With Covid-19 cases on the rise in Chiang Mai, we have now made the decision to temporarily suspend face-to-face worship. This week’s service will be at the usual time of 10 a.m. but will be on Zoom only!
Email info@AllSaintsChiangMai.com for the Zoom link.
Although we can’t be together in person, we still share the good news that Christ is risen and that God’s love for us, and the world, never ends!
Our Congregational Pastor, Rev. Mark Crawford, will again be preaching and leading our worship this Sunday. God willing, I will be back in some form the following Sunday!
Our scripture readings for the Third Sunday of Easter will be Acts 3:12-19, 1 John 3:1-7, and Luke 24:36-48.
YCF Vacation – Still time to give!
Each year the Youth Charity Foundation takes most of the children away on vacation. This year they will be going to the Cha’Am Christian Mission Home. It will be a great break for them by the sea.
Each child needs about THB 5,000 to cover the cost of the trip. They will be away for eight nights.
Budget for one person 1. Food 80 baht x 27 meals = 2160 baht 2. Accommodation 130 baht x 8 nights = 1040 baht 3. Travel = 500 baht 4. Health insurance = 500 baht 5. Snack and pocket money = 300 baht 6. Other = 500 baht.
Total = 5000 baht.
Some have already given, but if you could sponsor a child, please contact me or our new treasurer, Arthur Mann. So far we have raised about THB 20,000.
The trip will be from 1st – 8th May.
Wednesday Lunch
No lunch until further notice – everyone is away and Covid is on the rise! We will probably recommence in May!
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online. Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together. God has shown that he is mighty and we are in his hands!
In some ways, I just celebrated my best Easter ever! It was full of the joy of the resurrection and the promise of new life, in the forgiveness and love we have in Jesus. I was so blessed by the support, love, and encouragement offered by the wonderful people of All Saints.
Good Friday Sermon
It was the best Easter because it was the hardest Good Friday. As you know, I was to be ordained to the episcopate on Saturday, and Mark was to be ordained to the priesthood. Both of us, for similar reasons, felt it was not the right time, and on Thursday morning decided our ordinations would not go ahead as planned.
I had not really been aware of the level of unhappiness and misunderstanding of my plan to be ordained as a bishop for All Saints. On the Wednesday of Holy Week this became more apparent, and for the good of the congregation I felt I had to withdraw my plan at this time. Whether it will re-emerge in the future is in the hands of God’s people here at All Saints.
My chief concern was not the fact that I was not to be ordained, but the damage that might have been done to the church. Related matters, rather than the ordination itself, had caused great upset to some people in the congregation, and I was aware of several people who, in different ways, felt deeply wounded.
But through the grace of God, I believe events surrounding our Good Friday service were a source of healing and reconciliation. I preached from the heart and God was working!
By Easter Sunday it was clear that healing had been given, we were together as God’s people. Where mistakes had been made, or misunderstandings arisen, God’s love and forgiveness had brought healing! He is risen and our Christian hope is not in vain!
I believe we have been mightily blessed by our mighty God. Spiritual attack is a real thing, and we have been subject to attack, but Christ has won the victory! We are together as God’s people.
Our Congregational Pastor, Rev. Mark Crawford, will be preaching and leading our worship this Sunday! Our scripture readings for the Second Sunday of Easter will be Acts 4:32-35, 1 John 1:1-2:2, and John 20:19-31, and we will be singing the hymns Alleluia! Sing to Jesus, The Day of Resurrection, Hail the Day, and All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name!
Easter Events
On Easter Sunday, Archbishop Ronald Langham preached, and our singing was led by Team Two of the All Saints Choristers. It was a wonderful time of celebration with thirty-nine people present altogether.
Our Wonderful Choir
Bryon giving the First Reading
The gathered clergy
Hannah (and Jack) give the Second Reading
Bishop Ron reads the Gospel
Helga leads our Prayers of Intercession
Consuming the Elements
This was followed by a potluck at the MCC Office compound. Thanks to Rebecca, Blaine, Arthur, and Phyllis, for organising all this!
Kids at the Potluck Enjoying the Food!
YCF Vacation – Still time to give!
Each year the Youth Charity Foundation takes most of the children away on vacation. This year they will be going to the Cha’Am Christian Mission Home. It will be a great break for them by the sea.
Each child needs about THB 5,000 to cover the cost of the trip. They will be away for eight nights.
Budget for one person 1. Food 80 baht x 27 meals = 2160 baht 2. Accommodation 130 baht x 8 nights = 1040 baht 3. Travel = 500 baht 4. Health insurance = 500 baht 5. Snack and pocket money = 300 baht 6. Other = 500 baht.
Total = 5000 baht.
Some have already given, but if you could sponsor a child, please contact me or our new treasurer, Arthur Mann.
The trip will be from 1st – 8th May.
Wednesday Lunch
No lunch until further notice – everyone is away! We will probably recommence in May!
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online, or place your money in the basket during the service.
Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together. God has shown that he is mighty and we are in his hands!
Last Sunday we had a great service to celebrate Palm Sunday with our new All Saints Choristers. Team One sang last week and Team Two will sing this Easter Sunday! This week, to make up for last year, we will have three All Saints services, on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.
I preached on Palm Sunday and highlights of the service can be viewed here. Father Rick Saint will be preaching on Good Friday, and Bishop Ron Langham will be preaching on Easter Sunday. It should be a blessed and exciting time!
Easter is a time for celebrating the defeat of death, the hope that Jesus offers for the world! Like Christmas, it is centred on the message that God is with us, but it has the added joy that even death is not the end and we are offered life eternal!
Please join us if you can to share this sad and then joyous feast.
Ready for Good Friday
Our scripture readings for Maundy Thursday will be 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 and John 13:1-17, and we will sing unaccompanied. Our scripture readings for Good Friday will be Matthew 26:17-29, Matthew 26:36-56, Mark 15:1-15, Mark 15:16-32, Matthew 27:45-54, Isaiah 52:13-53:5, and Matthew 27:62-66. We will be singing the Good Friday hymns When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, O Sacred Head Now Wounded, How deep the Father’s love for Us, My Song is Love Unknown, Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?, and O Love that Will Not Let Me Go.
Easter is Coming!
Our scripture readings for Easter Sunday will be Acts 10:34-43, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26, and John 20:1-18, and we will be singing the hymns Jesus Christ is Risen Today, The Day of Resurrection, Christ is Alive, and Thine Be the Glory!
Maundy Thursday Service 1st April 7 pm – including foot washing ceremony
Good Friday Service 2nd April 7 pm – a solemn Tenabrae service
Holy Saturday Ordination Service 3rd April 7pm (This is not an official All Saints event, but it will be held in our building and all are welcome to attend.)
Easter Sunday Service 4th April 10 am again with our new choir – followed by potluck and Easter Egg hunt All are very welcome to join us for lunch!
YCF Vacation
Each year the Youth Charity Foundation takes most of the children away on vacation. This year they will be going to the Cha’Am Christian Mission Home. It will be a great break for them by the sea.
Each child needs about THB 5,000 to cover the cost of the trip. They will be away for eight nights.
Budget for one person 1. Food 80 baht x 27 meals = 2160 baht 2. Accommodation 130 baht x 8 nights = 1040 baht 3. Travel = 500 baht 4. Health insurance = 500 baht 5. Snack and pocket money = 300 baht 6. Other = 500 baht.
Total = 5000 baht.
Some have already given, but if you could sponsor a child, please contact me or our new treasurer, Arthur Mann.
The trip will be from 1st – 8th May.
Any Old Phone?
Do you have an old smart phone that you no longer use? Maybe the camera is broken or the battery has gone bad. We need one for use in the church office so that we can have the church banking app on a dedicated phone which is kept in the safe. We could also use another phone for recording our services!
