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Abbey News Sheet 1st FebTRANSCRIPT
1 S T F EBRUARY 2015
There were two choices for young
people at St Andrew’s, Aylestone in
Leicester, where I grew up. You
could either sing in the choir and
experience the grumpiness and
circular conducting of Tommy
Moulds the choirmaster, or you
could risk the ferocity of Miss Wini-
fred Carter who ran the Sunday
School. Winny and Tommy were
probably very faithful, flawed hu-
man beings just like the rest of us,
but they have become Disney-
esque villains in my memory over
time. I opted for the choir rather
than Cruella; better to sing about
Jesus in Latin rather than risk any
Christian discipleship in the church
hall. (Youth club had Vimto, so I
briefly gave discipleship a shot at a
later point.)
The Church of England recently
commissioned evidence-based re-
search on why, in the midst of over-
all decline, certain Anglican
churches are experiencing growth.
(From Anecdote to Evidence 2011-
2013) Last year the Abbey PCC had
a good look at these findings and
were encouraged that certain fac-
tors associated with growth are
present to some degree at Malmes-
bury Abbey: having a clear purpose
and vision for growth, be willing to
change and learn, sharing ministry
together as the Body of Christ, ac-
tively engaging with people out-
side the church community, a prac-
tical commitment to welcome and
discipleship, and a leadership that
motivates and inspires, or at least
blogs occasionally. But there was
one other biggy: church growth is
found where there is a high ratio of
children to adults. Here’s a further
quote from the report: ‘There is an
urgent need to focus on children,
young people and their parents
and a challenge to identify how the
church can best invest in people,
programmes and strategies which
YOUNG PEOPLE Vicar’s Blog
will encourage young people ac-
tively to continue exploring faith.’
Free Vimto just won’t do the trick.
The research teams also found a
positive association between
church growth and employing a
children’s & youth worker.
1 Corinthians 3:6 is clear, God
grows the church, not us. But what
is often missed from that verse is
that Paul planted and Apollos wa-
tered. We labour for His glory, but
we do labour. So it is a profoundly
encouraging thing that Andrew &
Jude Beebee join us this Sunday as
Andrew (seen on the front cover
with his new line manager) begins
his work as Children’s & Youth Min-
ister at the Abbey. It’s hard work,
it’s so important, and the Spirit just
strengthened the team.
ABBEY DIARY
THIS SUNDAY: February 1st
9am BCP Communion
10.30am Holy Communion
4pm Celebration & Commis-
sioning of Andrew Beebee
by the Bishop of Bristol,
with Junior Church
5.30pm Party!
THIS WEEK
EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer
TUES 3rd 2.30pm Prayer for the
Persecuted Church
(Eilmer House)
WED 4th 10.30am Communion
THUR 5th 10.30am Time for Chat
2pm Prayers for Janet
Parke (Eilmer House)
7pm Choir Practice
FRI 6th 10.30am Creative Response
SAT 7th 10am The Meeting Place
NEXT SUNDAY: February 8th
9am BCP Communion
10.30am Holy Communion
4pm Informal Worship, the
Grid & Junior Church
6.30pm Choral Evensong
6pm The Mix at the McAdams
Now the main point of what we are saying is this: we do have such a high
priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in
heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by
the Lord, not by a mere human being.
3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it
was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on
earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the
gifts prescribed by the law. 5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and
shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was
about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything accord-
ing to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’
6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the
covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new
covenant is established on better promises. 7 For if there had been nothing
wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for an-
other. 8 But God found fault with the people and said: ‘The days are com-
ing, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people
of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I
made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out
of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I
turned away from them, declares the Lord. 10 This is the covenant I will es-
tablish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put
my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God,
and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their
neighbours, or say to one another, “Know the Lord,” because they will all
know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their
wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’ 13 By calling this cove-
nant ‘new’, he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and
outdated will soon disappear.
Additional Reading: John 6:41-47
HEBREWS 8 :1 -13
DA I LY READ INGS 1. Read verses 1-2. Now read it
again with a richer translation
‘crowning affirmation’ replacing
the words ‘main point’. What is
the ‘crowning affirmation’ to
which the writer is referring?
2. Hebrews 8 is divided into 3 para-
graphs on the previous page.
They describe: ‘the mediator of a
new superior covenant,’ ‘the old
high priestly ministry’ and ‘the
new high priestly ministry.’
Which is which?
3. The passage contrasts the earthly
sanctuary as a ‘copy and
shadow’ (v5) of what Christ has
entered in heaven (v2). Describe
some things you have experi-
enced in everyday life that are a
shadow of the real thing? De-
scribe experiencing the real
thing for the first time.
4. Heb 8:8-12 quotes an ancient
prophecy of Jeremiah. What are
the two main qualities of the
new covenant prophesied?
5. A child asks: how do we know
God? What is your answer?
DISCIPLESHIP
Monday
Psalm 1
Hosea 9
Hebrews 10:1-18
Tuesday
Psalm 5
Hosea 10
Hebrews 10:19-39
Wednesday
Psalm 119:1-32
Hosea 11:1-11
Hebrews 11:1-22
Thursday
Psalm 15
Hosea 11:12-12:14
Hebrews 11:23-31
Friday
Psalm 19
Hosea 13:1-14
Hebrews 11:32-40
REGULAR G IV ING
If you would like to give regu-
larly to the mission and minis-
try of the Abbey as part of your
discipleship, please e-mail
PRAYER x 2 ASH WEDNESDAY
Ash Wednesday marks the begin-
ning of Lent, which for many is a
reflective season of prayer, renewal
and fasting before the celebrations
of Easter. In the Malmesbury & Up-
per Avon Group there are two peni-
tential services of Holy Communion
with Ashing on Ash Wednesday:
10.30am at Eilmer House, and 7pm
at All Saints, Corston. (The morning
service is moved to Eilmer House
because of the Skate Park.)
Two more prayer meetings coming
this week: Pray for Persecuted Chris-
tians in Eilmer House on Tuesday 3rd
February at 2.30pm. And Prayers for
Janet Parke, praying for her work in
Zambia, Thursday 5th February in
Eilmer House at 2pm.
ORGAN TUNING T- SH IR TS & T I CKE TS
See next page! In case you haven’t
noticed the small print on the
poster and are pretty desperate to
be seen looking good in a MAS T-
Shirt or Hoodie, you need to order
yours by close of play Monday 2nd
February. Contact MAS2015 on
Tickets for MAS2015 are selling out.
So go to the Abbey website and
follow the link to buy on line a.s.a.p.
The Abbey organ is being tuned
on Monday 9th February, all day.
To preserve the sanity of our staff,
stewards and visitors the Abbey
and the café will be closed all day.
Our apologies. Morning Prayer will
be in Eilmer House at 9am.
NOTICEBOARD
Enquiries 01666 826666 // Box Office 01666 824339 [email protected] www.malmesburyabbey.com issuu.com/malmesburyabbey
CONTACT
12 th CENTURY BEAUTY 21 s t CENTURY CHURCH
ABBEY OFF ICE
Monday (10am-12noon)
Tuesday-Friday (9.30am– 3pm)
Tel: 01666 826666
www.malmesburyabbey.com
issuu.com/malmesburyabbey
Staff members can be contacted
CAFÉ HOURS
Tuesday-Saturday (normal)
9am– 3.30pm
Sunday & Monday closed all day