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2 8 T H S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4
There is a paradox in the Christian
faith that I particularly enjoy. The
teacher says in Ecclesiastes 1:9,
‘There is nothing new under the sun.’
Got it? That’s simple enough; noth-
ing new. But the prophet says in
Isaiah 43:19 ’See, I am doing a new
thing.’ OK. Nothing new, and a new
thing. God won’t surprise us; God
will always surprise us. Solomon
and Isaiah should get their act to-
gether. In light of that Jeremiah is
helpful when he proclaims: ‘This is
what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the
crossroads and look; ask for the an-
cient paths, ask where the good way
is and walk in it, and you will find rest
for your souls.’ (Jeremiah 6:16) The
people of God often look back-
wards to move forwards. You find
God in both directions.
If we look back through the 1300
year history of Malmesbury Abbey
we find the three core values we’ve
got up and running in the 21st cen-
tury: Hospitality, Stability and Crea-
tivity. There is nothing new under
the sun. The reason is that if we
look at the nature of God we’ll find
those same values. The God who
invites and breaks bread, the God
who is our Rock from everlasting to
everlasting, the God that breathes
life and energises all of creation.
So how do we do hospitality? Bene-
dict wrote to the monastic commu-
nities following his Rule ‘Let all
guests be received like Christ...let fit-
ting honour be shown to all.’ The
kitchen was always close to the al-
tar. Hospitality, for us, is an attitude
that allows people to experience
the love of Christ in us, and then
potentially belong to His commu-
nity and know the life-changing
forgiveness found in Him alone.
HOSPITALITY Vicars Blog
An open Abbey helps. A café with
astonishing cakes and bacon rolls,
Clare and the team offering a smile
and pastoral care, and Pam and her
faithful team of stewards opening
the doors to 60,000 visitors each
year. Open homes matter too. With
congregations totalling around 350
people we perpetually encourage
everybody to get involved in mid-
week small community life of some
sort; or Alpha and Pilgrim for people
enquiring about faith.
And our Sunday together is also
hospitable by design. A deliberately
diverse, multi-congregational cul-
ture of worship and ministry that
helps people of all shapes and sizes
meet and draw near to God. You
will find worship that inspires you,
and most probably worship that
irritates you. Stability and Creativity
coming in future blogs.
NEXT SUNDAY: October 5th
8am BCP Holy Communion
10.30am Holy Communion
4pm Informal Worship,
Junior Church & The Grid
6pm The Mix//the Campbells
also elsewhere
3.30pm Neill’s Installation as
Honorary Canon at
Bristol Cathedral
6.30pm Brokenborough Harvest
Festival
ABBEY DIARY
THIS WEEK
EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer
TUES 30th 7.30pm Healing Ministry
Training
WEDS 1st 10.30am Communion
7.30pm Alpha
THURS 2nd 10.30am Time for Chat
7pm Choir Practice
FRI 3rd 10.30am Creative
Response
SAT 4th 10am The Meeting Place
THIS SUNDAY: September 28th
8am BCP Holy Communion
10.30am Holy Communion with
Baptisms
4pm All-age Communion
6.30pm Corston Harvest Festival
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had
turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal
official whose son lay ill at Capernaum. 47 When this man
heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went
to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was
close to death.
48 ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders,’ Jesus told
him, ‘you will never believe.’
49 The royal official said, ‘Sir, come down before my child
dies.’
50 ‘Go,’ Jesus replied, ‘your son will live.’
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he
was still on the way, his servants met him with the news
that his boy was living. 52 When he enquired as to the time
when his son got better, they said to him, ‘Yesterday, at
one in the afternoon, the fever left him.’
53 Then the father realised that this was the exact time at
which Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he and
his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming
from Judea to Galilee.
Additional Reading: Acts 16:25-34
Next Sunday: John 5:1-15
JOHN 4 :46-54
D A I LY R E A D I N G S 1. What can you gather from
John 2:11, 4:54, 7:31 and
20:30?
2. Share together some experi-
ences of God that have felt
like significant signs to you
and to others; no matter
how small.
3. What had been the impact
of Jesus turning the water
into wine in the community
of Cana?
4. Which verse in John 2:1-11
particularly relates to John
4:50b? What mechanisms in
your life assist this dimen-
sion of Christian disciple-
ship?
