28THJUNE 2015
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FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS Vicar’s Blog
A subtle lie can creep into our thinking, our self-perception: that God, without stating it explicitly, actually has lesser purposes for our life, than for others. Others, Christian superstars, the ones who pray the better prayers, the ones who know the Bible references, or have ‘successful’ lives, or wear plastic around their necks, they’re the chosen ones, really used by God. But God just loves me to bits on the sidelines of the Kingdom. And that’s OK, all is well. I’m fine with that. And the danger of the two month Old Testament series that arrives at the Abbey in July and August is that we will simply conclude, ‘well, I can’t call down fire from heaven, or build a temple, or save a nation, or conquer Jericho – I’ll leave that to the vicar.’ Now, and here’s a confession, I missed an awful lot of my theological training due to being overseas - so much so
that my tutor nicknamed me ‘the real absence’ (a theological joke about the sacraments that I’ll explain to you if you can be bothered to ask.) But I am pretty certain that even vicars, in all their startling splendour, aren’t trained to part the Red Sea, or build Arks, and certainly not to dance before the LORD. But as we look at some of the most dramatic and nation-changing moments in the lives of nine Old Testament men and women (see the full series on the back page) the point we should bear in mind is this. Not every moment of our lives is dramatic, but every moment of our lives is significant. It is both dramatic and significant that Elijah called down fire from heaven in 1 Kings 18. It is totally un-dramatic but still very significant that he was alone and slept in 1 Kings 19. After the fire he was fearful and exhausted, after the
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A B B E Y D I A RY THIS SUNDAY: June 28th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion & Healing Ministry 4pm All-age Communion
good night’s sleep he met with God. Christ says to you and I, ‘I am with you always.’ Not sometimes. Each dull, ordinary moment of our lives is breathed into significance by Christ. But we do sense a greater intensity, the timing of God. Our new series gets its title from a short phrase from the book of Esther. For such a time as this. (Esther 4:14) We live our lives, each day with purpose, each moment lived with God. But sometimes the Spirit looks us in the eye, and says, you are on the planet, you have a pulse, you have my breath, for such a time as this.
THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer (Mon & Tues in Eilmer House) MON 29th Lifepath (Kitchen closed) TUES 30th Lifepath (Kitchen closed) WED 1st 10.30am Communion THUR 2nd 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice SAT 4th 10am The Meeting Place 7.30pm Bath Bach Choir NEXT SUNDAY: July 5th 9am Join with 10.30am 10.30am Abbey: Holy Communion 10.30am Bristol Cathedral: Ordination of Revd Linda Sullivan as Priest 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church ADVANCE July 11th Parochial Church Council July 21st Glory! Prayer Meeting
LU K E 1 : 5 7 - 6 6 , 8 0 57
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, ‘No! He is to be called John.’ 61 They said to her, ‘There is no one among your relatives who has that name.’ 62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, ‘His name is John.’ 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbours were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, ‘What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord’s hand was with him. 80
And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.
Additional Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11 4pm Reading: Romans 8:15-17
DISCIPLESHIP 1. Share together how God spoke to you through the worship and teaching last weekend. 2. Read the passage from Luke together slowly, and share anything that stands out to you personally. 3. Read verses 57 & 58. What was the significance of John’s birth to Elizabeth? What was the significance and story around your own birth? 4. Read verses 59-63. Both Zechariah’s silence and his speech were significant. Which would you find more challenging, if God asked you to speak for him, or if God called you to remain silent? Why? 5. Read v66. Is the LORD’s hand on you? What is the LORD going to be doing in your life in the months ahead? 6. Verse 80. Lay on hands and pray for each of your group to be strengthened in the Spirit of God.
D A I LY R E A D I N G S Monday (Peter & Paul) Psalm125 Acts 12:1-11 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 Tuesday Psalm 89:1-18 Nehemiah 5 Romans 15:1-13 Wednesday Psalm 119:105128 Nehemiah 6:1-7:4 Romans 15:14-21 Thursday Psalm 92 Nehemiah 7:73b-8:18 Romans 15:22-end Friday Psalm 146 Nehemiah 9:1-23 Romans 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
WOMEN ALIVE!
P R AY E R
There will be no Women Alive! this coming Tuesday and the next meeting will be a social on Tuesday 14th July in Eilmer House. This will be the last Women Alive! in it’s current format as it reinvents itself into a normal Abbey small group.
Our Open Doors Prayer for Persecuted Christians meeting will take place at 2.30pm on July 7th in Eilmer House. Our focus this week will be praying for the Muslim community and Islamic/Christian relations during the period of Ramadan. We will be praying for all persecuted by ISIS, and also for Christians struggling under Sharia law.
A new softplay morning in the Abbey for carers and young children is scheduled to start in the Abbey in early 2016, if not before.
WORSHIP CDs
H O L I D AY AT H O M E
Have a look at Holly Bird’s new shelf of contemporary worship at the Abbey Bookshop, featuring many songs sung at our 4pm service. CDs to encourage you in your journey with God including Matt Redman’s ‘Sing Like Never Before’ featuring the hit song 10,000 reasons, and Rend Collective’s ‘The Art Of Celebration’ with our absolute favourite My Lighthouse. Come and have a look and support your local Christian bookshop.
The Abbey has a vibrant ministry of hospitality and also a significant pastoral outreach to the elderly and isolated. Would you be prepared to help with the cooking for our simply outstanding Holiday at Home event being held on July 27th & 28th? Please contact Jan Lester on 01666 823465 for more information.
12t h CE N TU RY B E AU T Y 2 1st CE NTU RY CHU R CH
NOTICEBOARD REFRESH The next Refresh is on Tuesday 7th July in the Abbey at 7.30pm. Continuing with our study on the book of Psalms we welcome Kate Dommitt from Christchurch, Clevedon as she talks to us about Forgiveness. The evening will also include a short communion. Soft drinks and nibbles will also be available. If you would like to invite a neighbour, family or friends please take a copy of the Refresh invitation available at the back of the Abbey. For more information please contact Sandie on 01666 82666 or office@malmesburyabbey.com.
4PM COFFEE TEAM Are you looking to expand your role in God's ministry? Do not forget the importance of the hospitality of serving a wonderful congregation, visitors and clergy with top notch tea & coffee! We would love more kind & happy people to join our 4pm coffee team. Please speak to Holly if this is where you think you're being called to serve. Just as the Lord provides us with sustenance each day, offering drinks to those who come into the Abbey on Sundays shows that they are most welcome and also encourages the growth of relationships as people get to know one another over a nice hot brew!
Enquiries 01666 826666 // Box Office 01666 824339 office@malmesburyabbey.com www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS July 5 July 12 July 19 July 26 Aug 2 Aug 9 Aug 16 Aug 23 Aug 30
Abraham (Genesis 22) Moses (Exodus 3) Joshua (Joshua 1) Ruth (Ruth 1) David (1 Samuel 17) Solomon (1 Kings 3) Elijah (1 Kings 18) Daniel (Daniel 6) Esther (Esther 4)
This day, this moment, your life, lived with God, matters.