10T H J A NUA RY 2016
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SIGNS Vicar’s Blog
Sign 1: The Gifts Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh. Yes, the Feast of the Epiphany was last Wednesday, and the Magi arrived on time and left their gifts in worship. We heard quite a lot about this in December and were reminded about it in our teaching last Sunday. Three gifts chosen prophetically for the new King of the Jews, three gifts that meant something. I was given a bottle of Jo Loves Green Orange & Coriander Fragrance for Christmas by a thoughtful daughter. I expect that means something too. Our teaching series in this short season of Epiphany, Signs, looks at some key manifestations and revelations of God, literally Epiphanies, in Christ. What happened? What did it mean to people then? What does it mean to us now?
Sign 2: The Dove On this coming Sunday, January 10th, we look at the Baptism of Christ. Christ standing in the River Jordan with John the Baptist, heaven opening, the voice of the Father’s love heard, and the Spirit descending dove-like upon the Son. The Trinity touching earth; an epiphany. What life was Jesus called to live? What life are we called to live? Sign 3: The Wine Sunday January 17th brings us an extraordinary conversation between a son and his mother, a poorly planned wedding banquet, and the revelation of the divine power of the Christ in a rather quirky miracle. ‘The first of his miraculous signs.’ (John 2:11) Was the question being asked in Cana that day ‘what just happened?’ or ‘who just happened?’
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A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: January 10th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church
Sign 4: The Scroll In John 1, John the Baptist reveals to all that would hear that the Holy Spirit of God is upon Jesus. In Luke 4 Jesus agrees, and is driven out of town. On January 24th we consider what was the significance of the scroll in the hand of the Christ, and what was it that the prophet Isaiah said about his Messiah? Sign 5: The Prophecy Finally, at the very end of January more words are spoken over Christ by an old man in the temple at Jerusalem. As you may have noticed, we increasingly bring Simeon into our Christmas narrative at the Abbey, because his words point to the cross of Christ even as Jesus was a babe in arms. Simeon’s words are our last sign, Simeon’s hands held salvation.
THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer TUES 12th 7.30pm Glory! WED 13th 10.30am Communion THUR 14th 10.30am Time for Chat 2.30pm Prayer for the Persecuted Church 7pm Choir Practice th FRI 15 1.30pm Wedding Blessing NEXT SUNDAY: January 17th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship with Junior Church & Wave
ADVANCE DIARY Jan 24th 6.30pm Choral Evensong March 14th Holy Week Festival April 24th Vision Sunday & AGM May 20th Music in Country & 21st Churches: ECO, The Nash Ensemble, Emma Kirkby nd June 22 Music for Autism
LU K E 3 : 1 5 - 2 2 15
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, ‘I baptise you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them. 19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: he locked John up in prison. 21
When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’
Additional Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7
NEXT SUNDAY: John 2:1-11. Signs: The Wine
DISCIPLESHIP 1. Read Luke 3:15-22 out loud, and then silently. Share what stands out for you. 2. In what way was John a great example of deflecting attention from himself and towards Jesus? What can we learn from this? 3. What is the difference between John's baptism and Jesus' baptism (verse 16)? Explore particularly the phrase 'the Holy Spirit and Fire'. 4. The Holy Spirit affirmed both Jesus' identity and his calling (see verse 22). Explore other translations or commentaries to understand better the phrase 'with you I am well pleased' and how that affirmed Jesus' calling. 5. Discuss how the Holy Spirit can affirm our identity and calling (share some other Bible verses) and pray about this together.
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 2 Genesis 1:1-19 Matthew 21:1-17 Tuesday Psalm 9 Genesis 1:20-2:3 Matthew 21:18-32 Wednesday Psalm 20 Genesis 2:4-end Matthew 21:33-end Thursday Psalm 21 Genesis 3 Matthew 22:1-14 Friday Psalm 67 Genesis 4:1-16, 25-26 Matthew 22:15-33
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
GLORY ! This Tuesday at 7.30pm join Mandy, John and Neill at the Abbey for our first Glory! prayer meeting of 2016. An encouraging word, a time of passionate contemporary worship, and the opportunity to seek God in prayer and to be led by the Holy Spirit in intercession. Normally about 40 people turn up and we finish at 9pm. Join us; faithfulness in prayer is at the very heart of our vocation as a church.
PERSECUTED CHURCH For this month only we will be meeting at the home of Harry & Mollie to pray for Persecuted Christians. 2.30pm, on Thursday 14th January. In February we will revert to meeting at the Parish Office. For more information please contact Mike Langtree.
ABBEY GUILD
W E E K O F P R AY E R
To kick off this years’ programme we have our very own Lesley Wilson, a former physiotherapist, coming to do Chair Exercise with us. Do come and join in the fun this Tuesday 12th January at 2pm in the King’s Church, Abbey Row. Refreshments are provided. For more information and to receive an Abbey Guild programme for 2016 please contact Helen Small.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins Monday 18th January. There will be a Churches Together in Malmesbury lunchtime drop-in for prayer at The Hub, Malmesbury Town Hall, each day that week. Please join us Monday 18th to Friday 22nd from 12.45-1.15pm.
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NOTICEBOARD ‘RESTORED LIVES’ COURSE The Abbey is running a short course this February & March entitled ‘Restored Lives’. Written and led by Erik Castenskiold, this DVD based course aims to help people towards recovery following divorce or the breakdown of relationships. The course has been run at Holy Trinity, Brompton for 10 years and outlines the journey of breakdown and recovery. It provides practical examples and methods for communicating well with your ex, handling conflict, and parenting together. Places on this course will be limited to a maximum of 10 people. If you are interested in attending please contact Revd Linda Sullivan, in confidence, by phone on 01666 822281 or email: linda@malmesburyabbey.com.
With only 5 weeks to go, we are getting really excited about Abbey Skate 2016; this year with the addition of new Soft-play sessions for Pre-schoolers on Mon 15th and Tues 16th February from 10.30am-12.30pm. Abbey Skate itself runs all day, 10am to 9pm, from Wed 17th to Fri 19th February, and is open to all ages and all abilities! Please book your tickets on-line before they sell out at www.malmesburyabbey.com/skate Volunteers needed: This event, which is an extraordinary opportunity to share God’s love with people in our town, is dependent on your support. To combat ‘someone-else-can-do-it’ syndrome please pray about what help you can offer and pop the dates in your diary so that prayer can turn into action! We particularly need people to help us set up on Sun 14th Feb after the 4pm service; help wrapping straw bales on Mon 15th Feb @7am; welcomers at the door during the event; helpers in the café; and people willing to pray as part of the prayer team. Please contact john@malmesburyabbey.com for more information or to sign up, or write your name on the sign up sheet on the welcome desk in the Abbey.
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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