Category Archives: Uncategorized

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Welcome to Advent at All Saints!

Dear Friends,

This Sunday, 30th November, will be the First Sunday of Advent.  We will gather for our usual 11am Eucharist, which will include the lighting of the first candle on our Advent Wreath. Following the service we will share festive snacks, as together we decorate the church and put up our Christmas tree.  All are welcome to share in this festive activity!

Thanks again to all who helped with the All Saints stall at the City Life Garden Fair last Saturday, the day went very well.  It was good to let people know that we are here and to invite them to our Christmas services.  Last week I received a telephone call from India.  A British man who lives there wanted to know if we will be having a service on Christmas Eve.  I told him that we will have Midnight Mass beginning at 11:30pm.  “That’s all I wanted to know,” he said, “I will be there!”  Our fame is spreading around the globe!

Choir practices for our candlelit Nine Lessons and Carols service, on the 21st December, begin this Wednesday.  If you’d like to be part of the choir, contact me or Harvey before Wednesday evening!  Our Wednesday Night Bible Study on women in the Bible also continues at the church at 7pm.

This Sunday our Advent readings are Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, and Mark 13:24-37, and we will be singing the hymns O come O come Emmanuel, God You Alone Know, Sing we the King who is Coming to Reign, and Come Thou Long Expected Jesus!  You can find the readings via this link.  Our sermon will be reflecting on Christ’s coming.

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,

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

First Sunday of Advent Sunday 2013

.
Dear Friends,

We have an exciting and busy week ahead.  As well as our Wednesday night bible study, many of us will be at JJ Market on Saturday to staff the All Saints’ stall at the City Life Garden Fair.  The fair lasts from 10am to 5pm, and last year over 3,000 people, mostly expats, attended.  It is a great place to make our presence known.  Many people had asked what we could give out on the stall.  We have flyers advertising our Advent and Christmas events, but somehow that did not seem enough.  Some people suggested that we give out free cup-cakes or mince pies.  However, that is not really what All Saints is primarily about.

Instead, on Saturday, we will be giving out Jesus.  That is what we are about as a church.  Our table will be set up as an altar, and every hour we will have a short five minute act of Communion. Anyone who wishes to receive the bread and wine – and so receive Jesus – will be welcome.  I hope this will show, in a significant way, both who we are as a church, and that we truly seek to share Jesus with all people. With this in mind, we could do with a few more volunteers to staff the stall, especially in the morning. If there are two or three of us, then people can have a break and wander around the other stalls. We would particularly value someone with a car to help carry stuff from the church at 9am.  Let me know if you can help!

This Sunday we will have our last Eucharist of the Church year, and then on 30th November we will celebrate the First Sunday in Advent.  Our service will include the usual Advent hymns, and the lighting of the first candle on our Advent Crown.  It will be followed by a light festive pot-luck (please bring Christmas snacks) and then we will decorate the church and Christmas tree together.

This Sunday our readings are from Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24, Ephesians 1:15-23, and Matthew 25:31-46, and we will be singing the hymns All Creatures of our God and King, Whatever You Do, God We See What You have Given, and Called as Partners in Christ’s Service. You can find the readings via this link.  Our sermon will be asking Are you a sheep or a goat?

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,

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

Last week we had a very meaningful and moving Remembrance Sunday service.  Thanks are due to Harvey for playing the Last Post, and to Peter and Father Ian for our Remembrance reading. Father Ian was able to take our wreath and lay it, on behalf of the church, at the war memorial in the Foreign Cemetery as part of yesterday’s Remembrance Day observances.

The previous Sunday we celebrated All Saints Day, and last Thursday Elena and I took the cards which we had signed in the service with the names of loved ones, and launched them into the air and on to the water as part of the Loi Kratong celebrations.

Meanwhile, Christmas will soon be upon us.  The City Life Garden Fair is only a week on Saturday, on the 22nd November, and we will be celebrating the First Sunday of Advent on 30th November.  We are also planning a Carols by Candlelight service for 5pm on Sunday 21st December.  This will be a traditional service of Nine Lessons and Carols. Please see Harvey if you would like to be involved.

This Sunday our readings are from Judges 4:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, and Matthew 25:14-30, and we will be singing the hymns O for a Thousand Tongues, Beauty for Brokenness, For the Bread, and What a Friend we have in Jesus. You can find the readings via this link.  Our sermon is entitled “Seeing Both Sides!”

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

This coming Sunday, 9th November, is Remembrance Sunday.  At All Saints we will be remembering those who have been the victims of armed conflict throughout the world during the 20th and 21st centuries.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War,  the war which was suppose to have been the war to end all wars.  Sadly we still live in a world striven with conflict, often now occurring not between nation states, but between different ideological groups within and across borders. We will remember those who have died, and pray for peace.

For Remembrance Sunday our readings will be from Joshua 24, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and Matthew 25:1-13, and we will be singing the hymns O God our help in Ages Past, Abide with Me, All my Hope on God is Founded, and The Day Thou gavest Lord is Ended. You can find the readings via this link.  The service will include The Last Post and a two minutes silence.

Our sermon will be reflecting on war and the Christian hope.

Last week we celebrated All Saints’ Day and were reminded that we are part of the church universal.  A great service was followed by a short meeting and an excellent pot-luck lunch.  Thanks to our great musicians who played Oh When the Saints, and to all who contributed to the lunch.

Last night, Thursday, we met at the church at 6pm to join the Loi Kratong celebrations.  The cards, upon which were the names of loved ones on All Saints’ Day, were taken down to the river to launch them on the water and into the air.

