Diocesan Magazine News

Carrigaline Union Notes for February 2024

The Rector writes Thank you to everyone who made our Bicentennial year so special. The final event will be the closing service of Choral Evensong on Wednesday 7^th February, the actual 200th anniversary of the consecration and at which the Archbishop of Armagh will preach and the Choir of St Fin Barre’s will sing. Our own bishop will be in attendance. More details on these events on www.stmarys200.com – come celebrate with us!

An initiative from our parish Healer/Prayer Group inviting us to join together in prayer each night for peace. The idea would be that we each set an alarm for 7pm and safely stop, whatever we are doing, and wherever we are, to pray for our troubled world.  Here is a sample prayer to use but obviously you can simply pause, or light a candle if you like, and just know that God is listening. Whatever works for you….

Loving God, your light always penetrates the darkness and your love always overcomes hate, tonight, as we pray together in our own homes, we ask that you hold us close as we struggle to make your light visible in our angry and frightened world.

Be with us each day as we try to work for your justice in unjust places and your peace in places where no peace is to be found.

We think particularly of Gaza, Israel, Ukraine, and ………………

Give us courage and strength when we are fearful and weak.

Give us hope and forgiveness when we feel hopeless and angry.

And guide us every step of the way as we walk toward the light.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’  

Parish Online Course

Soon the season of Lent will be here, a period when we often set aside time for reflection. Ash Wednesday is on 14^th February, quite early this year. There will be a 10:30am and 7:30pm Holy Communion with Imposition of Ashes Service in St Mary’s Church.  The actual Zoom Online Course will begin at 8pm on Wednesday 28^th and continue each Wednesday until 20^th March. Much as we walked through the entire Bible in 2022, we will attempt to walk through the Apocrypha in these 4 weeks. The Apocrypha are the biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of Scripture and the Thirty-nine Articles tell us that : “In the name of Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority there was never any doubt in the Church’ Most Bibles have these additional writings included but if your Bible doesn’t have the Apocrypha, then please feel free to borrow one of the Church Bibles for Lent.

Mothers’ Union  We had a lovely Christmas lunch on 13th December in the Monkstown Golf Club. We also made a good amount for the M.U. Overseas relief fund. Details to follow! We will have had a super talk I’m sure by John Burnett on “ Some Tales of my Travels“ on 17th January at 3.00 pm with Coffee/teas and goodies afterwards. Our talk for Wednesday February 21st at 3.00 pm will be Learning more about Mothers‘ Union Outreach.  Avril Jennings will be our speaker; very well experienced in that area of M.U. Time for questions/chat over a cuppa afterwards. Look forward to seeing you then.  (DW)

Green Matters     

The last month found the Eco Group tidying up the wild areas in St Mary’s Churchyard…even wild areas need a bit of maintenance. If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com (VA)

Baptisms     

10^th December 2023  St Mary’s Church   Leo & Lauren Herbert, children of Andy & Alison.

Funerals     

11^th December 2023  Vivienne Barber , St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline.

18^th December 2023  Betty Killeen, Cremation.

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the March Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 9^th February please.

Carrigaline Union Notes for January 2024

The Rector writes Thank you to everyone who made our parish Christmas so special,  those who looked after the Stars that shone out so brightly from Advent Sunday on our Church spires, the people who decorated the churches, made the Advent Wreaths, put up the Cribs, sourced and decorated the Christmas trees, played music, sang in the choirs, and attended our services.

A huge special thanks to the wonderful Church Wardens for all the extra work that Christmas brings! May we all take every moment that this New Year brings as a blessing from God.

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline continues to celebrate 200 years for another six weeks. Our penultimate celebration is on January 19^th when the wonderful History of St Mary’s will be launched, Dorothee Robert’s iconic painting will be raffled and the Church Silver will be on show in the Parish Hall. The final event of the Bicentennial year will be the closing service of Choral Evensong on Wednesday 7^th February, the actual 200th anniversary of the consecration and at which the Archbishop of Armagh will preach and the Choir of St Fin Barre’s will sing. Our own bishop will be in attendance. More details on these events on www.stmarys200.com – come celebrate with us!

Confirmation Classes

If you would like to be confirmed next year then you will need to get in touch with the Rector as soon as possible. The names of those wishing to be confirmed must be sent to the Bishop in mid January. The 12 classes will be in the Parish Hall from 5pm to 6:30pm each Thursday, beginning Thursday 18th January until Thursday 25th April (with a couple of exceptions for midterm, Easter break etc.) Please note that there will also be a special ‘Bishop’s Confirmation Morning’ in Douglas from 10am till 1pm on Saturday 9th March to which everyone who wishes to be confirmed in 2024 MUST attend.

Mothers’ Union  Advent has arrived which is hard to believe, at the time of writing. A wonderful time of anticipation for that special Baby’s Birth. We had a lovely relaxing and inspirational Get Away From It All Weekend in Garryvoe from 17th – 19th November with two excellent speakers Lydia Monds (Church Ministry of Healing) and Ireland’s M.U. President June Butler who told us all about her faith journey in an anecdotal but very sincere way. Fun was had too with a Beetle Drive with digital dice no less! Excellent food and care throughout our stay. Many thanks to those who organised it.   Our next M.U. meeting on 22^nd November was very well attended and very popular with Brenda Haubold demonstrating Christmas “Flowers with a Zing”.  Her beautiful arrangements were raffled afterwards, and we made Euros159.00 thanks to the generosity of the ladies there. Many thanks to Brenda for her inspiration to us all. We were very glad to have Hazel Sweetnam and Margorie and Graham Garland too, with their Christmas theme and lots to choose from in cards and gifts.  We will have had our Christmas lunch in Monkstown Golf Club on 13th December at 1.00 p.m. which I’m sure will have been enjoyed by all. We will have had a collection then for the M.U. Relief Fund. Our January meeting on Wednesday 17th at 3.00 p.m., will be a surprise theme for you all, with teas and coffees to follow. Not to be missed! May I wish you all a very Peaceful and Happy Christmas and I look forward to seeing you in January, to celebrate the New Year in style. (DW)

Green Matters     

At the time of writing these notes (December 2023) COP28 is underway. The

severity of climate change is finally being seriously acknowledged by nations

worldwide. We still, as individuals and communities have a part to play by

implementing positive changes in our daily lives. Here’s to making 2024 a greener more sustainable year for our planet.  If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com (VA)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the February Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 9^th January please.

Carrigaline Union Notes for December 2023

The Rector writes  

785 euro was raised for the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre and was sent to them amidst the chaos of the war. Our prayers are with all the people of the Land called Holy by three faiths. At the time of writing, we are preparing for not one, not two but three events! By the time you are reading these notes, only the Tractor Run will remain to happen, Henry Forbes and Philip Whitley are planning the 2^nd Annual Tractor Run for 3^rd December.  The Parish Gender Based Violence Working group are busy preparing for an exhibition ‘Souls of our Shoes’ which will run over three days from Sunday 26^th , and the Parish Drama Group are rehearsing for the Bicentennial Pageant on Friday 24^th November. Huge thanks to all involved in getting this off the ground, especially the triumvirate of Mary Murphy (Director), Olna Trotter (Producer) and Hazel Fleury (Wardrobe). Mary herself said ‘ With no set script to follow, it has been left to ourselves to research (thank you Lesley Roberts) write and structure the piece from scratch, including use of slides and music. It is like nothing else the group has undertaken in that it will depict real events that are unique to the story of our parish and in some way, personal to us all.’   If you’d like to see what remaining events are planned for this Bicentennial year, check out  www.stmarys200.com You can also see photos from the events which have already taken place on the Gallery section of our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org

Christian Aid  

We have two new Christian Aid representatives in our parish. Peter and Stephanie Coughlan, and we’re looking forward to working with them as they highlight the great work that Christian Aid does on our behalf. Thank you to them both for taking on this responsibility.

Mothers’ Union  

We had a super meeting with Canon Elaine a week late due to the floods in Carrigaline on 18^th  October. We were very lucky to avail of her experience and wonderful photos of the Holy Land and those women who accompanied her on her pilgrimage, on Wed 25^th  October instead.  We will have had our Women’s Getaway Weekend in Garryvoe from 17^th  to 19^th  November which promises to be very inspiring on the theme of Transformation in Action with Lydia Monds (Church’s Ministry for Healing) and June Butler (All Ireland M.U. President) as speakers. A relaxing weekend as well! We will also have enjoyed Brenda Haubold showing us wonderful flower demos for Christmas on Wednesday 22^nd  November at 3pm alongside a raffle and Christmas cards and other stationery/gifts being displayed for sale by Hazel Sweetnam and Margorie Garland. Then it’s our Christmas Lunch on Wednesday 13^th  @ 1pm in Monkstown Golf Club where they looked after us all so well last December too. The cost is Euros 25.00 for a two course meal including coffee/tea afterwards.
Looking forward to seeing you there!  (D.W.)   

Children & Family Ministry   

Following on from the excellent workshop organized by the Revd Abigail Sines, our diocesan Children and Family Ministry’s co-ordinator, we are organising a Bible Buddies Adoption event at our Services on Advent Sunday 3^rd December. At the Service, the children will adopt a Bible Buddy which is a small toy which a child adopts and promises to look after. The main difference to any other toy is that this buddy needs feeding – not with pet food but with the word of God! The children are also given a simple reading plan to follow. The pack they will receive will concentrate on the stories of Christmas.

