Remembrance!

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Ready for Transgender Day of Remembrance Sunday on 23rd November

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Dear Friends,

 At All Saints, November is our Season of Remembrance!

It began with All Saints Day when we remembered and gave thanks for Christians who have gone before us.  This was followed by Remembrance Sunday on 9th November and Remembrance Day on 11th November, when we remembered all the victims of war.

We will hold a vigil for the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Thursday 20th November, and also mark the event on Sunday 23rd with a special service.

This is the twelfth year that All Saints has observed the Transgender Day of Remembrance, but this year it’s different.  Countries which were previously safe for trans people are becoming increasingly hostile.  This is particularly true of the United States where government officials have labeled trans people as both “mentally ill” and “domestic terrorists”.

In the US, access to trans-affirming healthcare, particularly for minors, is being severely curtailed, and the federal government is attempting to subpoena medical records of trans children.  It is possible that in the near future attempts may be made to prosecute parents of trans children for “child abuse” and take the children into care.  State by state, laws are being introduced to deny the use of appropriate bathrooms and even ban the discussion of transgender issues in educational institutions or the use of preferred names and pronouns.   Trans members of the US military have already lost their jobs, and employment may become increasingly difficult in other situations.  Attacks on transgender individuals are increasing. 

The UK is also becoming an increasingly hostile environment for trans people with a countrywide ban on trans people accessing single-sex spaces appropriate to their gender, including bathrooms, changing rooms, and refuges.  There is a total ban on gender-affirming care for minors and moves to ban the use of preferred names and pronouns in schools.  Other formerly safe countries are seeing similar restrictions imposed.  

Within this region, large numbers of Chinese trans people have also sought safety in Thailand. Thailand is quickly becoming a haven for trans and LGBTQ people. 

In response to all this, six months ago All Saints began the transACTIONrefuge program.  This is a project involving All Saints members and others which seeks to assist trans people and families to relocate to Thailand.  In addition to practical assistance we provide a welcoming and affirming community for those forced to flee. We have already helped several families and individuals to successfully relocate here and are in touch with many more who are considering moving.  We are expecting several more families and individuals to arrive soon.  We plan to provide practical but also psycho-social support.

That is why, in addition to our regular Sunday service, we are this year holding a candle-lit vigil at the vicarage on Thursday 20th November, the Transgender Day of Remembrance itself.  Please join us if you can to show your support and solidarity.  We are hoping to be joined by a number of Thai organisations also.  (See below for details!)

It is good to remember, and give thanks, but this must spur us on to create change so that war and injustice can cease, and finally these remembrances become remembrances of the distant past!

The bible readings for this Sunday will be Job 19:23-27, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, and Luke 20:27-38, and we will be singing the hymns Praise my Soul the King of Heaven; Lord Jesus Christ (Living Lord); I am the Bread of Life; and Tell Out My Soul!

YouTube Live

We now use YouTube Live to livestream our service.  

To watch our service live this Sunday please follow these steps:

1)  Click on the link below, and this will take you to the All Saints Chiang Mai YouTube channel. 
2)  Then click on “All Saints Chiang Mai is Live” to watch the service
Use this link to join our Sunday service on YouTube Live!

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Last Week’s Service!

Video of last Sunday’s Remembrance Sunday service is available on the All Saints YouTube channel! 

Remembrance Day

On Tuesday 11th, I lead the Remembrance Day Observance at the Foreign Cemetery.  A large crowd gathered including a record ten different schools.

Officiating the Ceremony

Mark Crawford and David Cartwright with All Saint’s Wreath

The wreaths from Consulates, Schools, and other Organisations

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Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil and Service

This vigil will take place on the evening of Thursday 20th November.   In the Vicarage Garden at 7p.m.  Join us if you can!

Then on Sunday 23rd November, we will mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance in our morning worship at All Saints!

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Events Coming Up – November / December

Thursday 20th November                 
Transgender Day of Remembrance
                     At the Vicarage at 7 p.m.

Sunday 23rd November                
Transgender Day of Remembrance Service

Wednesday 26th November                
Deck the Halls at the Vicarage  3 pm

Sunday 30th November
Advent Sunday (Followed by Potluck)

Sunday 7th December
Second Sunday of Advent

Sunday 14th December
Third Sunday of Advent

Saturday 20th December
Festival of Christmas Carols

Sunday 21st December
Fourth Sunday of Advent

Wednesday 24th December
Midnight Mass

Thursday 25th December
Christmas Day

Tuesday 30th December
Christmas at the Youth Charity Foundation

Wednesday 31st December
New Year’s Eve at the Vicarage

Chili Night 

Chili Night will return next week on Tuesday 18th November.

Weekly Offering to All Saints

You can still donate in person or online – and now you can use our QR code!.  Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together.  God has shown that God is mighty and we are in God’s hands!

God bless you,

Vicar Iain ^{_{(he/they/she)}}