth Charity Foundation will be selling their cards.

Festival of Christmas Carols

On Saturday 19th December we will hold our Festival of Christmas Carols at Thammapratheep Church.  We will be led by Lannacapella and some of the children from the Youth Charity Foundation. 

The service begins at 7 p.m.

You can print tickets and posters by clicking on the links!

Thammapratheep Christmas Eve Service

There will be a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Thammapratheep Church on December 24th beginning at 7.30 pm. It usually lasts for around one and a half hours.

Refreshments will be served after the service for everybody. All Saints people are invited to participate and there will be English translation throughout the service.

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass

On Christmas Eve, Thursday 24th December, we will have our Midnight Mass beginning at 11:30 p.m.  This is always a beautiful, peaceful service, and usually attended by a lot of visitors.  It is a wonderful way to begin Christmas.

Christmas Day Eucharist

On Christmas Day we will have our Morning Worship at 11 a.m. followed by lunch!  Please join us if you can!  More information to follow! 
All Saints’ Wednesday Lunch

The Wednesday Lunch
This is a weekly event!  Why not join next week?  (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)  We will be meeting at the Gymkhana Club at midday every Wednesday!

Meanwhile, prayers and blessings to all!  Rejoice in the Lord – for God is good!

God bless,

Father Iain

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Transgender Day of Remembrance – this Sunday!
Dear Friends,
A few years ago I helped organise a vigil for those killed in the Orlando Nightclub shooting, working alongside MPlus and the American Consulate in Chiang Mai.  I was rather shocked to be attacked for doing so.  “Why a vigil for them, and not all the other people in the world who are the victims of violence?” was the cry.

The same could be said about the Transgender Day of Remembrance.  Every year hundreds of thousands of women are victims of domestic violence, why only remember the trans women?

It is a good point, but as I said in reply to the first case, if we held a vigil for every person, or group, subject to violence or injustice, we would be holding one every night of the year.

Trans people, in many countries, are a particularly despised and marginalised group.  In Thailand they may usually be in a better situation, although they still have no specific legal rights, but in many countries coming out as trans can mean death and/or a decent into the twilight world of sex-work and people trafficking!

Over the years, All Saints has forged links with trans and LGBT groups in Chiang Mai and further afield, and we have trans people in our congregation.  It is therefore right that we set apart one day a year to say that “we stand with you”.

This Sunday we will again be joined by people from MPlus and the Young Pride Club, Lee will share their testimony, and Christa will preach.

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be Ezekiel 34:11-16, Galatians 3:23-29, and Matthew 25:31-40, and our hymns will be Stand up stand up for Jesus, Lord we make this cry for freedom, Beauty for Brokenness, and Let Us Build a House!

Last week’s service can be viewed here!

Values Statement

We are now developing our Values Statement.  Our current draft is below.  Please let me have your feedback – it needs to be a statement of all our values!

Values Statement

All Saints Chiang Mai is first and foremost

Loving – We love God and our neighbors (all of them)

we express this love by 

Worshipping  – We Encounter God through the sacraments

Affirming – We value and accept people as they are

Connecting – We delight in relationships and fellowship

Growing – We seek individual and corporate growth in myriad dimensions

Being Compassionate – We stand alongside people in their struggles

Serving – We care for those in need

Being Healthy – We relate in an open and transparent manner

Peace-making – We proactively practice peace and reconciliation with all    

Let me know what you think!

The Advent and Christmas Season

Advent Sunday

Celebrations for Advent and Christmas begin on 29th November when we will mark Advent Sunday.  This will be followed by decorating the church for Christmas and a potluck lunch.

Thammapratheep Christmas Bazaar

We will join with Thammapratheep Church on 5th December from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. for their Christmas Bazaar.  There will be Christmas decorations, food, desserts, secondhand items, cards, etc. for sale.  Clarice will be selling her jams and chutneys, and the Youth Charity Foundation will be selling their cards.

Festival of Christmas Carols

On Saturday 19th December we will hold our Festival of Christmas Carols at Thammapratheep Church.  We will be led by Lannacapella and some of the children from the Youth Charity Foundation. 

The service begins at 7 p.m.

You can print tickets and posters by clicking on the links!

Thammapratheep Christmas Eve Service

There will be a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Thammapratheep Church on December 24th beginning at 7.30 pm. It usually lasts for around one and a half hours.

Refreshments will be served after the service for everybody. All Saints people are invited to participate and there will be English translation throughout the service.

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass

On Christmas Eve, Thursday 24th December, we will have our Midnight Mass beginning at 11:30 p.m.  This is always a beautiful, peaceful service, and usually attended by a lot of visitors.  It is a wonderful way to begin Christmas.

