From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai
Last Year’s Reflections on the Stations of the Cross
Dear Friends,
What are you going to give up for Lent? Chocolate? Facebook? Social Media? How about giving up striving, giving up stress, giving up worrying?
Jesus said:
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life?
Yes, we need to plan, yes, we need to make sensible provision – but even then the best laid plans of mice and men can come tumbling down! (Just read below about Mark and Christa’s situation to witness this!)
Trust is the key – if we trust God with our lives then we need not worry for we know that, ultimately, all is safe in God’s hands!
The readings for the First Sunday of Lent will be from Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7, Romans 5:12-17, and Matthew 4:1-11, and we will be singing the hymns When I Survey the Wondrous Cross; Forty Days and Forty Nights; Bless the Lord oh my Soul; and God is Love!
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!
Video of the Ash Wednesday Service
The video is available on the All Saints YouTube Channel
Help for Christa and Mark!
Please pray for Mark and Christa at this time! They left on Thursday!
Christa writes:
Mark and I must leave Thailand to apply for new ones — and unless we complete that process, we won’t be allowed to return.
But we cannot complete the process without your help.
Thailand has been our home for 25 years. For a quarter century, we’ve walked alongside children, women, and men finding freedom from trafficking, exploitation, and harm. There is still more work to do.
This is not an expulsion. It’s a deadline.
Our original visa pathway unexpectedly fell through at the last minute. Now, to obtain new visas, we must meet two significant financial requirements — both beyond what we can manage alone.
The first is a $50,000 capital requirement — and incredibly, that has already been provided without us asking. We are profoundly grateful.
The second is $10,000 to cover visa fees, international airfare, and basic living expenses while we remain outside Thailand during the 20-day processing period.
Without raising this $10,000 by Friday, we cannot complete the process — and we will not be allowed to return.
If you’re able to help, any amount moves us closer.
If giving isn’t possible, sharing this post expands the circle.
The tax-deductible donation link is in the comments. We’ll post updates as this unfolds.
Thank you for standing with us. Your prayers, encouragement, and generosity make it possible for us to remain where we are called to serve.
With love,
Christa
U.S. tax-deductible donation link:
https://hhmin.org/charities/christa-crawford/
International donation link:
https://www.spotfund.com/story
If you have a Thai bank account you can also donate via the All Saints bank account which is in my name, or give cash on Sunday. Email Adam, our treasurer, on adamsensamaust@gmail.com to designate your gift.
All Saints Chiang Mai Mission Meeting
All Saints Chiang Mai Mission is the UK charity which helps to channel international donations to All Saints and the Youth Charity Foundation. It also seeks to hold both organisations to account by ensuring that we adhere to international standards of governance and safeguarding. Our board consists of members and former members of All Saints and other interested friends.
We will have our regular meeting online this Saturday.
Please hold us in your prayers.
transACTIONrefuge Volunteer Orientation – This Saturday!
We have a Volunteer Orientation meeting this Saturday, 21st February, at the vicarage at 2 p.m.
Whether you have already volunteered to help new-comers to Chiang Mai, would like to do so, or just want to find out more, please come.
The meeting will explain what is needed and outline the do’s and don’t’s of helping. It will also be a chance to get to know other volunteers.
transACTIONrefuge Hike
Patrick is a Thai tour guide who loves to get people out in nature. He is also a great resource on local flora and fauna.
Details:
Saturday, February 28th
9:00 AM – meet to carpool to the hike here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/tLSCuKCpqSjhwTDX6
We will have 3 cars that can hold at least 10 hikers in addition to the drivers.
Please bring a sack lunch so we can picnic at the half way point.
Recommended items to bring:
• sunscreen/hat
• bug spray
• footwear with good grip
• plenty of water
Further details for this hike will emailed out next week.
Cost: 100 baht for National Park entrance for foreigners. If you can’t afford the cost please let us know. Several of our members have offered to sponsor anyone who could not otherwise participate.
Tuesday Chili Night—Returns Next Week!
Chili Night will return next week on Tuesday 24th at 6 p.m.
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)
All Saints' Chiang Mai 