13TH SEPTEMBER 2015
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BUILDING THE TEAM Vicar’s Blog
Yes, I know that nothing will be impossible with God, Gabriel’s not wrong, but in general the church growth scientists (and I imagine them to be whiskered, wearing white coats and dog collars, and smoking a pipe) tell us that to grow a church well you must broaden and deepen the leadership of a church. It seems that there is no room in the Kingdom for the one-man band; we need to be team players, like Christ. So this Sunday is a good Sunday for me, and for us, as I get to pray for a few people at both 10.30am and 4pm as we broaden and strengthen our Abbey leadership team. At 10.30am we will be welcoming Rachel Robertson who has moved with her husband Dan and their children Catriona, David & Kirsty to join our community, as Rachel completes her Masters in Theology
at Trinity College, Bristol. Rachel is an Ordinand in the Church of England and is on course to be a Revd some time in 2017. We will also be praying for Rachel and Dan together at the 4pm where they will be developing the new role of Family Pastors, focussing on the welcome and integration of new families into the life of the Abbey 4pm. Perhaps they can start by welcoming themselves? Also at the 4pm we will be praying for Jen & Dave Richards, who are both already leading and preaching there. Jen & Dave will be serving as Under 30s Coordinators. Similarly, they will be focussing on the welcome, integration and ministry development of those aged 18-30, which at the 4pm is a growing and encouraging demographic. Back at the 10.30am, we will be praying for Revd Linda Sullivan, in
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A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: September 13th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church 6.30pm Deanery Evensong: The Bishop of Swindon
absentia, as she takes up a similar responsibility as Congregational Pastor for the 10.30am service. Also at 10.30am I’ll be praying for Dr Annie Davis and one of our Lay Ministers, Catherine Price. Annie, already leading and preaching at the Abbey, will be developing the new role of Lay Precentor, sharing in the oversight of things choral, liturgical and our Festivals at Christmas & Holy Week. Catherine is going to be working with me in the role of Lay Prior as we pioneer and build the Community of St Aldhelm; a reimagining of monastic life and discipline that we hope to kick off on May 25th 2016. (St. Aldhelm’s Day.) God’s building the church. We get to join in. Front Cover Photo: Jamie Shaw being baptised by the Archbishop of Canterbury. 13th September 2014.
THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer WED 16th 10.30am Communion THUR 17th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice th SAT 19 10am The Meeting Place 7.30pm Carducci Quartet
NEXT SUNDAY: September 20th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church ADVANCE Sep21&22 Abbey Closed for Organ Tuning Sept 22nd Glory! Sept 23rd Small Group Pastors Sept 26th Safeguarding Training Sept 29th Refresh! with Mary Barnes
JOHN 7:37-39 37
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Additional Reading: Ezekiel 47:1-12 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple towards the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me round the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side. 3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankledeep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in – a river that no one could cross. 6 He asked me, ‘Son of man, do you see this?’ Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, ‘This water flows towards the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. 10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds – like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.’
DISCIPLESHIP 1. Read the short John passage. What are the ‘rivers of living water’ and where do they flow from? 2. Read Numbers 20:10-13 and 1 Corinthians 10:1-5. How are they linked, and how do they inform the original John passage? 3. Read Ezekiel 47:1-12 and John 2:19-22. Again, how are they linked, and how do they inform the original John passage? 4. Finally read Zechariah 14:8-9, 16 and John 12:12,13. Again, how are they linked, and how do they inform the original John passage? 5. Living water flows from Christ; what happens when it gets to us? 6. Together, pray for your thirst for the Spirit to be increased, and ask how the river might better flow from you?
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday (Holy Cross Day) Psalm 22:23-28 Philippians 2:6-11 John 3:13-17 Tuesday Psalm 36 Zechariah 11:4-end Mark 11:12-26 Wednesday Psalm 34 Zechariah 12:1-10 Mark 11:26-end Thursday Psalm 37 Zechariah 13 Mark 12:1-12 Friday Psalm 31 Zechariah 14:1-11 Mark 12:13-17
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
K I T C H E N S U N D AY
C O N F I R M AT I O N
Slow braised beef, roasted potatoes, seasonal veg, pudding, vegetarian, dairy and gluten free options. If you worship at the 10.30am this is your lunch on October 18th; the whole congregation in the Abbey eating together. If you worship at 4pm this is your supper; all of us, together. A day celebrating our ministry of hospitality and the work of Abbey Kitchen. Bring your own drinks; donations for food. Oh, we love Dan & Holly.
The Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Revd Mike Hill, will be with us on Wednesday Nov 4th at 7.30pm for a service of Confirmation. This joyous occasion is an opportunity to confess your faith and be prayed for by the Bishop to be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit. Candidates are normally younger people who were baptized as infants, and also adults, making the Abbey their spiritual home. Please contact Neill or Andrew this month for an informal chat.
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CAL-AID
On Monday to Saturday at 9am there is a committed group of 10-15 who pray Morning Prayer in St Aldhelm’s Chapel. You are always welcome to join us or use the liturgy on Issuu at home. In October Neill is considering starting a daily Evening Prayer at 4pm, lasting about 20 minutes. If you would be interested in joining him, or might prefer another time late afternoon, can you let him know or Sandie know?
The CalAid Malmesbury appeal is collecting items to make life just a little easier for refugees in Calais. CalAid Malmesbury is receiving items in September for a convoy leaving on October 3rd. For more information on what and how to donate check out the CalAidMalmesbury Facebook group page or call Nick Pascoe on 01666 824785.
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NOTICEBOARD A B B E Y A R T S A D M I N I S T R AT O R We are currently looking for an Abbey Arts Administrator to work 4-5 hours a week in the Parish Office alongside Sandie. This paid role includes being a first point of contact for external concert bookings and administrating these events, Performing Rights Society liaison, website diary updating, and being a regular presence in the Abbey Office on Monday mornings. If this might interest you could you contact Sandie in the parish office for an informal conversation.
C O M M U N I O N B E F O R E C O N F I R M AT I O N The Abbey PCC is currently considering a change to our current practice around Holy Communion and young people. This would mean that in accordance with General Synod Regulations (2006), and in the context of ongoing discipleship and commitment to Junior Church, baptized children can be prepared and admitted to Communion before Confirmation with the first candidates being admitted at Easter 2016. There will be a meeting at 8pm in the Parish Office on Monday 12th October, with Neill & Andrew, for anybody, of any generation, who would like to discuss this proposal further. A helpful document is found here: http://www.bristol.anglican.org/i/wpcontent/uploads/2013/07/CommunionbeforeConfirmationguidelines.pdf
Enquiries 01666 826666 // Box Office 01666 824339 office@malmesburyabbey.com www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey
CONTAC T
ABBEY OFFICE
ABBEY KITCHEN
Monday Closed 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
12th CENTURY BEAUT Y 21st CENTURY CHURCH