‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.’
27/07/2014 MALMESBURY ABBEY
HOSPITALITY THAT INVITES PEOPLE CLOSER STABILITY THAT DRAWS PEOPLE DEEPER CREATIVITY THAT LIFTS PEOPLE HIGHER
Vicar’s blog: Children & Youth Two weeks ago your PCC (Parochial Church Council) met to scratch their heads. Actually, and in slightly more detail, we prayed, we read a paper, we looked at budgets, we reviewed priorities and than after thoughtful discussion we unanimously agreed on three proposals which we hope will have a direct and very positive effect on children’s & youth ministry at Malmesbury Abbey. We celebrated that we have a fantastic and hard working set of children’s and youth volunteers serving in the life of the Abbey. But with Revd Katie Windle departing last year from her Anglican chaplaincy at the primary school, and with both Sarah McGrory (volunteer Youth Minister) and Mary Barnes (Interim Children’s Minister) both stopping in 2014, (Mary at the end of this coming September), we felt that right now was the time to act to recruit a full time member of staff to be at the heart of the Children’s & Youth ministry and to oversee it’s development over the next few years. Obviously this is extremely important for our children and young people, but we also want to encourage and honour our volunteers and build on the great work that Mary, Pete & Katherine are overseeing currently. So, the three proposals? Briefly:
1. That if we say as a church that we really value Youth & Children’s Ministry then our budget should show that too. Alan McAdam (our next Abbey Treasurer) and myself are going to prepare a budget for 2015, and for following years, which has this important post as a first line, rather than a vulnerable last line. We’ll let you know the details in November, and any small increase in congregational giving that is implied in 2015. 2. Myself and Doug Johnston (PCC Vice Chair) are going to form a small team to recruit, advertising nationally this September. It doesn’t necessarily mean that we will appoint immediately, we want to recruit well, not quickly, but we want to begin looking right away. 3. That we will offer a competitive fulltime salary plus the 1 bedroom flat on the top floor of Le Flambé (which the PCC recently refurbished anticipating this;) in the hope of attracting an excellent new minister to Malmesbury. So a busy few months ahead, and we hope an exciting few years of development and imaginative discipleship in our youth and children’s departments. Please pray for this process as it moves on, for wisdom in both budgeting and recruiting, and for the Holy Spirit to preparing even now the heart of the woman or man He is calling to join us at the Abbey. God is good.
www.malmesburyabbey.com
Abbey Diary THIS SUNDAY: July 27th 8am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Morning Prayer & Healing Ministry 4pm All-age Communion
EACH DAY MON 28th WED 30th THURS 31st
9am Morning Prayer 8pm Baptism Prep 4 10.30am Holy Communion 3pm Songs of Praise 7pm Choir Practice
NEXT SUNDAY: August 3rd 8am BCP Holy Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship 6.30pm Choral Evensong & Commemoration of WWI
AUTUMN DATES Sep 9th Glory! Sep 13th Archbishop in Malmesbury Sep 23rd Refresh! Oct 7th Confirmation at the Abbey Oct 17/18 BBC History Weekend Oct 31st glo in the dark Junior Church party Nov 18th Glory! Nov 25th Refresh! Nov 30th Advent Carol Service Dec 21st Nine Lessons & Carols Dec 20th The Malmesbury Nativity 23rd & 24th
Revelation 21 & 22 21 Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death” or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ 5 He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ 6 He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practise magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.’ 9
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 22
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it.25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great
street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Additional Reading: Matthew 5:1-12
small group resource + 1. 2. 3. 4.
5.
6.
Read Revelation chapter 21 together. What things stand out to you? John describes a 'new heaven and a new earth' (21:1). The Greek word for 'new' here is kainos, meaning qualitatively better than the old, or 'renewed'. Why do you think there needs to be a 'new earth' as well as a 'new heaven'? In the gospels, the phrases 'Kingdom of heaven' and 'Kingdom of God' mean the same thing. Heaven could be defined as any place where God's Kingdom is brought into being. Do you agree? What's your working definition of 'heaven'? Some parts of Western Christianity have believed that the goal of our lives here on earth is for our souls to go to a disembodied eternity somewhere up there in heaven (which is actually closer to Buddhism). What hints are there in this passage (e.g. 21:2), and from what you know of scripture, to suggest that this is not the case, and that physical renewal (including physical resurrection) is part of God's plan for us in the age to come? Read Revelation chapter 22:1-6 together. Now read Ezekiel 47:12; and Genesis 2:9. Life in the New Jerusalem will be like a return to Eden, only better. What hints in this Revelation passage are there that there will be lots of finished work yet to complete in the world? C.S. Lewis says that ‘if you read history you find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most about the next’. Pray together that you would be so captivated by the life that is to come, that it affects the way you prioritise your life in the present.
