Clean Water Project in our twin Diocese, the Diocese of Kigezi, Uganda

Transcription

1 Clean Water Project in our twin Diocese, the Diocese of Kigezi, Uganda HARVEST - 24th SEPTEMBER 2017

2 HARVEST THANKSGIVING Catherine Price, Lay Reader Last week I found myself telling friends the story of a Harvest Service my father took at a village Baptist Chapel in Bucks some years ago. Dad felt strongly about fair trade and the equitable distribution of the world s resources, especially food. He wanted to impress on his congregation that a Harvest Thanksgiving, for Christians in the First World, wasn t just about giving thanks for all the good things God had provided for us in creation, but also about recognising our responsibility to try to address the needs of those less well off than ourselves. Warming to his theme, he thundered from the pulpit (he had a big voice) Harvest isn t just about tomatoes! God doesn t want tomatoes! At this point I glanced round the little chapel to see, on every windowsill, piles of homegrown tomatoes which had been brought by the congregation and used to decorate the church. Hmm, Dad, I thought, that could have been more tactfully put. This week in our Abbey harvest services we will be trying to do two things: giving thanks to God for the bounty of His earth, but also paying attention to the needs of those who don t have the advantages of enough food, clean water or freedom to follow their Christian faith. There will be displays in the Abbey about the clean water project in our twin Diocese of Kigezi, about the work of Open Doors with persecuted Christians, but also an opportunity to donate food to the Malmesbury Food Bank. Through our support for these very worthwhile projects we can give practical expression to our real sense of thankfulness for God s provision for us of water, food and religious freedom.

3 A B B E Y DIARY At this harvest season, we take the opportunity to give God thanks and praise for all His blessings to us, and out of our thankfulness seek to show His love and generosity to others Catherine THIS SUNDAY: September 24th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Harvest Holy Communion 4pm All-Age Communion 5pm Welcome Tea (see Page 6) 6.30pm Harvest Choral Evensong THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer MON 25 th 10am Little Stars WEDS 27 th 10.30am Communion THUR 28 th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice SAT 30 th Safeguarding Training NEXT SUNDAY: October 1st in the Abbey 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship & Junior Church ADVANCE OCTOBER 3 rd at 2.30pm Prayers for Persecuted Christians (see page 6) 4 th at 2.30pm Tea with Chris Simons (please let Linda Sullilvan know if you can join us) 5 th & 6th Abbey closed all day due to organ tuning 7 th at 7.30pm MAMS Organ Recital 10 th at 7.30pm Glory!

4 M AT T H E W 20: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. 27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Additional Reading: Philippians 1:21-end

5 DISCIPLESHI P D A I LY R E A D I N G S 1. Is this parable about good industrial relations? What is it about? 2. Is the owner being unfair to his workers? Are there times when you think God is unfair in His treatment of us? 3. Why do some Christians have such a hard time when others have an easy life? 4. Are we tempted to be envious of other people? 5. What does Jesus mean by "the first shall be last and the last first"? 6. Why are the values of the kingdom of heaven so different from what we expect? Monday Psalm 30 1 Chronicles 28:1-10 Mark 11:1-11 Tuesday Psalm 36 1 Chronicles 28:11-end Mark 11:12-26 Wednesday Psalm 34 1 Chronicles 29:1-9 Mark 11:27-end Thursday Psalm 37 1 Chronicles 29:10-20 Mark 2:1-12 Friday Psalm 103 Revelation 12:7-12 Hebrews 1:5-end R E G U L A R G I V I N G If you would like to give regularly to the mission and ministry of the Abbey as part of your discipleship, please alan@malmesburyabbey.com.

6 P R AY E R S Join us as we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are persecuted for their faith and love of the Lord Jesus. Our next meeting will be at 2.30pm at 4 Mill Lane on Tuesday 3 October. C O N F I R M AT I O N The Bishop of Swindon, the Rt Revd Dr Lee Rayfield will be with us on Wednesday November 1 st November at 7.30pm for a service of Confirmation. This joyous occasion is an opportunity to confess your faith and be prayed for by the Bishop to be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit. Candidates are normally younger people who were baptised as infants, and also adults making the Abbey their spiritual home. Please contact Andrew or Sandie in the office if you d like to know more. W E L C O M E T E A For those new(ish) to the Abbey congregations there will be a get together over Tea & Cake at the Abbey at 5pm TODAY, shortly after the 4pm service. A chance to get to know a few new faces and meet some of the leadership team. FA R E W E L L You are warmly welcome to attend John's licensing as Vicar of St Edyth's, Sea Mills, Bristol on Monday 30th October at 7.30pm. There will also be an opportunity to say farewell to the Monaghan's over drinks and nibbles at the Abbey on Friday 13th October, and at their final 10.30am and 4pm services at the Abbey on Sunday 15th October 1 2 t h C E N T U R Y B E A U T Y 2 1 s t C E N T U R Y C H U R C H

7 NOTICEBOARD A P P O I N T M E N T O F T H E N E X T B I S H O P O F B R I S TO L A Consultation Meeting on the Appointment of the next Bishop of Bristol is taking place on Wednesday 27 th September 2017 at St. Giles Church, Lea. We will meet at 7.20pm for 7.30pm. This meeting is open to all, not just Deanery Synod representatives. Please invite others to come. For more information please contact: Hilary Greene (Secretary) 3 Rectory Close, Stanton St Quintin, Chippenham, SN14 6DT iamhilarygreene@gmail.com R E T R E AT: B E S T I L L The Community of St Aldhelm (CoStA) are organising a Retreat Day on Saturday 28 October, 10am-4pm at Harnhill Centre for Christian Healing, with the theme Be still and know that I am God. The day will include some guided sessions and plenty of space for personal reflection. It is open to any member of the Abbey and village congregations, not just Community members, at a cost of just 5.50 per person (to cover room hire). If you would like to come, please contact Catherine Price on catherine@malmesburyabbey.com or via the Parish Office.

8 ABBEY OFFICE Tuesday-Friday 9.30am-3pm issuu.com/malmesburyabbey ABBEY CAFÉ Monday-Friday Friday (normal) 9.30am 4pm TheAbbeyCafe Staff members can be contacted by