Tag Archives: saints

Heaven and Earth!

Posted on 26/09/2025 | Leave a comment

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai


The Rich Man and Lazarus

Dear Friends,

This week’s Gospel reading tells the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  It’s an interesting story, but taken literally we have some awkward theological and philosophical questions.  But it is a parable, it isn’t meant to be taken literally!

Find out what we can learn from this story this Sunday!

Our Harvest Festival is fast approaching!  On Sunday 5th October (only a week away) we will celebrate the harvest at All Saints as we are joined by some of the children from the Youth Charity Foundation.  Our service will be followed by a potluck at the vicarage.

The scripture readings for this Sunday will be from Amos 6:1, 4-7, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, and Luke 16:19-31, and we will be singing the hymns All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name; All to Jesus I surrender; Dear Lord and Father of Mankind; and Before the Throne of God Above!
YouTube Live

We will again be using YouTube Live instead of Zoom to livestream our service.  

To watch our service live this Sunday please follow these steps:

1)  Click on the link below, and this will take you to the All Saints Chiang Mai YouTube channel. 
2)  Then click on “All Saints Chiang Mai is Live” to watch the service
Use this link to join our Sunday service on YouTube Live!

Last Week’s Service!

Video of last Sunday’s service is available on the All Saints YouTube channel! 

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NEW!!!!  Theology on Tap – Next Thursday, 2nd October!

Beer, Pizza and … The Bible?

Join us the first Thursday of the month to explore your questions—and problems—with the Bible over delicious food and stimulating conversation. We’ll watch a video exploring a spiritual theme, followed by group discussion. Bring a friend, or meet new ones. People of all faiths and no faith are welcome. 

6:00-8:00 pm at Bella Madre Pizza (next to Food4Thought East)
First Thursday of the month
The first gathering will be next Thursday, 2nd October.
A variety of beverages and food are available for purchase. 

Suggested donation: 100 Baht 

No RSVP required. Contact Christa with questions.

Last night, transACTIONrefuge held its second in-person get together.  Christa and I, and around 20 other people attended.  Many signed up to help with this valuable project initiated and overseen by All Saints.  Individuals and families are now starting to arrive from the States and elsewhere.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this project, transACTIONrefuge is a group of trans people and allies based in Chiang Mai, who seek to help trans people and their families relocate to Thailand by giving help and advice with visas, accommodation, healthcare, jobs, and daily living.  Above all we can be a shoulder to cry on and a hand to hold on to.  

Find out more:

Web:                transACTIONrefuge.com
Facebook:       Trans Action Refuge
Email:              transACTIONrefuge@proton.me


Harvest Festival—Next Sunday, 5th October

This year’s Harvest Festival will be held at All Saints Church as many of the Youth Charity Foundation children will be away.  It will be followed by a potluck at the vicarage.

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All Saints’ Book Club

Book Club meets 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month from 3:30-5:30. Location to be confirmed each week. We’re working our way through The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper.  Contact Christa or Gene for details.

Chili Night 

Chili Night continues this Tuesday!   Every week 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.

Please make a THB 100 donation.
 

Weekly Offering to All Saints

You can still donate in person or online – and now you can use 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)

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Be Dishonest!

Posted on 19/09/2025 | Leave a comment

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai


Liar, Liar, Liar!

Dear Friends,


According to Forbes Magazine, even though voters hate it when a newly elected candidate reneges on campaign promises, and constituents want politicians who follow through and are fundamentally honest, a new paper suggests that the more honest a politician, the less likely they are to succeed.

Jesus knew all about dishonest leaders and powerful people, in this week’s Gospel passage he tells a story about a dishonest manager, and then makes this extraordinary statement:

I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

What did Jesus mean?  I shall be trying to unpack this at All Saints this Sunday – or will I?

The scripture readings at All Saints this Sunday will be from Amos 8:4-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-7,and Luke 16:1-13, and we will be singing the hymns Let All the World in Every Corner Sing, Take My Life and Let it Be, Let us Break Bread Together, and A Mighty Fortress!

