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LUKE Vicar’s Blog
One of my tutors at theological college, yes back when we spoke in Latin and had ink wells and gas lamps, always said that he was an Ascension Day Christian; for him the Ascension shaped his understanding of Christ. Other vicars are clearly very Easter Day vicars, and they say so. Now, nothing at all wrong with that, good in fact, but can I come out as an Advent & Christmas vicar; if you didn’t know already. I love the music and spiritual life of those seasons and I adore it when mysterious prophecies from Isaiah and the birth narrative of Luke start turning up in large doses. ‘And there were shepherds abiding…’ I think that’s one reason I particularly like Luke’s gospel. (Actually, as a vicar it would probably be a bit off to say that you didn’t like a particular gospel.) Anyway, our teaching series at the Abbey this year continues to focus
on the Gospel of St Luke, you can find the current teaching plan on the inside back cover, so here are a couple of thoughts about the gospel itself, to stir our thinking a little. Luke, who also wrote Acts, is the largest contributor to the New Testament; his voice matters. We get his eyes on both the ministry of Jesus and the ministry of the Early Church. Colossians 4:14 informs us that he was both a doctor and a companion of St Paul, and in Philemon 24 he is described as a fellow-worker in Kingdom ministry. So, not just an educated writer, Luke got his hands dirty too, and probably helped Paul recover from the odd beating, shipwreck or imprisonment. Look out for an emphasis on the outsider in Luke’s writing. Women, workers (e.g. shepherds), Samaritans, tax collectors, children, the poor. Luke
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doesn’t like a religious club, it seems that he wasn’t a Jew himself, he was an outsider, and his choice of texts reflects this. It is in Luke’s gospel alone that Simeon is recorded declaring Christ as a ‘light to lighten the Gentiles.’ Those inclusive words would have been very personal to Luke. And if I was to send you off to get a few parables from John’s gospel, you’d come back empty handed. Check. You’d get a good handful from Mark and far more from Matthew. But Luke really, really loves a parable; he likes Jesus engaging with the crowd. Without his account no Good Samaritan, no Prodigal Son. So don’t be surprised to be sitting in the Abbey this summer and hearing the words: ‘then Jesus told them this parable.’ And finally, salvation. The very word ‘salvation’ is actually absent from Matthew and Mark, and appears only once in John. But Luke uses the word 13 times in his writings. Luke is quite clear: God has a plan, his salvation reaches far and wide, and in the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ we can find, a big Luke word, ‘peace.’
A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: July 3rd 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer MON 4th Little Stars TUES 5th Prayers for Persecuted Christians WED 6th 10.30am Communion THUR 7th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice th FRI 8 10.30am Creative Response th SAT 9 10am The Meeting Place NEXT SUNDAY: July 10th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church ADVANCE DIARY July 12th Glory! prayer meeting July 13th Refresh! July 19th WOMAD at the Abbey July 24th Deanery Evensong July 25th Holiday at Home (URC) & 26th July 28th 3pm, Songs of Praise
LU K E 1 0 : 1 - 1 1 , 1 6 - 2 0 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 ‘When you enter a house, first say, “Peace to this house.” 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 ‘When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal those there who are ill and tell them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 “Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God has come near.” 16
‘Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.’ 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’ 18 He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’
Additional Reading: Galatians 6:7-16
DISCIPLESHIP 1. Read Luke 10:1-20 and then share together some of the key things you learnt from our teaching last weekend. 2. Jesus sends out the disciples in pairs (v1). How might this principle be used for our advantage in mission and ministry? What examples do you see in the life of our church? 3. What does the harvest field look like for you? 4. Explore verse 16. How does this verse make you feel? 5. What do you think of Jesus’ statement that he has given his disciples authority to overcome all the power of the enemy (v19)? In what ways does this apply to us, and to you personally? 6. Pray for the harvest fields that have been mentioned, and for you, the harvesters.
D A I LY R E A D I N G S St Thomas Psalm 31 Ephesians 2:19-end John 20:24-29 Tuesday Psalm 132 1 Samuel 6:1-16 Luke 21:5-19 Wednesday Psalm 119:153-end 1 Samuel 7 Luke 21:20-28 Thursday Psalm 143 1 Samuel 8 Luke 21:29-end Friday Psalm144 1 Samuel 9:1-14 Luke 22:1-13
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
N E I L L A WAY
REFRESH!
From Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd July Neill will be away in Devon, with a very small team from the Abbey, leading a church weekend away for St Paul’s Bedminster and St Augustine’s Whitchurch; both in South Bristol. The focus will be exploring hospitality, stability and creativity in the life of your church. Please pray for the team, Neill, Catherine Price and Dan & Rosie Wyatt and for the Revd Nick Hay and his churches.
Join us at our next event on Wednesday 13th July at 7.30pm in the Abbey. Is this truly what I believe….that I am forgiven? There will be a talk followed by a time of discussion, quiet reflection and prayer. A great opportunity for women to get together and encounter God. Refreshments will be served on arrival. Please phone Sandie on 01666 826666 for more information.
PRESECUTED CHURCH
TH ANK YO U
On Tuesday 5th July at 2.30pm, at Mollie's (4 Mill Lane), there will be a meeting to pray for persecuted Christians. This date coincides with the last day of Ramadan (the previous prayer meeting in June coincided with the first day of Ramadan) so we'll be focusing on areas around the world where Christians live challenging lives among Muslims. More details from Mike Langtree.
A massive thanks to all the wonderful team that worked with Scriipture Union to enable Lifepath to be such an incredible success on Monday & Tuesday this week. Caligraphy, song, story-telling, crafts, hens, medicine, flight, worship and prayer - many dimensions of the life of a monk brought to life for 400 Year 5 school children. A fantstic hard-working team effort. Thank you to all.
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NOTICEBOARD L I T T L E F I S H E S ( A G E S 2 ½- 5 ) We are looking for a new team leader as Gill Shaw is stepping down at the end of this term. Gill has created a very happy group and we are looking for someone to continue this ministry. Gill and her team welcome 3 to 5 children each week. There are also a number of other opportunities to serve our children and young people during the 4pm service. Please contact Andrew Beebee to find out how you could make a difference to young lives. andrew@malmesburyabbey.com/07784333361
LUKE’S GO SPEL Our teaching series at the Abbey, continues in the gospel of Luke across the summer months: July 10th July 17th July 24th July 31st Aug 7th Aug 14th Aug 21st Aug 28th Sept 4th Sept 11th Sept 18th Sept 25th
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) Mary & Martha (Luke 10:38-end) The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1-13) The Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) Treasures in Heaven (Luke 12:32-40) Not peace, but division (Luke 12:49-56) Healing on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17) The Wedding Feast (Luke 14:7-14) The Lost Sheep & Coin (Luke 15:1-10) The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32 The Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-13) The Rich Man & Lazarus (Luke 16:19-end)
CONTAC T
ABBEY OFFICE
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Monday 9.30am-12pm Tuesday-Friday 9.30am-3pm
Monday- Saturday (normal) 9.30am-4pm
01666 826666 sandie@malmesburyabbey.com www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey
Happy hour (drinks £1) from 9.30am-10.30am. dan@malmesburyabbey.com
Staff members can be contacted by name@malmesburyabbey.com
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