8/12/13 MALMESBURY ABBEY
HOSPITALITY THAT INVITES PEOPLE CLOSER STABILITY THAT DRAWS PEOPLE DEEPER CREATIVITY THAT LIFTS PEOPLE HIGHER
Vicar’s blog: 2½ I sat in a group of about eight or nine vicars during the summer, pity me, none of whom were from this area and one of whom asked this question: ‘Does any one of you seriously want everybody on the planet to become a follower of Jesus?’ As I said ‘yes’ I realised that mine was the only hand that went up in the room—which really rather surprised me. I thought about my answer for a second, just in case I’d made a stupid, idiot mistake, or to consider whether it was a trick question. (I always remember the quiz contestant on TV who when asked who wrote Beethoven’s 5th Symphony answered ‘was it Handel?’) But then my maths A level came charging to my rescue, and I said ‘2½.’ Now it was their turn to look bemused back in my direction. ‘There are approximately 7 billion people on the planet,’ I said, ‘and approximately 2 billion Christians of one flavour or another. Now if each of the 2 billion Christians were to be so inspired and flowing with love, mercy and truth that 2½ people become followers
of Christ though their witness, well that would mean 7 billion followers of Jesus on the planet; job done.’
Abbey Diary
On reflection it was an over simplistic answer and not much of a mathematical model. On reflection I wonder why some people are vicars. And on reflection I think a more honest answer would have been 3½; because although I might have a half decent chance with the other 2½, I consider the turning of myself into a follower of Jesus to be a lifelong project with plenty of bumps on the road. But I’m glad that I did the maths. Because when somebody asks me why we work so hard to raise our game with our welcome and hospitality at the Abbey, when somebody asks me why we put on richly creative projects like Advent Carols Services (see front page) and Skate Parks, and when somebody asks me why we cram about 175 people into weekly discipleship groups and will be running Alpha Courses incessantly, I know the answer—2½.
8am 10.30am 4pm
neillarcher.blogspot.co.uk PS Please invite 2½ people to church this Christmas. You bring them along, we’ll tell them about Jesus.
SERVICES TODAY: ADVENT 2 BCP Communion Holy Communion Informal Worship, Junior Church & Trax
EACH DAY MON 9th
9am Morning Prayer 9am Christmas Tree arrives 2pm Small Group Taster in St Aldhelm's Chapel TUES 10th 9.30am Women Alive! 7pm Wiltshire Carol Service WED 11th 10.30am Holy Communion 7pm Pipeline Meal THUR 12th 10.30am Christmas Pop-in 4pm Evening Prayer 7pm Choir Practice 8pm Men’s Basketball FRI 13th 10.30am Creative Response 7.30pm Sir James Galway SAT 14th 10am Healing in the Streets NEXT SUNDAY 8am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship, Junior Church & Trax 6.30pm Brokenborough Nine Lessons ADVANCE ABBEY DIARY DEC 16th 8pm Baptism Preparation DEC 21-24 The Malmesbury Nativity DEC 22nd 6.30pm 9 Lessons & Carols 2014 JAN 5th FEB 19-21
Pool Baptisms Abbey Skate 2014
Isaiah 11:1-10 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord – 3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash round his waist. 6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. 10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting-place will be glorious.
Additional Reading: Matthew 3:1-12 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: ‘A voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”’ 4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt round his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.6 Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the River Jordan. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptising, he said to them: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The axe has been laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 ‘I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’
small group resource + 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
What idea remains with you from last Sunday’s teaching? Take time to understand how the last few verses of Ruth 4, Isaiah 6 and Isaiah 10 might help you understand the beginning of Isaiah 11? Which 4 verses in Isaiah 11:1-10 talk about the fullness of the Messianic age? Is this a future reality or a metaphor? Which 3 verses talk about the nature of the Messiah? Which verse is referenced in Ephesians 6? How can we be baptised in the same Spirit that Jesus was baptised in—see Matthew 3:11? And why would we want to be?
daily readings MONDAY Isaiah 30:1-18 Matt 14:1-12
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Isaiah 30:19-end Isaiah 31 Matt 14:13-end Matt 15:1-20
THURSDAY FRIDAY Isaiah 32 Isaiah 33:1-22 Matt 15:21-28 Matt 15:29-end
Baptisms in the Pool—Jan 5th 2014 On Sunday January 5th 2014 at 4pm we will be holding our annual service of Baptism at the Activity Zone. Worship, testimony and prayer in the sports hall at 4pm, baptisms in the pool at 5pm, followed by our Junior Church pool party and food and drinks together. If you would like to be baptised in the pool, or possibly reaffirm an earlier baptism, please contact Neill or John and e-mail office@malmesburyabbey.com. Baptism preparation will take place on December 16th at 8pm in the Parish Office. (Those wishing to be baptised later in the year should put Saturday 13th September into their diary when it is looking likely that the Archbishop of Canterbury will be baptising in a local river.)
Mission Giving 2013 As we look back on the year, our thanks to you all for your financial commitment to the Abbey. As well as funding our local mission and ministry, the PCC designates funds from our annual budget for mission, and this year that included: £3,300 supporting Janet Parke’s teaching ministry in Zambia with SIM; £2,200 supporting Dave Bankhead’s worship ministry in Africa with WeAreOne Ministries; £500 to Menorah Ministries’ work with Jewish People in Eastern Europe; £300 for Open Doors work with the Persecuted Church; and £300 to FEBA Christian Radio working right now in the Philippines. We also collected £2,770 for the Tearfund Kigezi Water Project and £2,485 for the African’s Children’s Choir. Additionally £35,000 is committed to the Diocese of Bristol to sustain mission and ministry in areas of Bristol & Swindon where this wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Thank you for playing your part in this. Love from the PCC.
Prayer for the Persecuted Church Praying for those who share our faith but not our freedom. We next meet at 18 West Street on Monday 9 December at 7.45pm. This month please we would ask you bring news on an individual who has recently been through a difficult experience so that we can pray for them specifically. More information from Mike Langtree on 823982. www.opendoorsuk.com
Sunday 22nd December 6.30pm Carols by Candlelight, Admission Free
Contact ABBEY OFFICE Mon &Tues (9.30am-12noon) Weds, Thurs ,Fri, (9.30am-2.30pm) 01666 826666 www.malmesburyabbey.com sandie@malmesburyabbey.com Staff members can be contacted by name@malmesburyabbey.com NORMAL CAFÉ HOURS Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 9am-3pm Wednesday and Sunday: Closed all day clare@malmesburyabbey.com
Daytime Small Group Taster Peter & Gillian Yacomeni are running a four week Bible study in Advent to help you discover whether becoming a member of a new Abbey Small Group is for you. They plan to lead a group in the Abbey on the four Monday afternoons in Advent, starting on Monday 2nd December. After coffee or tea together at 2pm, we move into the St Aldhelm’s Chapel for an hour or so of study and prayer, ending by 3.30pm. If you are interested, call us on 826628.
Christmas Seniors Pop-In All are welcome to join us at our Informal Christmas Pop-In on Thursday 12th December at 10.30am in Le Flambé. For more information please contact Mandy on 824416.
12th CENTURY BEAUTY 21st CENTURY CHURCH