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UNSEEN Vicar’s Blog
I absolutely love Thursday evenings. As a teenager there were two things that I really loved doing - playing basketball and singing in my church choir. And now, every Thursday night I am a teenager again, and I get to sing with the wonderful Abbey Choir (who are currently preparing some amazingly beautiful music for our Advent & Christmas together) before running (AKA driving) to basketball at the Activity Zone. And there is even more singing for me as in my spare time I also serve as a deputy with Bristol Cathedral Choir. And it was there last Tuesday that I had the unique choral experience that I want to tell you about.
bright yellow High Visibility vests to wear on top of our cassocks. The Head Choirgirl had a pink Hi Vis vest and the Dean and Chapter all wore orange. Not normal. Not normal at all.
As we prepared for our 4.45pm rehearsal we were given a copy of some 16th century responses, some 20th century canticles (look it up!) and an anthem with words by King Henry VIII. And then they passed out to us
In 2010 the British Parliament formally created October 18th as UK’s AntiSlavery Day. It serves to raise awareness of human trafficking and exploitation, and reminds us that there are currently up to 13,000
It looked rather like the Cathedral Health & Safety officer had flipped, left no risk uncovered and was curled up rocking in the corner with the choir left in day-glo glory. And some Swedish tourists clearly concluded that Bristol Cathedral was a far more dangerous place than meets the eye: these crazy English people with their fast moving hymns and lit candles everywhere. But actually our attire had a deeper purpose.
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A B B E Y D I A RY Sunday 23rd October 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm All-age Communion
victims of modern slavery in the UK. As part of a week of events, on October 22nd, last Tuesday, the Bristol-based charity Unseen had a neon lit sponsored night walk in local woodland, with everyone in Hi Vis gear, and the church worked in partnership with the charity to start the evening’s events in a darkened cathedral. Fun was had, an unseen issue was highlighted, and money was raised to help support survivors of slavery and trafficking in our nation and to provide counseling to those with post-traumatic stress.
‘I no longer call you slaves, I call you friends.’ (John 15:15) More at unseenuk.org
WEEK BEGINNING OCT 24TH EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer MON 24th No Little Stars WED 26th 10.30am Communion THUR 27th Abbey Closed: organ tune FRI 28th Abbey Closed: organ tune 10.30am Creative Response in Eilmer House SAT 29th 7.30pm Organ Recital Sunday 30th October 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church 6.30pm Service for the Faithful Departed WEEK BEGINNING OCT 31ST EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer MON 31st 10am Little Stars 6pm Light Party nd WED 2 10.30am Communion 7.30pm Confirmation rd THUR 3 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice
LU K E 4 : 1 6 - 2 4 23rd October, Bible Sunday
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18
‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday 24th Psalm 30 Leviticus 19:1-18, 30-end 2 Timothy 4:1-8 Tuesday 25th Psalm 36 Leviticus 23:1-22 2 Timothy 4:9-end Wednesday 26th Psalm 34 Leviticus 23:23-end Titus 1
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Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’ 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’ they asked. 23 Jesus said to them, ‘Surely you will quote this proverb to me: “Physician, heal yourself!” And you will tell me, “Do here in your home town what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.”’ 24 ‘Truly I tell you,’ he continued, ‘no prophet is accepted in his home town. Additional Reading: Rom. 15:1-6
Thursday 27th Psalm 37 Leviticus 24:1-9 Titus 2 Friday: Simon & Jude Psalm 119:89-96 Ephesians 2:19-end John 15:17-end Monday 31st Psalm 2 Daniel 1 Revelation 1 Tuesday 1st Psalm 5 Daniel 2:1-24 Revelation 2:1-11
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E P H E S I A N S 1: 1 1 - 2 3 30th October, All Saints 11
In him we were also chosen having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory. 15
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Wednesday 2nd Psalm 9 Daniel 2:25-end Revelation 2:12-end Thursday 3rd Psalm 15 Daniel 3:1-18 Revelation 3:1-13 Friday 4th Psalm 16 Daniel 3:19-end Revelation 3:14-end
and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Additional Reading: Luke 6:20-31
D A N I E L & R E V E L AT I O N
CHRISTIAN AID
If you think that your Daily Bible reading needs a bit of a reboot, consider picking up our Morning Prayer readings from Monday 31st October. On that day we will be entering a season where, after we have prayed a psalm, we will be reading passages from two great and mysterious apocalyptic books; Daniel and Revelation.
On Friday 4th November from 12.30pm onwards there will be a soup lunch held in the Upper Room of the URC. Cost will be £3 for soup and a cake. This event is in aid of the Haiti Hurricane Matthew Appeal and has been organised by the Malmesbury Christian Aid Group. For more information please contact Dick Gray.
GREEN TEA
D AV E & J E N
Malmesbury Abbey was honoured to host the Memorial Service for a young Malmesbury woman, Cat Roberts, on Friday 21st October. As a small gesture, and to honour her memory and her love of Green Tea, all Green Tea will be free in the Abbey Café until the end of the month.
The Abbey’s love, prayers and gratitude go with Dave, Jen & young Joshua Richards as they begin their journey back to Australia after a rich and fruitful season in Malmesbury, and a really significant preaching and leading ministry at our 4pm congregation. Dave & Jen’s last Sunday with us will be Sunday 6th November. Join us as we pray for them, and cry quite a lot.
12t h CE N TU RY B E AU T Y 2 1st CE NTU RY CHU R CH
NOTICEBOARD F O U N D AT I O N G O V E R N O R The PCC is currently looking for somebody to serve as Foundation Governor at Malmesbury CE Primary School, to join the governing body and focus on helping to develop and maintain the distinctive Christian character of the school. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with other members of the Abbey who are Foundation Governors and to serve our community. There are six evening meetings a year with the full governing body, and planning meetings with the Foundation Governors. You do not have to be a parent in the school, and young or old we would love you to pray about joining us. Please speak to Revd John Monaghan or John Jenkins.
R E F R E S H ! S A V E T H E D AT E ! We are all getting very excited about the up and coming Refresh Craft evening at Malmesbury Abbey on Tuesday 22 November @ 7pm. We wanted to organise an event that you can invite your friends to. It will be a fun evening with soup, wine and cake and the opportunity to make some simple Advent/Christmas crafts together. Guests will receive a bag with the material and instructions to make 5 individual crafts which they can either do on the evening or when they get home. The cost of the evening will be £10 per ticket and tickets will be available from the Abbey. On the evening we will be joined by Kim Hartshorne (who runs the Upper Room in Cirencester http://hope-cirencester.co.uk/home/upper-room/) and she will give a short talk on “Light in the darkness” From the beginning of November we will advertise this craft event throughout the town & schools but would also like to encourage you to use the event to invite people into the Abbey. At that time we will be circulating an invitation to you all by email. Please let Sandie know at the Parish Office if you could display a poster for us.
CONTAC T
ABBEY OFFICE
ABBEY KITCHEN
TICKETS:
WHEN AND WHERE:
ONLY AVAILABLE IN ADVANCE FROM MALMESBURY ABBEY BOOKSHOP
MALMESBURY ABBEY MONDAY 31ST OCTOBER 6PM TO 8PM
£3 PER CHILD
FANCY DRESS:
ADULTS MUST SUPER HEROES! A1C2Ct h OM ( IRFY YCOHUU RWCAHN T C PE ANNTYU R Y B E A U T Y 2 1 s t C E N T U CHILDREN TO!) Contact: The Abbey Office 01666 826666 or andrew@malmesburyabbey.com