Youth Group  

Our Union of Parishes Youth Group runs on the third Saturday of each month from 7:30pm to 9pm in the Parish Hall in Carrigaline, unless otherwise specified. This month we will be having a Christmas Movie night on the 16th of December. Please check our facebook and instagram for more details. You can contact Oriel Hosford on 087 3412445 if you would like to be added to the Carrigaline youth information group chat or visit @youth_group_cofi_carrigaline on instagram. All teens from 6th class to 6th year welcome from Carrigaline Union and neighbouring parishes (O.H.)   

Green Matters     

Carrigaline Union of Parishes Eco Group joined with the Eco Group of Our Lady & St John’s Church Carrigaline, to host a film night featuring the documentary “The Letter” ,which was commissioned by Pope Francis. Symbolically the film highlights the effects of climate change in different communities around the world. Ironically it was hosted the night of storm “Babet” and we were pleased with the hardy souls that turned up through the wind and rain to support it!

The Letter can be viewed at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=331Y2FFmyZQ

If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com  (Parish Eco Group)

December Dates for your Diary

3^rd    At the morning services Children will be adopting their ‘Bible Buddies’ and the Posada will begin the journey around the Parish.  In the afternoon , the Tractor Run will be held.

5^th     Movie Night ‘The Scarlet and the Black’    7:30pm Parish Hall

6^th      Advent Zoom Bible Study 8pm ‘Song of Mary’

13^th    Advent Zoom Bible Study 8pm ‘Song of the Angels’

15^th    Community Carols in St Marys Church 7:30pm

15^th  to 17^th    Nativity Display in Parish Hall

(please contact the Rector if you would like your set to be part of the Display)

17^th   Nine Lessons & Carols 4pm  St John’s Monkstown

20^th    Advent Zoom Bible Study 8pm ‘’Song of Simeon’

24^th    Carols around the Crib  11am St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline

31^st  United Service 11am St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the December Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) by the earlier date of 5^th December please.

Carrigaline Union Notes for November 2023

The Rector writes  

The Bicentennial Musical Evening on 23^rd September was truly lovely considering we were up against an important Match on the night! A bat was flying around the church and a few wags said that the bat was a bit early for the Animal Service the next day!.

The Animal Service was very special with Geese, Sheep, Calves and Chickens as well as our usual domestic pets. Everyone received a blessing but I blessed the Geese from a safe distance!

The Harvest Supper and Ceilidh was great fun. A major plus on the night was  the Ireland v Scotland Rugby match being live streamed – we had learned from our Musical Evening!  Huge thanks to Henry Forbes and Millie Kingston and their fantastic team. Thank you to everyone who gave items for the raffle. I won the door prize, the ticket being pulled by my ecumenical friend Fr James McSweeney, who along with Monsignor Aidan O’Driscoll were our honoured guests on the night.

Both Churches for the Harvest Thanksgiving Services the following day were lovely, smelling as well as looking so good. The collection went to the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre where I visited in June. The produce from St John’s went to Monkstown SvP and produce from St Mary’s to Penny Dinners. Thank you to everyone who decorated and contributed. Our preacher Fr James McSweeney encouraged us to grow our own vegetables. I can’t stop thinking of how his ducks eat up all his unwanted slugs! In the Tallest Sunflower Competition, 1^st Prize grown by the Nash family. 2.47 ½ cm! 2^nd prize went to the Pope family with 2.46 cm, and 3^rd prize to the Gleasure family 2.04cm and there were many ‘Well Dones’.  If you’d like to see what other events are planned for this Bicentennial year, check out  www.stmarys200.com You can also see photos from the events which have already taken place on the Gallery section of our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org

I would especially like to draw your attention to our upcoming Pageant, written by our own Drama Club with help from our resident historian Lesley Roberts. This will be on Friday November 24^th and please contact Mary Murphy or Olna Trotter if you would like to be involved.

Important Exhibition ‘Souls of our Shoes – A journey into and out of Domestic Abuse’ will be on display from November 26th to November 29th. The exhibition which walks viewers through the reality of domestic abuse takes place in St Mary’s Church Carrigaline over 4 days Highlighting Reality of Domestic Abuse.

This incredibly powerful and compelling exhibition highlights issues around Gender–based Violence. It is an initiative of Mothers’ Union and its main purpose is to raise awareness of domestic violence.  “Souls of Our Shoes” is an exhibition of physical shoes accompanied by comments from those who have walked away from abuse.  The exhibition is to be launched on Sunday 26th November at morning service in St Mary’s Church in Carrigaline at 11:00am. Mary Cullinane (Cuanlee Refuge for Abused Women and Children) and Debra O’Flynn (OSS Cork Support Services to all adult’s victims of domestic abuse)) will be speaking. The exhibition will be open on Sunday afternoon between 2pm and 5pm, and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 10am to 12 pm and 2PM to 5PM.  Please share the word about this important event. We hope to see you there. Thank you. (Parish GBV Working Group)

Mothers’ Union  

We are truly in Autumn weather now!  We had a lovely Opening Holy Communion Service with Canon Elaine in St. Mary’s Church on 20th September. Great to catch up with you all that day over a cuppa and goodies. We will have had Canon Elaine speak to us about the Holy Land when you read this. I’m sure her talk on Women of the Bible Pilgrimage will be excellent and give us great insights into life over there and the importance of women 2,023 years ago. Our usual cuppa and tasty bites afterwards.  In November (17th to 19th) we will have our Get Away Weekend in Garryvoe Hotel and Leisure Centre. This is always a lovely way to meet others from different parishes, and share stories, have fun and learn more about Transforming M.U. with excellent speakers to inspire us.  Our November M.U. meeting will be on Wednesday 22nd. at 3.00 pm in the Parish Hall when we will have “Christmas Flower Zing” with Brenda Haubold giving us beautiful flower arrangement ideas for Christmas. We will also have a raffle and  Christmas cards etc. for sale that day so bring your purses! Keep warm and looking forward to seeing you all soon (D.W.)   

Green Matters     

At the time of writing we still had to have our Ecumenical Movie Night in the Parish Hall. ‘The Letter’ is a thought-provoking and inspiring movie based on the call from Pope Francis to care for our common home, the earth.  This is an event organised between our Parish Eco Group and the Eco Group of the Parish of Our Lady and St. John in Carrigaline. If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com  (Parish Eco Group)

November Dates for your Diary 

12th   Remembrance Services 9:30/11am

19th   ‘A Celebration of Lay Ministry’ 7pm St Fin Barre’s Cathedral.  

24th   Pageant/Drama 7:30pm in St Mary’s Church

26th   Parish Gift Day 9:30/11am  There will be a Bring & Share Lunch in the Parish Hall.  More details nearer the time.

29th   Advent Zoom Bible Study 8pm  ‘Song of Zechariah’

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the December Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) by the 10^th November please.

Funeral

26^th September   Sheila Fleury, The Island Crematorium.

Carrigaline Union Notes for October 2023

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

Our Bicentenary Quilt is coming together very nicely – thank you again to everyone who has made a square/squares and to Millie Kingston and her team who will put them all together.  Now it is time to gather up the stories to go with the squares. Thank you to everyone who has already sent theirs in; there are lots still to come though. Please get in touch with Hilary Dring 086-3680513

or hilarydring@gmail.com with your story.  It would be just lovely to have a story/description for each square to help people appreciate all the thought and work that have gone into it. It can be one sentence or a paragraph or whatever you wish.  If you would like some help with putting it into words, please let Hilary know. All stories should be in by mid-October if possible, so that we have plenty of time to put them together into a booklet. Thank you.

For details on any of the events thus far or if you’d like to see what other events are planned for this Bicentennial year, check out  www.stmarys200.com You can also see photos from the events which have already taken place on the Gallery section of our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org

Mothers’ Union   We’re having a heatwave as I write, so it’s hard to believe we’re in the Autumn season. Our Diocesan Summer Outing to Youghal on Wednesday 9th August was a great success; a beautiful day and we were very well looked after on arrival in St. Mary’s Collegiate Church with coffee /teas and scones given to us by Youghal Union M.U. Then we had a short Service for Mary Sumner Day,  the address given by our new Diocesan Chaplain Rev. Ivan Ruiters.   On then for an excellent tour of the church,  and after a lovely lunch in the Old Imperial Hotel those who wished and could manage the steps, did the Clock Tower Tour. Again an excellent and light hearted historical tour. The day was enjoyed by all and car – pooling for travel worked well too. 

On 20th September at 3.30 p.m., our Opening Holy Communion Service in St. Mary’s  will have been a lovely occasion I’m sure with Canon Elaine, and chat over a cuppa afterwards.

We are looking forward to hearing Canon Elaine speaking at our next meeting at 3.00p.m. on Wednesday 18th October on her recent “Women of the Bible Pilgrimage” to the Holy Land. This meaningful talk will be followed by tea/coffee and refreshments.   November 22nd. will be all about flowers and Christmas. More on that next month!  Meantime enjoy the fine weather and colours of Autumn and relax when you can in this restful season of mists and mellow fruitfulness! (D.W.)   

