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

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

Summer is over for the staff and students of Chiang Mai’s international schools, and it’s back to learning! But for all of us, learning never ceases.  This week we will look at the death of King David’s son, Absolom.  What can we learn from this episode? Perhaps primarily, that we should make peace when we can before it is too late, but also the importance of mourning when we lose those we love.

This week our readings will be 2 Samuel 18:5-9,15, 31-33, Ephesians 4:25-5:2, and John 6:35, 41-51, and we will be singing the hymns  All People that on Earth do Dwell, Abide with Me, What a Friend we have in Jesus,and All My Hope on God is Founded.  We will also be singing an arrangement of The Creed to the tune Abbot’s Leigh.  The readings can be found via this link!  Our sermon will be entitled: A time to rejoice, and a time to mourn!

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

Lay Ministers for August 2015
OT Reading:  Caitlyn
NT Reading:  Eric
Prayer of Intercession:  Alan
Usher: Open
Acolyte:  Michael
Eucharistic Minister: Open
Kitchen:  Tom and Alan
Music:   Joel

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

All are Welcome!

Dear Friends,

I am still in England, but Andy and I will be back on Sunday, ready for a new year!  Welcome back also to all those who have been away over the summer – we hope to see you worshipping with us soon!

Sometimes I wish I could travel business class!  It must be nice to be rich, famous, and powerful.  The grass always looks greener – not just on the other side of the fence – but in the fields which are higher up!  However, in this week’s Old Testament reading we have the story of David and Bathsheba.  As I have said in some recent sermons, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.  Perhaps being rich and famous is not so good after all.  We will look at the life of David – warts and all – this Sunday.

This week our readings will be 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13, Ephesians 4:1-16, and John 6:24-35, and we will be singing the hymns All Creatures of our God and King, Be Thou My Vision, For the Bread which You have Broken,and Amazing Grace.  The readings can be found via this link!

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

Elena Kelly will be preaching this week!

Dear Friends,

Greetings from “sunny” England.  I shall be away for the next two Sundays, but worship will continue at All Saints!  Elena will be preaching and Father Ian will celebrate communion!  Please contact Elena on 0932 916 590 in the event of any emergency!

Meanwhile, be prepared to rethink everything – the theme of Elena’s sermon this Sunday.  This week our readings will be 2 Samuel 7:1-14, Ephesians 2:11-22, and Mark 6:30-34, 53-56, and we will be singing the hymns Alleluia Sing to Jesus, Let us Build a House, Break thou the Bread of Life, and All for Jesus.  The readings can be found via this link!

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

 Evita!  “I don’t care what the bourgeoisie say.”

Dear Friends,

In 1979 the musical Evita took the London West End by storm.  In 1996 it was made into a film starring Madonna.  Eva Peron was a young actress whose liaison with an Argentinian general allowed her to propel him to power in a mixture of popular uprising and military coup.  One of the lines given to Evita is “I don’t care what the bourgeoisie say.”  Her power base comprised the workers, to her the views of the small middle-class was irrelevant.

In the same way, in this week’s Old Testament Reading we see King David dancing before the Lord and scandalizing his wife and many of the other well-to-do people.  He was only concerned with praising God and was unconcerned about the reaction of proper society.
Our Gospel reading tells of one with a similar disregard for pleasing people, but with a rather more serious outcome:  John the Baptist denounced those in power, and lost his head for his troubles!  What about us?  Do we care what “they” say?  That will be the theme of this Sunday’s sermon.

This week our readings will be 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12-19, Ephesians 1:3-14, and Mark 6:14-29, and we will be singing the hymns Praise my Soul the King of Heaven, Will you come and Follow Me, When I needed a Neighbour, and What a Friend we have in Jesus.  The readings can be found via this link!

God bless,

Iain

Lay Ministers for July 2015:
OT Reading: Elsie or Wim
NT Reading: William
Prayer of Intercession: Alan
Usher: Tarntip
Acolyte: Tarntip
Eucharistic Minister: open
Kitchen: Wim and Elsie
Music:  Michael

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

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I have two more Sundays at All Saints before Andy and I fly off to England.  Meanwhile we are all enjoying the cool summer here in Chiang Mai – while England basks in temperatures of more than 35 degrees Celsius!  (It may be hotter here, but at least we have air-conditioning!)  However, hot or cold, our joy in worshipping God together continues.  He is the one who sends the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the good and the bad alike.  We have much to praise God for!

This week our readings will be 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, and Mark 6:1-13, and we will be singing the hymns Christ whose Glory fills the Skies, In Christ alone my Hope is Found, Let us break bread together, and For All the Saints.  The readings can be found via this link!  Our sermon will be entitled What it is to be popular!

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

Lay Ministers for July 2015:
OT Reading: Elsie or Wim
NT Reading: William
Prayer of Intercession: Alan
Usher: Tarntip
Acolyte: Tarntip
Eucharistic Minister: open
Kitchen: Wim and Elsie
Music:  Michael

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Dear Friends,

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We had a wonderful service last week to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, with nearly forty people in attendance.  Most stayed to share the potluck afterwards.  Special thanks to Alan and Tom who, as well as providing the beautiful flowers, also made our new red altar hangings.

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On Tuesday I had my commissioning service at McGilvary College, and it was great to have some people from All Saints there to support me.  It was a long, but good, time of worship and dedication to service.

