070914

‘I am the vine, you are the branches.

If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.’

07/09/2014 MALMESBURY ABBEY

Vicar’s blog: baptisms Next Saturday afternoon the Archbishop of Canterbury is really keen to be involved in the life of the local church, to meet us, and to support us in our ministry together. So at 4pm it will be the gospel of Jesus Christ that is proclaimed, just as it has been for 1300 years on our ancient site, and 20 local people aged from 10 to 110 (not quite) will be being baptised in a baptistery just outside the porch of the Abbey as an immense witness to our local community. This is a rare and inspiring event so I’d encourage you to invite your neighbours and particularly those who may have drifted away from church and might be encouraged by hearing the Archbishop speak and seeing God at work in the lives of so many. Arrive at 3.30pm for a seat outside and then stay afterwards stay for a couple of hours of celebration. There will be live music from local musicians, two bouncy castles, a bar with a special ale supplied by Malmesbury Brewery, yes called Welby’s Wallop, an Indian Buffet from the Rajah and a Hog Roast. If the weather is rubbish we move all this inside the Abbey. Some words from our Archbishop spoken this summer: ‘This is the most hopeful time for the church. Things are turning up, there’s a revolution going on. And the future is full of the presence and power and life of Jesus Christ, saving and loving and reaching in our nation and in this world.’

Abbey Diary THIS SUNDAY: September 7th 8am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship, Junior Church &The Grid

Children’s & Youth Minister (Full-time, £18-22k plus accommodation)

Each February we build a skate park inside our 12th century Abbey in Wiltshire because we are passionate about being a 21st century church that connects with children and young people. We’re looking for somebody: • to join our supportive senior leadership team • to oversee and creatively resource all children’s and youth ministry • to be a dynamic hands-on teacher in our Junior Church and a genuine discipler of young people We want you to grow as a leader and to enjoy seeing God at work.

Closing date: October 13th.

Interviews: October 19th & 20th.

More details from neill@malmesburyabbey.com or at www.malmesburyabbey.com.

EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer MON 8th 8pm Baptism Preparation WEDS 10th 10.30am Holy Communion THURS 11th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice SAT 13th 10am The Meeting Place 4pm Archbishop Justin NEXT SUNDAY: September 14th 8am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship, Junior Church &The Grid 6.30pm Choral Evensong AUTUMN DATES Sep 9th Glory!

Sep 13th Archbishop in Malmesbury Sep 17th Alpha starts Sep 20th PCC Sep 23rd Refresh!

Oct 7th Confirmation at the Abbey Oct 12th Harvest Festival Oct 17/18 BBC History Weekend Nov 15th PCC Nov 18th Glory!

Nov 25th Refresh!

Nov 30th Advent Carol Service Dec 21st Nine Lessons & Carols Dec 20th The Malmesbury Nativity 23rd & 24th

John 15:1-17 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5

‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9

‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: love each other.

Additional Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7 I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: my loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. 3 ‘Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? 5 Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. 6 I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.’ 7 The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.

small group resource + 1. Read verses 1-8. What kind of fruit does the Father (the gardener) want us to bear? What actions, words or activities in the last couple of weeks have shown to others that you are a disciple of Christ?

2. How might we be pruned by our Father?

3. Keep silence, then pray together with the image of Jesus the Vine at the heart of your prayers.

4. Read verses 9-13. How does Jesus lay down his life for His friends? How does he want you to lay down yours? Give practical examples.