Green Matters     

On Wednesday 18th October, Ecumenical Eco Congregation groups are presenting a film night in our Parish Hall at 7.30 pm. “The Letter” is a powerful film about the environmental situation.  All are welcome. If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com  (Parish Eco Group)

Dates for your Diary 

October

7th    Harvest Supper & Ceilidh in Canon McCrea Hall at 7:30pm

8th    Harvest Thanksgiving Services  9:30/11am Fr James McSweeney is our Harvest Preacher this year

15th   Healer/Prayer Services 9:30/11am  Lydia Monds of CMH:I (Churches Ministry of Healing) will be our Preacher.         

18th   The Rector will speak at the Mothers’ Union meeting   about her recent trip to the Holy Land in the Parish Hall at 3pm

18th   Ecumenical Eco Congregation groups present a Film Night in the Parish Hall at 7:30pm  ‘The Letter’ is a powerful film about the environmental situation.

29th   United Service in St John’s Church at 11am

November

12th   Remembrance Services 9:30/11am

19th   ‘A Celebration of Lay Ministry’ 7pm St Fin Barre’s Cathedral

24th   Pageant/Drama 7:30pm in St Mary’s Church

26th   Parish Gift Day 9:30/11am   Also two Speakers on Gender Based Violence (from Cuanlee Refuge & OSS Cork Support Services) will be at the 11am Service to launch the exhibition ‘Souls of our     Shoes’ which will run until Wednesday 29th.   There will be a Bring & Share Lunch in the Parish Hall.  More details nearer the time.

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the November Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) by 9^th October please.

Holy Baptism

10^th September   Elora and Emma Coghlan, daughters of Ewart and Elizabeth , were baptized in St John’s Church, Monkstown.

Carrigaline Union Notes for September 2023

The Rector writes The Flower Festival in July was spectacular.  What a fantastic time of Flowers and Fellowship. Twenty people from our Link Parish of Perton , near Wolverhampton, came all the way to Cork especially for the Flower Festival, which had a theme of ‘Flowers through the Ages’  Thank you to their vicar Revd Julia & her gang for travelling over to help celebrate this bicentennial year, the 200th year of worship in St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline. Thank you to all those who arranged the flowers and to the brilliant parishioners who worked so hard to make the weekend so memorable. Thank you also to the many people who visited the church to view the flowers and enjoy the excellent homebaking with a cuppa. 50% of all money raised, a whopping 1,000 euro was passed onto ARC House Cancer Care.

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

We were delighted to present 100 bars of our specially commissioned Bicentennial Chocolate, along with 120 Green Crocheted Shamrock brooches to our Perton guests to bring back to the UK for the Congregation in our Link Parish.   At the time of writing these notes, we were looking forward to a quiet month, ending with a Parish Barbecue on 27^th August.  The September plan is for a Musical Evening on Saturday 23^rd, followed by the Annual Animal Blessing on Sunday 24^th (no connection between these two events!)  For details or if you’d like to see what other events are planned for this Bicentennial year, check out  www.stmarys200.com You can also see photos from the events which have already taken place on the Gallery Tab of our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org

Mothers’ Union     Welcome back after a long Summer relaxing and taking holidays abroad or in Ireland. Our own country has become more attractive for those in Europe with the dangerous effects of heat waves elsewhere, so we will be thankful for the rain at times!   We will have had our M.U. Diocesan Summer Outing on 9th August to Youghal when you read this. I’m sure it will be a very relaxing yet cultural and adventurous day, having a tour of St. Mary’s Collegiate Church after our welcoming cuppa and short church service. Then lunch followed by a tour of the Clock Tower. Those who wish will have enjoyed the Collegiate gardens instead, weather permitting of course.  Our Autumn Opening Holy Communion Service will be held on Wednesday 20th September @3.30 p.m. in St. Mary’s Church. This will be followed by tea/coffee and tempting bites, as we chat and catch up on personal and local news.  Our next meeting will be Wednesday 18th October @ 3.00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Canon Elaine will be inspiring us with her talk on her trip to the Holy Land in June this year. Her talk is entitled: Women of the Bible Pilgrimage.  She will have wonderful photos too I’m sure. (I was there myself many years ago and was amazed there was so much to experience and take in on a two week trip). Teas and coffees to follow as always.

We hope and pray she will be well recovered from her surgery by then and wish her all the best. Our November meeting is yet to be confirmed so we hope to have all in place when we meet in September. Meantime keep healthy and in touch as much as possible, by phone or meeting to support each other in Church or over a cuppa. (DW)

Green Matters     

If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com  (Parish Eco Group)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the October Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) by 9^th September please.

Carrigaline Union Notes for July/August 2023

The Rector writes It’s the quiet time of the Liturgical year. We have finished with all the high holy days of Easter, Ascension and Pentecost and now we settle into the long months of ‘Ordinary’ time until Advent Sunday on 3^rd December.  The origin of the name Ordinary Time comes from the Latin word ordinalis, which means “numbered.” Ordinary Time, which occurs between Christmas and Lent then again between Easter and Advent, signifies a numbered (or ordered) list of Sundays that anchor our daily lives in the Church. Technically, Ordinary Time has two parts, but it remains one season. The first part begins right after Epiphany and runs until Lent. The second part begins after Pentecost/Trinity Sunday and runs until the First Sunday of Advent.  During Ordinary time, we focus on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The readings and prayers in our services during this time emphasise in particular how these teachings might apply to our daily lives. It is a time for spiritual growth and reflection, as well as an opportunity to focus on the mission of the church to spread the Gospel and serve others.  It reminds us also that our spiritual journey is ongoing and that every single day is an opportunity to grow in faith and deepen our relationship with God, as we live out our faith in the world around us.

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

We were delighted to present a bar of our specially commissioned Bicentennial Chocolate to the Bishop. The delicious O’Conaill chocolate is available throughout this year from the Church Wardens, €4 each. By the time you are reading these notes, the Parish Fete will have happened, so here’s hoping we all enjoyed it and spent lots of money on Bric-a-Brac and Plants! … and thank you to St Nicholas’ Brass Band for entertaining us on the day. These summer months of July and August contain the Flower Festival (14^th – 16^th July) ‘Flowers through the Ages’ theme and our Parish Family Barbecue after church on Sunday 27^th August. We particularly look forward to having our Link Parish of Perton friends join us for the July Flower Festival.  For details or if you’d like to see what other events are planned for this Bicentennial year, check out  www.stmarys200.com You can also see photos from the events which have already taken place on the Gallery Tab of our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org

Mothers’ Union As we enjoyed the wonderful weather this May and June, we needed to remember those students doing their Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate exams and kept them in our prayers. We had a very pleasant and tasty lunch for our Summer Outing in the Bosun in Monkstown on Wed. 17th May when we could relax and chat with friends and get to know newer members and  members we didn’t know so well. This was our last meeting to conclude a varied and interesting Spring/Summer programme -I hope enjoyed it too!
(January) Lesley Roberts speaking to us on Country Houses in and Around Carrigaline, which we could hear more of another time.
(February) Clodagh King gave us great lessons in Chair Yoga and the ability to breathe deeply to relax and destress.
(March) Bebhinn Ni Mheara led us down Memory Lane with Songs of our Youth which was great fun.
(April) We had a beautiful talk given by Aileen Foy from Autism Assistance Dogs with her lovely young Ambassador Dog who won all our hearts.
We also celebrated a Special Birthday for Mary Cowhig on 16th March with a lovely cake made by Hilary Warren-Perry.  Another celebration for Penny and Brian Shaw-Hamilton on 17th May –  a Diamond Wedding Anniversary. A card was signed by all at the lunch in the Bosun. Needless to say Penny wasn’t with us in person!   We hope to resume the Autumn Programme with our Opening Holy Communion Service in St. Mary’s Church on Wednesday 20th September at 3.30pm followed by refreshments in the Parish Hall.  We are very happy to hear of other ideas for our meetings, over the Summer going forward. Have a lovely two month break and we hope to hear all about your different holidays in September. (DW)

Green Matters     

On Rogation Sunday Canon Elaine distributed sunflower seeds for the annual tallest sunflower competition, always a very popular event. The pollinator garden is flourishing and our apple trees have set fruit.  If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com  (Parish Eco Group)

Carrigaline Union Notes for June 2023

The Rector writes

I will be in the Holy Land to attend a Summer School/Retreat in St George’s Anglican College, Jerusalem from 2^nd to 16^th June. The Retreat is being led by Dr Paula Gooder, who preached last year at the 300^th Anniversary service in St Anne’s Shandon. Dr Gooder also spoke at the Clergy Conference. The 10 day Retreat is called ‘Women of the Bible’ and I will attend along with the Revd Julia Cody of our Link Parish of Perton. No doubt you will hear all about it as I will be full of information when I get back. I intend to take lots of photos and bore you all then! Thank you to the Bishop for allowing me to go, I have no doubt that it will be very worthwhile. I get back just in time for the Diocesan Synod on 17^th (phew!)

