7TH F EB R UA RY 2016
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READ, PRAY, EAT Vicar’s Blog
I’m not going to spend a paragraph trying to turn a picture of the inside of the Abbey roof into a metaphor for Lenten fasting and spiritual discipline, but by all means have fun yourselves. However, I did want to show you the inside of the roof as an incredibly small thank you for the incredibly large pledging for our 2017 Roof Appeal. As this goes to print, together we have pledged over £42,000, a tremendous amount, which really helps us go to the government for a grant with great confidence. My sincere thanks for your commitment and for your generosity. So, back to Lent. I’m not giving up chocolate. Frankly, I barely eat the stuff. Coffee? Not a chance. Never, ever. I won’t even give up my coffees between coffees. But here’s my ask of each of us this Lent: 20 minutes with God each day, just the time it
takes to boil an egg, and a simple meal with friends each week. Please don’t run kicking and screaming from the church, I’m being pretty nice about this; Abbot Aldhelm would have you sitting reciting the Psalms in an ice-cold river all night. In truth I am simply suggesting that Lent should remind us of our vocation to pray in community and to break bread together. The world we live in robs us of both; Lent is a good time to recover.
Read. Each day, maybe as it begins, a Psalm and a reading from both the Old and New Testament. There is a reading plan in each week’s News Sheet. Pray. Better still use the liturgy for Morning Prayer that we use at the Abbey each day at 9am and let your three readings become part of a 20 minute act of devotion. This is
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A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: February 7th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church
available to read online at issuu.com/ malmesburyabbey and will be handed out to everyone on Sunday. Or join us in St Aldhelm’s Chapel. Or you can find a slightly longer version on Church House Publishing’s excellent Daily Prayer App.
Eat. Small Groups, when you meet each week, take 20 minutes to say Morning or Evening Prayer together before you share a simple meal. Let both be a spiritual discipline in Lent. Don’t give up food, take up food and prayer with others. If you are not in a small group and would like to hook up with one for Lent please contact myself or Sandie in the next few days and we’ll point you in the right direction. Read, Eat, Pray. For 40 days. Please return your 2017 Roof Appeal pledge forms by Sunday February 7th. With thanks.
THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer TUES 9th 11am Life on the Edge – Christian Aid 7.30pm Glory! ASH WED 10.30am & 7pm Holy Communion with the Imposition of Ashes th THUR 11 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice SAT 13th 10am The Meeting Place 10.15am Prayers for Janet Parke, Parish Office NEXT SUNDAY: February 14th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship 6pm Skate-park set up HOLY WEEK ADVANCE DATES Mar 18th Mark Palmer Comedy Mar 19th Ben Holder Quartet & Rosie Archer Mar 21st Anthony Hammond: Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
LU K E 9 : 2 8 - 3 6 28
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ (He did not know what he was saying.) 34
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’ 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
Additional Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
DISCIPLESHIP 1. The disciples saw Jesus’ glory (v32). How else was Jesus going to show his glory? 2. What are the many parallels between Moses and Jesus in this account? 3. How does this passage hint that Jesus was fulfilment of all the law and the prophets? 4. In Exodus 40, the cloud of God’s presence was a no-go area. You couldn’t enter God’s presence in the cloud, or see his face because you would die. What has changed in this account and why? 5. How did the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration strengthen Jesus and his disciples for the trials that were coming? 6. What can you do during this season of lent to help you increase your understanding of who Jesus is, what he’s done for you, and to seek his presence and power?
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 30 Genesis 37:1-11 Galatians 1 Tuesday Psalm 36 Genesis 37:12-end Galatians 2:1-10 Ash Wednesday Psalm 38 Daniel 9:3-6, 17-19 1 Timothy 6:6-19 Thursday Psalm 77 Genesis 21:1-21 Matthew 27:57-end Friday Psalm 3 Genesis 22:1-19 Matthew 28:1-15
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
A S H W E D N E S D AY
GLORY !
Lent, a 40-day season of reflection, fasting and spiritual renewal, begins this week on Ash Wednesday, February 10th. There will be two services of Holy Communion with the Imposition of Ash at 10.30am and 7pm. Led by Neill, with a short reflection from Revd Linda Sullivan, this will be an opportunity to re-commit yourself to Christ for the season ahead.
Join the Abbey Leadership as the church gathers for Glory! prayer this Tuesday evening. Arrive at 7.30pm for a time of extended contemporary worship followed by a time of Spirit-led intercession together. Finishes at 9pm.
THE REAL EASTER EGG
W ELCOM E P IZ ZA
It is now possible to order Fair-trade Easter eggs from The Abbey Kitchen and Bookshop. The packaging is illustrated and tells the Easter Story. Please get your order in by the order by end of February. Prices: Original, £3.99 Dark Chocolate, £5.50 Special Edition, £9.99 Please ask Holly Bird for more information.
For those new(ish) to the 4pm congregation there will be a Welcome Pizza at the Abbey at 6pm this Sunday, 7th February, shortly after the 4pm service. A chance to get to know a few new faces and meet some of the leadership team. Please contact Rachel Robertson, our 4pm Families Pastor, to let us know if you’re planning to be there, rachelr356@hotmail.com, or simply hang around after the service.
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NOTICEBOARD JOHN MONAGHAN, PLACEMENT One of the curates at the Abbey, Revd John Monaghan, will be spending all of Lent, Holy Week and Easter Day itself on placement at Dorcan Parish in Swindon, ministering alongside the Revd Trudie Wigley. This is an important part of training for all third year curates, but it does mean that, with the exception of MAS 2016, John will be away from ministry in the Malmesbury & Upper Avon Group from February 10th until April 11th.
L I T T L E S TA R S Little Stars is the Abbey’s new baby and toddler group which will be meeting in the Abbey on Mondays from 10am-11.30am. There will be free-play, craft activities, refreshments, story time and action songs. The group will start on Monday 22nd February (£2 per family).
LENT TEACHING Our teaching series throughout Lent and Holy Week help us as a community reflect together on the life, ministry and death of Jesus Christ. Please use these texts as the focus of your small group study together: February 14th February 21st February 28th March 6th March 13th March 20th Good Friday Easter Day
The Temptation of Christ (Luke 4:1-13) Jerusalem (Luke 13:31-end) The Fig Tree (Luke 13:1-9) The Mother of Christ (John 19:25b-27) The Anointing of the Christ (John 12:1-8) The Palms (Luke 19:28-40) The Cross of Christ (John 19:1-20) The Empty Tomb (Luke 24:1-12)
CONTAC T
ABBEY OFFICE
ABBEY KITCHEN
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 ÂŁ1) from 9.30am-10.30am. dan@malmesburyabbey.com
Staff members can be contacted by name@malmesburyabbey.com
MalmesburyAbbeyCafe
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