6TH SEPTEMBER 2015
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WE ARE YOUR REVIVAL Vicar’s Blog
It was one of those days, a few years ago. And a bundle of joy bounced up to me and said ‘Neill, I’m praying for revival.’ Inside I said ‘great, I’ll do the rotas, the churchwardens can fix the gutters, but you go ahead and pray for revival.’ But the holy part of me (1-3%) responded gratefully and asked quite helpfully I thought: ‘what will it look like?’ Years later I would have asked the question by passing the bundle of joy a mirror: ‘let me know when revival comes.’ A great song we sing at 4pm has the line ‘we are your revival.’ It is a profoundly challenging line that doesn’t allow us to lazily think that the spiritual awakening of our community is something that won’t involve our own renewal and transformation. Our autumn teaching series explores this. What is the Spirit calling us to do personally, as a disciple? And what is
the Holy Spirit doing amongst us at Malmesbury Abbey? Two sides of the same coin really. September is challenging, as we look at our discipleship (6th), personal renewal (13th) and encountering the presence of God in the sacraments (27th). In between on Sep 20th we will celebrate the Holy Spirit’s call for the Abbey to serve older people in our community. Mandy’s speaking. October is going to be so much fun; don’t miss it. On Oct 4th Andrew Beebee is going to give us the theological foundation for the great work the Spirit is birthing right now in our Children’s & Youth Department. At Harvest, on Oct 11th, John Appleton from Tearfund is with us as we focus, as usual, on the Water & Sanitation Project in Kigezi, Uganda. On Oct 18th it’s Abbey Kitchen and Hospitality all day; we
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A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: September 6th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion with Prayers for HMQEII 4pm Carnival Service with BBQ & Bouncy Castle
break bread, we welcome strangers, we welcome Christ. And on Oct 25th Springs Dance Company are joining us from London for a day when Abbey Arts are allowed to explode in our services. Music, dance, art and the Kingdom. And November goes deep. We begin by exploring the Community St Aldhelm, reimagining the monastic pattern of community and prayer for 21st century life. And after Remembrance Sunday on Nov 8th we turn to healing ministry on Nov 15th and consider the ancient wells the Spirit is opening. Our autumn series: We are Your Revival. Bring mirrors.
THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer MON 7th 2.15pm Pilgrim Course: contact Mandy Churcher th WED 9 10.30am Communion THUR 10th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice th SAT 12 10am The Meeting Place 7.30pm Rosie Archer Concert NEXT SUNDAY: September 13th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church 6.30pm Deanery Evensong: The Bishop of Swindon ADVANCE Sep21&22 Abbey Closed for Organ Tuning nd Sept 22 Glory!
M AT T H E W 7 : 2 4 - 2 9 24
‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.’ 28
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Additional Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-10
DISCIPLESHIP 1. Reflecting on our teaching series ‘For such a time as this’, share how the Holy Spirit has spoken to you over the months of July & August? 2. How have you sought to change your thinking or behaviour in light of this revelation? 3. In the Matthew passage what does Jesus’ reference to rain say about our lives together? 4. What does wisdom do? What does foolishness do? How are they distinguished from each other? 5. What are the mechanisms in your life that might enable you to put the words of Christ into practice? 6. Let the words of 1 Peter 2:4-10 inspire a time of prayer and worship together.
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 1 Zechariah 4 Mark 9:38-end Tuesday Psalm 5 Zechariah 6:9-end Mark 10:1-16 Wednesday Psalm 119:1-32 Zechariah 7 Mark 10:17-31 Thursday Psalm 15 Zechariah 8:1-8 Mark 10:32-34 Friday Psalm 19 Zechariah 8:9-end Mark 10:35-45
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
DEANERY EVENSONG Next Sunday evening at 6.30pm there will be a service of Choral Evensong where the preacher will be the Rt Revd Dr Lee Rayfield, Bishop of Swindon. This is a North Wilts Deanery event, with people attending from many churches in the area, and during the service a new memorial board recording the historic Bishops of Malmesbury will be dedicated. It would be good to have significant representation from the Abbey community.
SMALL GROUPS There will be a meeting of Small Group Pastors at 7.30pm on Wednesday 23rd September in the Parish Office. Could all pastors please send Neill an updated list of members before this meeting.
EMERGING LEADERS
ABBEY GUILD
Next Sunday, at our 10.30am & 4pm services, we will be praying for a number of emerging leaders who are taking on increased responsibility for leading, preaching and pastoring at the Abbey, and a number of whom are considering further training and potentially ordination. We will also be praying for a number of our existing leaders taking up new responsibilities. More details in the vicar’s blog next week.
The next meeting of the Abbey Guild will be at The King’s Church at 2.30pm on Tuesday 8th September. The speaker will be Sharon Hughes of the Rise Trust, which supports families in need in the Chippenham area.
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NOTICEBOARD A B B E Y A R T S A D M I N I S T R AT O R We are currently looking for an Abbey Arts Administrator to work 4-5 hours a week in the Parish Office alongside Sandie. This paid role includes being a first point of contact for external concert bookings and administrating these events, Performing Rights Society liaison, website diary updating, and being a regular presence in the Abbey Office on Monday mornings. If this might interest you could you contact Sandie in the parish office for an informal conversation.
C O M M U N I O N B E F O R E C O N F I R M AT I O N The Abbey PCC is currently considering a change to our current practice around Holy Communion and young people. This would mean that in accordance with General Synod Regulations (2006), and in the context of ongoing discipleship and commitment to Junior Church, baptized children can be prepared and admitted to Communion before Confirmation with the first candidates being admitted at Easter 2016. There will be a meeting at 8pm in the Parish Office on Monday 12th October, with Neill & Andrew, for anybody, of any generation, who would like to discuss this proposal further. A helpful document is found here: http://www.bristol.anglican.org/i/wpcontent/uploads/2013/07/CommunionbeforeConfirmationguidelines.pdf
Enquiries 01666 826666 // Box Office 01666 824339 office@malmesburyabbey.com www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey