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From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Christmas Day at All Saints
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Dear Friends,

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What a wonderful Christmas!  We had around seventy people at our Christmas Morning Eucharist, and good numbers for our Christmas Eve morning service, and for Midnight Mass!  You can watch the video of the Christmas Morning Eucharist here!
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Sharing Communion on Christmas Morning

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Then following the Christmas service, forty people joined us for Christmas lunch, with the best turkeys in Chiang Mai!  Thanks to the Chase family and all the others who organised and brought the food!
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Preparing for Lunch!

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Getting Ready to Eat Together!
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Turkey Main Course and Christmas Pudding Desserts!

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This Week’s Worship
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We continue our Christmas celebrations this New Year’s Eve as we meet for our usual Sunday Worship at 11a.m.
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Our readings will be Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Galatians 4:4-7, and Luke 2:22-40, and we will be singing O Come All Ye Faithful, Angels We have Heard on High, Cradled in a Manger Meanly, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silent Night, Good Christian Friends Rejoice, and Joy to the World!  The readings can be found via this link !

New Year’s Eve Party
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Thank you again to all those who assisted in moving me into my new house.  Particularly Ken, Emily, Pamela, Pat, Julia, Richard, Jufil, Gene, Kong, Rachapol, Arianna, Chris, and Warren, and thanks to all the others who also offered their services!
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Everyone at All Saints is invited to a house-warming/New Year’s Eve Party at my new house on New Year’s Eve, beginning at 8 pm.  Just drinks and nibbles, so eat first!
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If you don’t know the way to All Saints, directions can be found on the Where and When page.  Most people get to hear about us via the internet or by word of mouth, so please feel free to pass on this email to others.  All are welcome to join us as we share the presence of the Christ of Christmas in our lives!  We hope to see you soon and that you will enjoy worshiping with us, meanwhile, have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!

God bless,

Iain

From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Midnight Mass at All Saints

Dear Friends,

God willing, I will be back in Chiang Mai this Thursday.  When I left on 19th November I did not expect to be away for over a month, nor did I expect to lose my father and be returning to Thailand with my mum.  But God has been with us all through this difficult time.  Although we did not expect to lose my dad anything like so soon – his parents lived into their nineties – I feel it was God’s timing and he would soon have been very ill and unhappy.  If any of you would like to see the funeral and celebration of his life it can be viewed via this link.

I cannot express my thanks enough to all the support you have shown me over the last month.  All Saints has gone from strength to strength in my absence, and it shows what a great bunch of people we have!  Thank you!

We have three Christmas services this week: our Sunday morning Eucharist at 11 a.m. on Christmas Eve, then our Midnight Mass at 11:30 p.m., and our Christmas morning service at 11 a.m. on Christmas Day!  You are welcome at any or all of the services!

Nate Tipton will be preaching on the morning of Christmas Eve, and I will be back in place, preaching for Midnight Mass and Christmas morning!  I am looking forward to being back and seeing you all again – I have missed you!

Our readings for this fourth Sunday of Advent are 2 Samuel 7:1-16, Romans 16:25-27, and Luke 1:26-38, and the hymns are O Come All Ye Faithful, The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!

Then for Midnight Mass we will read from Isaiah 9:2-7 and Luke 2:1-20 and be singing O Come All Ye Faithful, Infant Holy Infant Lowly, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Silent Night, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!

On Christmas morning we will read from Isaiah 52:7-10 and Luke 2:1-20 and be singing O Come All Ye Faithful, Away in a Manger, See Amid the Winter’s Snow, Ding Dong Merrily on High, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!

The readings can be found via this link !

Advent and Christmas Events

Full details of all Advent and Christmas events below:

Christmas Eve
Sunday Morning Eucharist at 11 a.m.
Midnight Mass at 11:30 p.m.

Christmas Day
Family Eucharist at 11 a.m.
followed by shared lunch.

Christmas Day Lunch

This will be a full sit-down Christmas lunch with all the traditional trimmings!   I will be bringing turkeys and Christmas pudding from England!  Please call me or Gene if you have not already signed-up and would like to come!

If you don’t know the way to All Saints, directions can be found on the Where and When page.

Most people get to hear about us via the internet or by word of mouth, so please feel free to pass on this email to others.

All are welcome to join us as we share the presence of the Christ of Christmas in our lives!  We hope to see you soon and that you will enjoy worshiping with us,

God bless,

Iain

From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Last Week’s Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols!