Let me know if you have one!
Wednesday Lunch
No lunch until after Easter – everyone is away!
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online, or place your money in the basket during the service.
Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together.
We have almost reached the Easter Season! This Sunday is Palm Sunday. Last year there were no face-to-face Easter services due to Covid, and I was stranded in the UK.
This year, to make up for last, we will have three All Saints services, on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.
I will be preaching on Palm Sunday, Father Rick Saint will be preaching on Good Friday, and Bishop Ron Langham will be preaching on Easter Sunday. It should be a blessed and exciting time!
We will also have our new choir singing for the first time this Sunday. Eighteen children from YCF have joined our choir and they are divided into two teams. Team One, consisting of nine children, will be singing on Palm Sunday this week, and Team Two, consisting of another nine, will be singing on Easter Sunday.
Four Choir Members
On Wednesday, Ratcha and I bought the “choir robes” for the children. They will consist of red T-shirts and shorts with a white surplice over the top. The surplices will have to wait, though, so for Palm Sunday and Easter they will be all in red!
Our scripture readings this week will be Mark 11:1-11, Philippians 2:5-11, and Mark 14:1-9, and we will be singing the hymns Hosanna Hosanna Hosanna in the Highest, All Glory Laud and Honour, Hosanna Loud Hosanna, Brother Sister Let me Serve You, and RideOn! Ride On in Majesty!
Video of last week’s service can soon be viewed via the Audio-Visual page of the church website!
Easter Services
Palm Sunday Service 28th March 10 am – including parading of the palms and our new children’s choir
Maundy Thursday Service 1st April 7 pm – including foot washing ceremony
Good Friday Service 2nd April 7 pm – a solemn Tenabrae service
Holy Saturday Ordination Service 3rd April 7pm (This is not an official All Saints event, but it will be held in our building and all are welcome to attend.)
Easter Sunday Service 4th April 10 am again with our new choir – followed by potluck and Easter Egg hunt
Easter Ordinations – Saturday 3rd April
All Saints is a part of the one holy catholic and apostolic church, but in terms of denominational allegiance we stand alone. But we do embrace the traditional three-fold order of ministry, of bishop, priest, and deacon, and hither-to we have had the latter two present.
The bishop is the primary leader of a church in a local area. In the UK there are around a hundred Anglican churches for every bishop, in Hong Kong, there are ten churches for each bishop, in the Province of Alexandria, there are just a handful. It doesn’t really matter how many churches there are in an area, there should be a bishop to cover that region.
At All Saints, we will just have one bishop for one church.
Archbishop Ronald Langham, of the Ecumenical Catholic Church of Australia, has kindly agreed to ordain me as a bishop for All Saints and Chiang Mai. He will also ordain Pastor Mark Crawford as a priest. He will be here from Maundy Thursday until Easter Monday. This is not an official All Saints event, but Bishop Ron will be using our building.
What changes will you notice at All Saints? On the surface perhaps nothing, but it does mean that Mark will be able to consecrate the elements himself at the Eucharist, and I can offer future ordinations and confirmations. And equally importantly, we are now properly organised! Mark will still be known as Pastor Mark, or just Mark, and I will still be known as Father Iain, or just Iain.
We will not have an on-going formal relationship with the Ecumenical Catholic Church of Australia, but I hope we will remain good friends!
YCF Vacation
Each year the Youth Charity Foundation takes most of the children away on vacation. This year they will be going to the Cha’Am Christian Mission Home. It will be a great break for them by the sea.
Each child needs about THB 5,000 to cover the cost of the trip. They will be away for eight nights.
Budget for one person 1. Food 80 baht x 27 meals = 2160 baht 2. Accommodation 130 baht x 8 nights = 1040 baht 3. Travel = 500 baht 4. Health insurance = 500 baht 5. Snack and pocket money = 300 baht 6. Other = 500 baht.
Total = 5000 baht.
