From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai
Whose land is it anyway?
(My church email is not working! Please use iainbaxter.mail@gmail.com to contact me!)
Dear Friends,
Last week, I wrote of a conversation between a foreigner and a Thai. The foreigner was complaining that it was ridiculous that they couldn’t buy a house in Thailand. The Thai responded that the clue is in the name: “It’s called Thailand,” she said, “not Foreignland. Land can only belong to Thais!”
Nobody disputes that Thailand belongs to the Thais, but as we have seen in horrendous scenes on our TV screens this week, the ownership of the Holy Land is very much contested. The war between the Israeli state and Gaza enclave has already seen the deaths of thousands of innocent men, women, and children, as well as men on both sides fighting for “their country”.
Let us continue to hold the situation in our prayers, praying for peace and justice for all.
The readings for this Sunday will be from Isaiah 25:1, 4, 6, 9, Philippians 4:1-9, and Matthew 22:1-14, and we will be singing the hymns The God of Abraham Praise; What a Friend We Have in Jesus; Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart; and Thine Be the Glory!
Use this link to join on Zoom this Sunday at 10:30 am
Meeting ID: 548 801 501
Last Week’s Sermon
Last week’s sermon, “Write no one Off!”, is available here!
Baptisms and Confirmations
Do you want to be baptised or confirmed? We may be offering the opportunity at our All Saints Day Celebration on Sunday 5th November! (This has moved from the previous week so some baptismal candidates can attend.) Alternatively, we are also planning to again hold baptisms and confirmations on Easter Sunday next year!
If you are interested, let me know!
Planetarium Visit – Friday!
On Friday 13th October we plan to visit the planetarium located at the NARIT Astropark Observatory. We meet at 10.30am, tickets cost 30B/child and 50B/adult. The show is in English, starts at 11am and lasts 1 hour. Directions to the NARIT Astropark Observatory can be found here!
Church Pool Day – this Saturday!
The Centre of the Universe Pool
On Saturday 14th October, we will go to the Centre of the Universe Pool for the day. The cost to use the pool is THB 100 per person. Meet at the pool at midday. We will buy lunch at the pool where most dishes are around THB 100. Later we will share a barbecue at the vicarage, which is nearby.
There will be a sign-up sheet at church this Sunday. Paddy and Adam are sorting the food for the barbecue and we will divide the cost between those attending.
Directions to the Centre of the Universe can be found here!
What do I do?
Hosting a Potluck
Someone asked me what I did with my time apart from the hour in church on Sunday. Well, here’s the second part of outline of my week. You can read the first part in last week’s email here!
Tuesday is my most consistent day in that each week it follows the same pattern. Then on Wednesday I have to complete the weekly church email which goes out on Thursday morning. The hymns and readings for the following Sunday and the video of the previous Sunday must already be chosen or edited, as links need to be included in Thursday’s message. On Thursday afternoon, mum and I go to BigC and Macro to buy supplies for Chili Night.
The other weekly fixed events are the Sunday service and Friday night choir practice at YCF, and most weeks we try to have a clergy meeting where Mark, Peter, Gene, Christa, and I meet up. The clergy meeting is a very moveable feast depending on who is in town and who is available.
I also usually reserve Saturday morning for the actual writing down of my sermon if I am preaching that week. This will be more frequent again when All Saints South is established.
The rest of my time varies from week to week. There are always visits or phone calls to be made or encouraging emails to be written.
Recently, a lot of my time has been taken up with the three levels of administration of All Saints: the All Saints Church Council, the All Saints Chiang Mai Mission UK charity, and the new All Saints Foundation here in Thailand. The Church Council is now well established and we have our constitution and different policies in place so that is largely taking care of itself.
ASCMM, on the other hand, is now in the process of codifying its policies and procedures and so that is currently taking up more time. For example, ASCMM is a major funder of the Youth Charity Foundation, and as part of its remit it has requested a review of the YCF safeguarding policy. This has been completed by Peter and we have met with YCF staff several times to agree the new procedures and regulations.
The All Saints Foundation is also keeping me busy and board members Khun Tasnee, Kaew, and Knot, and I are trying to open a foundation bank account. This is a Thai government requirement as well as a practical necessity. We have already spent four afternoons in the Kasikorn Bank at Central Festival, and will hopefully complete the process on a fifth visit next week! Knot has been back and forwards to the tax office, and our lawyer will be back at the ampur office to correct a document next Monday!
(I began asking myself if all this bureaucracy was really worthwhile, as it takes the time of fourteen lay people in addition to the All Saints clergy, but as well as providing important supervision and accountability, it should in the future enable us to raise more money to support the work of All Saints.)
I have also recently being spending time building relationships with the clergy of St George’s, Pattaya, and St Paul’s, Bangkok, and keeping in touch with Archbishop Ron.
Outside the church, I try to join the Chiang Mai Walk and Talk hiking group at least once a month so that I have contacts with people in the wider community too!
I love my work and, although I would like to cut down on some of the computer work, I feel immensely privileged to be able to serve the people of All Saints and Chiang Mai fulltime.
All Saints Foundation Banking
This is still ongoing – it is proving very complex! Thanks again to Tasnee and Knot from YCF, and our organist, Kaew, for all their hard work!
Church Council Meeting
We will hold our monthly meeting after church this Sunday.
Events for your Diary
October 13th – tomorrow!
Planetarium Visit
October 14th – this Saturday!
Church Pool Day
November 5th
All Saints Day Celebration and Potluck
November 12th
Remembrance Sunday
November 18th
Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil
November 19th
Transgender Day of Remembrance Service
December 3rd
Advent Sunday
December 9th
Festival of Christmas Carols
Chili Night continues!
This week’s Chili Night turned in to a costume party!
Chili Night continues at the usual time of 6 p.m. Come and join us at the vicarage on Tuesday as we share chili followed by ice cream!
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate in person or online. Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together. God has shown that he is mighty and we are in his hands!
God bless,
Father Iain
All Saints' Chiang Mai 