Dear Friends,

Thanks to all who worked so hard to make the All Saints Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols such a success.  I have watched the video on YouTube and it looks wonderful, I am only sorry that I could not be there myself.  You can watch the service via the Audio-Visual page of the All Saints website!

This coming Sunday Mark Crawford will be both preaching and celebrating communion.  Thanks, Mark, for all you are doing, and thanks to everyone else who have kept things running so smoothly at All Saints in my absence!

Our readings for this third Sunday of Advent are Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, and John 1:6-8, 19-28, and the hymns are Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus, Of the Father’s Love Begotten, and As with Gladness Men of Old.  The readings can be found via this link !

Tuesday saw the funeral of my dad.  It was a very moving event and the church was packed!  A fitting tribute to such a wonderful man and father!  Thanks so much for the beautiful wreath sent by the “friends and congregation of All Saints, Chiang Mai”

Thanks for all your thoughts, prayers, and support.  I will be back, along with my mum, on 20th December, and I look forward to seeing you all again on Christmas Eve!

Advent and Christmas Events

Full details of all Advent and Christmas events below:

Christmas Eve
Sunday Morning Eucharist at 11 a.m.
Midnight Mass at 11:30 p.m.

Christmas Day
Family Eucharist at 11 a.m.
followed by shared lunch.

Christmas Day Lunch

This will be a full sit-down Christmas lunch with all the traditional trimmings!  Different people will be asked to bring different dishes so please sign-up at the back of the church if you intend to come.  I will be bringing turkeys and Christmas pudding from England!

If you don’t know the way to All Saints, directions can be found on the Where and When page.

Most people get to hear about us via the internet or by word of mouth, so please feel free to pass on this email to others.

All are welcome to join us as we share the presence of the Christ of Christmas in our lives!  We hope to see you soon and that you will enjoy worshiping with us,

God bless,

Iain

From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

This Saturday we have our annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in the Prince Royal’s College Chapel.  This will be a very special event!  Please spread the word and invite your friends.  Thanks to Chris, Tarntip, the Chase family, and so many others, for taking over the organisation of this event!  The Festival should be a wonderful time of worship and reflection as familiar carols are sung and familiar readings proclaimed.  Four diplomatic consuls will be reading, along with representatives of different expat organisations in Chiang Mai, and the singing will be led by the Lannacapella Choir!

As most of you will know, I am still in the UK and so will be unable to take part this Saturday.  I am very disappointed not to be with you for this event and all the other activities of Advent, but many thanks to so many people who are holding the fort in my absence.

My dad’s funeral will be this coming Tuesday, 12th December, and I will be returning to Chiang Mai, along with my mum, on the 20th December.  There is much to do here in organisation of the funeral and in arranging my dad’s affairs, so I appreciate all your love and prayers, and all the practical help so many have given me back in Chiang Mai, not least in moving house!

Dad and Mum, All Saints’ Christmas Lunch, 2016

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On Sunday, following our very special Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, we will have our usual Sunday morning Eucharist.  Mark Crawford will again preside, and Taylor Pfaff will preach.  Our deacon, Gene Bourquin, will again assist, making sure everything runs smoothly in his calm professional way.

Our readings for this Second Sunday of Advent are Isaiah 40:1-11, 2 Peter 3:8-15, and Mark 1:1-8, and the hymns are O Come, O come Emmanuel, Once in Royal David’s City, and O Come, All Ye Faithful!

The readings can be found via this link !

Advent and Christmas Events

The Christmas poster is still available for distribution at the back of the church.  Please take one.  We need to make sure that a Christmas 2017 poster is in every Rimping supermarket.  They need to be handed in at the information desks before 15th December for display for the next two weeks.

Full details of all Advent and Christmas events below:

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. 
Saturday December 9th 7 p.m.
at The Prince Royal’s College Chapel.

Christmas Eve
Sunday Morning Eucharist at 11 a.m.
Midnight Mass at 11:30 p.m.

Christmas Day
Family Eucharist at 11 a.m.
followed by shared lunch.

Christmas Day Lunch

This will be a full sit-down Christmas lunch with all the traditional trimmings!  Different people will be asked to bring different dishes so please sign-up at the back of the church if you intend to come.  I will be bringing turkeys and Christmas pudding from England!

God bless,

Iain

From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

As Most of you will know from my earlier email, my dad passed away on Tuesday.  This is a very sad time for my family and me, and I would greatly value your prayers – especially for my mum.  The good thing is that we know that he is at peace with God.

