21ST SEPTEMBER 2014
IS THIS YOUR FAITH? Vicars Blog
It was good to meet a holy man. It’s not that there are no holy men at all in our Abbey congregations, I’m sure we’ll find a few if we look closely enough. But I wouldn’t blame the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the Pope for that matter, if there was a carefully crafted religious façade that protected them a little from the public gaze and the media stare. It’s a tough enough call being a 24/7 follower of Jesus, we all have our good days and our less good days. But having the world scrutinising you as you do it? I’m not sure many of us would put our hand up for that. The world is a lot less merciful than God. Perhaps if they don’t meet me at all, then they won’t meet the worst of me. But what many commented on as they listened to Archbishop Justin speak last weekend, and talked to
him over a cup of tea afterwards, was his humanity. His available humanity. A human being available to God and available to others. A holy man. I found myself really liking the Archbishop, which is a good job as, somewhere way down the food chain, I work for him. He was clearly overjoyed and having fun baptising 19 people, he was delighted to receive two bottles of Welby’s Wallop to take home with him, and in good spirit he signed the blue plaque that the bellringers made to celebrate his hot shower in the Hitchings’ household, after some pretty chilly baptising. But I was also impressed by the Archbishop’s availability to God, his holiness. His word to about 750 gathered in the crowd wasn’t that
A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: September 21st 8am 10.30am 4pm 6pm
BCP Holy Communion Holy Communion Informal Worship, Junior Church & The Grid The Mix//the Campbells
THIS WEEK this was an occasion to meet him, but that this was an occasion to meet God, just as the woman at the well bumped into Jesus as he rested on a hot day. When he stood in the water and challenged each candidate ‘is this your faith?’ you could tell that he felt that there was no more important question on the planet. When he anointed with oil and prayed for the confirmation candidates there wasn’t a shred of religiosity, there was expectation. And when interrupted as he left to pray for a sick child, he stopped and he prayed.
EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer TUES 23rd 9.30am Women Alive! 7.30pm Refresh! WEDS 24th 10.30am Communion 7.30pm Alpha 8pm Small Group Leaders THURS 25th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice SAT 27th 10am The Meeting Place
4pm 6.30pm
BCP Holy Communion Holy Communion with Baptisms All-age Communion Corston Harvest Festival
This is our faith. The Spirit is at work in new ways and the church in SN16 has just been encouraged in its mission by a Jesus-centred leader. God is good.
ADVANCE Oct 7th Oct 12th Oct 17/18 Nov 18th Nov 25th Nov 30th
Confirmation Harvest Festival BBC History Weekend Glory! Refresh! Advent Carol Service
NEXT SUNDAY: September 28th 8am 10.30am
JOHN 2:13-23 13
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!’17 His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ 18
The Jews then responded to him, ‘What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’
19
Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’ 20
They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 23
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. Additional Reading: Psalm 69:6-18
DISCIPLESHIP 1. Read John 2:12-23. When you read this passage what immediately strikes you about the action Jesus took? 2. The cleansing of the Temple took place in the outer court of the Gentiles. Look at Isaiah 56: 6-8 and I Kings 8: 41- 43. Why might this have challenged the religious leaders? 3. The sacrificial system was set up by God as a provisional way of dealing with people's sins. This system had become something God did not intend, see Jer 7: 911, Zephaniah 14: 21. How was this reflected in the activities in the Court of Gentiles? 4. Jesus’ act was prophetic. Malachi 3:1-3 highlights the role of the Messiah in connection with the Temple. How do you understand his response to the religious leaders in v19 and John's comment in v21. 5. When Jesus died the curtain of the Holy of Holies was torn in two. Does this link in Jesus' words and actions? 6. In what way are we a living temple? (1 Peter 2:4-10)
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 1 1 Kings 1:5-31 Acts 13:13-43 Tuesday Psalm 5 1 Kings 1:32-2:4, 2:10-12 Acts 13:44-14:7 Wednesday Psalm 119:1-32 1 Kings 3 Acts 14:8-end Thursday Psalm 15 1 Kings 4:29-5:12 Acts 15:1-21 Friday Psalm 19 1 Kings 6:1, 11-28 Acts 15:22-35 These are used at 9am each day in St Aldhelm’s Chapel.