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

Dorothee Robert’s Art Exhibition in the Parish Hall in April was a wonderful event. The colour and vibrancy of the many paintings of St Mary’s Church both inside and out. Thank you Dorothee for helping us to appreciate the aspects of the church that we sometimes take for granted; the view of the pews from the porch door, the colours of the Oriental rug in the Vestry, the vibrant flowers at the entrances etc.  It has inspired the Rector to take up painting in the autumn.  At the time of writing these notes, the customized St Mary’s Bicentennial Chocolate had yet to be launched. We are all looking forward to tasting the delicious O’Connail Chocolate made here in Carrigaline, a stones throw from St Mary’s Church. At €4 per 100g bar, it will be available at the churches over the next few months, with the lovely Dorothee Robert’s print of St Mary’s on the wrapper, it will make a lovely gift.  We look forward now to June 24^th when St Nicholas’ Brass Band will come and play at our Parish Fete & Garden Party in St Mary’s School. For details or if you’d like to see what other events are planned for this Bicentennial year, check out  www.stmarys200.com You can also see photos from the events which have already taken place on the Gallery Tab of our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org

Sacred Trail

At our United Service in St John’s Church Monkstown on 30^th May, we were joined by the choir ‘Chorus Sanctae Ceciliae’ from Finland who were in Cork for the International Choral Festival.  They were led by their music director Pia Bengts and a big thank you  own Bébhinn who has organized their visit to us as part of the ‘Sacred Trail’ of the Festival. Everyone came back to the Parish Hall in Carrigaline for a sumptuous lunch organized by Hazel Fleury, Hilary Warren-Perry and a team of helpers. It was delicious and much appreciated by the choir who were rushing on into the Cathedral and would otherwise have had no time for lunch.

Mothers’ Union  Summer is nearly here! I heard a cuckoo over the weekend in West Cork, a lovely sound  to celebrate the season’s arrival. Our last meeting on 26th April went very well with Aileen Foy and her ambassador dog Timber from Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland. At one year old he was already so obedient when he had his working harness on but was happy to mix with those there when not on duty. Aileen spoke so well in all aspects of training and matching those dogs trained with Autistic children and adults. A lot more awareness is needed around the dedication of those who do puppy fostering and then further training. Well done to all involved!  Our Summer Outing was changed to having lunch in the Bosun Restaurant in Monkstown on Wednesday17th May at 12.30 pm. Cost at  Euros 31.50 would have been good value I’m sure for a three course meal. This was our last get together before the Summer break and so a good time to catch up and relax with M.U. friends.  Have a lovely Summer, take care and keep in touch when you can!   (DW)

Green Matters     

St Mary’s church grounds and the Rectory garden are now officially part of the All Ireland Pollinator plan. Registered in the Faith Community section, we are pledging to manage both areas to support and enhance pollinators and increase Biodiversity. The All Ireland Pollinator Plan registration is open to everybody by pledging your garden to “pollinators.biodiversityireland.ie”  The Dawn Chorus in Currabinny Woods on 7^th May was wonderful, as well as the birdsong, we got to appreciate the blue haze of the fantastic bluebells in the gathering light.  If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com  

Carrigaline Union Notes for May 2023

Ministers of the Eucharist

The group of 18 people who will shortly be commissioned as Ministers of the Eucharist to assist with the administration of Holy Communion in both St Mary’s and St John’s Churches completed their refresher training on 18^th March. Thank you to them for taking on this duty.  They are Kay Treacy, Lesley Roberts, Clodagh King, Helen Arnopp, Hilary Dring, Joy Keefe, Peter Coughlan, Stephanie Coughlan, Rowland Newenham, Jonathan Fleury, Adrian Bateman, Eddie Pierce, Jocelyn Pierce, Roger Clough, William Warren-Perry, Hilary Warren-Perry, Barney Deane and Henry Forbes.

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

The Photo Exhibition in March was well attended and like so many events post-covid, there was a sense that people were just glad to be out and together again! We decided to leave up the photos of the walls of the Parish Hall for the time being so if you’re over in the hall, take some time to look closely at the photos. Thank you to all those who sent in their precious memories of St Mary’s Church and environs.  If you’d like to see what other events are planned for this Bicentennial year, check out  www.stmarys200.com You can also see photos from the events which have already taken place on the Gallery Tab of our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org

The Confirmation group  At the time of writing these notes, the group of 8 young people had finished their course of training and were looking forward to being confirmed at 11am on Sunday 16^th April in St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline.  Please support the group in your prayers. They are Benjamin Gash, Cathal O’Regan, Ethan Smith, Isaac Kenneally, Lachlan Roberts, Lauren Smith, Matthew Bateman and Sophia Creighton. 

Mothers’ Union   I hope you have all had a lovely Easter and not eaten too many eggs! We had a very pleasant and well attended Famine Lunch on Palm Sunday 2nd April. We had three varieties of soup and rolls and coffee/tea (and biscuits!) afterwards. A grand total of € 380.00 was very generously donated for M.U. Overseas. This is  much appreciated by the Committee. Thanks to Hilary Dring also for helping us on the day.  I’m sure our M.U. meeting with a speaker from Autism Ireland on  Wednesday 26th April will have gone very well, specially with her Ambassador dog to show us how they help Autistic children in particular.

Our next time to meet will be Wednesday 17th May when we will have a Summer Outing in Youghal and visit St. Mary’s Collegiate Church and Myrtle Grove Collegiate gardens nearby. Details to be given on 26th April. We will appreciate numbers then for those wishing to go. Enjoy the fine weather and nature when you can as Winter leaves us at last!  (DW)

Green Matters     

Shauna the Sheep, who was such a hit at our Animal Blessing back in September is now a happy mother. The rector was delighted to meet her baby son recently.

Our Ecumenical Dawn Chorus will take place at 4:30am in Currabinny Woods, led  by Philip O’Byrne. Wear warm clothes and suitable shoes and no dogs please!  If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com  

Live at St John’s     

Gemma Hayes and support Naimee Coleman were absolutely fantastic on April 1^st  Another great gig, thank you to the brain behind LiveatStJohns organiser Graham White and his team. Frances McCarthy now has the opening patter off to a ‘T’  – the emergency exits, the warm welcome to what is a ‘working’ church…well done to everyone involved. It won’t be long till the next Gig .. keep an eye on . www.liveatstjohns.com for upcoming events.

Burial

21^st March 2023  St Mary’s Graveyard Carrigaline  Sheila Green

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the June Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 9^th May please.

Carrigaline Union Notes for April 2023

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

The opening Choral Evensong Service was a lovely event. Thank you to the Bishop for preaching and dedicating the 4 Gospels Book in memory of the late Vivienne Sharpe and for re-dedicating the Parish Hall. Thank you also to Colin Nicholls and the Clerks Choral who sang the office so beautifully and to our own Bébhinn who co-ordinated the music on the night.

The Parish Auction was a great success. Thanks so much to Stuart Cole who managed to shift every single lot! Amazing to witness a Master at his craft.

The Parish Retreat was well attended by 23 parishioners and we were blessed with good weather in the gorgeous verdant Laois countryside. Thank you to Dr Anne Francis who led us so gently yet thought provokingly through the sessions. If you’d like to see what other events are planned for this Bicentennial year, check out  www.stmarys200.com You can also see photos from the events which have already taken place on the Gallery Tab of our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org

The Confirmation group continued with their classes. The 8 young people had a wonderful day in Douglas at the ‘Bishop’s Confirmation Morning’ in March.  Our Confirmation this year is at 11am on Sunday 16^th April in St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline.  Please support the group in your prayers.

St Mary’s School Ms Schilling’s 4^th Class led the World Day of Prayer special Assembly in March. Thank you to them all for a wonderful Assembly. They even wrote their own little play which perfectly captured the essence of the WDP. Their artwork decorated St Mary’s Church for the evening service led by Deirdre Whitley and the WDP team.

Mothers’ Union Eastertide is around the corner! I love this festival and its importance in our Christian lives. We had a very popular and enjoyable afternoon with Clodagh King leading us in Chair Yoga, on 15th February. All of us did our best to join in and we were amazed how well we felt after this gentle yet challenging way to exercise.  We had a very good World Day of Prayer Service in St. Mary’s Church on Friday 3rd March, when we learnt about the women of Taiwan and all they have been through but also how they are becoming more empowered with their Christian faith to guide them. A lovely way to meet and join in the Service with other ladies (and occasionally men) across the Roman Catholic community and enjoy the chat over refreshments afterwards.  We have sent € 250.50 (which all there kindly donated) to the WDP Charity organisers, for worthy causes at home and overseas.  We will have had a Famine Lunch in the Parish Hall on Sunday 2nd April, which I’m sure will be well supported. Soup and rolls will be provided. Our next meeting on Wednesday 26th April at 3pm will have been enjoyed by all I’m sure. Sarah Buckley will be speaking on Awareness and Puppy Fostering for Autism Assistance Dogs. She will also bring an Ambassador dog to show us how they work with Autistic children in particular. Teas/coffees to follow as always. Meantime enjoy and have a very Happy Easter!  (DW)

Green Matters     

If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com  

Live at St John’s     

The first Gig for St John’s Church was sold out before it was even advertised so as you can imagine it was an amazing night. Jack O’Rourke and support All the Queen’s Horses sounded fantastic. Well done to organisers Graham White and Pat Kiernan who did a mighty job. Frances McCarthy and Jonathan Fleury were on hand from the parish to ease the way. Thank you to everyone involved. The next Gig is 1^st April Gemma Hayes and support Naimee Coleman.   Keep an eye on www.liveatstjohns.com for upcoming events.