If you could sponsor a child, please contact me or our new treasurer, Arthur Mann
The trip will be from 1st – 8th May.
Any Old Phone?
Do you have an old smart phone that you no longer use? Maybe the camera is broken or the battery has gone bad. We need one for use in the church office so that we can have the church banking app on a dedicated phone which is kept in the safe. We could also use another phone for recording our services!
Let me know if you have one!
Wednesday Lunch
No lunch until after Easter – everyone is away!
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online, or place your money in the basket during the service.
Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together.
Last Sunday we had our Annual General Meeting and ratified our new 2021 Constitution, and elected four Church Council members.
The new Council members are:
Bill Moeller Helga Spring Chris Tananone Hannah Alexander-Herrick Iain Baxter Mark Crawford Gene Bourquin
Please hold us in your prayers.
This week, our Old Testament Reading contains the Ten Commandments, and our Gospel reading tells of Jesus cleansing the Temple. Our sermon will address the idea of authority. Who has it, and how should it be exercised?
Our scripture readings for Sunday will be Exodus 20:1-17, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, and John 2:13-22, and our hymns will be Awake My Soul and with the Sun, Make Me a Channel of your Peace, Lord Jesus Christ, and Lift High the Cross!
Video of last week’s service can soon be viewed via the Audio-Visual page of the church website!
Lent Groups – Anglican 101
These are held on Tuesday evenings at Mark and Christa’s home, and Wednesday afternoons at the Gymkhana Club.
The theme is not designed to convert people to one particular Christian tradition, but it will be a time for all of us to share from our traditions and get to know where we all come from. There will be time for sharing and prayer, too!
Next week’s topic: Liturgy and Sacraments. – How we worship and encounter God.
Covid Pollution Protocols at All Saints
Since recommencing face to face worship in August 2020, All Saints has been operating under the protocols developed by Dr William Aldis, which include the wearing of masks, very quiet singing, no air-conditioning, and open doors and windows.
Chiang Mai is now entering the hot and smoky season, and Dr Aldis has revised the protocols accordingly. If the AQI is above 150 or the temperature is above 28C, then we will close the windows and use the air-conditioners. Other precautions, such as the wearing of masks, remain in force. A new more powerful air filter has also been purchased. The basis of these recommendations can be read here!
Last Sunday we needed to switch on the air-conditioning and it is likely that this will again be the case this week.
The Sound of Silence
To help us prepare for worship, the church bell will now be rung at 9:55 am each Sunday. This will signal the beginning of five minutes of silence, for private prayer and reflection before our worship.
It will be rung again at 10 am as our worship begins!
Wednesday Lunch Lunch – last Wednesday! Our lunch will continue next Wednesday! I am looking forward to being there again! Why not come along? (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online, or place your money in the basket during the service.
Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together.
This Sunday we will have our Annual General Meeting, ratify our new 2021 Constitution, and elect four Church Council members. These may not seem very exciting events, but they are! They set the governance and way-forward for All Saints for the next number of years!
If you are a member you should have received your online voting form on Monday. Please vote, even if you are 100% happy with the choices, 100% unhappy with the choices, or feel your view is not important and others can decide. We need your vote to ensure we have a sufficient voting quorum!
Last Sunday’s “Town Hall” Meeting
Lent has just begun, but Easter is coming. It will be an exciting time of celebrating the life of Jesus and his death and resurrection. Don’t forget – last year we were confined to our homes and worshipping on Zoom! Plans are not completely finalized, but there should be four services over the Easter period on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday! More details to follow!
We remain faithful to God, for God is faithful to all!
Our scripture readings for Sunday will be Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16, Romans 4:13-25, and Mark 8:31-38, and our hymns will be The God of Abraham Praise, Men of Faith, Be Still for the Presence of the Lord, and Onward, Christian People.
Video of last week’s service can soon be viewed via the Audio-Visual page of the church website!
Ash Wednesday Service Last Wednesday’s service was a moving time for all who attended!
