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Abbey News Sheet 11th JanTRANSCRIPT
11 T H JANUARY 2015
Last November I used Proverbs
26:11, a graphic reference to a dog,
to illustrate a point in a sermon.
Every single Abbey member I have
spoken to, it seems, has remem-
bered the proverb but completely
forgotten the sermon. (Well do you
remember what I was speaking
about?) So I tentatively risk Prov-
erbs again: Wounds from a friend
can be trusted, but an enemy multi-
plies kisses. (Proverbs 27:6)
I mention this thoughtful, and I’ve
found pretty helpful, proverb be-
cause I think the writer of the letter
to the Hebrews writes in this spirit.
Five times in the letter the writer
gets pretty direct, pretty pushy and
addresses the issues that the
church isn’t talking about but
needs to talk about. We wrap the
writer’s points up in a churchy
word, exhortations, but in essence
they are wounds, from a friend,
from a pastor, and they are a path
to restoration, not judgement.
Hebrews 2:1-4 seems a pretty con-
temporary wound. Don’t get dis-
tracted, don’t stop paying attention
to what you have heard, don’t drift
away, don’t ignore the salvation we
have in Jesus. Don’t drift; ouch.
Hebrews 3:7-19 addresses an an-
cient problem and quotes the end
of Psalm 95: ‘today if you hear his
voice do not harden your hearts.’ The
problem for God’s people is not
that they can’t discern his voice, but
that they don’t like what He is say-
ing. How is that enemy-loving and
possession-selling going?
Hebrews 5:11-6:12 is pretty blunt,
verging on the rude: Church, could
you please grow up! Sometimes the
church is heart-breakingly beautiful
and graced with God’s love. At
other times we are less glorious.
FIVE WOUNDS Vicar’s Blog
And the writer wounds with accu-
sations of immaturity. Read it, it’s
tough love.
Hebrews 10:19-39 is the lettuces
passage I referenced last year. In
essence the writer is saying Christ
hasn’t given up on the person sit-
ting next to you, so you probably
shouldn't either. But sadly we do,
and we lazily critique community
out of existence. Let us not give up
meeting together as some are in the
habit of doing. Christ died for the
church, you might want to commit
to it.
The fifth wound, Hebrews 12:14-29,
echoes the second wound and asks
us not to refuse Him who speaks
but worship with reverence and
awe the God who is a consuming
fire.
Trust these wounds.
ABBEY DIARY
NEXT SUNDAY: January 18th
9am BCP Communion
10.30am Holy Communion
4pm Informal Worship,
Junior Church & The Grid
6pm The Mix at the Campbells
THIS WEEK
EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer
TUES 13th 9.30am Women Alive!
WED 14th 10.30am Communion
THUR 15th 10.30am Time for Chat
7pm Choir Practice
SAT 17th 10am The Meeting Place
THIS SUNDAY: January 11th
9am BCP Communion
10.30am Holy Communion
4pm Informal Worship,
Junior Church & The Grid
6pm The Mix at the McAdams
6.30pm Choral Evensong (The
Epiphany)
ADVANCE
Jan 20th Glory! Prayer meeting
Feb 1st 4pm Welcome to Andrew
& Jude Beebee
Feb 18th Malmesbury Abbey Skate
-20th
5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which
we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified: ‘What
is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for
him? 7 You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them
with glory and honour 8 and put everything under their feet.’ In putting
everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at
present we do not see everything subject to them. 9 But we do see Jesus,
who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with
glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God
he might taste death for everyone.
10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for
whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of
their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11 Both the one who
makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family.
So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. 12 He says, ‘I will
declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing
your praises.’ 13 And again, ‘I will put my trust in him.’ And again he says,
‘Here am I, and the children God has given me.’
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity
so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power
of death – that is, the devil – 15 and free those who all their lives were held
in slavery by their fear of death.16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but
Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like
them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful
and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atone-
ment for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he
was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix
your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high
priest.
Additional Reading: John 10:22-30
HEBREWS 2 :5 -3 :1
DA I LY READ INGS 1. Read Hebrews 2:5-10 out
loud. Explore the meaning of verses
5-8 (look up Psalm 8:4-6 as well).