Holy Baptism

4^th March 2023  St Mary’s Church Carrigaline  Fionn and Donncha O’Mahony, sons of Ronan and Jane (nee Kelleher)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the May Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 6^th April please.

Carrigaline Union Notes for March 2023

Looking for help

Our organist, Bébhinn, is researching female organists in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as part of a degree in local history studies. She is wondering if anyone has information regarding Charlotte Grace Henry who appears in the census returns of 1901 and 1911. She describes herself as a teacher and organist  and is living next to the Church of Ireland school and church in Crosshaven.  She is a member of the Church of Ireland, single and aged 34 in 1901. She lived with one servant, Kate Noonan, who was a Roman Catholic aged 30 and born in Limerick. Charlotte herself was born in County Cork. Any snippets of information are most welcome. You can contact Bébhinn at bebhinnmuire@gmail.com or by phone 087 228 5965.

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

We will have begun our festivities by the time you read these notes. Details on the year of events may be found on www.stmarys200.com

Parish Lenten Course ‘Equipping The Church To Take Action And End Domestic Abuse’ developed jointly by Mothers’ Union, Bishops’ Appeal and Tearfund continues online on 6^th , 9^th and 20^th March.

The Confirmation group have begun their classes and there are 8 young people this year.  The Bishop is very kindly coming to us at 11am on Sunday 16^th April and this year it is the turn of St Mary’s Church in Carrigaline to host the Confirmation Service. Please support the group in your prayers.

St Mary’s School collected items for Cork Penny Dinners again this year in the ‘Love your Neighbour for St Valentine’s Day’ initiative. Thanks again to Rowland Newenham and his van for squeezing in all the stuff for delivery to the city charity. Well done to all the kind pupils.

Mothers’ Union Looking forward to Easter now and our Lenten awareness however we do it, as we await that very special celebration. On January 18th we had a very interesting talk and photos shown by Lesley Roberts on the fascinating subject of Country Homes in and around Carrigaline. He has a great depth of historical insight and knowledge, from which we all benefited.  We will have enjoyed Chair Yoga with Clodagh King in the Parish Hall in February. I’m sure we will feel all the better, relaxed and fitter with her showing us how to do it best. Teas/coffees and biscuits/cakes as always afterwards. On Friday 3rd March we are having the World Day of Prayer Service in St. Mary’s at 7.30 pm. This year it is coming from the women of Taiwan and so we learn about their lives through the Service. Do come along if you can. Teas/coffees and tasties to follow.
On Wednesday 15th March, we will have Bebhinn Ni Mheara (our super organist) taking us on with “Songs of our Youth – a Musical  Trip down Memory Lane”. We’ll look forward to that fun time and sharing our favourite music perhaps. Teas /coffees afterwards to quench our thirst. Meantime Spring is happening so we have much to be thankful for. (DW)

Green Matters     

The Pollinator garden in St Mary’s Churchyard is being rejuvenated now that Spring is approaching. One of the Bird boxes will be moved as it is too near to the pathway and birds are not using it. If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com (VA)

Holy Baptism

22^nd January 2023  St Mary’s Church Carrigaline  Daniel Buttimer, son of Damian and Lisa

Burials

19^th January 2023  Walter Kingston  St Peter’s Cemetery Nohoval (Carrigaline Union)

27^th January

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

By the time you are reading these notes, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline will be almost ready to begin to celebrate 200 years of existence….. the stone above the entrance says 1823 but as the Church wasn’t actually consecrated until 1824 we decided to celebrate for an entire year!   The opening service is at 7:30pm on 7th February 2023 and then we will have one event every month until our closing service on 7th February 2024 (the actual 200th anniversary of the consecration and at which the Archbishop of Armagh will preach). Details on the year of events may be found on www.stmarys200.com

Parish Online Course

Soon the season of Lent will be here, a period when we often set aside time for reflection and maybe a Lent Course. It can be an opportunity to deepen our faith as well as our understanding of the world around us, both of which are intricately linked. A new online course called ‘Equipping The Church To Take Action And End Domestic Abuse’ has recently been developed jointly by Mothers’ Union, Bishops’ Appeal and Tearfund and is now available to parishes around the country. The next course will begin in February and we plan to take part as a parish.  Many of you will be aware of the work Mothers’ Union does to raise awareness around gender violence and domestic abuse; our prayer and vision are to see communities transformed through what we do. Every part of society is affected by domestic abuse, every social group – everyone, adults and children alike. It is insidious, damaging, traumatic, terrifying and, for its victims, affects every part of their lives. Perpetrators are from all walks of life, male and female, rich and poor, they may be what we might consider respectable people, pillars of society as many are called. Just in the past month a beautiful young Brazilian woman was murdered by a former boyfriend here in Cork. Four out of five women who have died violently in recent years have been killed by a man known to them.

The course’s five sessions will give information about domestic abuse as well as help us as a parish to think about what we might be able to do to support victims and help end the scourge of violence against women, children, and men. It is open to everyone – maybe you would like to take part? Participants will definitely be better equipped to recognise the signs of domestic abuse and know where victims and perpetrators can find help and support. Please speak to Elaine or Hilary if you are at all interested or have any further questions. (HD)

Mothers’ Union  Dare I say it, Spring is on the way and the daffodils are peeping their way up through the wet ground to cheer us up. We will have enjoyed Lesley Roberts’ talk on “Country Homes In and Around Carrigaline”, on Wednesday 18th January at 3.00 p.m. with a cuppa and chat afterwards.
This month on Wednesday 15th February at 3.00 p.m. we look forward to having Clodagh King give us a lesson in Chair Yoga. She demonstrated this very well at the M.U. Women’s Getaway Weekend last November. We will have our usual cuppa and tasties afterwards and will feel very relaxed and ready for anything, I’m sure. I hope you are all keeping well and warm these unpredictable days.  (DW)

Green Matters     

As early as February wild bees are starting to emerge and they need food. Dandelions are a really important provider of nectar and pollen at this time. A dandelion free garden could mean bees go hungry and don’t thrive.  If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com (VA)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the March Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 9^th February please.

Carrigaline Union Notes for January 2023

The Rector writes Thank you to everyone who made our parish Christmas so special,  those who looked after the Stars that shone out so brightly from Advent Sunday on our Church spires, the people who decorated the churches, made the Advent Wreaths, put up the Cribs, sourced and decorated the Christmas trees, played music, sang in the choirs, and attended our services.

A huge special thanks to the wonderful Church Wardens for all the extra work that Christmas brings! May we all take every moment that this New Year brings as a blessing from God.

The Bible in One Year! Thank you to everyone who took part in this initiative. It was a big commitment to take on, there were be no ‘days off’ during the coming year but it really was the  most rewarding year. Well done to you all – you kept me on my toes!

Bicentennial Year in St Mary’s

St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline celebrates 200 years very soon….. the stone above the entrance says 1823 but as the Church wasn’t actually consecrated until 1824 we had a bit of a problem about which year to celebrate!  So after much thought we decided to celebrate for an entire year!    We will have an opening service on 7th February 2023 and then we will have one event every month until our closing service on 7th February 2024 (the actual 200th anniversary of the consecration and at which the Archbishop of Armagh will preach). Below you will find each of the monthly events. More details will be available on these events on www.stmarys200.com nearer the time but please put the dates in your diary now and come celebrate with us!

February 2023

Tuesday 7^th   Opening Service in St Mary’s Church, Preacher: the Rt Revd Dr Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross. Rededication of the recently renovated Parish Hall. Dedication of the 4 Gospels Book in memory of the late Vivienne Sharpe.

Saturday 18^th   Parish Auction in Canon McCrea Hall, St Mary’s School, Waterpark 

Friday 24^th to Sunday 26^th   Parish Retreat to Mount St Anne’s Laois. 

March 2023

Friday 10^th to Sunday 12^th   Photo Exhibition/Competition of 200 photos of St Mary’s Church and environs in Parish Hall.  

April 2023

Friday 14^th to Sunday 16^th Dorothee Roberts Exhibition of Paintings with Wine & Cheese in the Parish Hall

May 2023

Saturday 27^th  Parish Fête in St Mary’s School, Waterpark

June 2023

Saturday 24^th  Mid-Summer Garden Party, with St Nicholas Band in attendance, in St Mary’s Church grounds

July 2023

Friday14th till Sunday 16^th  Flower Festival in St Mary’s Church Theme:  ‘Flowers through the Ages’  

August 2023

Sunday 27^th  Family BBQ after Sunday Service in St Mary’s Church grounds.

September 2023

Saturday 23^rd Musical Evening in St Mary’s Church. Refreshments in the Parish Hall

Sunday 24^th 11am  Animal Blessing Service in St Mary’s Church (with an outdoor pen for farm animals)

October 2023

Saturday 7^th   Harvest Supper & Ceilidh in Canon McCrea Hall, St Mary’s School, Waterpark.

