From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

We had a wonderful time celebrating our harvest festival at Thung Dong Farm.  Altogether about thirty adults and children made the journey and the weather was beautiful!  This week we are back in our own church and back to our two services at 9:15 and 11 a.m.   The theme of this week’s worship is the call of God and the Gospel reading looks at the calling of blind man, Bartimaeus. Our sermon is entitled Take heart, He is calling you!

This week our readings are Job 42:1-6, 10, Hebrews 7:23-28, and Mark 10:46-52, and we will be singing the hymns All People that on Earth do dwell, Open my eyes and let me see, Jesus calls us o’er the tumult, and Guide me O thou great Jehovah!   The readings can be found via this link!

Just a reminder that this year we are holding our Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Saturday 12th December, beginning at 7pm. This will take place in the beautiful Prince Royal’s College Chapel.  People interested in singing in the Choir please email Harvey at hnnich@gmail.com and indicate your interest.  The first choir rehearsal will be at 7:00 p.m. next Thursday, October 29th, in the new band room of CMIS.  Please be sure that Harvey has your name so that you can get into the school.  Tenors are especially needed!  If you know of one – tell Harvey!

God bless,

Iain

FROM REV IAIN BAXTER, ALL SAINTS CHIANG MAI

Dear Friends,

This week there will be no service at All Saints, instead we will be celebrating our Harvest Festival at Thung Dong Farm.  Please be at church for 9:15 a.m.   Cars and a mini-bus will leave the church at 9:30 a.m. and we will  spend the day at the farm. Our service will begin around 11:30 a.m. and we will share lunch together—which Warren has kindly provided. We should arrive back at church around 5 p.m.  You can see more pictures and information about the farm at www.thungdongfarmstay.com  It looks like a beautiful place!  If you intend to go you should have already signed up – we have about 35 people so far!  If you are a last minute person – email me now on iain@AllSaintsChiangMai.com to see if we have room!  It should be a memorable day!

Other events coming up include Remembrance Sunday on November 8th.  We will have a combined service, beginning at 10:30 am which will include 2 minutes silence at 11 am to remember victims of all wars, past and present.  Then November 11th is Remembrance Day, when there will be a short ceremony at the Chiang Mai Foreign Cemetery, also beginning at 10:30 am, organised by the Royal British Legion. This will be followed by lunch at the Gymkhana Club. Everyone from All Saints is welcome to join.

This year we are holding our Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Saturday 12th December, beginning at 7pm. This will take place in the beautiful Prince Royal’s College Chapel.  People interested in singing in the Choir please email Harvey at hnnich@gmail.com and indicate your interest.  The first choir rehearsal will be at 7:00 on October 29th in the new band room of CMIS.  Please be sure that Harvey has your name so that you can get into the school.

This week our readings are Joel 2:21-27, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, and Matthew 6:25-31, and we will be singing the hymnsCome Ye Thankful People Come,  For the Fruit of all Creation, Now Thank We all our God, and We Plow the Fields and Scatter!   Our sermon is entitled What a Wonderful World!

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

God bless,

Iain

FROM REV IAIN BAXTER, ALL SAINTS CHIANG MAI

Remembrance Sunday 2014

Dear Friends,

There are lots of special events coming up over the next three months at All Saints, Chiang Mai.

Firstly, we have out Harvest Festival at Thung Dong Farm on Sunday 18th October.  This week is your last chance to sign up – we already have 30 people intending to come!  You can see more pictures and information about the farm at www.thungdongfarmstay.com  Then, on Sunday 1st November we will celebrate All Saints Day, our patronal festival.  The following week, Sunday 8th November, is Remembrance Sunday when we will remember victims of war around the world.  On Sunday 29th November, we will celebrate American Thanksgiving with a pot-luck following the service, and then on Saturday 12th December we will have our Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at Prince Royal College Chapel.

Please put all these special events in your diary!

Meanwhile, this week our service will look at God’s call on his people to help the poor.  Our readings are Job 23:1-9, 16-17, Hebrews 4:12-16, and Mark 10:17-31, and we will be singing the hymns All Creatures of our God and King,Today we are called, Lord I want to be a Christian, and O for a thousand tongues to sing!  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 worshipping with us,

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

This week’s readings include the story of Adam and Eve and Jesus’ answer to a question on divorce.  What is God saying to us about relationships?  That will be the message in this week’s sermon: what did God mean when he said “It is not good for Adam to be alone?”