Our congregational AGM is this Sunday, 28th February, where we will formally ratify out new constitution and elect Council members.
Copies of the constitution have been sent to people on the membership list of All Saints and were also available in church last Sunday. In addition, we had a “Town Hall” meeting following the service last Sunday so that people could ask questions about the new constitution before voting on it.
Sunday 21st February Town Hall Meeting to answer questions on the 2021 constitution
22nd – 27th February Online voting on Constitution and for Council Members
Sunday 28th February Annual General Meeting Formal Ratification of 2021 Constitution Church Reports In person voting for Council Members Adoption of budget for 2021
New Council Members
There were only four nominations for the four elected Church Council positions:
Bill Moeller Helga Spring Chris Tananone Hannah Alexander-Herrick
Members are now voting whether to confirm these nominations.
Lent Groups – Anglican 101 These are held on Tuesday evenings at Mark and Christa’s home, and Wednesday afternoons at the Gymkhana Club.
The theme is not designed to convert people to one particular Christian tradition, but it will be a time for all of us to share from our traditions and get to know where we all come from. There will be time for sharing and prayer, too! Last Tuesday, the best part was the general discussion after the “Anglican” part!
Next week’s topic: Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and authority. – Who does what and why?
The Youth Charity Foundation – Welcome Back!
Last Saturday, YCF hosted a Welcome Back event for me and one of their teachers. It was good to see their smiling faces once again. Bill Moeller and Mee, and Ratcha and I, attended from All Saints.
I am meeting with their Director, Khun Tasnee, on Friday to discuss maybe starting a children’s choir with the children of YCF to help lead our worship at All Saints. Please pray about this venture.
Movie Time – Postcards from Babylon!
Next Sunday, there will be a showing of the movie Postcards from Babylon at 5 p.m. at the MCC office.
Postcards From Babylon is a documentary featuring author and pastor Brian Zahnd as he investigates possibly the most important question for the church in North America today, a church often characterized by Christian Nationalism: How does the church stay faithful to the beautiful way of Jesus while situated in one of the most divisive political climates in our nation’s history?
Following the film, a discussion panel including Brian Zahnd, Shane Claiborne, Lisa Sharon Harper, Kristin Du Mez, Keith Giles, Peter Wehner, and filmmakers David & Kathi Peters will delve further into its themes and where we can go from here.
All are welcome – bring snacks to share!
Wednesday Lunch
Lunch – last Wednesday! Our lunch will continue next Wednesday! I am looking forward to being there again! Why not come along? (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online, or place your money in the basket during the service.
Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together.
Lent is here once again. When we began Lent 2020, Covid-19 was a little-known virus still mostly confined to China. But I only made the first two Sundays of Lent before flying off to the UK, and All Saints had one more Lenten service before moving on to Zoom!
This year, at least in Thailand, Lent should be more normal and we should be able to celebrate Easter together in the church! This last year has seen people around the world give up so much in order to keep others safe. In many parts of the world, people are still largely confined to their homes. In this context, it is interesting to ask what we should give up for Lent this year, or should we instead give thanks for all that we don’t have to give up?
Why not join one of the Lent Groups – we are lucky that we can!
At Worship Last Sunday! Our scripture readings for Ash Wednesday will be Isaiah 58:1-12 and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21, and our hymns will be Abide with Me, O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, and The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended.
And our scripture readings for Sunday will be Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:9-15, and our hymns will be Before the Throne of God Above, Forty Days and Forty Nights, For the Bread Which You Have Broken, and At the Name of Jesus!
Video of last week’s service can soon be viewed via the Audio-Visual page of the church website!
Lent Groups – Anglican 101
These will be on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday afternoons at Mark and Christa’s home and the Gymkhana Club.
The course is not designed to convert people to one particular Christian tradition, but it will be a time for all of us to share from our traditions and get to know where we all come from. There will be time for sharing and prayer, too! The five sessions are:
Henry VIII, and all those wives. – How it all began? Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and authority. – Who does what and why? Liturgy and Sacraments. – How we worship and encounter God. Bells and Chasubles. – Symbols and Ceremony. Hidden Anglicanism. – The theology beneath it all.