November 2023

Friday 24^th & Saturday 25^th  Play/Pageant in Canon McCrea Hall, St Mary’s School, Waterpark.

December 2023

Friday 15^th Community Carol Service in St Mary’s Church , followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Parish Hall

Friday 15^th  (after Carol Service) till Sunday 17^th Crib Festival in Parish Hall

January 2024

Friday 19^th Launch of History Booklet and Talk in the Parish Hall. Dorothee Robert’s Painting of St Mary’s Church will be raffled and the Church Silver Plate will be on display.

February 2024

Wednesday 7^th Closing Service, Preacher will be the Archbishop of Armagh preacher, the Most Revd John McDowell. Dedication of the Reredos followed by refreshments in the Parish Hall

Mothers’ Union  Happy New Year to you all and I hope Christmas was relaxing and peaceful in all your homes. We had a good Souls of our Shoes Exhibition from 25th November to 1st December. The Opening day on 25th was also a great opportunity to meet Mary Cullinane who is involved with the Cuanlee Refuge for Abused Women and Children in Cork ( the oldest in the country I believe) and she opened the exhibition for us. Every day we had two or three people between 12 and 2.00 pm to visit St Mary’s Church to see the trauma as shown through the different pairs (or single) shoes and the poignant piece written beside them. Glamorous high heels and worn out walking shoes all told their story of abuse. People who came were very generous and we made approximately €187.00 to donate to Cuanlee.   Our Ladies’ Christmas Lunch will have been enjoyed on Wednesday14th December in Monkstown Golf Club. A great opportunity to have time to chat and support those who may have felt anxious/isolated throughout the past 2 years of Covid. Laughter being the best medicine alongside a tasty meal!  Our January meeting will be on Wednesday18th, at 3.00 pm in the Parish Hall and our speaker will be Lesley Roberts. His subject will be “Country Homes In and Around Carrigaline.” This promises to be very interesting and entertaining with Lesley at the helm. Tea/coffees as usual with some tasty bites as well. I look forward to seeing you all then. Keep well meantime.  (DW)

Green Matters     

January is a month of dormancy in nature, but underneath that still surface natures composters (fungi, bacteria insects, worms and others) which are all at work breaking down last year’s dead leaves and plant growth, releasing nutrients back into the soil. So don’t be in a hurry to “tidy up” the garden too early in the year.  If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com (VA)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the February Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 9^th January please.

Carrigaline Union Notes for December 2022

The Rector writes  At this time of the year our thoughts naturally turn to the Incarnation, a word that comes from John’s Gospel 1:14  “the Word became flesh.” and it literally means “in the flesh”   Below is an old story called ‘The Parable of the Birds’ written by Louis Cassells way back in December 1959.

Now the man to whom I’m going to introduce you was not a scrooge; he was a kind, decent, mostly good man. He was generous to his family and upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn’t believe all that stuff about God becoming a man, which the churches proclaim at Christmas time. It just didn’t make sense, and he was too honest to pretend otherwise.

“I’m truly sorry to distress you,” he told his wife, “but I’m not going with you to church this Christmas Eve.” He said he’d feel like a hypocrite and that he would much rather just stay at home. And so he stayed, and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier. Then he went back to his fireside chair to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. Then another and another — sort of a thump or a thud. At first he thought someone must have been throwing snowballs against his living room window.

But when he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They’d been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window. Well, he couldn’t let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it.

Quickly he put on a coat and galoshes and then he tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them. So he hurried back to the house, fetched breadcrumbs and sprinkled them on the snow. He made a trail to the brightly lit, wide-open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the breadcrumbs and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow.

He tried catching them. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them and waving his arms. Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn. And then he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me — that I am not trying to hurt them but to help them. But how?

Any move he made tended to frighten and confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed, because they feared him.

“If only I could be a bird,” he thought to himself, “and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see and hear and understand.”

At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. And he sank to his knees in the snow.

“Now I understand,” he whispered. “Now I see why you had to do it.

Mothers’ Union  As I write it’s so hard to believe Advent is nearly here and that lovely period of preparation for Jesus’ birth, without the distraction of consumerism, I would like to think! We had a wonderful demonstration by Dorothy Roberts in October, teaching us how blending colours matter so much in our painting – very inspirational to us would-be artists.  The Get Away Weekend in Garryvoe will have been enjoyed too with Rev. Richard Clarke our key speaker, on Transformation and Moving On.  Our meeting on 16th November will have been in creative mode when Tracey Pierce would have given great encouragement in making crafts for Christmas. Also Hazel and Marjorie will have had a great card/calendar/gift stall for us to peruse and spend on. 16 days of Activism against Gender Violence begins on 26th November until 12th December.  We are having a Souls of our Shoes exhibition in St. Mary’s Church, from 25th November, when a member of Cuanlee will speak to us to open the exhibition and this will be open each day from 12 noon to 2pm for a week, ending on 1st December. This portrays a very meaningful and powerful message concerning Abuse and Domestic Violence. Our Christmas lunch is a great time to be together on Wednesday 12th December at 12.30pm in the Monkstown Golf Club.  Have a very peaceful and enjoyable Christmas and Happy New Year!  (DW)

Green Matters    Why not give the gift of a native Irish tree this Christmas. There is such a variety of sizes to suit every garden.  Not only will it be an enduring gift, it will also increase biodiversity in their outdoor space.(VA)

December dates for your Diary:

• 4^th  Carrigaline Community Tractor Run
• 9^th  Friendship Club 11am Parish Hall
• 11^th Presentation of Church of Sanctuary accreditation at the 11am Service in St Mary’s Church
• 16^th Community Carols in Our Lady & St John’s Church Carrigaline 7:30pm
• 18^th Nine Lessons & Carols 7pm St John’s Church Monkstown
• 24^th Carols around the Crib 4pm St Mary’s Church Carrigaline and First Eucharist of the Nativity 11pm St Mary’s Church Carrigaline

Burials

27^th October   St Mary’s Churchyard Carrigaline – Michael Heaslip  

If you have any items for the January Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 6th December.

Carrigaline Union Notes for November 2022

The Rector writes       The Animal Service, traditionally held on the last Sunday of September, was truly lovely. Thank you to everyone who brought along their animals, we were especially impressed with the Sheep’s responses to the prayers! We also saw photos of animals watching the live-stream!

Another joyful occasion was the return of our Harvest Supper. Thanks to Henry Forbes and his team for pulling it out of the bag yet again. A really lovey night and it set us up for the Harvest Thanksgiving Services the next day. As usual the churches were decorated beautifully and the smell of greenery and fruit in the churches was fantastic… I’m running out of superlatives even before I get to our Preacher!  The Revd Canon Andrew Orr spoke to us in both churches about the importance of doing what we can to mitigate the effects of Climate Change, as you would expect from the Chair of Eco Congregation Ireland, he had some excellent suggestions. Thank you to Andrew for coming to us on a Sunday morning in his busy life. Andrew was very impressed with the photos of all the  Sunflowers grown by children (young and old) from the seeds distributed at Rogation. The Whitely boys won the first prize and received a top-of-the-range anti-crow Bird feeder as their prize but everyone who submitted photos received a prize for all their hard work so well done everyone. Congratulations to the Revd Richard Dring on his ordination to the Priesthood. After Richard’s first celebration of Holy Communion, the parish presented him with a Lectionary Book along with an Oil Stock.  He was also given the Home Communion set , gifted to the parish by the Stoney Family, for use by Richard for the duration of his ministry to this parish.  Hilary Warren-Perry created an amazing and delicious cake for the occasion which even had the correct liturgical colour stole laid across it!.  Congratulations also to Dr Simon Woodworth who, by the time you are reading these notes, will be commissioned as Diocesan Lay Reader. Simon will spend his training year with us in Carrigaline Union so welcome to the team!

Mothers’ Union  As I write, the Quiet Day in Ballydehob has happened on Wednesday 5th October. Those who could come celebrated 25 years since the idea took hold. Patsy Devoy was that first speaker and kindly spoke again this year. The day began with coffee at 10am for 10.30 start. Lunch was at 12.30 and Holy Communion was celebrated together,  finishing at 2.30pm. A lovely way to be together peacefully, with no phones or other interruptions.

