1ST NOVEMBER 2015
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ALL SAINTS Vicar’s Blog
For the next two Sundays at the Abbey we will remember. On November 8th we join with churches and communities across the nation on Remembrance Sunday and we stand in silence to remember those whose lives have been lost or affected by the World Wars of the 20th century and the many conflicts since. This Sunday, November 1st, is All Saints Day in the church calendar and it, or its Eve, is not entirely about pumpkins – though the soup and the pie are welcome. All Saints is quite an ancient feast day in the church and rather poignantly, given the current refugee crisis, it has its earliest beginnings in the 5th century Syrian church, where Christians were keen to remember brothers and sisters who had been martyred for their faith. Nowadays All Saints is a broader remembrance, an
opportunity to remember with love and gratitude those who have died recently and to give thanks for their lives. And we will do this Sunday at our 6.30pm service of reflection.
All Saints also gives us a chance to consider the enormous Christian witness that has preceded us on this planet; 2000 years of faithfulness to God and openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit. And at the Abbey this weekend we are particularly going in the direction of three men: Paul, Benedict & Aldhelm; all saints. Paul in his 1st century challenge to the Colossian church to live lives of holiness, connectedness and fidelity in prayer. Benedict in the words of his 6th century rule calling his monks to live lives of holiness, connectedness and fidelity in prayer. And Aldhelm in his pioneering 7th century work establishing Malmesbury Abbey,
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A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: November 1st 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship with Junior Church & Wave 6.30pm Service of Thanksgiving for the Faithful Departed
shaping a missional community gathered around lives of holiness, connectedness and fidelity in prayer. It is simply way too early to tell whether a theme might emerge from all this, but if I had to have a punt on it, it would be that it’s worth our 21st century church considering thoughtfully how we might live well, as Christ intended, how we might live lives that are genuinely open and connected to others, and how we might find stability for our lives in an intentional rhythm of daily prayer. Hey, but that’s just a crazy guess.
Front Cover: St Aldhelm in stained glass at the West End of Malmesbury Abbey.
THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer TUES 3rd 2.30pm Prayer for the Persecuted Church WED 4th 10.30am Communion 7.30pm Confirmation with Bishop Mike th THUR 5 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice FRI 6th 7.30pm RBL Concert th SAT 7 10am The Meeting Place 7.30pm MAMS Concert
NEXT SUNDAY: November 8th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion with Act of Remembrance 2.30pm Royal British Legion Remembrance Service 4pm Informal Worship with Junior Church and Act of Remembrance.
CO LO S S I A N S 3 :1 2 - 1 7 12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Additional Reading: Mark 1:35-39 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’ 38 Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ 39 So he travelled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
NEXT SUNDAY: Psalm 46; Even if the earth is shaken.
DISCIPLESHIP 1. Reflect on our learning and our worship together last Sunday. What was being said? How did the Holy Spirit particularly speak to you or inspire you? 2. Read through Colossians 3:12-17. Share what it means to you personally to be ‘one of God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved’. How does it affect your view of yourself? How would you be different today if you weren’t part of God’s family? 3. Christians are too different from the surrounding culture in ways that don’t matter, and too similar in ways that do’. Discuss. 4. ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom’ (v16). To help the group, share a verse or passage of Scripture that has been particularly helpful to you, and explain why. 5. How would ‘doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus’ (v17) transform what you have to do and say this week?
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 30 Isaiah 1:1-20 Matthew 1:18-end Tuesday Psalm 36 Isaiah 1:21-end Matthew 2:1-15 Wednesday Psalm 34 Isaiah 2:1-11 Matthew 2:16-end Thursday Psalm 37 Isaiah 2:12-end Matthew 3 Friday Psalm 31 Isaiah 3:1-15 Matthew 4:1-11
REGULAR GIVING If you would like to give regularly to the mission and ministry of the Abbey as part of your discipleship, please e-mail alan@malmesburyabbey.com. m
K I G E Z I T O TA L
BAPTISMS
Many thanks to all who contributed to our Harvest offering, which went , via Tearfund, to the Diocese of Kigezi Water & Sanitation Project, based in Kabale, Southern Uganda. The final amount raised was ÂŁ2028.38; a really geneorous gift to a life changing project. Malmesbury Abbey is a Tearfund Connected Church.
