From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai
Transgender Day of Remembrance – All is Prepared!
(My church email is not working! Please use iainbaxter.mail@gmail.com to contact me!)
Dear Friends,
Our annual Season of Remembrance concludes with the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
A few years ago I helped organise a vigil after a mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub. I was attacked on social media for organising the event: “Why for them and not other victims of violence?” was the accusation. I had no answer except to say that this event had particularly touched me personally, and if we organised a vigil for every group of victims in the world, we would hold one every day.
Every year several hundred trans people, mostly transwomen, and mostly transwomen of colour, are killed because of who they are. This number is small compared to the more than ten thousand innocent civilians killed in Gaza over the last month – this is greater than the number of civilians killed in Ukraine in nearly two years, and the population of Ukraine is twenty times larger. The daily death rate in Gaza is therefore 400 times that of the Ukraine conflict. We must not forget! We remember them in our prayers each week, and remembered them in our Remembrance Sunday service last week. But one death doesn’t cancel another, and we at All Saints have trans members and friends. We can remember and honour both.
In a slow dispersed ongoing-massacre trans people are killed, often in the most brutal way, because of their gender expression. Many are subject to extreme domestic violence and others are targeted by strangers. So at a time when trans women themselves, are often portrayed as a threat to society in the western media, we need to continue to stand in solidarity with this persecuted minority.
Of course, domestic violence is not limited to transwomen. Many women of all sorts are subjected to the most terrible treatment, and we remember them too.
The bible readings for the Transgender Day of Remembrance will be Jeremiah 23:1-6, Galatians 3:23-29, and Matthew 25:14-30, and we will be singing the hymns Stand up stand up for Jesus; Lord, we make this cry for freedom; Beauty for Brokenness; and Let Us Build a House!
Use this link to join on Zoom this Sunday at 10:30 am
Meeting ID: 548 801 501
Highlights of Last Week’s Service
Highlights of last week’s Remembrance Sunday Service are available here!
And highlights of the Remembrance Day Observance are available here, curtesy of Steve Harrow.
Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil – at All Saints this Saturday!
The vigil will now take place at All Saints on the evening of Saturday 18th November. This will be a short ceremony in English and Thai with lighting of candles.
Transgender Day of Remembrance Service – this Sunday
The following morning, Sunday 19th November, we will mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance in our morning worship at All Saints!
All Saints Foundation Meeting this Sunday
There will be a meeting of the All Saints Foundation Board this Sunday at 1 pm. We now have a working bank account and there are decisions to be made about the relationship between ASF and the Church Council and handling of finances. Please pray for all at the meeting as we go forward together.
All Saints South Location
On Wednesday, Father Peter, Pastor Mark, and I looked at three possible locations for All Saints South. Our favourite one was near the Grand Canyon water park just off the Canal Road. Please pray that we find the right place.
Lunch Discussion this Sunday
A group to discuss the movie “Killers of the Flower Moon” will meet over lunch after church. Join us if you’ve seen the film and would like to talk!
The Best Christmas Choir Ever!
Our very own Paddy Davis plays a hapless pastor in this Christmas play! See Paddy for details and tickets!
Advanced Notice – Festival of Christmas Carols!
This is our wonderful annual Christmas event. Carol singing is led by the Lannacapella Choir and the All Saints Choristers, who will also perform their own pieces of Christmas music. Readings will be given by various Consuls and other local dignitaries.
Events for your Diary
Saturday 18th November 6:00 pm
Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil
Sunday 19th November 10:30 am
Transgender Day of Remembrance Service
Sunday 3rd December 10:30 am
Advent Sunday
Saturday 9th December 7:00 pm
Festival of Christmas Carols
Saturday 23rd December 6:00 pm
Christmas Worship in Thai
Sunday 24th December 11:30 pm
Midnight Mass
Monday 25th December 10:30 am
Christmas Morning Eucharist
(Followed by Christmas Lunch)
Tuesday 26th December 6:00 pm
Christmas meal & worship at YCF
Loi Krathong Celebration – Tuesday 28th November
Meet at the church at 6 p.m. to join the celebrations together.
Chili Night continues!
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! (There will be no Chili Night on 28th November due to Loi Krathong!)
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 