26th MARCH 2017
HAPPY MOTHERING SUNDAY Rev’d John Monaghan
We’ll be singing at one of our services this Sunday (can you guess which one?) that whether or not we have curly hair or specs to wear; whether we like reading books or feeding ducks - that we’re all part of the big family of God. The Bible tells the unfolding story of the people of God gathered together as family to worship God. That’s our chief purpose - ‘to glorify God, and enjoy him forever’ (Westminster Shorter Catechism).
(A worship song written recently by an Abbey member aged 6)
The amazing thing is we don’t just enjoy him forever on our own. As a new born baby reminds us - anything beautiful has to be shared to be enjoyed to its full. How much more the beauty of Christ as head of our family. By worshipping together as family, as C.S. Lewis puts it, ‘the more we share the Heavenly Bread between us, the more we shall all have’. Anyone for seconds?!
Praise God for all he’s doing in our wonderful church family!
Some people think we’re animals, some people think we’re slaves, but there’s a secret in the world, God is our Saviour, he came to love us, he came to save us, he can defeat sin, yes yes he can defeat sin Our Saviour has won. Yeah!
Revd John Monaghan
TO DAY WE LCO ME TE A New or newish to the Abbey? We'd love to welcome you after the 4pm service today with tea/coffee and cake, and give you a chance to meet some of the leadership team and church family. Do join us!
E LEC TORA L RO LL In preparation of the AGM on Sunday 30th April, the current Church Electoral Roll (our membership list) will be at the back of the Abbey so that you can check that your details are correct. If your details do not appear on the Electoral Roll and you consider Malmesbury Abbey to be your regular place of worship then please complete a cream Application for Enrolment form today and leave it in the folder or post to the Parish Office
ABBEY DIARY THIS SUNDAY: March 26th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm All-Age Communion 6.30pm Choral Evensong THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer MON 20th 10am Little Stars WED 22nd 10.30am Communion THUR 23rd 7pm Choir Practice SAT 25th 7.30pm Malmesbury Singers Concert NEXT SUNDAY: April 2nd 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church ADVANCE DIARY 3-5 April Labyrinth 10 April Phantom of the Opera with Anthony Hammond (organ) 11 April Prayer Afternoon (2pm) with Glory! at 7.30pm 12 April Illusionist 7.30pm (for a full listing of Holy Week/Easter services and events taking place in Malmesbury Abbey please see the Holy Week Festival 2017 brochure at the back of the Abbey)
JOHN 19:25 – 27 25
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ 27 and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Additional Reading: 1 Samuel 1:20-end 20
So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I asked the LORD for him.’21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfil his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, ‘After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always.’ 23 ‘Do what seems best to you,’ her husband Elkanah told her. ‘Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD make good his] word.’ So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, ‘Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he shall be given over to the LORD.’ And he worshipped the LORD there.
DISCIPLESHIP 1 Read the passage together and share you immediate reactions 2 Simeon ( Luke 2 v 35) told Mary that a ' sword will pierce her own soul' How do you see this in the passage today? 3 What attributes did Mary show as she stayed with her son at the cross? 4 Jesus ( v20) is calling John and Mary into a relationship of care and love reaching beyond family bonds and demonstrating a new form of community to come. How might this work within a church setting? 5 Look at Matthew 23 v37 and Isaiah 49 v 15-16. The deep love and compassion of father and son is revealed here. Share and pray about your reflections on this. .
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday Psalm 77 Jer 17:5-18 John 9:18-end Tuesday Psalm 79 Jer 18:1-12 John 10:1-10 Wednesday Psalm 63 Jer 18:13-end John 10:11-21 Thursday Psalm 86 Jer 19:1-13 John 10:22-end Friday Psalm 102 Jer 19:14 – 20:6 John 11:1-16
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
A B I G T H A N K YO U
WA L K U G A N D A
Neill would like to thank everyone for their love and support in his last few weeks as vicar of the Abbey, particularly at his final services on Sunday 12th March and the celebration at The Old Bell in the evening. He has been overwhelmed by cards, gifts, messages and affection and is immensely grateful for all of them and the very generous congregational gift. Morecambe & Wise are still singing.
Bob Hyatt says – ‘Thank you for all your support for the Walk Uganda mission. You gave me 4 times more money than I expected and as many goods as I could carry. Please forgive me if I have not thanked you personally; I was overwhelmed by your generosity! Through your gifts and prayers the Lord blessed us and those to whom we ministered in the churches, hospitals, schools, prisons, homes and communities. I hope to hold a meeting after Easter for all who are interested to hear about it
PERSECUTED CHURCH
P R AY E R M I N I S T R Y
We will next meet to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters on Tuesday 4th April, 2.30pm at Mollies Home. We will be continuing to follow the World Watch List as we pray around the world. For more information please contact Mike Langtree.
There will be invisioning and training for Prayer Ministry and the Healing on the Streets Team on Tuesday 25th April 8-9.30pm. This is for everyone who has been involved in these ministries in the past or would like to test whether this is something God is asking them to do in the future. Please let alice@malmesburyabbey.com know if you would like to attend.
12th CEN TU RY BE AU T Y 21st CEN TU RY CHU R CH
NOTICEBOARD H O LY W E E K F E S T I VA L L E A F L E T S This year will be slightly different in that we are not asking you to do a massive postal drop of Holy Week Festival brochures around the town. However, leaflets designed by our own Events Co-Ordinator, Anne Cox are available at the back of the Abbey and can be used prayerfully to give to friends and neighbours inviting them to services and events in the Abbey during Holy Week and Easter. If you wish to deliver to your whole street then please ask Sandie in the office who will print you a bundle!
EAST AFRICA CRISIS APPEAL - TEARFUND Last Sunday after the 4pm Service members of Deeper (mid-week youth bible study group) were selling cakes to raise money and awareness for Tearfund's urgent work in responding to the critical situation in East Africa where 16 million people are in urgent need of food and safe water. They raised £113. Many thanks to all who supported this event. To find out more or give go to www.tearfund.org.
I L LU S I O N S I N T H E A B B E Y Steve Price is one of the UK's most established magicians. He is a Gold Star Member of the Inner Magic Circle and has won The Magic Circle's Originality Prize. He is also a Christian and will be using his tricks and illusions to share the Gospel so this is a great event to bring friends along to. Wednesday 12th April, 7:30pm. Bar and Cafe from 7pm. Tickets £5 (£3 for U18s/Students). Purchase from Abbey Bookshop in advance.
CONTAC T
ABBEY OFFICE Tuesday-Friday 9.30am-3pm 01666 826666 office@malmesburyabbey.com www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey Staff members can be contacted by name@malmesburyabbey.com
ABBEY CAFÉ Monday-Friday Friday (normal) 9.30am – 4pm Happy Hour (drinks £1) from 9.30-10.30am 10.30am café@malmesburyabbey.com MalmesburyAbbey MalmesburyAbbeyKitchen
12th CEN TU RY BE AU T Y 21st CEN TU RY CHU R CH