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10 T H J U LY 2 0 1 6

CONNECTIONS Vicar’s Blog

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I have spent quite a lot of my life in the Church of England, 17 years of them ordained, a Rev. My anniversary was last Monday. I celebrated with a bowl of soup, clearing out the choir vestry and a committee meeting. Cutting edge ministry as ever. (Look, I simply attempt to mock myself before you lot do.) And as you hang around an Anglican organisation for a few years you get used to words that normal non-churchy people don’t seem to use that often: Collect, Eucharist, fellowship, benefice, Lent, Advent, cassock, hassock, canticle, versicle, liturgy, PCC, Septuagesima, bishop, archdeacon, curate, Magnificat, Ave Maria, Ave Verum, synod; the list is endless. As a curate, I remember being asked by the Dean of Derby Cathedral to ‘pass me the purificator.’ The blank look on my face prompted him to clarify, ‘the cloth, Neill, the cloth.’ I muttered

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under my breath ‘why didn’t you say the stupid cloth in the first place.’ And here’s another word. Diocese. And the related word, diocesan. And also diocesification. (I made that one up; but I quite like it.) There are two ways of understanding the word diocese. Neither wrong. One is to think of the Diocese of Bristol as our centrally located support services, our HQ, that keeps the administrative show on the road and ensures critical things exist like ministry training, recruitment, Church of England Schools, safeguarding, legal and financial services etc. The other is to think of us all as the Diocese of Bristol; understanding ourselves as the Anglican diocese on our patch from Bristol to Swindon, and welcoming the connections with other Christians in ministry that we gain through this.

    A B B E Y D I A RY

THIS SUNDAY: July 10th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship &

Junior Church

THIS WEEK EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer MON 11th 10am Little Stars TUES 12th 10am-12pm Songways Concert (Free) 2pm Abbey Guild 7.30pm Glory! WED 13th 10.30am Communion 1.30pm Malmesbury CE

Primary School Service 7.30pm Refresh! THUR 14th 10.30am Time for Chat 7pm Choir Practice SAT 16th 10am The Meeting Place

NEXT SUNDAY: July 17th 9am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion 4pm Informal Worship &

Junior Church

ADVANCE DIARY July 19th WOMAD at the Abbey July 24th Deanery Evensong July 25th Holiday at Home (URC) July 26th Holiday at Home (URC)

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Either way, the values of the Diocese of Bristol matter to us, so you have been given a newsletter today that starts to lift the lid a little on where we are heading as a diocese in the coming years. Our diocesan vision Creating Connections, essentially says that if we don’t connect to God, to each other and to our communities better then the game is up. That’s correct. The Connections Newsletter talks about a few simple ways churches in Swindon and Bristol have been connecting with their communities. And within that vision, I think that our diocesan priorities for the next three years are genuinely excellent: making disciples, growing leaders and engaging younger generations. Frankly, we would be doing that anyway at the Abbey, and we already are, but it is encouraging to know that we are part of a wider church that seeks God’s Kingdom, which shares our values, and is walking and praying alongside us. More at: www.bristol.anglican.org/2016/creating-connections/

LU K E 10 : 25 -37

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 26 ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’ 27 He answered, ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbour as yourself.”’ 28 ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’ 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 30 In reply Jesus said: ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half-dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said, “and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.” 36 ‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ 37 The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’ Additional Reading: Colossians 1:1-14

DISCIPLESHIP

D A I LY R E A D I N G S

Monday Psalm 1 1 Samuel 10:1-16 Luke 22:24-30

Tuesday Psalm 5 1 Samuel 10:17-end Luke 22:31-38

Wednesday Psalm 119:1-32 1 Samuel 11 Luke 22:39-46

Thursday Psalm 15 1 Samuel 12 Luke 22:47-62

Friday Psalm19 1 Samuel 13:5-18 Luke 22:63-end

If you would like to give regularly to the mission and ministry of the Abbey as part of your discipleship, please e-mail [email protected]

R E G U L A R G I V I N G

1. Read our Luke passage and then share together anything that particularly stood out from Sunday’s teaching and worship. 2. Re-read just the parable, substituting an Anglican, a Baptist and a Sunni Muslim for the three passers-by. How provocative was Jesus being when he told this parable presenting us with a holy Samaritan? 3. Who do you most identify with personally in the parable: the Priest, the Levite, the Samaritan or the half-dead man? Have there been seasons in your life when you have seen more of yourself in another character? 4. In what way might Jesus be revealing the sort of Messiah he is through this parable? 5. What is it that defines and more specifically restricts your idea of ‘neighbour?’ 6. ‘The Brexit decision was not neighbourly.’ Discuss.

GLORY ! REFRESH !

T V L I C E N C E A B B E Y G U I L D

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

This Tuesday at 7.30pm come to the Abbey for our monthly evening of praise and prayer. Led this week by Tom Hunton & Jen Richards with our time of worship led by Pete Davies & Neill Archer. A time of extended contemporary worship and space for the Holy Spirit to lead us in prayer together.

Join us at our next event on Wednesday 13th July at 7.30pm in the Abbey. Is this truly what I believe….that I am forgiven? There will be a talk from Katharine Campbell, followed by a time of discussion, quiet reflection and prayer. A great opportunity for women to get together and encounter God. Refreshments will be served on arrival. Please phone Sandie on 01666 826666 for more information.

A brief reminder that the Abbey doesn’t have a TV license. So, if the vicar’s sermon is so boring that you are compelled to reach for your phone or i-Pad, can we ask you not to watch live TV. Maybe watch cats doing interesting things on YouTube instead?

Join us for an afternoon of fun and relaxation in the King’s Church, Abbey Row at 2pm on Tuesday 12th July where Pauline Priestly, who helps with Time to Chat and Holiday at Home, is going to demonstrate hand massaging! Refreshments will be available. All are welcome. For more information please contact Helen Small.

NOTICEBOARD

Only 3-weeks left until we pack our bags and head off to the Royal Bath and West showground, Shepton Mallet for another unforgettable week of laughter and friendship, passionate worship and inspiring teaching. It’s not too late to book and come with us. You can camp or commute, come for the whole week or just for a day. To book: www.new-wine.org/events/national-gatherings-2016-week-2. Please contact Revd John Monaghan if you are interested in joining us there.

N E W W I N E : J U LY 3 1 S T – A U G 6 T H

T I M E F O R C H AT

Our teaching series at the Abbey, continues in the gospel of Luke across the summer months:

July 10th The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) July 17th Mary & Martha (Luke 10:38-end) July 24th The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1-13) July 31st The Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) Aug 7th Treasures in Heaven (Luke 12:32-40) Aug 14th Not peace, but division (Luke 12:49-56) Aug 21st Healing on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17) Aug 28th The Wedding Feast (Luke 14:7-14) Sept 4th The Lost Sheep & Coin (Luke 15:1-10) Sept 11th The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32 Sept 18th The Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-13) Sept 25th The Rich Man & Lazarus (Luke 16:19-end)

L U K E ’ S G O S P E L

Time for Chat will be taking a rest during the summer so next Thursday, 14th July, will be the last time we meet together until Thurs 8th September 2016.

CONTACT

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

A B B E Y O F F I C E A B B E Y K I T C H E N

Monday Closed Tuesday-Friday 9.30am-3pm

01666 826666 [email protected] www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey Staff members can be contacted by [email protected]

Monday- Saturday (normal) 9.30am-4pm

Happy hour (drinks £1) from 9.30am-10.30am. [email protected]

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