Pancake Sunday – Last Sunday!
Thanks to all who made this such a great event – especially to Rebecca and Blaine, and Arthur and Phyliss, for hosting!
Ash Wednesday
We had a special Ash Wednesday Service at 7 p.m. on 17th February. This included the imposition of ashes.
Our congregational AGM is on Sunday 28th February, where we will formally ratify out new constitution and elect Council members. Copies of the constitution have been sent to people on the membership list of All Saints and were also available in church last Sunday.
In addition, we will have a “Town Hall” meeting following the service this coming Sunday, 21st February, so that people can ask questions about the new constitution before voting on it the following week. Members will be able to vote by paper ballot or electronically.
Sunday 21st February: Town Hall Meeting to answer questions on the 2021 constitution
22nd – 27th February: Online voting on Constitution and for Council Members
Sunday 28th February: Annual General Meeting, Formal Ratification of 2021 Constitution, Church Reports, In person voting for Council Members, Adoption of budget for 2021
New Council Members
Assuming the new constitution is approved, we will need to elect four people to serve on the new Church Council. Are you interested, or would you like to nominate someone? Each candidate will need to be nominated by two other church members and be a member themself.
Nomination forms will be available in church this Sunday. The timeline is tight, so you will need to fill them in and submit them this week, as online voting will begin the following day!
Wednesday Lunch
Lunch! Our lunch will be on Wednesday! I am looking forward to being there again! Why not come along? (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online, or place your money in the basket during the service.
Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together.
It was wonderful to be back home at All Saints last Sunday. Thanks for the warm welcome from so many people!
This week our New Testament passage recalls Paul’s words to the Corinthians where he talks of having become “all things, to all men”, not meaning that he has compromised his beliefs but that he is prepared to communicate in any culture for the sake of the Gospel.
At All Saints we define ourselves as a Christ-centred, inclusive liturgical community for all people, and that is who we are. In Article 1 of our new draft constitution we state:
Saints Church is a welcoming and inclusive worship community that accepts everyone no matter their age, gender, race, sexuality, or theology. Worship follows the Anglican liturgy – also drawing on the heritage of the Lutheran, Catholic, Orthodox and Presbyterian Churches amongst others.
We are a gathered people, drawn from many nations and many traditions, but we worship in the Anglican tradition, and I would like to unpack a little more of what it means to be Anglican in this week’s sermon.
In the footsteps of Paul, we wish to cross cultures as a church in order to communicate the Gospel, but also like Paul we need to come with a good idea of who we are! Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be Isaiah 40:27-31, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, and Mark 1:29-39, and our hymns will bePraise to the Lord the Almighty, Called as Partners in Christ’s Service, What shall I do my God to love?, and When in our Music God is Glorified.
Video of last week’s service can soon be viewed via the Audio-Visual page of the church website!
Father Iain’s Return Lunch at The Nest last Friday in Chiang Dao Thanks again for the great welcome back. It was a busy week, but great to reconnect with so many good friends!
I feel very blessed!
First Hundred Days
It is really great to be back! I have a list of ten things I want us to do in my first hundred days back – or from Candlemas to Pentecost!
Of course, some can be done relatively easily, and others can only just be started, and others may not get started at all in the next 100 days, but these are some of the things I would like us to do! And some of them will definitely get done!
1 Complete New Constitution 2 Hold new Council Elections 3 Appoint New Treasurer 4 Open New Bank Account 5 Restart Foundation Application 6 Start Children’s Choir 7 Reform Lent Liturgy and Hold Lent Discussion Groups 8 Ordination to Supervising Pastor 9 Look for New Building Possibilities 10 Commission New Altar and Lectern
Pancake Sunday
On Sunday 14th February we will have a pancake potluck as we prepare for the beginning of Lent. See Rebecca about what to bring!