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Then on Wednesday night we had our first ever Church Council Meeting.  It was a very positive gathering and we are excited about all the things God has been doing, and we believe will continue to do, amongst us at All Saints.  Special dates for your diaries will be given soon!
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This week is Trinity Sunday and we welcome Father Ian to preach and lead our worship.  Our readings will be Isaiah 6:1-8, Romans 8:12-17, and John 3:1-17, and we will be singing the hymns Holy, Holy, Holy, We all believe in One True God, I am the Bread of Life, and Mine Eyes have seen the Glory.  The readings can be found via this link!

God bless,

Iain

Lay Ministers for this week         Lay Ministers for June:
OT Reading: Volunteer                OT Reading: Michael
NT Reading: Volunteer                NT Reading: Eric
Intercessions: Volunteer              Intercessions: Matt
Usher: Volunteer                           Usher: Eric
Acolyte: Volunteer                         Acolyte: Alan
Eucharistic Minister: Elena        Eucharistic Minister: open
Kitchen: Volunteer                        Kitchen: Matt & Noom
Music: Volunteer                           Music:  Joel

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

The devastation in Nepal!

Dear Friends,

Last Friday we said goodbye to Jacob and Kelly as they set off back to Afghanistan.  The rest of us continue our generally easy lives in Chiang Mai.  Meanwhile, we have all seen the terrible devastation caused by the earthquake which hit Nepal just over a week ago.  With this in mind, this week’s offering will all be sent to support the relief efforts in that country via the UK Disaster Emergency Committee which coordinates the work of major charities and NGOs.  Please come prepared to give generously.  You can also give directly using PayPal or credit cards via the link above.

Life continues to go on at All Saints, and we saw five new people last Sunday.  Welcome!  Please remember that this is the last week you can hand in nominations for the Church Council or fill in the directory form.  Thanks to Alan and Tom who have started providing beautiful flowers to aid our worship each week, and to Elsie and Wim who are always ready to stand-in in the kitchen.  The list of this week’s Lay Ministers is at the bottom of this email.  Please check your name and let Elena know if you cannot be there.

This week our readings will be Acts 10:44-48, 1 John 5:1-6, and John 15:9-17, and we will be singing the hymns Alleluia Sing to Jesus, Amazing Grace, Called as Partners in Christ’s Service, and All my Hope on God is Founded.  The readings can be found via this link!

Our sermon will be entitled Grace and Love!

Iain

This Week’s Lay Ministers:

OT Reading: Harvey N.
NT Reading: Tarntip A.
Intercessions: William A.
Usher: Wim O.
Acolyte: Elsie O.
Eucharistic Mnister: Elena K.
Kitchen: William & Tarntip
Music: Andrew N.

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

Bon Voyage to Kelly, Jacob, and Lillian!

Dear Friends,

Yesterday Kelly phoned me to say that their visa number for Afghanistan had come through, and so consequently she, Jacob, and Lily, will be leaving for Dubai this Saturday.  We are therefore going to have a short service of prayer and blessing for them at the church on Friday evening at 7:00pm.  This will give us a chance to say goodbye, and will be followed by dinner at Hinley Curry at about 7:30pm.  Please let me know if you will be joining us for dinner so we can reserve a big enough table!

They have volunteered to continue working on the church directory from Afghanistan!

Then on Saturday night we are all invited to the home of Michael Allman to watch the movie The Lady Eve with Barbra Stanwyck and Henry Fonda.  Its a romantic comedy gem from 1941 and one of Michael’s favorite movies. This is a basic plot – A trio of classy card sharps targets the socially awkward heir to brewery millions for his money, till one of them falls in love with him.  The movie is a trim 94 minutes so if we start the film at 7:00 it shouldn’t be too late for people.  (Directions to Michael’s place below.)  It will also be a celebration of Michael’s birthday which is this Thursday.  Those who want to share dinner before the film, will meet at The Salad Concept on Nimmen Haemin at 5:30pm.

This week our worship for the Easter season continues with readings from Acts 8:26-40, 1 John 4:7-21, and John 15:1-8, and we will be singing the hymns O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, Jesu Jesu Fill us with Your Love, Jesus Thou Joy of Loving Hearts, and Lift High the Cross.  The readings can be found via this link!  Our sermon will be entitled All You Need is Love!

God bless,

Iain

It is on Sriwichai Road off of Suthep Road, between Nimmenhaemmin and Sri Mangkalajarn Road and quite near to Wat Suan Dok.  Opposite the beginning of Sriwichai road there is a big pastel purple drug store (on one side it says Drug Store at the top of the sign and the other side says University Pharmacy).  He is on Soi 3.  Go to soi 3 and turn right (you can’t turn left) and he is about a hundred feet down the soi on the right – there is a green gate in need of painting.  If you get lost his mobile is 084-336-0279.

A map is below with an x at the location of the house for those who like maps.  Michael’s e-mail is knmchl@gmail.com so that people can reply directly to him with any questions.

From Rev Iain Baxter, All Saints Chiang Mai

 Dear Friends,

I am back in Chiang Mai, after a relaxing five days away by the sea!  Last week I preached and asked the question, How do we testify to the resurrection? This week Elena will encourage us with the message Let’s eat!  We all need to seek God and see how God can transform our live is only we allow it to happen – there are exciting times ahead!

This week our readings will be Acts 3:12-19, 1 John 3:1-7, and Luke 24:36-48, and we will be singing the hymns When I survey the Wonderous Cross, All for Jesus, The Day of Resurrection, and In Christ Alone my Hope is Found!  The reading can be found via this link!

God bless,

Iain