Meanwhile, life and worship continues at All Saints, and I would like to thank the great work of Gene, Taylor, and Mark, in leading last Sunday’s service, and all the others who have so amazingly swung into action!  I will be back before Christmas, and look forward to once again celebrating the coming of the Prince of Peace with you all.

This week’s service will be followed by a potluck and decorating the church of the church for Christmas.  I am sure it will be a great time and I wish I could be with you.

Then on Saturday 9th, we will have our annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in the Prince Royal’s College Chapel.  This should be a very special event!  Please take tickets to sell and invite your friends.  Thanks to Chris, Tarntip, the Chase family, and so many others, for taking over the organisation of this event!

Our readings for this Advent Sunday are Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37, and Mark will be preaching this week. The hymns are O Come, O come Emmanuel, and Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.  The readings can be found via this link !

Advent and Christmas Events

The two posters shown below are now available for distribution at the back of the church.  Please take them.  We particularly need to make sure that a Christmas 2017 poster is in every Rimping supermarket.  They need to be handed in at the information desks before 15th December for display for the next two weeks.

Tickets are now available for the Nine Lessons and Carols.  Please take as many as you can to sell to your friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, enemies (we have to love them too), and acquaintances.  Just bring the money and put it in the jar at the back of church.

Full details of all Advent and Christmas events below:

Advent Sunday.  December 3rd 11 a.m.
Service followed by potluck and decorating the church.

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. 
Saturday December 9th 7 p.m. at The Prince Royal’s College Chapel.

Christmas Eve
Sunday Morning Eucharist at 11 a.m.  Midnight Mass at 11:30 p.m.

Christmas Day
Family Eucharist at 11 a.m. followed by shared lunch.  There will be a sign up sheet for this traditional sit-down Christmas Lunch.

If you don’t know the way to All Saints, directions can be found on the Where and When page.  Most people get to hear about us via the internet or by word of mouth, so please feel free to pass on this email to others.  All are welcome to join us as we share the presence of the Christ of Christmas in our lives!  We hope to see you soon and that you will enjoy worshiping with us,

God bless,

Iain

From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Last week’s Transgender Day of Remembrance

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, on Sunday night I flew back to the UK as my dad is in hospital.  He has double pneumonia and is on oxygen, but seems to now be responding to the treatment.  Please hold him and my mum in your prayers.

Last week we had a very moving service for the Transgender Day of Remembrance, in which a number of the ladies from M-Plus took part.  We thank God for their presence with us and for all the good work M-Plus does amongst the LGBT community in Chiang Mai.

This week is the Feast of Christ the King.  Taylor Pfaff will be preaching, Mark Crawford will be presiding at communion, Debbie Kramlich will be playing the organ, and our deacon Gene will be coordinating everything as usual!  We are very blessed to have such wonderful people in our church.

I should be back next week for Advent Sunday, which will be followed by a potluck and decorating the church for Christmas!

Our readings for this Sunday are Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24, Ephesians 1:15-23, and Matthew 25:31-46, and the hymns are All Creatures of our God and King, When I needed a Neighbour, The King of Love My Shepherd Is, and The Lord’s My Shepherd.

Theology on Tap

This week’s Theology on Tap is cancelled.  The final one for this session should be on 8th December!

Advent and Christmas Events

Christmas is coming soon!  Next week we will be celebrating Advent Sunday as we decorate the church.  Put this important event in your diary!

The two posters shown below are now available for distribution at the back of the church.  Please take them.  We particularly need to make sure that a Nine Lessons and Carols poster is in every Rimping supermarket.  They need to be handed in at the information desks before 1st December for display for the next two weeks.

Tickets are now available for the Nine Lessons and Carols.  Please take as many as you can to sell to your friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, enemies (we have to love them too), and acquaintances.  Just bring the money and put it in the jar at the back of church.

Full details of all Advent and Christmas events below:

Advent Sunday.  December 3rd 11 a.m.
Service followed by potluck and decorating the church.

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. 
Saturday December 9th 7 p.m. at The Prince Royal’s College Chapel.

Christmas Eve
Sunday Morning Eucharist at 11 a.m.  Midnight Mass at 11:30 p.m.

Christmas Day
Family Eucharist at 11 a.m. followed by shared lunch.  There will be a sign up sheet for this traditional sit-down Christmas Lunch.

If you don’t know the way to All Saints, directions can be found on the Where and When page.

Most people get to hear about us via the internet or by word of mouth, so please feel free to pass on this email to others.