P I LG R I M
BAPTISTERY
‘A course for the Christian Journey’ Monday 29th September at 2.15pm in Malmesbury Abbey (St Aldhelm’s Chapel). An opportunity to explore and deepen your Christian faith. The first six sessions will be looking at how Christians know and worship God through the Lord’s Prayer. The sessions will include a video clip, a talk and time for discussion. Please contact Revd Peter Yacomeni or Revd Mandy Churcher to let them know if you are interested.
The Abbey’s new baptistery couldn’t have served us better as Archbishop Justin baptised 19 candidates with two assisting clergy also in the water with him last weekend. Many thanks to those households who gave £50 each towards the cost of this significant new purchase which has already become an important part of Abbey life. Another eight households doing the same would cover our costs. Please contact chris@malmesburyabbey.com to contribute. Many thanks.
REFRESH!
C O N F I R M AT I O N
This Tuesday 23rd September at 7.30pm in the Abbey Dr Rosie Helyar, a former Abbey member, is returning to talk to us about why we often struggle with worry and anxiety even though we know that God tells us we do not need to. She is going to explain our brain’s unconscious reaction to fear and explore how to overcome this. She will also be using passages from the Psalms where God gives us reassurance. Please invite others along who will be made very welcome. Book a place at 01666 826666 or office@malmesburyabbey.com
On Tuesday 7th October Rt Revd Mike Hill, the Bishop of Bristol, will be at the Abbey at 7.30pm for a service of Confirmation. Bishop Mike will be praying for people, young and old, from across North Wiltshire, to be filled with the Holy Spirit and then leading our Holy Communion together. For many this is a chance to declare their faith after an infant baptism and to begin to take communion. For others it is a declaration of a new belonging in the Anglican church. If you would like to be confirmed please contact Neill this week.
NOTICEBOARD H O LY C O M M U N I O N N E X T S U N D AY Next Sunday at 10.30am our service will be a new liturgy, Holy Communion with Baptisms, with our worship together led by the choir and the organ. We are looking to explore some slightly different formats for that 4th Sunday worship, including Holy Communion with Healing Ministry, as we have noticed over a few years that our numbers are considerably fewer on that last Sunday of the month. We look forward to seeing you there as Ottillie and James are baptised, and we also welcome your feedback on the new liturgy.
C O N TA C T D E TA I L F O R T H E H O LT S Douglas and Ann Holt are now at 119 Holland Road, HOVE BN3 1JS. Phones are 07771 904327 (D), 07538 933975 (A). E-mails: douglas.holt49@gmail.som and kann.holt47@gmail.com.
NEW SMALL GROUP Revd Linda & Chris Sullivan are launching a new small group for people new or new(ish) to our 10.30am congregation. Meeting Wednesdays at 2.30pm to look at the questions on the News Sheet. 01666 822281 for more details.
SIGNS SEP 14 SEP 21 SEP 28 OCT 5 OCT 12 OCT 19 OCT 26
Water into Wine (John 2) Clearing the Temple (John 2) Healing the Official’s son (John 4) The Healing at the Pool (John 5) Feeding the 5 Thousand (John 6) Walking on Water (John 6) The Man born Blind (John 9)
Sign, Symbol and Miracle in John’s Gospel, this Autumn at the Abbey.
CONTAC T ABBEY OFFICE Monday (10am-12pm) Tuesday-Friday (9.30am– 3pm) Tel: 01666 826666 sandie@malmesburyabbey.com www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey Staff members can be contacted by name@malmesburyabbey.com
CAFÉ HOURS Tuesday-Saturday 9am– 4.30pm Sunday & Monday closed all day clare@malmesburyabbey.com