5. Read verse 53 and Acts
16:29-34. ‘In our individualis-
tic society, the concept of a
household of faith has been
lost, even within the church.’
Discuss.
6. Read the John 4 passage
again. How is the Spirit ask-
ing you to pray?
DISCIPLESHIP
Monday
Psalm 150
Daniel 12:1-4
Acts 12:1-11
Tuesday
Psalm 36
1 Kings 8:63-9:9
Acts 16:25-end
Wednesday
Psalm 34
1 Kings 10:1-25
Acts 17:1-15
Thursday
Psalm 37
1 Kings 11:1-13
Acts 17:16-end
Friday
Psalm 31
1 Kings 11:26-end
Acts 18:1-21
G I V I N G
To regularly support the mis-
sion and worship of the Abbey
with your Christian giving
please contact Alan McAdam at
M A G A Z I N E T H A N K S S U N D AY S T E WA R D S
2 Sunday stewards are urgently re-
quired to join the team and keep
the Abbey open on the third Sunday
of every month between 2pm to
4pm. You will take over from an-
other steward and will be there for
the set up of the 4pm service, leav-
ing you just enough time for you to
find a seat and join in. If you are in-
terested please talk to either Diana
Crowe, Lesley Wilson or Linda Wes-
ton or contact the Parish Office.
Many thanks from the Vicar, Church-
wardens and the Abbey PCC to
David & Janet Barton who produced
the Abbey Magazine over many
years, and also to the willing volun-
teers who delivered it. Your hard
work and commitment is greatly ap-
preciated. We’d particularly like to
encourage our wonderful team that
visit the elderly and isolated to take a
large print Abbey News Sheet with
them as they visit to keep people in
touch and to provide regular spiri-
tual input.
.
P I LG R I M G LO I N T H E D A R K
‘A course for the Christian Journey’
Monday 29th September at 2.15pm
in Malmesbury Abbey (St Aldhelm’s
Chapel). An opportunity to explore
and deepen your Christian faith.
The first six sessions will be looking
at how Christians know and wor-
ship God through the Lord’s Prayer.
The sessions will include a video
clip, a talk and time for discussion.
Please contact Revd Peter
Yacomeni or Revd Mandy Churcher
to let them know if you are inter-
ested.
Whatever your age you can be part
of this new exciting event on Oct
31st aimed at primary school age
children! Before the event we need
people to pray, make fairy cakes and
sew simple drawstring goody bags
(material provided). At the event we
need helpers to move chairs, super-
vise bouncy castles, serve hot dogs
and run side shows. If you are able to
offer your support for this great com-
munity outreach event please con-
tact Gill Shaw (on 825647) or Sandie
in the Parish Office.
Clare Cork needs volunteers to help in the café for the BBC History Weekend.
Please contact Clare on [email protected] or 07920793594 if you
are ready and willing and don’t mind hearing some outstanding history lec-
tures for free. Thursday 16th October, 4 volunteers needed from 1pm until
7.30pm; Friday 17th October, 4 volunteers needed from 12noon until
7.30pm; Saturday 18th October, 4 volunteers from 9am until 5pm. Thanks!
NOTICEBOARD
B B C H I S TO R Y
NEW SMALL GROUP
Revd Linda & Chris Sullivan are launching a new small group for people new
or new(ish) to our 10.30am congregation. Meeting Wednesdays at 2.30pm to
look at the questions on the News Sheet. 01666 822281 for more details.
JANET PARKE IN ZAMBIA
Please join us in prayer for Janet Parke, our missionary based in Mukinge,
Zambia. We will be meeting on Saturday 4th October in Eilmer House at
10am for coffee followed by prayer. Please contact Jane Druett for details.
THIS HARVEST Dinner for Kigezi, Oct 12th
CONTACT
A B B E Y O F F I C E
Monday (10am-12pm)
Tuesday-Friday (9.30am– 3pm)
Tel: 01666 826666
www.malmesburyabbey.com
issuu.com/malmesburyabbey
Staff members can be contacted
C A F É H O U R S
Tuesday-Saturday
9am– 4.30pm
Sunday & Monday closed all day
1 2 t h C E N T U R Y B E AU T Y 2 1 s t C E N T U R Y C H U R C H