In a strange coincidence, our two notices also have a garden or animal theme: Firstly, the Friends of the Chiang Mai Foreign Cemetery would like volunteers this Saturday to help in their gardening work, contact me if you are interested.  Secondly, it is now just over two weeks until our Harvest Festival on Sunday 18th October at Thung Dong Farm.  Please sign up this week if you intend to come.   There will be no service at All Saints on that day, instead we will leave the church at 9:30 a.m. and spend the day at the farm.  Our service will begin around 11:30 a.m. and we will share lunch together—which Warren has kindly provided. We should arrive back at church around 5 p.m.  You can see more pictures and information about the farm at www.thungdongfarmstay.com  It looks like a beautiful place!

This week our readings are Genesis 2:18-24, Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12, and Mark 10:2-16, and we will be singing the hymns Alleluia Sing to Jesus, Called as partners in Christ’s service, Let us break bread together, and Lift High the Cross.  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.

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

On Sunday 18th October we will be celebrating our Harvest Festival.  Living in the city we can easily be cut off from the cycle of nature and the abundance of God’s provision for us.  However, in Thailand we just have to look out the window to see the fruits of nature all around.  This year Warren has invited us to celebrate the harvest at his place, Thung Dong Farm.  There will be no service at All Saints on that day, instead we will leave the church at 9:30 a.m. and spend the whole day at the farm.

Our service will begin around 11:30 a.m. and we will share lunch together—which Warren has kindly provided. We should arrive back at church around 5 p.m.  You can see more pictures and information about the farm at www.thungdongfarmstay.com  It looks like a beautiful place!  If you intend to go, please sign up as we need to organise transportation for everyone!  It should be a memorable day.

Meanwhile, this week our readings are Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, James 5:13-20, and Mark 9:38-50, and we will be singing the hymns Let all the world in every corner sing, O Lord make haste to hear my cry, Break Thou the bread of life,and What a friend we have in Jesus!   The readings can be found via this link!  Our sermon is entitled What’s the point in praying?

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,

We had two great services last week with the launch of our new 9:15 a.m. service, and all is now prepared for this coming Sunday!  Our Church Council Meeting followed the 11 a.m. service and lasted about two hours.

The meeting was told that things are going well at All Saints, and we see continued steady growth in members, and have a healthy financial situation.   The Council also appointed a sub-committee to produce a draft church constitution.  This will be brought to the next council meeting for consideration and will then be submitted to a general church meeting for approval.

Future events agreed upon include a Harvest Festival to be held at Thung Dong Farm, probably on the Sunday 19th October, a Thanksgiving Potluck on Sunday 29th November, and a Service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Saturday 12th December to be held in Prince Royal College Chapel at 7pm.  We will again have a Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and a Christmas Morning Service followed by lunch.

Spending was agreed for the completion of the organ project, and the possible installation of an air-conditioning unit in the church office to provide a place for younger children during part of our worship.  Full minutes of the meeting will be available on request.

Finally, a reminder that tomorrow night Michael Aldman will be appearing in Stories for Peace Day as part of the Miscast Players of Chiang Mai.  It begins at 7:30pm in the AUA Auditorium. All are welcome to attend and tickets are not required.

This week’s bible readings encourage us to be united as the Body of Christ, putting others first, and our sermon will be entitled Bind us Together Lord!  The readings are Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:1, 12-22, James 3:13-4:3, 7-8, and Mark 9:30-37, and we will be singing the hymns Praise My Soul the King of Heaven, Jesu Jesu Fill us with your Love, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, and Let us build a house!   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

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Dear Friends,

It was great to see thirty people gathered for our final combined 11 a.m. service and potluck last Sunday. Thanks to all who brought such delicious food to share!  This week we will have two services: our usual Eucharist at 11 a.m. and an identical 9:15 a.m. Eucharist.  You will now have a choice of worship times – but nobody needs to come twice, except me!

After the 11 a.m. service there will be a Church Council Meeting which should begin around 12:30 p.m.  Lunch will be provided.

