23RD NOVEMBER 2014

I was going to call this blog Budget,

but I had a hunch that a blog pur-

porting to be about a Budgie might

get a wider readership. So some

thoughts about our 2015 Budgie.

Stability is one of our core values at

the Abbey, and finances that hon-

our God are part of that stability.

Last weekend our Church Council

approved a balanced budget for

2015 based on our income and ex-

penditure from 2014. We prayed

about this, prepared thoroughly for

our decision making and we were

unanimous and particularly pleased

that this new budget included the

additional cost of our new Chil-

dren’s & Youth Minister, Andrew

Beebee, arriving this January.

This Sunday at both 10.30am and

4pm, Alan McAdam, our new Ab-

bey Treasurer, and myself will take

10 minutes to brief you on this and

then I’ll lead us in prayer. It will give

you a chance to see broadly where

our money comes from and where

it goes. And although talking and

praying about money can feel awk-

ward in a worship context, it’s cer-

tainly a discipleship issue and one

the Bible is not silent on.

You’ll probably know that Jesus

and his disciples were supported

financially in their ministry: ‘These

women were helping to support

them out of their own means.’ (See

Luke 8:1-3) The gift of gold from

one of the Magi in Matthew 2 also

looks like provision for Christ’s early

years in exile in Egypt.

You’ll also remember that Judas

Iscariot betrayed Christ for 30 silver

coins (Mt 27:1-5) and served as the

money keeper for the disciples

(John 12:1-6.) So bringing our

budget into our worship is healthy,

and a corporate discipleship mo-

ment.

BUDGERIGAR Vicar’s Blog

Another core value at the Abbey is

Creativity. (We try and keep that

word disconnected from the word

‘accounting’.) The reason I mention

this is I’ve been imagining with

Alan what we might do in addition

to our anticipated ministry in 2015,

if our regular giving went up by 5%.

I think we would be looking to

bring in a Youth Intern in Septem-

ber 2015 to grow in ministry for a

year or two and work alongside our

new Children’s & Youth Minister. I

think we would be commissioning

a new anthem for the choir for next

Advent from a composer based in

Oslo. I think we’d be looking to put

a screen and speaker in the North

Aisle to bring the service to the so-

fas. I think...you probably get the

point. Thank you for your attention,

prayer and sacrifice around these

issues. It honours God.

NEXT SUNDAY: Advent Sunday

8am BCP Holy Communion

10.30am Holy Communion

4pm All-age Communion

6.30pm Advent Carol Service

by Candlelight

ABBEY DIARY

THIS WEEK

EACH DAY 9am Morning Prayer

TUES 25th 7.30pm Refresh!

WED 26th 10.30am Communion

7.30pm Alpha

THUR 27th 10.30am Time for Chat

7pm Choir Practice

FRI 28th 10.30am Creative Response

in Eilmer House

SAT 29th 10am The Meeting Place

THIS SUNDAY: Christ the King

8am BCP Holy Communion

10.30am Holy Communion

4pm Informal Worship,

Junior Church & The Grid

ADVANCE

Advent & Christmas diary on the back

page and in the brochure.

Jan 4th Baptisms at the pool

Jan 20th Glory! Prayer meeting

Feb 18th Malmesbury Abbey Skate

-20th

31 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with

him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gath-

ered before him, and he will separate the people one from another

as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the

sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 ‘Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are

blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared

for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you

gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me some-

thing to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed

clothes and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was

in prison and you came to visit me.” 37 ‘Then the righteous will an-

swer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or

thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a

stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe

you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison and go to visit you?” 40 ‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of

the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

41 ‘Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who

are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his an-

gels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was

thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and

you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe

me, I was ill and in prison and you did not look after me.” 44 ‘They

also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a

stranger or needing clothes or ill or in prison, and did not help

you?” 45 ‘He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for

one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” 46 ‘Then they will

go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.’

Additional Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23

MATTHEW 25 :31-46

DA I LY READ INGS 1. In order to catch the context of

Matthew 25:31-46, read 24:1-9;

24:36 and the whole of chapter

25.

2. What's the link between the

'Sheep & Goats' and the two pre-

ceding stories?

3. 'When the Son of Man comes in

glory' (v31). Explore what this

means.

4. 'Whatever you did for one of the

least of these brothers and sisters

of mine, you did for me' (v40).

Who is Jesus talking about? (see

Mat 10:40-42; 12:48-50).

5. What are the implications of this

for how we interpret this pas-

sage?

6. Jesus' Kingdom is, amongst other

things, about reaching the lost,

the least and the last. Pray about

this together.

