Category Archives: Uncategorized

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

Many churches have a sign reading “All are Welcome!” proudly displayed outside their building.  At All Saints our sign contains the same phrase, but is it true?  It is easy to welcome people like ourselves.  Perhaps that is why we have plenty of married couples, single people, and gay men, but not many families with small children.

We are not a typical congregation.  Although our age demographic is fairly typical for a western church, last week we had vastly more men than women in the congregation. Meanwhile, the Church as a whole is largely composed of women, but firmly controlled by men, and sexual and other minorities, if welcomed at all, are expected to shut up and take a seat at the back.  As a worldwide church, we have a long way to go to reach God’s kingdom of justice and peace!

This week’s gospel reading is the story of Jesus healing a centurion’s servant.  It is a story with hidden depths. Jesus highly commends the faith of an outsider, a non-Jew and occupying enemy soldier, saying “not even in Israel have I found such faith.”  And there may be even more to this story – come this Sunday to find out!

Meanwhile, most of you will have heard about the fire at Pitakkiat Wittaya School in Chiang Rai.  What can we do to help?  We can have an offering next week if we find the correct contact details, but can we do more?  There are many other dormitories throughout Thailand where basic safety measures are missing.  Simple, cheap, smoke detectors may have prevented this tragedy.  Can we begin a program to supply them and train in fire safety?  We can discuss this following the service on Sunday.

Another cause for our concern is the legal appeal for the two Burmese workers convicted of murder in Koh Tao, which has just been launched.  They would appreciate greetings cards, notebooks, pens, pencils or easy to read English story books to ease their incarceration in prison.

Their current prison address is:

Wai Phyo 590018, Zaw Lin 590082
Building 5,
Bangkwang Central Prison,
117 Nonthaburi Road,
NONTHABURI 11000,
THAILAND

Finally, on a much happier note, the singing group “Lannacapella” is now meeting at All Saints every Thursday at 3 p.m.  Any one interested in joining the group is warmly invited to come along!  They especially need men!

This week’s readings are 1 Kings 8:22-23, 41-43, Galatians 1:1-12, and Luke 7:1-10, and we will be singing the hymns Praise with joy the world’s Creator, a new version of Stand up stand up for Jesus, Break Thou the Bread of Life, and The world needs love.

The readings can be found via this link!

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Pentecost Worship last Sunday

(No 9:15 a.m. service this week!)

Dear Friends,

We had a wonderful Pentecost service last week, which ended with each of us lighting a candle from the big Paschal candle and symbolically carrying them out into the world, taking forth the light of Christ. The service was followed by a potluck lunch which all enjoyed.

This week is Trinity Sunday when we rejoice in the relationships in the Godhead.  Relationship is at the heart of God himself.  Come to our combined service at 11 a.m. and rejoice in the love that is at the heart of God!  Let us not give up meeting together as some have done!

This week’s readings are Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Romans 5:1-5, and John 16:12-15, and we will be singing the hymns Holy Holy Holy, We All Believe in One True God, We Join in Proclaiming, and Christ is made the Sure Foundation!  The readings can be found via this link!

God has blessed us with many wonderful people,including you!  We would like to see you soon.

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Pentecost Sunday

Don’t forget – Potluck this Sunday!

God bless,Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

.
Dear Friends,

In last week’s sermon I talked about our vision as a church.  We need to be a community of love, supporting one another and reaching out to the world.  This is a big ask, but we don’t act alone: we have a risen and ascended saviour interceding for us!  This is the heart of the gospel: God is with us!

This Sunday we will use the readings for Ascension Day which falls on this coming Thursday. They are Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, and Luke 24:44-53, and we will be singing the hymns All for Jesus, Christ is Alive, Christ whose Glory fills the Skies, and Go forth and Tell.  The readings can be found via this link!

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

Dear Friends,

Where is God calling you, or what is God calling you to do?

