7THJUNE 2015
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GOD’S GIFT Vicar’s Blog
The church I became a Christian at was full of great people and inspiring preachers; until I joined of course. But there was one preacher who described himself as a ‘twitcher’, which I now know to be a birdwatcher. In fairness I learnt a lot from his insightful teaching but also had to wade through acres of birdwatching illustrations to get there. ‘You know the four horsemen of the apocalypse are a lot like the Shorttoed Treecreeper.’ ‘Have you spotted how the delight of the psalmist in Psalm 84 is a lot like the mating call of the Hoopoe?’ Nothing wrong with a bird, in my book, as long as it is in a Peri Peri sauce. So I sincerely apologise for mentioning opera again in my blog. I did so a few weeks ago, and here I am at it again, going back to those days when I had a proper job. What a hopeless luvvie.
On the night of a performance you needed to be in one of two places. On the stage itself, dressed funny, singing over an orchestra to a thousand people or so. Or in your dressing room, drinking a cup of tea, touching up your make-up, resting the voice ready for your next scene. What got you from one place to the other was the tannoy: ‘Mr Archer to the stage please.’ These days I just get kicked up the aisle by a churchwarden. But occasionally there was another place we gathered. Sometimes a singer was so on top of their game, the orchestra was so well conducted, the direction so profound, and of course the music so well written, that people left their dressing rooms and made their way to the wings to simply stand in awe and watch. It made it worth being alive to see another human being so
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A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: June 7th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Baptisms
fully alive. And to see a team of people working seamlessly together. I find not dissimilar joy in seeing the Body of Christ functioning well and people exploring and flourishing in the gift(s) God has placed within them. When Jesus sent out 72 disciples in their ministry in Luke 10 they returned with joy (v17) and Jesus himself is described as ‘full of joy’ through the Spirit (v21) and the Father as experiencing ‘pleasure’ (v21.) So sleeves are rolled up, risks are taken, and mistakes are made as the Body of Christ takes up its mat and walks. But as we serve together, in whatever way we do, we are entering into the joy of the Trinity.
THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer WED 10th 10.30am Communion THUR 11th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice FRI 12th 10.30am Creative Response th SAT 13 10am The Meeting Place
NEXT SUNDAY: June 14th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship 6.30pm Choral Evensong with prayers for the new Mayor of Malmesbury
ADVANCE June 19th Riding Lights Roughshod June 23rd Glory! June 29th Lifepath project June 30th Lifepath project July 5th Ordination as priest of Revd Linda Sullivan
1 CO R I N T H I A N S 1 2 : 4 - 1 3 4
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 12
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptised by one Spirit so as to form one body – whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Additional Reading: John 7:37-41a
DISCIPLESHIP 1. Read Ephesians 4:11-13. If possible link the five gifts here to one of our five senses. What does this passage reveal the purpose of these leadership gifts to be? 2. Which spiritual gifts emerge from 1 Corinthians 7:1-7? 3. Read all of 1 Corinthians 12 together paying attention to the spiritual gifts as they are mentioned. (a) Which spiritual gifts are not mentioned in this chapter? (b) Which of these gifts seem more miraculous? (c) Which gifts, if any, appear derelict in the contemporary church? 4. What lessons can be drawn from verses 7, 11, 21, 22, 26, 29 and 31? 5. Read Romans 12:3-8. Which of these gifts are not in the Corinthian lists? 6. Share which gifts you see at work in each other, and also discuss which gifts you have a curiosity to grow in.
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 30 2 Chronicles 33:1-13 Romans 7:1-6 Tuesday Psalm 36 2 Chronicles 34:1-18 Romans 7:7-end Wednesday Psalm 34 2 Chronicles 34:19-end Romans 8:1-11 Thursday Psalm 2 2 Chronicles 35:1-19 Romans 8:12-17 Friday Psalm 31 2 Chronicles 35:20-36:10 Romans 8:31-end
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
L I F E PAT H H O S T S
ABBEY GUILD
We are still looking for a number of overnight hosts for our Lifepath project with Scripture Union. If you might have a spare bed and a bowl of cornflakes going on June 28th & 29th could you speak to Alice Langtree or Sarah Doyley, or alternatively please contact the Parish Office directly.
On Tuesday 9th June the Abbey Guild are heading off to lunch at Highfield Garden World via Tetbury on a scenic route to the village of Whitminster, Gloucester. To book a place or for more information please contact Pam Osborne on 01666 825835.
CHORAL EVENSONG
BAPTISM
Our service of Choral Evensong on June 14th at 6.30pm includes a special time of prayer for the new Mayor of Malmesbury, Cllr John Grundy and for all those who serve in community leadership. All are very warmly invited to join this very special service and support civic leaders joining us from across the county. The anthem will be I was glad by Hubert Parry, a setting of Psalm 122.
If anybody would like to be baptised this summer we are planning that our 4pm service on July 19th will be outdoors with the portable baptistry, (one previous owner, the Archbishop of Canterbury.) If you think that God might be calling you to be baptised or to renew an earlier baptism please speak to Neill or Andrew in the next two weeks.
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NOTICEBOARD C AT E R I N G C O N S U LTA N T With departure of the wonderful and lovely Clare Cork on Friday June 19th, the directors of Malmesbury Abbey Café Ltd (which include the vicar, churchwardens and treasurer) are delighted to announce the appointment of Dan Wyatt, from our 4pm congregation, as Catering Consultant to the Abbey. With immediate effect Dan will be working 5-10 hours a week to lead the café through transition, to assess staffing needs and recruit (see below), to develop the vision for 2016 onwards and to train and support our marvelous café volunteers. Dan has worked as Head Chef at award winning gastro pubs, hotels and a large catering company in Bristol and now works as Head Chef at the Harnhill Centre for Christian Healing. Please pray for the Abbey Café in this time of transition, and continue to pray for the Corks as they prepare to move to Bristol.
A S S I S TA N T C A F É M A N A G E R Malmesbury Abbey Café is looking to appoint a half-time Assistant Café Manager. You will be an energetic, flexible and enthusiastic person with great people skills and totally committed to the Abbey ethos and community. Key to this new role will be managing and supporting volunteers, food preparation to a high standard, stock ordering and a massive smile for our 65,000 visitors. Approximately 21 hours a week, reporting to the Catering Consultant or Manager. Please e-mail dan@malmesburyabbey.com for an informal conversation.
Enquiries 01666 826666 // Box Office 01666 824339 office@malmesburyabbey.com www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey
breathe May 3rd May 10th May 17th May 24th May 31st June 7th June 14th June 21st June 28th
The Spirit & the Word of God (Acts 8:26-40) Receiving the Spirit (Acts 10:44-48) The Spirit & the World (Acts 1:1-11) The Power of the Spirit (Acts 2:1-21) The Community of the Spirit (Acts 2:38-47) The Gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-13) The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26) Worship in Spirit & in Truth (John 4:19-26) The Work of the Spirit (Acts 13:1-12)
Talks available online shortly.