We will have had that surprise M.U. meeting on Wednesday 19th October at 3pm when Dorothee Roberts will have given us an inspirational demonstration in painting with acrylics. Coffee/tea and chat will follow. We look forward to the Women’s Get Away Weekend in Garryvoe Hotel and Leisure Centre, on Friday 11th Nov to Sunday 13th November.  This is our first time meeting in 3 years. Revd. Christine O’Dowd – Smith will be our speaker from Waterford Union of Parishes. The weekend is bound to be relaxing and stimulating with good company and lots of exercise and sea air.  Our M.U. Meeting on Wednesday 16th November will be a Christmas Craft Workshop with Tracey Pierce showing us how to be creative and help us in making Christmas crafts/gifts. Christmas cards/gifts will also be on sale via Hazel Sweetnam and Marjorie Garland.  The other important happening is the 16 days of Activism against Gender Violence. This begins on Saturday 26th November, which is the Global Day of Action. We will keep you informed as the month goes by, and December approaches. Meantime I look forward to meeting up with you soon. (DW)

Music Matters The first rehearsals of our new church choir took place in September and sang for the first time at the Harvest Thanksgiving in October. The choir is being established to enhance the congregational singing in the church by introducing and leading service settings and psalms. It would be lovely to expand our instrumental offerings too – to broaden the soundscape of our services. If you or someone in your family plays an instrument and would be willing to play in church occasionally do get in touch. All are welcome – no experience needed. Rehearsals take place on the third and fourth Thursdays of the month at 7.30 p.m. in St Mary’s church.  (the Monkstown Chamber Choir will have their rehearsals on the first and second Thursdays of the month at 8pm in St John’s Church)  Bébhinn 087 228 5965  bebhinnmuire@gmail.com

Green Matters We have harvested a good selection of seeds from the pollinator garden in the church grounds. The wildflower areas in the church grounds will be strimmed soon as part of the management plan. (VA)  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew who heads up the Parish Eco Group. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com  

Dates for your Diary:

• November 11^th  Friendship Club meet at 11am in the Parish Hall
• November 13^th  Remembrance Day Choral Evenson 7pm in St John’s Church, Monkstown
• November 16^th  Mothers’ Union 3pm Parish Hall
• November 19^th   Souls of our Shoes Exhibition begins in St Mary’s Church.
• November 19^th  Youth Club 7:30pm till 9pm  Parish Hall
• November 20^th  Parish Gift Day.
• November 27^th  Advent Sunday.

Baptisms

18^th September St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline  Nathan Trotter, son of Andrew Trotter & Ana de Souza

Burials 

30^th September  St John’s Cemetery , Ballinrea, David Kirk (Carrigaline Union)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the December Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th November please.

The October 20222 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes      The last months have seen most of us enjoy a little break from our routines. We definitely had a lovely sunny summer. I was off for most of August and spent a few days in Kilkenny during the height of it and my goodness it was warm! We were darting from one side of the road to the other looking for shade! Like you would do on ‘proper’ holidays somewhere ‘foreign’ .  While I enjoyed the heat , it would make me a little worried about how our climate is changing. It has been strange to see the parched grass in the churchyard instead of the lovely green patches. Mind you, at the time of writing these notes, the heavens are opening and it is lashing down so I’ve no doubt it’ll be green again soon!  I have been receiving in all the photos of wonderful Sunflowers from children in the parish. You remember how we gave out some saplings and seeds at Rogation time in May? Well now we will have the results of all the hard work. Prizes will be given at the Harvest Services on 2^nd October.  I have to admit only one of my Sunflowers grew to any decent size at all. Rowland Newenham sent me a photo of his absolutely enormously tall Sunflowers regretting that as an adult he couldn’t be in the competition! (but if he convinces me that his granddaughter helped him grow them , there might be a little prize winging its way to Coolmore!)

Mothers’ Union  We are really into Autumn now with the rain we’ve had as I write. We will have had a meeting for M.U. members and friends Saturday 10th September from 10.00 a.m. till 2.00 p.m. to see how we can Reimagine and Transform and Evolve as a Worldwide Organisation so that younger people can see us in a different light and would like to become members we hope.

Our Opening Communion Service will have gone well I’m sure on Wednesday 21st September at 3.00p.m. with teas/coffee and tasties and chat afterwards in the Parish Hall. The next meeting for the Autumn will be on Wed.19th. October at 3.00 p.m. and our speaker will be a surprise for you all. So do come along! Keep safe and well meantime  (DW)

Green Matters    We have been celebrating and reflecting on the Season of Creation in this last month, particularly our commitment as a community to keep working against the effects of climate change. We will have the privilege of the Revd Canon Andrew Orr, who is chairperson of Eco Congregation Ireland preaching at our Harvest Festival services this year. (VA)   If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew who heads up the Parish Eco Group. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com  

Dates for your Diary:

Saturday 1st October 

Harvest Supper 7:30pm Canon McCrea Hall

Sunday 2nd October

Harvest Thanksgiving Services in both churches

Sunday 9th October

St Fin Barre’s Cathedral 3:30pm

Dr Simon Woodworth will be commissioned as Diocesan Lay reader. Also this will be the diocesan farewell to Archdeacon Adrian Wilkinson and the installation of the Very Reverend Cliff Jeffers as Chancellor.

Burials 

29^th August    Cremation – Reginald Killeen, Carrigaline Union

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the November Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th October please.

The September 2022 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes     I’d like to thank John & Valerie Andrew for all the work they are putting into the Eco Group in the parish (have a read of their notes below) It is truly lovely to see bees and butterflies hopping off the flowers. If anyone would like to get involved with the Eco Group please do get in touch.

Congratulations to Woodworth family who organized a fantastic Parish Coffee morning in July raising money for the Kilmanjaro Christian Medical Centre. Simon and Seán travelled to Tanzania in August, Simon as part of the UCC Research collaboration with Moshi, Tanzania and Seán worked in a voluntary capacity with the Research team in the Hospital. Thank you to all who baked , donated prizes for the raffle and to the many who attended or donated on the day.

The Revd Julia Cody, the team vicar of Perton, our link parish in the diocese of Lichfield, visited Cork in July. It was lovely to see her and we were thrilled with the gift of knitted angels for everyone in church. Hilary Dring presented her with a gift from the Mothers’ Union when the Revd Julia presided at Holy Communion in St Mary’s Church. We hope to welcome a group from Perton next year.

Although final details have still to be ironed out at time of writing, we will have a Bric-a-Brac sale in the Parish Hall on Saturday 3^rd September which will be followed by a Parish Barbeque in the Churchyard (even if the weather is bad, we can eat in the Marquee!) This month will also see our deacon Richard Dring ordained Priest in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral at 8pm on Wednesday 14^th.  Richard will be ordained along with two other deacons in the diocese, Carole Pound (Abbeystrewy) and Jean Carney (Douglas Union). I’m sure it will be a wonderful joyous occasion. It would be lovely to have lots of parishioners there to support him.

Mothers’ Union  We are nearly over our Summer break sadly!  Our M.U. Outing to Timoleague went very well, with a talk given by Rev. Kingsley Sutton on the church mosaics which was very interesting.  About 20 ladies met for coffee in the church at 11.00 and a picnic later in the shade, being a beautiful day.

Our second outing will have gone well I’m sure, on Tuesday 9th August with a special service for Mary Sumner Day in St. Mary’s Church, Doneraile at 11.00. This is to be followed by a walk and picnic in Doneraile Park for those who wish to. I look forward to meeting you all again at our M.U. Opening Service on Wednesday 21st September in St. Mary’s Church, Carrigaline at 3.00pm and we can catch up over a cuppa afterwards in the parish hall. Keep safe and well. (DW)

Green Matters    Using oasis for flower arranging has an environmental impact. Made of plastic it easily breaks into tiny particles adding to the global problem of microplastics.  For example, Biofoam is an eco-friendly alternative which is fully biodegradable and compostable, allowing for more sustainable flower arranging.

For enquiries and questions about sustainable flower arranging please ring Brenda Poole on 087-6976552.

This year we planted pollinator friendly plants and flowers to try and encourage bees, butterflies and insects. At the end of the growing season we intend to save seeds and next year expand into other areas of the garden by sowing the saved seeds. There are a host of pollinator friendly plants and flowers that are good at attracting bees i.e. Teasels, Borage, Nasturtiums to name a few. If we have success we will distribute seeds to anybody who is interested in creating a wild oasis in their garden.  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew who heads up the Parish Eco Group. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com  

Baptisms

26^th June  In St John’s Church, Rachel Catherine Lucey and Alexander James Lucey, daughter & son of Sarah Donovan

17^th July   In St Mary’s Church, Oisin Ned O’Regan, son of Shane & Allyson

31^st July  In St John’s Church,  Noah Michael Mangaoang Foott, son of Derek & Aine.

Burials 

27^th July    In St John’s Cemetry, Ballinrae – Benjamin Gash, Carrigaline Union

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the October Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th September please.

The July & August 2022 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes   I’m writing these notes on a fairly blustery June day. On my early walk this morning there was a constant threat of rain and it has poured down over the last few days – I’d say the farmers are praying harder than the rest of us! I know we need the rain as much as the sun but as a ‘city girl’ I always feel cheated when it rains in the summertime! Mind you, the rainbow this morning was just lovely, perfect in June for Pride Month. We had a lovely Plant sale and Coffee morning at the end of May and it was wonderful to see the Parish Hall in full swing again and people enjoying themselves (photo) The Rectory garden is also looking really lovely at the moment (photo). It’s all thanks to Liam of course as I just admire the results. As a parish, we are beginning to slow down now , 6^th Class graduation service is next week and the Leaving and Junior Cert students are slogging away with their exams. We hope that the Photographic Exhibition in the Parish Hall during World Refugee Week at the end of June will allow everyone a glimpse into the journey of the Alrahal family and we are grateful to Haitham, Hend and the children for creating their visual journey for us. I wish you all a very restful summer and I hope you all manage to get some time to just slow down and enjoy this beautiful part of the world where we are lucky enough to live.

