17T H J A NUA RY 2016
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TREES Vicar’s Blog
Those of you who were paying attention to my Christmas sermon, a labourer from Corston and his dog perhaps, will know the sorry saga of the vicarage telephone point and the bread bin. Sorry if you missed it. The background to the story was this. Last November the vicarage had a new kitchen installed by the diocese, and it is truly wonderful. Running water and everything. Fab. However a part of my brain hasn’t noticed this. If I am standing by the kettle and need to go to the fridge I still turn 90 degrees right and head straight over to…the oven. It’s precisely where the fridge has been for eleven and a half years, and I think my subconscious thinks it’s having a bad dream and one day it will wake up and the fridge will be back. And this really has absolutely nothing to do with the Kingdom of
God and quite a lot to do with how our brains work, and the vicar’s brain doesn’t work. We get used to things. Good and bad habits form. And they get hard to shift. Psalm 1:1 astutely observes this. You listen to a bit of bad advice or make a bad decision; you then give it a go for a bit; and before you know it it’s habitual, you’ve bought an armchair, put up your feet, and said ‘this is the way things are, pass the biscuits.’ Psalm 1:2,3 puts the forming of a habit in a more positive light. You delight in the law of the Lord regularly, you then choose to go deeper, you meditate, and these life-enriching habits, over time, turn you into a tree, planted by a river, fruit everywhere, healthy leaves, no dogs paying attention.
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A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: January 17th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship with Junior Church & Wave
So, an opportunity not to irritate me by telling me that you’re giving up chocolate for Lent – which begins on February 10th. There will be some help coming in the direction of the whole church, around regular bible reading, prayer and community during Lent. Things to take up. But in advance of that season of renewed spiritual discipline can I invite you to think about your habits, the good ones that bring life, and the ones that bring less life. And perhaps the habits you need to form in those 40 days and allow to grow into trees. The milk’s in the oven.
THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer WED 20th 10.30am Communion THUR 21st 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice nd FRI 22 10.30am Creative Response Sat 23rd 10am The Meeting Place
NEXT SUNDAY: January 24th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church 6.30pm Choral Evensong
ADVANCE DIARY 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
JOHN 2:1-11 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’ 4 ‘Woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come.’ 5 His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from eighty to a hundred and twenty litres. 7 Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, ‘Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.’ 11
What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Additional Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5
NEXT SUNDAY: Luke 4:14-21. Signs: The Scroll
DISCIPLESHIP A group reflection: The word ‘sign’ or ‘miracle’ is used 17 times in John’s gospel, but only 60 times in the rest of the New Testament put together. Chapters 1-12 of John have even been called the Book of Signs (and chapters 13-20 the Book of Glory.) In your group a chance then to read and pray through John’s seven signs devotionally: 1. The Miracle at Cana (John 2:1-11) 2. The Healing of the Official’s Son (John 4:46-54) 3. The Healing of the Paralytic (John 5:1-9) 4. The Multiplication of the Loaves (John 6:1-14) 5. The Restoration of the Blind Man (John 9:1-41) 6. The Raising of Lazarus (John 11:17-44) 7. The Resurrection of Jesus (John 20:1-20)
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 146 Genesis 6:11-7:10 Matthew 24:1-14 Tuesday Psalm 132 Genesis 7:11-end Matthew 24:15-28 Wednesday Psalm 81 Genesis 8:1-14 Matthew 24:29-end Thursday Psalm 76 Genesis 8:15-9:7 Matthew 25:1-13 Friday Psalm 27 Genesis 9:8-19 Matthew 25:14-30
REGULAR GIVING Use different voices for each passage, and read each passage slowly. Keep silence and then pray more deeply into what each passage reveals about Jesus.
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
BOOK OF THE MONTH
PILGRIM COUR SE
Malmesbury Abbey Books has launched a BOOK OF THE MONTH feature starting this month. To pave the way we have gone for Tim Keller’s new publication My Rock, My Refuge which is a year of devotions in the Psalms. Do take a look at the display at the back of Abbey which also contains information about Keller along with a range of his books including, The Prodigal God, Counterfeit Gods, Prayer, The Reason for God and others.
Starting on January 25th, at 2.15pm, at 19 Townsend Court, all welcome. Please contact Revd Mandy Churcher for further information. (01666 824416)
CHORAL EVENSONG
W E E K O F P R AY E R
Every month the Abbey Choir sings a very special service of Choral Evensong, at 6.30pm. In 2016 this is moving from the second Sunday of the month to the fourth Sunday of the month. So join us at 6.30pm on Sunday 24th January for the ancient beauty of the Book of Common Prayer, the Shakespearean English of the King James Bible, and some of the most very beautiful choral music ever written. All are very welcome.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins this Monday, January 18th. 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 4 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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