Christmas Day Eucharist

On Christmas Day we will have our Morning Worship at 11 a.m. followed by lunch!  Please join us if you can!  More information to follow! 
All Saints’ Wednesday Lunch

The Wednesday Lunch
This is a weekly event!  The lunch resumed this week!  Why not join next week?  (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)  We will be meeting at the Gymkhana Club at midday every Wednesday!

My News

God willing, I shall return to Thailand on Saturday 9th January.  My flight and quarantine hotel are booked and my Certificate of Entry is processed.

I just need my Covid test and fit to fly certificate and then I will be ready to go!

I should be back in Chiang Mai on 24th January!

Meanwhile, prayers and blessings to all!  Rejoice in the Lord – for God is good!

God bless,

Father Iain

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Amy Coney Barrett

Dear Friends,
Earlier this month, Amy Coney Barrett replaced Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the US Supreme Court. The appointment was not without controversy, but nobody argued against the suitability of a woman sitting on the highest court of the land.

But, women judges are nothing new.  In this week’s Old Testament passage we read of “Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, who was judging Israel.” Their idea of a judge was not quite like our idea of a judge, Deborah was more of a Commander-in-Chief than a legal expert, but she was in control, a leader of Israel.  Find out more, this Sunday at All Saints!

Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be Judges 4:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, and Matthew 25:14-30, and our hymns will be When Morning Gilds the Skies, Will you come and Follow Me, Be Still for the Presence of the Lord, and I the Lord of Sea and Sky!

Last week’s Remembrance Sunday service can be viewed here!

Lots of things are coming up in November and December, so please read below!

November Services

Last Sunday we marked Remembrance Sunday, when we remembered those killed in war.  Thanks to David Cartwright for providing the wreath, and to all who took part.  Special thanks to our Mennonite members, Arthur, Phyllis, Rebecca, and Blaine, who led our reflections on the need to work for peace.

David, Mark, Olive, and Clarice
And then next week, on Sunday November 22nd, we will be joined by people from MPlus and the Young Pride Club to mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance, when we remember the hundreds of Trans people from around the world who were killed in 2020.

Both services signify how we reach out in our concerns to those beyond the walls of All Saints.

The Christmas Season

Advent Sunday

Celebrations for Advent and Christmas begin on 29th November when we will mark Advent Sunday.  This will be followed by decorating the church for Christmas and a potluck lunch.

Thammapratheep Christmas Bazaar

We will join with Thammapratheep Church on 5th December from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. for their Christmas Bazaar.  There will be Christmas decorations, food, desserts, secondhand items, cards, etc. for sale.  Clarice will be selling her jams and chutneys, and the Youth Charity Foundation will be selling their cards.

Festival of Christmas Carols

On Saturday 19th December we will hold our Festival of Christmas Carols at Thammapratheep Church.  We will be led by Lannacapella and some of the children from the Youth Charity Foundation. 

The service begins at 7 p.m.

Thammapratheep Christmas Eve Service

There will be a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Thammapratheep Church on December 24th beginning at 7.30 pm. It usually lasts for around one and a half hours.

Refreshments will be served after the service for everybody. All Saints people are invited to participate and there will be English translation throughout the service.

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass

On Christmas Eve, Thursday 24th December, we will have our Midnight Mass beginning at 11:30 p.m.  This is always a beautiful, peaceful service, and usually attended by a lot of visitors.  It is a wonderful way to begin Christmas.

Christmas Day Eucharist

On Christmas Day we will have our Morning Worship followed by lunch!  Please join us if you can!  More information to follow!

All Saints Mission Statement

After feedback from the congregation our Mission Statement was chosen by almost 80% of the congregation. It is:

All Saints is an inclusive, Christ-centred, liturgical community for all people!

We continue to work on developing a statement of our values, and our vision statement.  There will be more about this on Sunday and in next week’s email.

Remembrance Day

Yesterday was 11th November – Remembrance Day.  A small group from All Saints attended the ceremony at the Foreign Cemetery and laid our wreath on the war memorial.

All Saints’ Wednesday Lunch

The Wednesday Lunch last week
This is a weekly event!  No lunch yesterday due to Remembrance Day, but it will resume next week!  Why not join next week?  (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)  We will be meeting at the Gymkhana Club at midday every Wednesday!

My News

I now have a new Thai visa!

Now I can apply for a Certificate of Entry and then I can return!  Please pray that this will be successful. 

I hope to be back in January. 

Meanwhile, prayers and blessings to all!  Rejoice in the Lord – for God is good!