5. Keep silence again, then pray together with the sacrifice of Christ at the heart of your prayers.

6. Read verses 14-17. What does Jesus mean in verse 15? What do we learn about fruit at the end of this passage?

7. Keep silence for a final time, then pray together the friendship of Jesus at the heart of your prayers.

daily readings MONDAY Psalm 98 2 Sam 11 Acts 8:26-end

TUESDAY Psalm 106 2 Sam 12:1-25 Acts 9:1-19a

WEDNESDAY Psalm 111 2 Sam 12:1-25 Acts 9:19b-31

THURSDAY Psalm 115 2 Sam 15:13-end Acts 9:32-end

FRIDAY Psalm 139 2 Sam 16:1-14 Acts 10:17-33

Regular Giving If, as part of your Christian discipleship, you would like give regularly and also giftaid to Malmesbury Abbey, there are two people you might contact. At 8am & 10.30am please speak to our Abbey Treasurer Chris Jager or e-mail him at chrisjager@malmesburyabbey.com. At our 4pm service please speak to the chair of our Financial Oversight Committee Alan McAdam or e-mail him at alan@malmesburyabbey.com. Many thanks for sustaining the ministry and mission of your Abbey in this way.

Honorary Canon Neill is to be licensed as an Honorary Canon of Bristol Cathedral on Sunday October 5th at 3.30pm. All are very welcome to attend, although there will be a normal 4pm service in the Abbey that afternoon. If you are planning to go please let Sandie in the Parish Office know so we can give the Cathedral an idea of numbers. (office@malmesburyabbey.com or 01666 826666)

Pray for Persecuted Christians Please join us at 18 West Street on Monday 8 September at 7.45pm. Do you get overwhelmed by the items in the news? Come along and pray with us and encourage our fellow Christians who are suffering so much. For more information please contact Mike Langtree.

Water Aid Katharine and Isobel would like to thank everyone who supported them raise money for Water Aid recently, by buying cakes, hammer bead coasters and much ,much more! The winner of the competition of who can find Elmer in the Silk Mills is Samuel Davis - we hope he enjoys his prize! Altogether we raised ÂŁ53.44! Thank you all for your generous donations. Katharine and Isobel ;

Chris Sullivan Linda & Chris Sullivan thank you very much for all your love, care & support and of course your prayers. We are pleased to tell you that Chris is now home and the road to recovery.

Noticeboard Eilmer House Over the next few weeks new design and signage will start to appear over the Abbey and on our website and printed material. Part of this also includes the renaming of Le Flambé, which is now named after the flying monk, and known as Eilmer House.

Alpha—Autumn 2014 Less than two weeks to go!

After seeing so many lives impacted by our Autumn 2013 Alpha course, we are excited about what God has in store for us this September as we launch Alpha at the Abbey again. We would love every member of the congregation to take up the challenge to INVITE ONE PERSON along, just to the first night. There’s no obligation to come on the rest of the course. Please take a few wallet cards (available at the back of the Abbey) and be ready for the opportunities God will give you!

Since 1993, over 22.5 million people worldwide have attended an Alpha course, and 3.3 million have done the course in the UK alone! If you've never been on Alpha, please sign up yourself so you can tell people how amazing it is next year(!), or if you have and would like to come again, please sign up either at the sign-up sheet at the back of the Abbey, by emailing john@malmesburyabbey.com, or contacting the parish office.

The free course starts Wednesday 17th September, 7.30pm at the Abbey, runs for 10 weeks (excluding Oct 29th) and includes a meal every night. See you there! Revd John Monaghan.

The Alpha

Course starts Wed 17th Sept

Contact ABBEY OFFICE Mon (10-11.30am) &Tues, Weds, Thurs ,Fri, (9.30am-2.30pm) 01666 826666 www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey sandie@malmesburyabbey.com Staff members can be contacted by name@malmesburyabbey.com CAFÉ HOURS Tuesday—Saturday : 9am-4.30pm Sunday & Monday: Closed all day clare@malmesburyabbey.com

Glory! - this Tuesday We would encourage everybody to join us in a time of extended worship and prophetic prayer at the Abbey this Tuesday from 7.30pm-9pm. We will be particularly praying for the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury to bear great fruit for the Kingdom of God in our communities.

Abbey Guild All are welcome to the meeting of the next Abbey Guild on Tuesday 9th September at 2.30pm in the King’s Church, Abbey Row. Our guest speaker will be Capt. Lisa Doble from Chippenham who will be talking about the work of the Salvation Army. For more information please contact Helen Small.

12th CENTURY BEAUTY 21st CENTURY CHURCH