In this weeks reading from Acts, Paul has a vision of a man of Macedonia calling him to come, and in our reading from Revelation, John has a vision of the New Jerusalem.

What is our vision, where are we called to be and to minister?  We will look at God’s calling this Sunday!

This week’s readings are Acts 16:9-15, Revelation 21:22-22:5, and John 14:23-29, and we will be singing the hymns Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun, Be Thou My Vision, I will offer up my life, and Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee.

The readings can be found via this link!

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

 

Dear Friends,

As the Chiang Mai heat wave continued, last week Mark asked us why we come to All Saints?  Probably it wasn’t just to get out of the heat, but we may have a number of reasons why we choose to be counted among the congregation of All Saints.

Over the next few weeks, I would like people to complete a survey so that we can find out what it is that people like about our church.  Do you come for the theology, the liturgy, the music, or the fellowship?  It may be that you like all of them, or maybe you love the theology but put up with the hymns, or don’t agree with the preaching but come for the liturgy and the chance to receive communion.

We are not about to change what we believe, but we can adapt our two services so that we better serve those who attend and those we would like to welcome.  Watch this space for a link to our online survey in the coming weeks!

This Sunday’s readings are Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, and John 13:31-35, and we will be singing the hymns Holy Holy Holy, Called as Partners in Christ’s Service, Let Us Build a House, and All My Hope on God Is Founded.  The readings can be found via this link!

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 Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

All Are welcome at All Saints, Chiang Mai, but we are aware that we can be a bit difficult to find!  With this in mind, we have finally installed signs at either end of Kaeo Nawarat Soi 2, and in the middle of Soi 2 pointing down Soi 2/2.  Hopefully this will make it easier for people to find their way to our door!  If you have not been for a while, maybe this can encourage you to find your way back!

I am away for ten days, and Elena Kelly will be preaching and leading a combined service of worship at 11 a.m. this Sunday, April 10th.  I shall be back on Sunday April 17th to lead our worship, and Mark Crawford will then be preaching.  This week’s readings are Acts 9:1-20, Revelation 5:11-14, and John 21:1-19, and we will be singing the hymnsIn the Garden, Spirit of the Living God, Fall Afresh on me, Open My Eyes That I May See, Be Still My Soul,and There is a Name I Love to Hear.  The readings can be found via this link!

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Our Easter Celebration

Dear Friends,

We had a packed church for Easter Sunday at All Saints, Nathan and Natalie lit the Paschal Candle, and we worshipped and received the Eucharist together.  The service was followed by a great potluck, and we stayed cool indoors, despite the outside temperature reaching 40°C.  A video of the service can be seen via the Audio-Visual Page.

Lighting the Paschal Candle – it took two goes!

Sharing Holy Communion

Our Easter Potluck

Meanwhile, the missing sandals have been located and returned to their rightful owner!

This coming Sunday we will continue our Easter theme, and our readings are Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4-8, and John 20:19-31, and we will be singing the hymns Alleluia Sing to Jesus, All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name, Christ is Alive, and Thine Be the Glory.  The readings can be found via this link!

God bless,

Iain

Dear Friends,

Our Easter celebrations conclude tomorrow with our Easter Sunday Eucharist!  Come and join us as we worship our Risen Lord!

This will be a joyous Eucharist to proclaim Christ’s resurrection and will be followed by an Easter Potluck Lunch and Easter Egg hunt!  The Easter readings are Isaiah 65:17-25, Acts 10:34-43, and Luke 24:1-12, and we will be singing the hymns Jesus Christ is Risen Today, The Day of Resurrection, Christ is Alive, and Thine Be the Glory!  The readings can be found via this link!

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

Our Maundy Thursday Service will be a time for quiet, candle-lit, contemplation including Taizé chants and the washing of one another’s feet.  The service begins at 7:30 p.m. and is a very peaceful preparation for Easter,  We will end the evening by sharing bread and wine with one another.

Our Easter services continue on Good Friday!