All are welcome to join us as we share the presence of the risen Jesus in our lives!  We hope to see you soon and that you will enjoy worshiping with us,

God bless,

Iain

From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

This week we come to the end of our Season of Remembrance as we mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance.  The official day is 20th November, but we will be using our service this Sunday to remember those who have been killed, or are discriminated against, due to their gender identity or expression.

As Christians, we believe that all people are made in the image of God and we are committed to reaching out in love to all God’s children.  We will be joined by some people from M-Plus as we worship together.

Our readings for this Sunday are Isaiah 56:1-8, Acts 8:26-40, and Matthew 19:3-13, and we will be singing the hymns Song of Mary, Stand up stand up for Jesus, Beauty for Brokenness, and Let Us Build a House!

Advent and Christmas Events

Christmas is coming soon!  In two weeks’ time we will be celebrating Advent Sunday as we decorate the church.  Put this important event in your diary!

Full details of all Advent and Christmas events below:

Advent Sunday.  December 3rd 11 a.m.
Service followed by potluck and decorating the church.

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. 
Saturday December 9th 7 p.m.  at The Prince Royal’s College Chapel.

Christmas Eve
Sunday Morning Eucharist at 11 a.m.  Midnight Mass at 11:30 p.m.

Christmas Day
Family Eucharist at 11 a.m. followed by shared lunch.  There will be a sign up sheet for this traditional sit-down Christmas Lunch.

God bless,

Iain

From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Lest We Forget!

THIS WEEK”S SERVICE BEGINS AT 10:30 a.m.!!!!!

Dear Friends,

This week we will mark both Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday.  These are both days in the British and Commonwealth tradition, when we remember all those who have died as a result of war and armed conflict.

Saturday 11th November is Remembrance Day.   People will gather at the Chiang Mai Foreign Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. for an observance organised by the Royal British Legion.  This year I will be officiating.  The event will be followed by lunch at the Gymkhana Club provided by the British Embassy.

This Sunday, our service will begin at the earlier time of 10:30 a.m.  This is to allow the observation of two minutes silence at 11 a.m.  Do not forget!

Our readings for this Remembrance Sunday are Isaiah 2:3-4, Revelation 21:1-6a, and Matthew 25:1-13, and we will be singing the hymns O God our help in Ages Past, Abide with Me, O God of Earth and Altar, and The Day Thou gavest Lord is Ended.

Theology on Tap

Our next Theology on Tap meeting will be tomorrow night, Friday 10th, and we will again meet at the UN Irish Pub at 7 p.m.  Our topic will be “Who is Jesus?”

Benefit Concert for Shan Refugees

There will be a benefit concert for food aid to the Shan refugee/IDP camps on November 15th at ThaPae East.

The fundraiser is to raise money to purchase food for the Shan refugees in 6 refugee/IDP camps along the Burma-Thai border.  For more details speak to Sophie Roberts or go to the Shan Refugee Concert Facebook page.

God bless,

Iain

From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

We are All Saints!

POTLUCK THIS WEEK!

Dear Friends,

This week we will celebrate All Saints’ Day at All Saints.  It is a time to remember all those who have gone before us, both saints and sinners, and to think of loved ones passed.   It is also a time to think about the future of our church, All Saints, and we will be collecting the pledge cards which people have taken over the last few weeks.

Finally, this year marks the 500th anniversary of that All Saints’ Day in 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the door of the church in Wittenberg.  That event is taken as the beginning of the Reformation, and we might not be worshipping in English today has not that mighty movement not occurred.

Our service this week will be followed by a potluck as we celebrate All Saints’ Day and that 500th anniversary!

Our readings for this Sunday are Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 3:1-3, and Matthew 5:1-12, and we will be singing the hymns For All the Saints, Sing With All the Saints in Glory, The saints of God! their conflict past, A Mighty Fortress, and O When the Saints!

Loi Kratong

If you would like to join with All Saints people to celebrate Loi Kratong, meet at church this Friday evening at 6 p.m.  We will fly lanterns and float candles together!

Season of Remembrance

Our Season of Remembrance at All Saints includes:

Sunday 29th October         11 a.m.
Remembrance of Thailand – in the week of the King’s Funeral

Sunday 5th November      11 a.m.
All Saints Day Service – when we remember all who have died

Saturday 11th November 10:30 a.m.
Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Foreign Cemetery –
Remembering all victims of war

Sunday 12th November    10:30 a.m.
Remembrance Sunday Service at All Saints –
Remembering all victims of war

Sunday 19th November     11 a.m.
Service for Transgender Day of Remembrance

Remembrance Day

Next Saturday, November 11th, is Remembrance Day. I, will be taking the ceremony at the Foreign Cemetery.  This will begin at 10:30 a.m.  Please attend if you can.  The ceremony will be followed by lunch at the Gymkhana Club provided by the British Embassy.

