9TH NOVEMBER 2014
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM Vicar’s Blog
In some households the breakfast chatter will be dominated by sport: ‘Wayne, you look a natural with that football lad;’ ‘Joanna, perhaps you could take your bike to school today.’ In others science and technology will be at the heart of family life; ‘nice engine you’ve built there Frank;’ ‘James take that sucking contraption off your sister’s face.’ In the Archer household I tend to avoid us talking about church as my eldest daughter works at the largest church in London and she has bragging rights, until countless thousands worship at the Abbey on a Sunday. So our meals together tend to centre around the performing arts; and I get out my Equity card. Recently our conversations were dominated by Benjamin Till’s new musical Brass, in which middle Archer took a lead role. Brass was set in Leeds in 1914 at the time
when every young man was being encouraged to sign up by Kitchener and head for the trenches, and many young women were heading into factories to keep the country running and to provide munitions. It told the true story of one ‘Pals’ Battalion, friends and colleagues from the same community serving together, that was wiped out on July 1st 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. It also told the story of the wives, sisters and girlfriends working back in Leeds at the Barnbow National Shell Filling station Number 1, and focused on one young woman, Emmie, that lost her husband at the Somme and then died of TNT poisoning— played by middle Archer. We wept in the theatre, we wept at the kitchen table. What a theatrical mess of a family. But what is so moving about this story, and so many others, is the
A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: November 9th 8am 10.30am 2.30pm 4pm ordinariness of it. 100 years on we rightly observe the incomprehensible scale of human loss in WWI. But each statistic only exists because of the human life attached to it, and each life was attached to a family, a street, a factory. And so this Sunday at the Abbey, on Remembrance Day, we stand in silence and remember events of 100 years ago. Ordinary lives making extraordinary sacrifices. And this Sunday we also pray, with sadness and confusion, that a story that began 100 years ago continues at great cost. This I will call to mind, and therefore I will have hope: the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:2123)
BCP Holy Communion Holy Communion with Act of Remembrance British Legion Service of Remembrance Informal Worship with Act of Remembrance
THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer WED 12th 10.30am Communion 7.30pm Alpha THUR 13th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice SAT 15th 10am The Meeting Place 7.30pm Concert NEXT SUNDAY: November 16th 8am 10.30am 4pm
BCP Holy Communion Holy Communion Informal Worship, Junior Church & The Grid
ADVANCE Nov 18th Glory! Nov 25th Refresh! Nov 30th Advent Carol Service Dec 21st Nine Lessons & Carols Dec 20th The Malmesbury Nativity 23rd & 24th
MAT T H E W 2 5 : 1 - 1 3 ‘At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6
‘At midnight the cry rang out: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” 7 ‘Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.”
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‘“No,” they replied, “there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.” 10 ‘But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
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‘Later the others also came. “Lord, Lord,” they said, “open the door for us!” 12 ‘But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.” 13 ‘Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Additional Reading: Amos 5:18-24
DISCIPLESHIP 1. What does the birth of Christ in Bethlehem say about God and humanity, and how should this action of God inform our own discipleship? Give examples. 2. What does the death of Christ at Calvary say about God and humanity? How should this sacrifice shape our own life choices and priorities? 3. Read Ephesians 1:18-21. How should the resurrection of Jesus Christ make the life of a believer different? What difference has it made/might it make in your everyday life? 4. Read Matthew 25:1-13. What makes 5 foolish and 5 wise? What is the result of such foolishness and wisdom? 5. What impact might the imminent return of Jesus Christ have on our discipleship? If you knew Jesus was returning on January 1st 2015 what might the rest of this year look like for you?
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 34 Isaiah 5:8-24 Matthew 4:23-5:12 Tuesday Psalm 40 Isaiah 5:25-end Matthew 5:13-20 Wednesday Psalm 37 Isaiah 6 Matthew 5:21-37 Thursday Psalm 43 Isaiah 7:1-17 Matthew 5:38-end Friday Psalm 31 Isaiah 8:1-15 Matthew 6:1-18
GIVING To regularly support the mission and worship of the Abbey with your Christian giving please contact Alan McAdam at alan@malmesburyabbey.com
ABBEY GUILD
T H A N K YO U
Come to this important and special meeting to discuss the future of the Abbey Guild, where we will look at responses to the recent questionnaire. Lance Osborne will also be talking about the "Dead Man's Penny". Join us on Tuesday 11th November at 2.30pm in King’s Church, Abbey Row.
Thank you to Gill Shaw and the phenomenal team that helped to make the Glow in the Dark Party in the Abbey last Friday such a great success. A wonderful community event, a witness to the light of Jesus Christ, and the Abbey showing immense hospitality to local families. Thanks especially to the entire Shaw household for heading up the whole event.
P R AY E R
VOUCHERS
Please join us as we pray for members of the secret church in places where serving Christ means going underground. Monday 10th November at 18 West Street, starting at 7.30pm. More information from Mike Langtree.
Each year Churches Together in Malmesbury (CTiM) like to give a Christmas gift to low income families in the area, so they know that the local community cares for them. Donations in the special envelopes can be placed in the collection in any of the services during November. If you know of someone who would like to contribute but isn’t here today, extra envelopes are available at the back of the Abbey
NOTICEBOARD N E W C H I L D R E N ’ S A N D YO U T H M I N I S T E R We are delighted to announce that Andrew Beebee will be joining the staff of Malmesbury Abbey, early next year, as our new Children’s & Youth Minister. Andrew (30) and his wife Jude, an artist, will be moving to Malmesbury in the New Year, and Andrew will be commissioned for ministry at the 4pm service on Sunday February 1st, where the preacher will be the Bishop of Bristol, Rt Revd Mike Hill. After discipleship training with YWAM, Andrew read Theology at the University of Durham and then qualified as a teacher at the University of Reading. He is currently Children’s Minister at St James’ Church, Muswell Hill, in London, overseeing their Promiseland ministry for Reception to Year 6 children. He leads a team of 50 volunteers working with up to 150 children on a Sunday and mentors teenagers from the church as they grow in ministry and leadership in his department. Please pray for Andrew & Jude as they prepare for their move and a new chapter in life and ministry.
SERVICES OF THANKSGIVING We give thanks to God for the lives of Michael Tombs and Joyce Mellowes who have been called to be with their Lord. There will be a Service of Thanksgiving at the Abbey for the life of Michael on Tuesday 18th November at 3pm led by Revd Neill Archer and for Joyce on Thursday 4th December at 2pm led by Revd Bob Hyatt. All are invited to attend.
CONTAC T ABBEY OFFICE Monday (10am-12pm) Tuesday-Friday (9.30am– 3pm) Tel: 01666 826666 sandie@malmesburyabbey.com
CAFÉ HOURS Tuesday-Saturday (normal) 9am– 3.30pm Sunday & Monday closed all day clare@malmesburyabbey.com
www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey Staff members can be contacted by name@malmesburyabbey.com
12th CENTURY BEAUT Y 21st CENTURY CHURCH