From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai
First Century Pharisees
Dear Friends,
We are accustomed to putting Pharisees in the “bad guys” box and Samaritans in the “good guys” category. This would have surprised the people of first century Palestine as they would have surely seen the Pharisees as the righteous ones.
But there were some good Pharisees and we can include those in this week’s Gospel passage who went to warn Jesus, as he made his way to Jerusalem, that Herod wanted to kill him.
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.”
Luke 13:31-32
Well, Jesus got that one wrong – or more likely the translation is faulty – for many prophets, before and since, have been killed outside Jerusalem: two that spring immediately to mind are Archbishop Oscar Romero, gunned down at the altar in San Salvador, and Martin Luther King, shot dead on the balcony of a motel room in Memphis, Tennessee.
A prophet is often one who speaks out against injustice, and right now many prophetic voices are needed around the world. Speaking out is not without risk: according to The Guardian, the US state department will use artificial intelligence to revoke visas of foreign students who it perceives as supporters of Hamas. Basically, protesting against the genocidal policies of Israel, for which it’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been issued with an arrest warrant for “crimes against humanity” and “war crimes” may now lead to arrest, deportation, and worse. Furthermore “American students will be permanently expelled or … arrested.” This issue is just the beginning! (More details in Freedom of Speech Under Threat below)
So… what would Jesus do? He kept going, travelling on to Jerusalem where his fate awaited him. We too should not remain silent, but we should count the cost – just as Jesus did!
The readings for this Sunday will be Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Philippians 3:17-4:1, and Luke 13:31-35, and we will be singing the hymns Let All the World in Every Corner Sing; Make Me a Channel of your Peace; When I needed a Neighbour; and Now Thank We All Our God!
Use this link to join on Zoom on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Meeting ID: 548 801 501
Last Sunday’s Service!
Video of last Sunday’s service is available on the All Saints YouTube channel!
Baby Shower – Last Sunday
Last week a group of us gathered at Arthur and Phyliss’ house for a baby shower for Annah and Aneesh’s baby. A good time was had by all!
Chiang Rai Church Dedication
This weekend Mum and I, will be journeying up to Chiang Rai with the children of the Youth Charity Foundation. This is for the service of dedication of a new church where our choir will also be singing!
Please pray that all goes well and good relationships are formed!
Easter Dates
Dates for your diary!
Palm Sunday 13th April 2025
Good Friday 18th April 2025
Easter Sunday 20th April 2025
Chiang Mai Pride – Sunday 25th May
The date for the Chiang Mai Pride 2025 has been announced. It will be on the afternoon of Sunday 25th May. All Saints will have a presence as usual. Maybe we’ll do something special this year!
Freedom of Speech Under Threat!
Apologies if you think this is too political, but I am reminded of the quote that all that is needed for evil to triumph is for good people to remain silent. This article highlights the targeting of pro-Palestinian students, but other people with other issues are at risk too.
From the “Alt National Park Service”:
The rebirth of McCarthyism is unfolding as the government moves to silence dissent in the name of power.
The Trump administration is pressuring universities across 60 college campuses to arrest students engaged in peaceful protests, invoking broad legal provisions to justify crackdowns on dissent. This campaign bears striking similarities to McCarthyism, where fear and intimidation were used to silence political opposition. Just as McCarthy’s era saw government officials and private institutions pressured to root out supposed communists, today’s universities are being urged to identify and detain students based on their political beliefs rather than any criminal wrongdoing.
The administration is leveraging a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which grants the president authority to expel noncitizens if their presence is deemed to have “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.” This provision, originally designed during the Cold War, is now being used to target international students and activists without due process. Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, a legal U.S. resident and pro-Palestinian activist, was recently arrested by ICE under this justification despite facing no formal charges.
In addition to targeting individuals, the administration is threatening to withdraw federal funding from universities that allow what it deems “illegal protests.” Columbia University, for example, recently had $400 million in federal grants and contracts revoked due to alleged inaction against antisemitic harassment on campus. These efforts parallel McCarthy-era tactics, where institutions were coerced into enforcing ideological conformity or risked losing financial and political support.
Both McCarthyism and the current crackdown reveal how the government can manipulate existing laws to suppress dissent, creating a chilling effect on free speech. The reliance on vague accusations and institutional pressure highlights a disturbing pattern: using fear as a tool to erode fundamental civil liberties. This marks one of the most significant threats to free expression in modern U.S. history. The question is, how far will this go?
Those of us who are not American should not be complacent either – where America leads, others may follow, and with the global reach of American tech companies we are already being affected whether we know it or not.
Chili Night Continues!
Chili Night will continue next Tuesday!
Every Tuesday everyone in Chiang Mai is invited to Chili Night in the Vicarage. Chili con Carne, rice, chips, ice-cream, and drinks are provided. Just come along! (But let me know in advance if you can!) All are welcome. Food is served at 6 p.m.
Weekly Offering to All Saints
You can still donate in person or online – and now you can us our QR code!. Thank you for your support and love for All Saints and all we are trying to do together. God has shown that God is mighty and we are in God’s hands!
God bless you,
Vicar Iain (he/they/she)
All Saints' Chiang Mai 