DISCIPLESHIP

Monday

Psalm 80

Isaiah 14:3-20

Matthew 9:18-34

Tuesday

Psalm 101

Isaiah 17

Matthew 9:35-10:15

Wednesday

Psalm 122

Isaiah 19

Matthew 10:16-33

Thursday

Psalm 133

Isaiah 21:1-12

Matthew 10:34-11:1

Friday

Psalm 146

Isaiah 22:1-14

Matthew 11:2-19

G IV ING

To regularly support the mis-

sion and worship of the Abbey

with your Christian giving

please contact Alan McAdam at

alan@malmesburyabbey.com

ADVENT CAROLS IMMERS ION

On Sunday 4th January at 4pm

there will be a service at the Activity

Zone followed by baptisms in the

pool and a Junior Church pool party.

If you would like to be baptised or

reaffirm an earlier baptism, or would

like a conversation about it, please

contact Revd John Monaghan.

Two early events this Advent &

Christmas to invite your neighbours

and colleagues to. The Abbey Ad-

vent Carol Service on Sunday 30th

November at 6.30pm is a truly won-

derful candlelit act of worship with

Bible readings and inspiring music.

Very much something you could in-

vite anybody too. And for those for

whom choral music isn’t their thing,

Friday 5th December at 7.30pm will

be a wonderful acoustic evening

with Gareth Davies-Jones on guitar

and a glass of mulled wine.

FOODBANK BROCHURES

As part of the Abbey’s support of

the recently opened Malmesbury

Foodbank, located at the URC,

there is now a box by the Stewards

Desk, and anyone who has a contri-

bution can leave it in the box. For

further details please go to

malmesburydistrict.foodbank.

org.uk or speak to Chris Jager.

Our Advent & Christmas Brochure is

now available to view online at

issuu.com/malmesburyabbey. As

part of our commitment to hospi-

tality and welcome we will also be

delivering a print copy to every

household in Malmesbury, inviting

the entire community to join us and

celebrate the birth of Christ. This

Sunday can you please take a bun-

dle of brochures and deliver them

in the following 48 hours if possi-

ble.

Our next Refresh! event takes place in the Abbey this coming Tuesday 25th

November @ 7.30pm. We will be finding Inspiration In The Psalms. Sarah

Doyley will give a short talk from the Psalms followed by an opportunity to

make a scrapbook page using your favourite Psalm led Jane Gray-Willis (no

previous experience required!). Jane will be bringing kits and tools to help us

but maybe you could think of a favourite Psalm or verse from the Psalms and

bring any pictures or photos that might tie in with it. Mulled wine and nib-

bles will be provided, with a suggested donation of £3. Please contact

Sandie on office@malmesburyabbey.com or 01666 826666 to book your

place. See you there.

NOTICEBOARD

REFRESH !

CHRISTMAS VOUCHER SCHEME

ABBEY SKATE & NEW WINE 2015

Thank you very much for generously contributing so far towards the food

voucher scheme that helps local families on a low income celebrate Christ-

mas. This is the last week to make a donation and more envelopes are avail-

able at the back of the church if you have left it at home or need another

one! Your envelope can be placed in the collection during the service. Thank

you for helping to make sure this event continues to be a success.

Enquiries 01666 826666 // Box Office 01666 824339

office@malmesburyabbey.com

www.malmesburyabbey.com

issuu.com/malmesburyabbey

For your diary the dates for Malmesbury Abbey Skate 2015 are February 18th-

20th and the dates we are attending New Wine (Week 2) are August 2nd-8th.

2014 ADVENT & CHRISTMAS DIARY

Nov 30th Advent Sunday, 8am & 10.30am Holy Communion

4pm All-age Communion

6.30pm Advent Carol Service by Candlelight

Dec 5th 7.30pm Acoustic Nine Lessons—Gareth Davies-Jones

Dec 6th 7.30pm Malmesbury Community Choir Concert

Dec 7th 8am & 10.30am Holy Communion

4pm Informal Worship with Junior Church

Dec 12th Malmesbury CE Primary School Christmas Service at 10.30am

6-9pm Late Night Shopping—open for mince pies etc

Dec 13th Malmesbury Singers Concert at 7.30pm

Dec 14th 8am & 10.30am Holy Communion,

4pm Informal Worship with Junior Church

Dec 17th Malmesbury School Carol Service at 7.30pm

Dec 20th The Malmesbury Nativity (4pm & 7pm)

Dec 21st 8am & 10.30am Holy Communion

3pm The Christmas Story for Young Children

6.30pm Service of Nine Lessons & Carols by Candlelight

Dec 23rd The Malmesbury Nativity (4pm)

Christmas Eve The Malmesbury Nativity (4pm & 6pm)

11.30pm Midnight Communion (Carols from 11.15pm)

Christmas Day 8am BCP Holy Communion

9.30am Holy Communion

11am Family Celebration

12 noon Coffee & Champagne (bring a bottle!)