Remembrance Sunday

Our service next Sunday on November 12th will begin at 10:30 a.m. to allow us to mark a two minutes silence at 11 a.m.
Please note the earlier time and do not be late!!!!

Advent and Christmas Events

Advent Sunday.  December 3rd 11 a.m.
Service followed by potluck and decorating the church.

Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
Saturday December 9th 7 p.m.  at The Prince Royal’s College Chapel.

Christmas Eve
Sunday Morning Eucharist at 11 a.m.  Midnight Mass at 11:30 p.m.

Christmas Day
Family Eucharist at 11 a.m. followed by shared lunch.  There will be a sign up sheet for this traditional sit-down Christmas Lunch.

God bless,

Iain

From the Rev. Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Pray for Thailand!

Dear Friends,

Our Season of Remembrance begins this Sunday at the end of the week of the funeral of his late Majesty, King Rama IX.  We will pray for Thailand and give thanks for the life of the king, who guided Thailand with such wisdom for so many years.

Our readings for this Sunday are Deuteronomy 34:1-12, 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, and Matthew 22:34-46, and we will be singing the hymns The Day Thou Gavest Lord is Ended, Be Still My Soul, Let us Break Bread Together, and Oh Thailand Fair!

These are the words of Oh Thailand Fair:

Words:  Katherine Lee Bates, 1893
/Rev. Iain Baxter, 2017
Tune:    Samuel Augustus Ward, 1882

O beautiful for deep blue skies,
For deep green fields of rice,
For wooded mountain forests fair,
untouched by snow or ice!
Oh Thailand, fair! Oh Thailand, fair!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From Lanna to the sea!

O beautiful for temples, gold,
Brown rivers, wide and slow,
For golden beaches, green-clad isles,
and history’s timeless flow.
Oh Thailand, fair! Oh Thailand, fair!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for wise royal rule
that gave stability
We pray for just continuing laws,
that Thailand may stay free.
Oh Thailand, fair! Oh Thailand, fair!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for all our dreams
that see beyond the years
When all men shall God’s Kingdom know,
Undimmed by human tears!
Oh Thailand, fair! Oh Thailand, fair!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From Lanna to the sea!

Season of Remembrance

On 29th October we will begin our Season of Remembrance at All Saints.  This will include:

Sunday 29th October         11 a.m.
Remembrance of Thailand – in the week of the King’s Funeral

Sunday 5th November      11 a.m.
All Saints Day Service – when we remember all who have died

Saturday 11th November 10:30 a.m.
Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Foreign Cemetery –
Remembering all victims of war

Sunday 12th November    10:30 a.m.
Remembrance Sunday Service at All Saints –
Remembering all victims of war

Sunday 19th November     11 a.m.
Service for Transgender Day of Remembrance

All Saints’ Day

Next week we will celebrate All Saints’ Day.  Our service remembering our loved ones, and the saints who have gone before, will be followed by a potluck lunch!

Remembrance Day

Saturday November 11th is Remembrance Day. I, will be taking the ceremony at the Foreign Cemetery.  This will begin at 10:30 a.m.  Please attend if you can.  The ceremony will be followed by lunch at the Gymkhana Club provided by the British Embassy.

Remembrance Sunday

Our service on Sunday November 12th will begin at 10:30 a.m. to allow us to mark a two minutes silence at 11 a.m.
Please note the earlier time and do not be late!!!!

Pledge Cards

Three weeks ago our treasurer, Richard Murray, introduced the idea of pledge cards to All Saints.  Those who wish to, can fill in a pledge card, pledging how much they wish to give each week or month.  They can choose to give by bank transfer, PayPal via the church website, or through dated envelopes in the weekly offering.

We hope this will help us all to prayerfully consider our giving, and will both increase and stabilise the weekly offering at All Saints, so we can do even more in service of God’s world!

If you don’t know the way to All Saints, directions can be found on the Where and When page.

Most people get to hear about us via the internet or by word of mouth, so please feel free to pass on this email to others.

All are welcome to join us as we share the presence of the risen Jesus in our lives!  We hope to see you soon and that you will enjoy worshiping with us,

God bless,

Iain