Ash Wednesday
We will have a special Ash Wednesday Service at 7 p.m. on Wednesday 17th February. This will include the imposition of ashes.
Congregational Annual General Meeting
The Trustees and others, have been working hard to produce a new constitution for All Saints which will include the election of a new Church Council. This is nearly complete, and we hope to have a congregational AGM in February or early March to approve this document and elect Council members.
More information soon!
Wednesday Lunch
Lunch! Our lunch will be on next week! I am looking forward to being there again! Why not come along? (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online, or place your money in the basket during the service.
Candlemas remembers the time when Mary and Joseph took Jesus to be presented at the Temple. It marks the end of the full Christmas season.
Why Candlemas? Because Jesus is the Light of the World – the one who brings light into darkness!
Our world is full of challenges. The US has entered a new chapter with the installation of a new president, and All Saints also begins a new chapter with my final return to Chiang Mai. (Although I am not comparing Mark Crawford to Donald Trump!)
It’s great to be back and I am really looking forward to the new things we can do together! God is good! Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrews 2:14-18, and Luke 2:22-40, and our hymns will be All People that on Earth do Dwell, Christ Be Our Light, King of Kings Majesty, and All My Hope on God Is Founded!
Father Iain’s Return
I am back in Chiang Mai and will be leading worship at All Saints this Sunday! Thanks for all your prayers and support, I am so excited and looking forward to seeing you again!
Thanks to all who hosted and attended welcome back meals this week. I look forward to seeing some of you in Chiang Dao this Friday! The First Welcome Meal at Phyliss and Arthur’s.
First Hundred Days
It is really great to be back! I have a list of ten things I want to do in my first hundred days – or from Candlemas to Pentecost!
Watch this space for more details!
Pancake Sunday
On Sunday 14th February we will have a pancake potluck as we prepare for the beginning of Lent. Bring toppings to share.
Ash Wednesday
We will have a special Ash Wednesday Service at 7 p.m. on Wednesday 17th February. This will include the imposition of ashes.
Wednesday Lunch
Lunch! Our lunch will be on next week! I am looking forward to being there again! Why not come along? (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online, or place your money in the basket during the service.
Water into wine! What a useless miracle – it’s not like healing the sick or feeding the hungry! So what was the point? John, in his Gospel, describes the miracles as a series of “signs” – the point is, they point to who Jesus is! He is the one who has power over nature, over all the world!
How do we react to these signposts? Do we follow or choose to go the other way? Perhaps water into wine wasn’t a useless miracle after all! Cheers!
Our scripture readings for this Sunday will be Genesis 14:17-20, Revelation 19:6-10, and John 2:1-11, and our hymns will be All Creatures of our God and King, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, I am the Bread of Life and A Mighty Fortress!
I have nearly finished my quarantining in Bangkok. God willing, I shall fly back to Chiang Mai on Sunday. All has gone well so far. Thanks for all your prayers and support, I am so excited and looking forward to seeing you again!
Mark has been organizing a serious of events to welcome me back, including meals on Monday 25th, Tuesday 26th, and Wednesday 27th, and a getaway to Chiang Dao on Friday 29th January. See Mark for more details.
I shall be back in All Saints and leading worship on Candlemas, Sunday 31st January!
New Constitution
Every Thursday for the last couple of months, Mark, Chris, Bill, Tarntip, Gene, and I, have been meeting to develop the Mission, Values, Vision, and Constitution of All Saints. We hope to have all this ready for presentation at a congregational Annual General Meeting at the end of February, along with the election of new Council members.
More to follow!
Wednesday Lunch
Lunch! We will be meeting for lunch at midday next Wednesday at the Gymkhana Club. I am really excited to finally be back with you! Why not join us? (You don’t need to be a member of the Gymkhana Club to attend!)
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate online, or place your money in the basket during the service.
All Saints' Chiang Mai 