For a number of reason, this building is not going to happen!

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Obviously I am disappointed, but taking the building would have probably cost at least THB 100,000 (£2,000 / $3,000), which I would only have got back had the church been a success!  I am currently living on THB 16,000 (£320 / $550) per month, including accommodation, food and everything else, so this would have been a major step of faith!

Well, God has probably got other plans for me next year in addition to my studies!

I will be in Egypt in just over two weeks, and then back in the UK, where I will be doing a placement with Rev. Graham Wassel, the minister of my parents’ church.    I will be back in Egypt in May for my ordination, so I have much for which to look forward.

Meanwhile, I have my Hebrew exam on Friday for which your prayers would be greatly valued!

More news soon,

 This afternoon, I met with the owner of the building we have been looking at for All Saints, Chiang Mai.  We provisionally agreed a contract starting in March.  We will pay THB 12,000 (£240/$400) per month for March, April and May, and then THB 15,000 (£300/$500) per month once we start using the building.

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Please pray that all these things work out!
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More news soon,

McCormick Hospital Chapel
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We have just received the following email from McCormick Hospital:

“Dear Aj Dobson and Aj Baxter,

I have forwarded your request to use the Edwin McDaniels Chapel for the weekly worship service to the Chairman of the Board of Directors for consideration.

His advice for me was McCormick Hospital had rejected other requests from other international christian groups in Chiang Mai in the past and he would like the hospital to take the neutral position.

The Edwin McDaniels Chapel will be used only for the hospital morning worship service.

I am so sorry that I could not serve your request.

Sincerely,
Somchai Sirisujin”

Please pray that we would have wisdom about what to do next.  It is only just over four weeks until I leave for the UK, and I would like to go knowing we have a place.  This also effects our ability to produce publicity.

Ken, a friend and retired Presbyterian minister, who is also involved in the project, wants to appeal.  He has been in Thailand many years and knows how things work here.   However, this will certainly take time and maybe McCormick is not the right place anyway.

The director had already indicated that they would probably charge around THB 1,000 (£20/$30) per week, which is a lot in my opinion. This would have been about BHT4,000 (£80/$120) each month, compared with the BHT 15,000 (£300/$450) per month for the whole building I wrote about in my email of 5th February, The One that Got Away!

That building could provide a flat for me to live in, a chapel, church office, and other space.  We would have the building for 24 hours a day / seven days a week, and could perhaps produce other income from letting others use the place.   We would then have a permanent presence.
Offsetting the THB 6,000 (£120 / $180) which I pay for my current room, the difference for the community would  only be THB 5,000 (£100 / $150).  There would have been some other set-up costs like chairs and an air-conditioner for the main-room, but these would be small in the long run.

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Should this be our new chapel?
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So, please pray that we will make the right decision.  In the end, I will be the one who has to decide!

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

                                    An Inspiring Venue!                                                                                                        Lots of space for lots of activities!

Iain writes: “Today I went to look for the second time at the building in the pictures above.  It is a large house with room downstairs for a small chapel, church office, and store room, as well as a toilet and kitchen.  Upstairs there are three bedrooms, a bathroom and a large open area which could be used as a lounge.  I could have used the upper-floor as a flat.”

At the back is a massive covered area with another store room and toilet.   The house is on a main road and highly visible to passers-by.

This would have been a great building for the new All Saints community and would have cost about £300 / month.  However, we are not ready! Perhaps in a few months time we would be ready for such a place.  It is the one that got away!

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However, things are very positive with regard to using the chapel at McCormick Hospital.  They have agreed that we can use the place in principle, and we have now sent a formal letter asking permission.  We are waiting to know if we will be able to use it for free or if there will be a charge..

                                           McCormick Hospital Chapel

We have also decide on the service book we will use.  We have found more than 30 copies of the book With One Voice and so we will be able to use this in our worship for both liturgy and hymns!  This is one of the books produced by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.  We also have been given 12 Bibles in the New Living Translation.

Our provisional plan is to begin worship on Sunday 2nd June!