2. Verse 9 says that Jesus became
one of us so he might 'taste death
for everyone'; and verse 10, that
Jesus is made 'perfect through suf-
fering'. What do these statements
mean?
3. Read Hebrews 2:11-18 out
loud. Verse 15- we are freed from a
'fear of death'. Have you been freed
from this fear? Pray about this at the
end of your time together.
4. Verses 17 - Jesus is our 'merciful
and faithful high priest'. Can you
look up what the role of the high
priest was in Leviticus and what
'atonement' means. Discuss how
Jesus fulfills that role perfectly for us
today.
5. Verse 18 is an encouragement to
us whenever we are tempted by
sin. Chat about this together as you
feel comfortable (!) and spend time
praying with each other about what
you have discussed during this bible
study.
DISCIPLESHIP
Monday
Psalm 2
Amos 1
Hebrews 1
Tuesday
Psalm 9
Amos 2
Hebrews 2:1-9
Wednesday
Psalm 20
Amos 3
Hebrews 2:10-18
Thursday
Psalm 21
Amos 4
Hebrews 3:1-6
Friday
Psalm 67
Amos 5
Hebrews 3:7-19
TEXT G IV ING
You can now give to the minis-
try and mission of Malmesbury
Abbey, and gift aid it, via text.
Text 70070 and enter the code
MALM12 when requested.
ANDREW BEEBEE M I SS ION G IV ING
In 2015 the Abbey PCC has allocated
£7000 to External Mission. In 2014,
as well as supporting Janet Parke in
Zambia, Charlotte Price in Australia
and Phil Williams of Christian Skat-
ers UK , we also supported congre-
gational members making mission
trips to Africa, Eastern Europe and
elsewhere. If you would like support
in 2015 please e-mail Neill before
January 15th to discuss this further.
The PCC will consider initial alloca-
tions on January 17th and further
allocations later in the year.
Andrew Beebee joins the Abbey staff
as our full-time Children’s & Youth
Minister in late January and will be
commissioned by the Bishop of Bris-
tol on February 1st 2015 at our 4pm
service. Please prioritise being a part
of this very special service, and pray
for Andrew & Jude as they move to
Malmesbury in mid-January.
BRISTOL CATHEDRAL CHOIR GLORY !
As we consider the fruit of 2014 in
our lives and in our ministry, it is
good to remind ourselves, as a year
begins, that the foundation is, and
always has been, prayer. Join us
each day at 9am in St Aldhelm's
Chapel, and please check that our
monthly Glory! prayer meeting is in
your diary. Tuesday 20th January at
7.30pm for 90 minutes of prayer,
praise and seeking the Spirit’s lead-
ing in our time together and our
mission.
As well as our beautiful monthly
Choral Evensongs sung by
Malmesbury Abbey Choir, includ-
ing 6.30pm this Sunday, the gen-
tlemen of Bristol Cathedral Choir
are singing an additional Choral
Evensong on Sunday 25th January
at 6.30pm. This is followed by re-
freshments and then a short infor-
mal concert by the gentlemen. All
are very welcome.
NOTICEBOARD
With only 5 weeks to go, we are super excited about launching our Abbey
Skate 2015, which takes place Wed 18th - Fri 20th February. This three day
event runs all day from 10am to 9pm and is open to all ages and all abilities!
Invite your friends and family, get out your scooter, your skateboard or your
roller skates and come and join with us!
Book your tickets on-line before they sell out:
www.malmesburyabbey.com/skate
Volunteers needed - This event, which is an extraordinary opportunity to
share God’s love with people in our town, is dependent on your support. To
combat ‘someone-else-can-do-it’ syndrome (!), please pray about what help
you can offer and pop the dates in your diary so that prayer can turn into
action! If you’ve got a pulse (even with the help of a pacemaker!), you can
help. We need people to offer accommodation to the lovely Christian Skat-
ers UK team, people to welcome at the door, people to help out with admin,
sound, set-up, prayer and catering (even if it’s making just one meal).
Please contact [email protected] for more information or to sign
up, or write your name on the sign up sheet on the welcome desk in the
Abbey.
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