5TH OC TOBER 2 014
DINNER FOR KIGEZI Vicars Blog
When I visited our partner diocese in Uganda, the Diocese of Kigezi, in 2010, I went pretty apprehensively. Although I had previously been on a mission trip to South Africa, the bulk of my overseas travel had been to cultural capitals with nice hotels and human need and reality kept pretty much at arm’s length. One hotel I stayed at in Melbourne even came with a butler—it was plain weird. Unreal. Obviously the whole point of a partnership is not to keep one another at arm’s length, so I expected the intimacy of a week in Kabale and a further week visiting the Anglican Church across Uganda to be real and revelatory. It was. What was most perplexing to me were some of the issues around education. You can see a typical classroom in Rwancerere School on
the front cover. The children were studying hard, they had great potential and faith, and they laughed hysterically when I sang them a song. But the poor state of the classroom contrasted sharply to the good state of the school chapel, and when I asked why children weren’t taught in the chapel, I was told that simply didn’t happen. We took the gospel to Uganda in the early 20th century; we also took a large dollop of Victorian culture. Young girls in Kigezi Diocese were also struggling educationally because of the absence of local wells and the need to carry water over long distances. These daily trips cut hours and hours out of a normal day. Seeing the work of the Kigezi Diocese Water & Sanitation project to remedy this issue was the highlight of the trip. The church em-
A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: October 5th 8am 10.30am 4pm
powering local communities to build wells and change the lives of many, particularly young women. All of this is to preface that I am so delighted that Malmesbury Abbey is a Tearfund Connected Church and that our Harvest offering goes to the KDWSP. How can you get involved this year? Just eat. Have your dinner. Whether it’s a cheese and pickle sandwich or a meal for eight at The Old Bell, work out the cost of a particular meal and put the same amount in a ‘Dinner for Kigezi’ envelope. Better still have supper as a small group and do this together. Or fast and give double to Kigezi. More at connected.tearfund.org/ en/choose_a_partner/ east_and_central_africa/uganda__water/
BCP Holy Communion Holy Communion Informal Worship, Junior Church & The Grid 6pm The Mix//the Campbells also elsewhere 3.30pm Neill’s Installation as Honorary Canon at Bristol Cathedral 6.30pm Brokenborough Harvest Festival THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer TUES 7th 9.30am Women Alive! 7.30pm Confirmation with Bishop Mike WEDS 8th 10.30am Communion 7.30pm Alpha THURS 9th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice SAT 11th 10am The Meeting Place NEXT SUNDAY: Harvest, Oct 12th 8am 10.30am 4pm 6.30pm
BCP Holy Communion Harvest Communion Informal Worship & Baptisms Harvest Choral Evensong
JOHN 5:1-15 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie – the blind, the lame, the paralysed. 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’ 7 ‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’ 8
Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.’ 11 But he replied, ‘The man who made me well said to me, “Pick up your mat and walk.”’ 12 So they asked him, ‘Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?’ 13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. 14
Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, ‘See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.’ 15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well. Additional Reading: Psalm 30 Next Sunday: John 6:1-15 Feeding the Five thousand
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Read John 5:1-15. There are seven 'I am' statements as well as seven 'signs' in John's Gospel, what number sign is this one? What is the point of the 'signs' (see John 20:30-31)? Read verses 1-7 again. Why does Jesus say to the man, 'do you want to get well'? Read verses 8-10. Try to imagine how amazing it must have been to witness this man's total healing after 38 years. Do you think you would have reacted the way the Jews did? Why did they react like this? Read verses 11-15. Why did Jesus slip away quietly? Explore Jesus' statement in verse 14, 'stop sinning or something worse may happen to you'. What other occasions did Jesus say something similar? Share together in your group if you need healing (of any kind) and pray for each other. You could do this as a whole group or in 2's or 3's.
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 44 1 Kings 12:25-13:10 Acts 19:8-20 Tuesday Psalm 48 1 Kings 13:11-end Acts 19:21-end Wednesday Psalm 119:57-80 1 Kings 17 Acts 20:1-16 Thursday Psalm 57 1 Kings 18:1-20 Acts 20:17-end Friday Psalm 51 1 Kings 18:21-end Acts 21:1-16
GIVING To regularly support the mission and worship of the Abbey with your Christian giving please contact Alan McAdam at alan@malmesburyabbey.com
NEW MINISTER
G LO I N T H E D A R K
This week we pray. The closing date for applications for our new Children’s & Youth Minister is October 13th and interviews take place on October 19th and 20th. There has been a lot of interest and a number of applications already. Please pray for God’s will to be clear to both the interviewing panel and the candidates.
Whatever your age you can be part of this new exciting event on Oct 31st aimed at primary school age children! Before the event we need people to pray, make fairy cakes and sew simple drawstring goody bags (material provided). At the event we need helpers to move chairs, supervise bouncy castles, serve hot dogs and run side shows. If you are able to offer your support for this great community outreach event please contact Gill Shaw (on 825647) or Sandie in the Parish Office.
S U N D AY S T E WA R D S
HEALING
2 Sunday stewards are urgently required to join the team and keep the Abbey open on the third Sunday of every month between 2pm to 4pm. You will take over from another steward and will be there for the set up of the 4pm service, leaving just enough time for you to find a seat and join in. If you are interested please talk to either Diana Crowe, Lesley Wilson or Linda Weston or contact the Parish Office.
There are three strands and three leaders for our Prayer Ministry at the Abbey. Wiene Grant leads the 10.30am team, Marilyn Archer leads our 4pm team and Sarah Doyley leads The Meeting Place on Saturday mornings, formerly known as Healing in the Streets. If you would like to be trained a be a part of this important ministry please contact them directly or contact the Abbey Office.
NOTICEBOARD BBC HISTORY Clare Cork needs volunteers to help in the café for the BBC History Weekend. Please contact Clare on cafe@malmesburyabbey.com or 07920793594 if you are ready and willing and don’t mind hearing some outstanding history lectures for free. Thursday 16th October, 4 volunteers needed from 1pm until 7.30pm; Friday 17th October, 4 volunteers needed from 12noon until 7.30pm; Saturday 18th October, 4 volunteers from 9am until 5pm. Thanks!
NEW SMALL GROUP Revd Linda & Chris Sullivan are launching a new small group for people new or new(ish) to our 10.30am congregation. Meeting Wednesdays at 2.30pm to look at the questions on the News Sheet. 01666 822281 for more details.
PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH Monday 13 October, 18 West Street, at the new time of 7.30pm. This month focussing on leaders of churches, world leaders and governments. Hebrews 13: 7 &17; 1 Timothy 2: 1-3. Contact Mike Langtree for information.
THIS HARVEST Dinner for Kigezi, Oct 12th
CONTAC T ABBEY OFFICE Monday (10am-12pm) Tuesday-Friday (9.30am– 3pm) Tel: 01666 826666 sandie@malmesburyabbey.com
CAFÉ HOURS Tuesday-Saturday 9am– 4.30pm Sunday & Monday closed all day clare@malmesburyabbey.com
www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey Staff members can be contacted by name@malmesburyabbey.com
12th CENTURY BEAUT Y 21st CENTURY CHURCH