Use this link to join our Sunday service on YouTube Live!

Last Week’s Service!

Video of last Sunday’s service is available on the All Saints YouTube channel! 

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Interfaith Walking Pilgrimage – Last Saturday!

At First Church, Chiang Mai

Last Saturday we marched with different faith leaders and representatives in the Wat Ket area (Baha’i, Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian – including All Saints).  We began in front of First Church (Nawarat), where we gathered for a welcome and introduction. Inside the church, we heard a presentation and joined in a short Protestant prayer.

At Masjid Altaqwa

From there, we walked to Masjid Altaqwa for a presentation and Muslim prayer. The journey then took us to Green O’Clock Garden, where representatives of the Bahá’í Faith invited us to sing and pray in their tradition. Around 11:30, we paused for a vegetarian lunch together.

In the garden at Green O’Clock 

At noon, people came to All Saints to learn more about our community and share worship in our tradition. The walk then went on to Wat Ket, a Buddhist temple, before we crossed the pedestrian bridge whose history is closely tied to the local Sikh community. We then stopped at a Chinese Shrine for an introduction to their tradition.

Together at All Saints

The Choir leading Worship

Singing their hearts out!

At All Saints we had a fantastic short sung Eucharist led by the All Saints Choristers from the Youth Charity Foundation.  You can watch the children singing via this link!

In the Chinese Shrine

Mini Recital II – Saturday, September 13

Later on Saturday afternoon, the All Saints’ Choristers from the Youth Charity Foundation performed at the AUA Theatre.  They were amazing!  You can watch their performance via this link!

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NEW!!!!  Theology on Tap – First Thursday of Each Month!

Beer, Pizza and … The Bible?

Join us the first Thursday of the month to explore your questions—and problems—with the Bible over delicious food and stimulating conversation. We’ll watch a video exploring a spiritual theme, followed by group discussion. Bring a friend, or meet new ones. People of all faiths and no faith are welcome. 

6:00-8:00 pm at Bella Madre Pizza (next to Food4Thought East)
First Thursday of the month
A variety of beverages and food are available for purchase. 

Suggested donation: 100 Baht 

No RSVP required. Contact Christa with questions.

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Harvest Festival—Sunday 5th October

This year’s Harvest Festival will be held at All Saints Church as many of the Youth Charity Foundation children will be away.  It will be followed by a potluck at the vicarage.

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Festival of Carols—Advanced Notice

This will be on Saturday 20th December at Thammapratheep Church

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All Saints’ Book Club

Book Club meets 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month from 3:30-5:30. Location to be confirmed each week. We’re working our way through The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper.  Contact Christa or Gene for details.

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Chili Night 

Chili Night continues this Tuesday!   Every week 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.

Please make a THB 100 donation.
 

Weekly Offering to All Saints

You can still donate in person or online – and now you can use 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)

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Choir Day

Posted on 14/02/2025 | Leave a comment

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Come hear them sing at All Saints!


Dear Friends,

At a time when many of us are feeling down about the situation in the world, and particularly in the US, the voice of children can give us hope.  We will have two chances to hear the All Saints Choristers sing this Sunday – first in our morning worship and then in their afternoon concert!   

In Sunday’s service our Gospel reading is part of the Beatitudes as recorded in Luke:

‘Blessed are you who are poor,
   for yours is the kingdom of God.
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
   for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
   for you will laugh.
‘Blessed are you when people hate you,
  and when they exclude you, revile you,
  and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 
  Rejoice on that day and leap for joy,
  for surely your reward is great in heaven;
  for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
‘But woe to you who are rich,
   for you have received your consolation.
‘Woe to you who are full now,
   for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
   for you will mourn and weep.
‘Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.
 
In God’s upside down kingdom there is hope in the midst of despair and light in the midst of darkness.   Every angelic appearance in the Gospels heralding the birth of Jesus, began with the phrase “Do not be afraid!”  We need to be ready, with our eyes open, but we can also be people of joy!