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

The Christian faith is all about life – Jesus said “I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.”  [John 10:10]  But, there is also a time to remember those who have died.  This week we  will be looking at Jesus’ command to love our neighbour, but the following week, on 2nd November, we will celebrate All Saints’ Day.  A pot-luck will follow our service!  It is also All Souls’ Day when we remember all who have died.  The following week is Remembrance Sunday when we remember those who have died in war.

Remembrance Sunday is celebrated throughout the British Commonwealth and around the world.   November 11th is Remembrance Day commemorating the Armistice which ended the First World War on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.  Now we remember the victims of all wars, especially those who gave their lives in service.  Currently the world is riven with armed conflict, particularly in the Middle East, and some soldiers are now having to put their lives on the line to fight the disease of ebola.  On Remembrance Sunday, All Saints will have a special service where we remember those who have died through warfare and pray for a more peaceful world in the future. Hopefully we will be able to welcome some from outside the church who would like to mark the day with us.

This Sunday our readings are taken from Deuteronomy 34:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, and Matthew 22:34-46, and we will be singing the hymns Jesus shall reign where’er the Sun, Lord What a Cloud of Witnesses, When I needed a Neighbour, and Let us Build a House.  You can find the readings via this link.  Our sermon will be reflecting on how we can be neighbours to the people around us in Chiang Mai.

Video of last Sunday’s service, and 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,

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Praise him on the Trumpet!

Dear Friends,

Plans are developing for our All Saints’ Day celebration on 2nd November: as well as a delicious pot-luck, we will have also have a musical feast.  We are gaining a very talented congregation, and on our Patronal Festival the worship will be led by a brass quintet composed of members of the church!  As we sing For All the Saintsand O When the Saints come Marching In, we’ll be able to raise the roof as we praise God on the trumpet!

Then the next event on our church calendar is the City Life Garden Fair at JJ Market on 22nd November.   All Saints will have a stall, and we need volunteers to be there any time between 10am and 5pm.  This is a great way to get our name out in Chiang Mai and all proceeds of the fair are for charity.

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

.
Dear Friends,

Last Sunday we said goodbye to Jacob and Kelly who are off to Afghanistan.  Our thoughts and prayers go with them.  We also welcomed two new people to church!  Meanwhile, our Sunday morning Eucharist and Wednesday evening bible study continue, and there will be a sign-up sheet for the All Saints stall at the City Life Garden Fair on 22nd November available this Sunday.

Also, All Saints’ Day is nearly upon us.  1st November is celebrated as All Saints’ Day throughout the world, and we have a special service on Sunday 2nd November followed by a pot-luck lunch.  We will also have a brief church meeting before eating.

This Sunday our readings are taken from Exodus 32:1-14, Philippians 4:1-9, and Matthew 22:1-14, and we will be singing the hymns Christ Whose Glory Fills The Skies, All for Jesus, Break Thou the Bread of Life, and In Christ Alone.  You can find the readings via this link.    Our sermon will be asking the question: What do you worship?

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 introduced our singing of the Psalm last week, and I think it went well!  It is all part of our praising of God together, whether with psalm, or hymn, or spiritual song!  In one week’s time we will begin our new Wednesday night group led by Elena.  It will look at 13 women from the Bible and will continue weekly until the end of the year.  (Can you believe there are only 13 weeks to Christmas!)   Everyone is welcome and refreshments will be provided.  Please let Elena know if you intend to come at elena.j.kelly@gmail.com

This Sunday our readings are taken from Exodus 17:1-7, Philippians 2:1-13, and Matthew 21:23-32, and we will be singing the hymns All My Hope on God Is Founded, You Laid Aside Your Majesty, Be Thou My Vision O Lord of my Heart, and All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.  You can find the readings via this link.    This week’s sermon is entitled Jesus – Could he really be God?

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,

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

At All Saints we like to try new things and this week we will be trying out chanting our Psalm.  The Psalms were written to be chanted or sung and it is another way we can introduce more music and variety into our worship! Let me know what you think.  We could also sing the Psalms to popular hymn tunes, but chanting somehow gives a feel of the ancient traditions of the church of which we are part.  The metrical arrangements we will be using were produced by the Church of Scotland, so we will be standing in the Scottish Presbyterian tradition.

Meanwhile, another reminder that in two weeks’ time we will be starting a new Wednesday evening group at All Saints Chiang Mai.  It will run from October 1 – December 31. Class will start promptly at 7pm and end around 8pm.  Elena Kelly will be leading the class focusing on 13 specific women in the Bible. Wine and cheese will be provided, bring any translation or paraphrase of the Bible that you possess (the more, the better!).  All humans are welcome!  If you would like to take part please RSVP to elena.j.kelly@gmail.com

This Sunday our readings are taken from Exodus 14:19-31, Romans 14:1-12, and Matthew 18:21-35, and we will be singing the hymns All Creatures of our God and King, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, Let us Break Bread Together, and Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise. You can find the readings via this link.  I will be preaching about forgiveness and diversity in the church.

God bless,

Iain

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

Our worship continues at All Saints and our numbers remain up – even with quite a few regulars away. Yesterday I went to Big-C to buy extra chairs and more mugs for coffee!  However, we are getting hot as we increase in number. A couple of people have suggested that we start an “Air-conditioning Fund” where people can donate specifically for this project. Envelopes will therefore be available this week. Hopefully our worship will become more heavenly and less like the fires of hell! (It’s not that bad, honestly!)  Meanwhile, volunteers are still needed to help with website, publicity, printing, plant-care, cleaning supervision, and many other things!

This Sunday our readings are taken from Exodus 3:1-15, Romans 12:9-21, and Matthew 16:21-28, and we will be singing the hymns The God of Abraham Praise, Will you come and Follow Me, I am the Bread of Life, and Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah.  Our sermon will be reflecting on Moses’ encounter at the Burning Bush and asking Who is God?