This week our Bible readings look at God personified as Wisdom in the Old Testament and Apocrypha, and our Gospel reading includes Peter’s declaration to Jesus: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!”   We will be looking at how we see God, as we are made in God’s image: male and female.  Our readings will be Wisdom of Solomon 7:26-81, James 3:1-12, and Mark 8:27-38, and we will be singing the hymns The King of Love my Shepherd is, Mothering God, Be Thou my Vision, and O God our Help in Ages Past.  The readings can be found via this link!

If you enjoy gardening and are free this Saturday from 10am to 4pm, then you can go down to the Foreign Cemetery on the Lamphun Road and help with their exciting renovation project.  Bring any tools you have. More details can be found on the Friends of the Foreign Cemetery Facebook page.

Also, next Friday, one of our church members, Michael Aldman will be appearing in Stories for Peace Day as part of the Miscast Players of Chiang Mai.  This will be on 18th September at 7:30pm in the AUA Auditorium. All are welcome to attend – see Michael for details!

Video and audio of our major services can be found on the Audio-Visual page of the All Saints website and as always, 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,

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God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

In its two years of existence, All Saints has grown from a membership of two to one of around forty!  It is exciting that our existing building is getting full!  With this in mind we will begin an additional Sunday service at 9:15am.  We will review how this is going after Christmas!  Initially the new service will have an identical format to the one at 11am, and people will therefore have a choice of time for worship.  For those who are happy with the existing 11am service there should be no change.

It is expected that the earlier service will have a smaller attendance and will be a quieter time to come before God together!  Of course, this will give more space in the 11am service too!

From Sunday 13th September, we will have two services: one at 9:15am and one at 11am!  The last combined 11am service will be on Sunday 6th September.  This will be followed by a potluck and we will take a group photo.

Other events coming up include the Chiang Mai Symphony Orchestra’s Beethoven Double Five Concert at the Kad Suan Kaew Theatre.  This is this Saturday at 7:30pm.  Peter Nicholson, the oldest son of Harvey and Nancy, will be playing the double bass!

A little further ahead, Michael Aldman will be appearing inStories for Peace Day as part of the Miscast Players of Chiang Mai.  This will be on Friday 18th September at 7:30pm.

This week our readings will be from Songs of Solomon 2:8-13, James 1:17-27, and Mark 7:1-23, and we will be singing the hymns Awake my Soul, The Well-Loved Traditions, I am the Bread of Life, and Be Doers of the Word of God.  The readings can be found via this link!

This week’s sermon will be entitled That Old Devil Called Love.

If you would like to see the Songs of Praise episode from the refugee camp in Calais, which I mentioned in last week’s sermon, you can go to  http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b067862y/songs-of-praise-16082015.  You will need a program to unblock the link.

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Elephant Camp Wedding Vows

Dear Friends,

Last Saturday I had the privileged of officiating a renewal of marriage vows at an Elephant Camp near Samoeng.  It can be a reminder to us that we don’t need a beautiful building, or indeed any building, to worship God. However, in this week’s Old Testament reading we see Solomon building The Temple, and we can also acknowledge that a sense of place is important, too. Our church building is not a wonderful piece of church architecture, but it is a place which we particularly set aside to worship God, and where we give of all our talents, musical, visual, and others, to create beauty which we hope is honouring to God’s name. This Sunday Nancy will be playing the organ, and it will be lovely to have live music as we sing!

Our readings this week are from 1 Kings 8, Ephesians 6:10-20, and John 6:56-69, and we will be singing the hymns Holy Holy Holy, You call us Lord to Worship, Let us Break Bread Together, and Christ is made the Sure Foundation.  The readings can be found via this link!  Our sermon will be entitled What is true Worship?

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

Sometimes I think I need the wisdom of Solomon to be pastor of All Saints, Chiang Mai!!!  Not really, but “The Wisdom of Solomon” has come to mean a level of wisdom that is almost impossible.  If you are in a situation that seems beyond human solution, the wisdom of Solomon is what is needed! But how wise was Solomon?  Was the most successful King of Israel, really that wise?  And what is true wisdom?  That is what we will be looking at this Sunday at All Saints, Chiang Mai!

This week our readings will be 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14, Ephesians 5:15-20, and John 6:51-58, and we will be singing the hymns Immortal Invisible, Our God to Whom We Turn, Spirit of God Unseen as the Wind, and Tell Out My Soul!  The readings can be found via this link!

God bless,

Iain