daily readings MONDAY Psalm 122 Isaiah 61 Rev 21:15-21
TUESDAY Psalm 36 Isaiah 60 Rev 21:22-27
WEDNESDAY Psalm 46 Ez 47:1-12 Rev 22:1-7
THURSDAY Psalm 101 Daniel 12 Rev 22:8-15
FRIDAY Psalm 42,43 Isaiah 55 Rev 22:16-21
Licensing of Revd Lee Barnes Lee Barnes, former Curate here at the Abbey, and his wife Mary, would like to extend an invitation to his licensing as Vicar of St Stephens, City Centre and Holy Trinity, Hotwells in Bristol. The licensing takes place on Thursday September 18th at 7.30pm at St Stephens church. (www.saint-stephens.com) If you would like to come please could you email Lee at deaneryminister@gmail.com
Songs of Praise After our wonderful Holiday at Home at the end of this month, come and sing with us and listen to wonderful testimonies as we ‘Celebrate God’s Joy’ on Thursday 31st July at 3pm in Malmesbury Abbey. All will be welcomed and traditional English Tea will be served after the service. For more information please contact Revd Mandy Churcher on 824416 or contact the Parish Office.
Running for their lives... Bob Hyatt is; will you? Join a team from Malmesbury Abbey to run in the Malmesbury Carnival 10K on 30th August or sponsor the runners? With special T-shirts we will publicise and raise money for the KDWSP - Kigezi Diocese Water & Sanitation Programme. It is transforming the lives of mountain villagers in Uganda. At present the village children - mostly the girls - spend 4 hours each day lugging heavy water containers up to their homes and the people defecate in the fields. KDWSP provides funds and trains villagers to build and use hygienic latrines and to gather, store and distribute clean water in each village. This improves health, aids agriculture, leaves time for the children's education and opens the hearts of the people to receive Him who is the Water of Life. For more info contact Bob Hyatt on bobnhelen@dsl.pipex.com Websites for reference: On the villages: www.tearfund.org/mountain On the team: www.justgiving.com/teams/malmesbury On entering: www.dmax.co.uk/events On giving: www.justgiving.com/Robert-Hyatt1
Noticeboard Children’s Teas at 4pm There will be no children's teas during the school summer holidays. This is a vital part of our hospitality to young children so If you would like to help provide teas in the Autumn please contact alice@malmesburyabbey.com
100th Anniversary of WWI On Monday August 4th 2014 the nation marks the 100th anniversary of commencement of World War 1. On Sunday 3rd August at 6.30pm there will be a special Evensong with Act of Commemoration at the Abbey, as we work with the local British Legion at this very significant time.
Alpha—autumn 2014 After seeing so many lives impacted by our Autumn 2013 Alpha course, we are excited about what God has in store for us in September as we launch Alpha at the Abbey again. Now is the time to have a look in your diary from September to see if you would like to commit to coming and/or helping on the course, and to be praying about that neighbour, friend or work colleague who you WILL invite (and earn a 10,000 voices wrist band!). Since 1993, over 22.5 million people worldwide have attended an Alpha course, and 3.3 million have done the course in the UK alone! If you've never done a course, or would like to come again, please sign up either at the signup sheet at the back of the Abbey, by emailing john@malmesburyabbey.com, or contacting the Parish Office. The course starts Wednesday 18th September, 7.30pm at the Abbey, runs for 10 weeks (excluding half term) and includes a meal every night. Let's pray for a great harvest in Malmesbury and beyond! Yours in Christ, Revd John Monaghan.
The Alpha
Course starts Wed 17th Sept
Contact ABBEY OFFICE Mon &Tues (9.30am-12noon) Weds, Thurs ,Fri, (9.30am-2.30pm) 01666 826666 www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey sandie@malmesburyabbey.com Staff members can be contacted by name@malmesburyabbey.com CAFÉ HOURS Tuesday—Saturday : 9am-4.30pm Sunday & Monday: Closed all day clare@malmesburyabbey.com
New Choir Members John Hughes is on the lookout for a few new members for Malmesbury Abbey Choir. The choir normally sings three Sunday mornings each month at 10.30am and one Choral Evensong at 6.30pm on the second Sunday of the month. Rehearsals are on Thursdays from 7pm-8.30pm. Please contact John on 822731 if you are interested.
Holidays & Closure Due to staff holidays the Parish Office is closed Sat 26th July— Monday 4th August and 16th-26th August. Neill is away at a conference then on holiday from August 11th-30th. Time for Chat, Creative Response, Women Alive , Prayer Ministry and The Meeting Place (Healing in the Streets) are all having a break in August and return in September.
12th CENTURY BEAUTY 21st CENTURY CHURCH