As is the case each January, on Sunday 3rd January at 4pm there will be a service of Celebration in the Main Hall of the Activity Zone followed by Baptisms and a Junior Church Pool Party. If you would like to be baptized by immersion, or to remember an earlier baptism and get in the water again, could you contact Neill or Andrew very shortly.
SPRINGS DANCE
C O N F I R M AT I O N
The remarkable Naomi, Charlotte & Emily from Springs Dance Company wonderful enriched our Eucharistic worship last Sunday with great skill, grace and passion for Christ. If you would like to connect further with Springs their newsletter is at the back of the Abbey. If you would like to consider their apprenticeship scheme and take a year out before university there are also details of their forthcoming November auditions.
The Rt Revd Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol, is with us this Wednesday, 4th November, at 7.30pm for a service of Holy Communion with Confirmation. 13 people, of all ages, from across the North Wilts Deanery, are being confirmed. Please make every effort to come and support them and hear an inspirational word from Bishop Mike. Please be seated by 7.20pm if possible.
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NOTICEBOARD WA LL O F R E M E M B R AN C E From Tuesday November 3rd to Sunday November 15th the Wiltshire Wall of Remembrance will be in the South Ailse of the Abbey. Five walls with crosses remembering all who died in WWI from Malmesbury, Calne, Wooton Bassett, Corsham & Chippenham. Please take time to visit this very significant project.
PA R I S H S A F E G U A R D I N G O F F I C E R Want to make a difference? The Safeguarding of young people within our church family is of the utmost importance. Jill Johnston will be stepping down as our 'Parish Safeguarding Officer' and so we are looking to recruit a new member of our church family into this vital role. The role includes working with our staff team in the recruitment of volunteers, being available for any child or adult to speak to regarding concerns, working with the vicar to ensure pastoral support is available for anyone involved in Safeguarding issues within our parish and helping to review and implement our Safeguarding Policy. This is a volunteer position, which enables us to serve our community to the highest standards, supporting young people and their families when they need it the most. If you would like to find out more please contact Andrew Beebee, our Children's and Youth Minister, at andrew@malmesburyabbey.com.
Malmesbury Abbey Skate are delighted to be supported by Waitrose Community Matters for the whole month of November, so please collect your green tokens when you visit, and put them in the Abbey Skate Charity Box on your way out when you shop! The more tokens we collect, the more we raise for purchasing soft-play equipment for our big launch of Abbey Soft-play on 15th/16th February. We aim to run a weekly soft-play session in the Abbey commencing from this date.
ABBEY ADVEN T & CH RI STMAS D IARY 201 5 Sat 28th Nov Sun 29th Nov
Fri 4th Dec Sat 5th Dec Sun 6th Dec
Wed 9th Dec Thu 10th Dec Sat 12th Dec Sun 13th Dec
Wed 16th Dec Sat 19th Dec Sun 20th Dec
Wed 23rd Dec
6.30pm Advent Carols by Candlelight 1 ADVENT SUNDAY 9am & 10.30am Advent Holy Communion 4pm All-age Advent Communion 6.30pm Advent Carols by Candlelight 2 7pm Youth Action Wiltshire Carol Service 7.30pm Malmesbury Community Choir Christmas Concert ADVENT II 9am & 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church 7.30pm Organ Recital – James McVinnie (Bach, Muhly & Messiaen) 7.30pm The Nativity in Art – talk by Dean David Hoyle Malmesbury CE Primary School Christmas Service 7.30pm Malmesbury Singers Christmas Concert ADVENT III 9am & 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church 7.30pm Malmesbury School Carol Service 6.30pm Nine Lessons & Carols by Candlelight 1 ADVENT IV 9am & 10.30am Holy Communion 3pm The Puppet Nativity for younger children 6.30pm Nine Lessons & Carols by Candlelight 2 7pm The Malmesbury Nativity
Thurs 24th Dec
CHRISTMAS EVE 1pm, 3pm & 5pm The Malmesbury Nativity 11.30pm Midnight Communion (Carols from 11.15pm)
Fri 25th Dec
CHRISTMAS DAY 9am Holy Communion 11am Family Celebration 12 noon Coffee & Champagne (bring a bottle)