The scripture readings for this Sunday will be Jeremiah 17:5-1, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, and Luke 6:17-26, and we will be singing the hymns Praise to the Lord, the Almighty; The Lord’s My Shepherd; Be Still for the Presence of the Lord; and When in our Music God is Glorified!  The All Saints Choristers will be singing Alleluia, Still, and The Lord Bless You and Keep You.

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!  Elsa speaks of the need for stewardship of out time, talents, and treasure!


This Sunday!  Children’s Concert – 16th February!



This Sunday at 2 p.m. the All Saints Choristers from YCF will be giving a short concert.  This will be held at All Saints.  Some of the piano students of Kaew our organist will also be performing.  It should be a great event!  There will be a collection in aid of the choir.




Thammapratheep Church 30th Anniversary Celebration



Thammapratheep Church (where we hold our annual Festival of Carols) has invited All Saints to its 30th anniversary celebration to be held on Saturday, February 22nd, at 10 am at the church. There will be a worship service followed by a luncheon.   All are welcome – this is our chance to say thankyou to a church that has supported us for many years.





This will be held following the morning service on Sunday 23rd February.  All are welcome to attend and members over the age of 16 will be able to vote.

Nominations are now closed and four people have been nominated for the four elected positions on the Church Council.  They are:

Sarah Sensamaust 
Paddy Davis
Barbara Franklin
Elsa King

The meeting will receive reports, approve the budget for 2025, and elect a new Church Council for the next year.


All Saints Finances

Sarah Sensamaust, our Church Council Chair, writes:

God is a wonderful provider who has provided well for All Saints over the years through the giving of God’s people. We saw the generosity of this support following last year’s flood.

However, despite all the programs and activities All Saints is able to provide, we have been operating at a deficit for the last three years, and weekly giving has dropped from around eight thousand to around four thousand. The financial cushion that we had accumulated is gone.

Father Iain’s stipend is basically covered by money from the UK charity, All Saints Chiang Mai Mission, but everything else, including Pastor Mark’s partial stipend, our organist and cleaner’s salaries, and our building rent and utilities, are paid for from the weekly offering.

More details will be given at our Annual General Meeting on 23rd February.  At this time, we are asking you to prayerfully consider giving to All Saints so we can continue to be the church community where All Are Welcome.


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,

Father Iain

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God Calling!

Posted on 06/02/2025 | Leave a comment

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

Is God calling you?


Dear Friends,

God has a calling on each of our lives but how is God calling you?

Father Gene has followed a call to the diaconate and then the priesthood, and he will be presiding at the Eucharist this Sunday.  Elsa has followed a call to preach, and she will be preaching this Sunday on how God calls each of us to respond to God’s call both financially and otherwise.

Pastor Mark and Mother Pauli (Christa) have both felt a call to priestly ministry, and this week their call has led them to a conference in Hua Hin on people trafficking – seeking how to serve the most vulnerable in our world.  

(This week, I am “called” to a wedding which has unavoidably moved to 10am on Sunday and so will be late to worship – but thank God we have a great company of capable people to lead our service!)

But how is God calling you?  Of course, God is not really an old white man on a cloud, and God’s calling is rarely as clear as a phone call, but what do you feel you should do with your life to help those around you?  In the words of one of this week’s hymns, we can all ask:  

Jesus, what can I give, 
what can I bring
To so faithful a Friend, 
to so loving a King?

This is what we seek to answer as we live and worship together!

The scripture readings for this Sunday will be Isaiah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, and Luke 5:1-11, and we will be singing the hymns Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty; Jesus calls us! o’er the tumult; I will offer up my life; and Tell Out My Soul!

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!




This will be held following the morning service on Sunday 23rd February.  All are welcome to attend and members over the age of 16 will be able to vote.

Nominations are now closed and four people have been nominated for the four elected positions on the Church Council.  They are:

Sarah Sensamaust 
Paddy Davis
Barbara Franklin
Elsa King

The meeting will receive reports, approve the budget for 2025, and elect a new Church Council for the next year.


Coming Soon!  Children’s Concert – 16th February!