God bless,

Father Iain

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,
This Sunday is Remembrance Sunday when we remember victims of war throughout the world. War is always a failure – a failure of diplomacy, a failure of negotiations, politics, and statecraft.  Sometimes it may seem inevitable but it always means lives lost, health destroyed, the creation of orphans and widows and hope destroyed. That is why Isaiah’s vision of the last days includes the line:

  Nation will not take up sword against nation,
  nor will they train for war anymore.

That is the Christian hope for the future, a future of peace and justice for all. Our world, right now, is not how we would want it to be, but we have a hope, a hope based in God revealed to us in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Our scripture readings for Remembrance Sunday will be Isaiah 2:3-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and Matthew 25:1-13, and our hymns will be O God our help in Ages Past, Abide with Me, Will Your Anchor Hold, and The Day Thou gavest Lord is Ended!

Last week’s All Saints Day service can be viewed here!

Lots of things are coming up in November and December, so please read below!

November Services

This Sunday we will mark Remembrance Sunday, when we remember those killed in war.  We will also join the wider Chiang Mai community on November 11th at the Foreign Cemetery to mark Remembrance Day.

Then on November 22nd we will be joined by people from MPlus and the Young Pride Club to mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance, when we remember the hundreds of Trans people from around the world who were killed in 2020.

Both services signify how we reach out in our concerns to those beyond the walls of All Saints.

The Christmas Season

Advent Sunday

Celebrations for Advent and Christmas begin on 29th November when we will mark Advent Sunday.  This will be followed by decorating the church for Christmas and a potluck lunch.

Thammapratheep Christmas Bazaar

We will join with Thammapratheep Church on 5th December from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. for their Christmas Bazaar.  There will be Christmas decorations, food, desserts, secondhand items, cards, etc. for sale.  Clarice will be selling her jams and chutneys, and the Youth Charity Foundation will be selling their cards.

Festival of Christmas Carols

On Saturday 19th December we will hold our Festival of Christmas Carols at Thammapratheep Church.  We will be led by Lannacapella and some of the children from the Youth Charity Foundation. 

The service begins at 7 p.m.

Thammapratheep Christmas Eve Service

There will be a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Thammapratheep Church on December 24th beginning at 7.30 pm. It usually lasts for around one and a half hours.

Refreshments will be served after the service for everybody. All Saints people are invited to participate and there will be English translation throughout the service.

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass

On Christmas Eve, Thursday 24th December, we will have our Midnight Mass beginning at 11:30 p.m.  This is always a beautiful, peaceful service, and usually attended by a lot of visitors.  It is a wonderful way to begin Christmas.

Christmas Day Eucharist

On Christmas Day we will have our Morning Worship at 10 a.m. followed by lunch!  Please join us if you can!  More information to follow!

All Saints Mission Statement

Last week, Mark Crawford, Chris Tananone, Tarntip Aldis, and I, met to begin developing our Mission Statement.  We will meet again next week to develop our Vision Statement.  Both processes depend on your feedback – both from the survey which was taken over the last two weeks and from individual conversations.

Chris suggested that our Mission Statement should be based on the words which appear on our bulletins and website: An inclusive, liturgical community for all people!

The three suggestions are:

All Saints is an inclusive, liturgical community for all people!

All Saints is an inclusive, Christ-centred, liturgical community for all people!

All Saints is an inclusive, God-centred, liturgical community for all people!

Which do you prefer?  Share your choice with Mark, Chris, Tarntip, or me!  We want to decide this together!  There is still time to give your feedback.

All Saints’ Wednesday Lunch

The Wednesday Lunch last week

This is a weekly event!  Yesterday, a group from All Saints again gathered for lunch!  Why not join next week?  (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)  We will be meeting at the Gymkhana Club at midday every Wednesday!

My News

My visa application is now in the mail!!!

Please pray that this will be successful.  Once I have my visa I can apply for a Certificate of Entry and then I can return!

I hope to be back in January.  Until then I am continuing to work for All Saints: maintaining the website and Facebook page, writing the weekly emails, producing the bulletins, posters, and other publicity, choosing the hymns, and working with Mark and the Trustees to keep things going and plan our programmes, and, of course, praying for you all!

I am also helping out at my mum’s church, Carterknowle Methodist, and preaching there three times each month.  They have a huge building, but fewer people than All Saints, and would value your prayers too, as they don’t currently have a minister.

The UK has now entered lockdown again, so worship in the UK will be virtual for at least  the next four weeks.  Please pray for us!

Click here to watch me leading and preaching last Sunday!

So, whether you are worshipping face-to-face or watching online we will all worship God together and give thanks for all of God’s many blessings!

God bless,

Father Iain