On Sunday 16th February at 2 p.m. the All Saints Choristers from YCF will be giving a short concert.  This will be held at All Saints.  Some of the piano students of Kaew our organist will also be performing.  It should be a great event!   There will be a collection in aid of the choir.


All Saints Finances

Sarah Sensamaust, our Church Council Chair, writes:

God is a wonderful provider who has provided well for All Saints over the years through the giving of God’s people. We saw the generosity of this support following last year’s flood.

However, despite all the programs and activities All Saints is able to provide, we have been operating at a deficit for the last three years, and weekly giving has dropped from around eight thousand to around four thousand. The financial cushion that we had accumulated is gone.

Father Iain’s stipend is basically covered by money from the UK charity, All Saints Chiang Mai Mission, but everything else, including Pastor Mark’s partial stipend, our organist and cleaner’s salaries, and our building rent and utilities, are paid for from the weekly offering.

More details will be given at our Annual General Meeting on 23rd February.  At this time, we are asking you to prayerfully consider giving to All Saints so we can continue to be the church community where All Are Welcome.


Could you be a Deacon?

If you feel you might be called . . . 

All Saints has developed a program for individuals contemplating entering the ordained life as deacons. If you are interested in understanding what this entails or the process involved, please consult a member of the clergy. 


All Saints Book Group

Book Group is still on hold!  We meet on Tuesday afternoons. Time and location TBD. Contact Christa if you would like to join us as we continue our journey together through the book, Living Resistance.

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,

Father Iain

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After the Flood!

Posted on 10/10/2024 | Leave a comment

From Father Iain, All Saints Chiang Mai

All Saints on Monday!

Worship at the Vicarage again this Sunday!

(My church email is not working!  Please use iainbaxter.mail@gmail.com to contact me!)


Dear Friends,

It has been an extraordinary week!  Last Thursday morning we were looking forward to Elsie and Wim’s 60th Wedding Anniversary party, this week all of Chiang Mai is in a post-flood clear up!  

Last Sunday the church was under four foot of water and those of us who weren’t trapped by the floodwaters had to worship at the vicarage.  By this Sunday I hope most of the church will be cleaned, but it won’t be ready for worship for at least another week, so we’ll meet at the vicarage once again.

The good news is that although thousands of homes and businesses were flooded only three people lost their lives, but we have to be prepared for the spread of water-borne diseases from the sewage-laden flood water and mud!  In all of this, we can thank God for the kindness of strangers, the smiling faces of those in adversity, and the spirit of cooperation and mutual aid!

Let us pray that new and lasting friendships will be made as we move forward together.

The readings for this Sunday will be from Amos 5:6-15, Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31, and we will be singing the hymns All for Jesus; O Lord, the Clouds are Gathering; Take My Life and Let it Be; and Tell Out My Soul!

Use this link to join on Zoom on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Meeting ID: 548 801 501

Video of Last Sunday’s Service!

Video of last Sunday’s service at the vicarage is now available on the All Saints YouTube channel!

The Cleaning Continues!

Thanks to Paddy, Danni, Elsa, Father Iain, and Amanda’s dad, Bill!  And thanks in advance to our cleaner, Ying, Amanda, Christa, and a load of new volunteers who will join in the big clean today!  And thanks to my mum, Maureen, who stayed at the vicarage and washed all the salvageable vestments and hangings!

The Altar – with rescued Virgin Mary – and the remains of the organ pedals!

Elsa at the door and the chairs she has power-washed!

Paddy cleaning the kitchen!

The organ – the keyboards were an inch above the flood level and have survived!

Cleaned chairs!

Vestments on the line!

Sixty Years Celebration

Thursday 3rd October was Elsie and Wim’s 60th Wedding Anniversary.  Surprisingly, with all that has occurred this week, that was just last Thursday!  They invited all their church family at All Saints to celebrate with them at the Dinki Cakes shop café.

Many congratulations Wim and Elsie!




All Saints Book Group

Will not be meeting this week.

Chili Night Continues!

Chili Night 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.

Please make a donation on THB 100 per person!


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 he is mighty and we are in his hands!


God bless you,

Father Iain

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