Mothers’ Union    Looking back to May, the Festival Services went very well and were well attended in Cloyne Cathedral, St. Brendan’s in Bantry  and St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral. The collections were very generous too for the Centenary Fund, to help fund young ordinands in their training. There was good community feeling for those who don’t often meet or have never met before.  Our Summer lunch in Monkstown Golf Club was excellent and enjoyed by all 24 ladies – despite the wet weather. We are having two Summer Diocesan Outings – the first on Saturday 16th July, meeting at 11.00 in Timoleague Church where there are famous mosaics and we hope to have guided tour and a picnic lunch afterwards.

The second outing is to St. Mary’s Church, Doneraile for a special service for Mary Sumner Day at 11.00 on Tuesday 9th August. Then a walk and picnic in Doneraile Park if we wish.  The Summer days will fly (without too many Covid cases we hope!)  We will meet again for our M.U. Opening Service on Wednesday 21st. September in St. Mary’s, Carrigaline at 3.00 p.m. and we will look forward to catching up then over a cuppa, in the Parish Hall. Do enjoy the Summer and find time to keep in touch. (DW)

Green Matters    We are embarking on projects to enhance biodiversity in the church grounds at St.Mary’s Carrigaline. Not only will it be of benefit to the church grounds, but will encourage the congregation to do the same. (VA) If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew who heads up the Parish Eco Group. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com  

Burials 

17^th May  In St John’s Cemetry, Ballinrae – Noel Davin, Carrigaline

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the September Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 27^th July please.

The June 2022 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes    Our ecumenical endeavours over the last month involved two very early starts, one at 6:15am on Easter Sunday morning for prayers beside the water in Monkstown and one at 4am (!) on 1^st May in Currabinny Woods for the Dawn Chorus. Thanks to Pat Smiddy who was our guide to all the birdsong on the day and to Hilary Dring for her lovely liturgy. Welcome to the incoming Select Vestry for 2022/2023 who were elected at the Easter Vestry on 21^st April and commissioned in St John’s Church during Choral Evensong on 8^th May.

Barney Deane   Rector’s Churchwarden St John’s

Henry Forbes    People’s Churchwarden St John’s

Hilary Warren-Perry   Rector’s Churchwarden St Mary’s

Lesley Roberts   People’s Churchwarden St Mary’s

Cecil Poole   Rector’s Glebewarden

William Warren-Perry   People’s Glebewarden

Rowland Newenham  Hon. Secretary

Helen Arnopp   Hon. Treasurer

Oriel Hosford   Assistant Hon. Secretary

Patrick Hitchmough   Auditor

Sydney Hutton

Valerie Andrew

Eddie Pierce

Madeleine Geary

The Revd Richard Dring is ex-officio a member of the Select Vestry and is Health & Safety Officer

Simon Woodworth is the parish Webmaster but not on the Select Vestry

Thank you to all of the above for being willing to serve our parish in this capacity.

Mothers’ Union  Our Summer has come early and I hope you have been enjoying the sunshine and your gardens and are keeping well. We had a great meeting on 27th May when an Irish Guide dog trainer came to talk about his work and brought along a lovely young black Labrador (Yasper) in training to meet M.U. ladies. Sadly Covid almost ruined the day since committee members couldn’t be there having just been hit by the virus. However Hilary Dring took over at the last minute and all went very well. Feedback was very good and tea and chat worked for all there. We will have had our Summer Outing (i.e. lunch together) when you read this and hope the lunch on Wednesday 18th May at 1 pm in Monkstown Golf Club lives up to our high expectations. There will have been 3 Festival Services in May too; Sunday 8th in Cloyne Cathedral, Tuesday 10th in St. Brendan the Navigator Church, Bantry and Sunday 15th in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork City. These will each allow us to meet and worship together as we go forward in a spirit of Renewal, Restoration and Transformation for the Summer, Autumn and Winter with less illness and more hope of togetherness. Toys will have been donated in each venue for the Ukrainian children, through the Red Cross. (We keep those refugees always in our prayers.) Have a good Summer and we’ll meet again in September for our Opening Service. (Date to be confirmed)  (DW)

Musical Notes As part of the recent Cork Choral Festival, the Vaskivouren Chamber Choir from Finland , all 46 of them, came to sing for us at the 11am Service on May 1^st in St Mary’s and we were delighted and not at all surprised to hear that they were the first place winners of the 2022 Fleischmann International Trophy Competition. Congratulation to them all. A lovely group of young people.  Huge thanks to all who provided the very substantial refreshments after the Service in the Parish Hall.

Green Matters  Our first step in encouraging Biodiversity in the church grounds, has been to plant and reseed parts of the wild flower area. All that is needed now is heat and rain (VA). If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew who heads up the Parish Eco Group. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com  

Holy Baptism 

6^th May  St John’s Church, Monkstown :  Evelyn, Eleanor and Penelope, daughters of Gareth and Ciara Cain, currently resident in Dubai UAE.

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the July/August Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th June please.

The May 2022 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes.  Again, as I write, all of our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the suffering people of Ukraine. Although it seems like everything we do is but a drop in the ocean, I am so proud of this parish and all the efforts made over the last long month. At the time of writing I had just sent a cheque to Together-Razem Centre for a little over 2,000 from our Book & Cake sale. Representing the month of March, a cheque for almost 1,000 was sent to Bishops’ Appeal and 150 was donated online to UNICEF from our Ash Wednesday collection.  As well as this practical help, many of us prayed nightly during this Lent for the brave people of Ukraine and for peace in the world. We also held an overnight vigil ‘keeping watch’ from Maundy Thursday night until dawn on Good Friday. We continue to help in any way we can by praying , collecting for items to be included in Red Cross Welcome packs in Cork Airport and the Ferry Port, helping to kit out a local house and of course we continue to fervently pray for an end to this outrageous aggression.  

Mothers’ Union  I hope you have had a peaceful and happy Easter tide and have stayed Covid free. These are times of sadness and anxiety too for all those caught up in the war in Ukraine. We can help in practical ways by donating money or necessary items for their use in Ireland as well as Ukraine.

We had a lovely gathering on Wednesday 16th March when Brenda Haubold did herself proud with her flower arrangements and we also were able to give Sarah Foott a beautiful bouquet of flowers, courtesy of Brenda, to celebrate a special birthday. We also had a great teatime spread and a raffle for Brenda’s arrangements which went very well. We were delighted that Hazel and Marjorie came and brought and sold quite a few M.U. cards too. When you read this, we hope to have enjoyed our M.U. meeting on 27th April in the Parish Hall when two Irish Guide Dog trainers will tell us about the process of training Guide Dogs for the Visually Impaired and Assistance Dogs and answer any questions. They will also have a Guide-dog in training, with them! Of course we will have had a refreshing cuppa and chat as well.  On  Wednesday 18th May, we will have a lunch together, for our last meeting before the Summer break. The venue will be Monkstown Golf Club at 1.00 p.m. This promises to be a very enjoyable get together. We will be in contact meantime and look forward to seeing you there.

Keep safe and well. (DW)

Musical Notes.  Our ‘Music Monday’ series continued on Facebook this month featuring a chat with Colin Nicholls sharing his thoughts on music in worship. The Gallery Singing Group at St Mary’s embarked on a project to lead the congregation in learning a new Mass setting by Peter Nardone. International Pipe Organ Day on April 23rd  is the next special day in the music calendar. (BnM)

Green Matters.   Aiming to increase Biodiversity in St Mary’s Church grounds, a wildflower area has been planted. The seeds used have been supplied by Seed Savers, which will give us an authentic mix of Irish wildflowers to attract butterflies, bees and other insects (VA). If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew who heads up the Parish Eco Group. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com  

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the June Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th May please.

The April 2022 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes.  All of our thoughts and prayers are with the unbelievably brave Ukrainian people as I write these notes. It’s so hard to feel that we can do anything to help apart from donate what we can afford and keep them all in prayer. We had a special hour of prayer in between the normal Ash Wednesday Service and thank you to the Healer/Prayer group in the parish for organizing this and for suggesting that we all take a moment at 7pm each night during Lent to remember Ukraine and to pray for peace in the world.  The Bishops’ Appeal baskets will remain at the back of both churches for the time being and we will regularly pass on any donations to them.  I will continue to keep you informed of any local initiatives to help the beleaguered Ukrainians. It almost seems a travesty that life continues on for us here in Ireland and it’s strange to think that it will soon be Easter again. Our Annual General Vestry Meeting , aka the ‘Easter Vestry’ will be held this year at 7:30pm on Thursday 21^st April in the Parish Hall. All are welcome to come along to this meeting where next year’s Select Vestry will be voted in. Don’t worry that if you come to the meeting you’ll be dragged into doing something! I promise that won’t happen. And then on 1^st May, something entirely different! Our Dawn Chorus returns… we will be meeting in Currabinny Woods at Dawn (actual time tba) and taking in all the glorious sounds of that time of the morning before having a cup of coffee and fighting off the midges. Do come along!

Holy Week Schedule

10^th April   Palm Sunday:

     9:30am Morning Prayer in St John’s. Palm & Passion Liturgies

11^th April   Monday of Holy Week:

12^th April  Tuesday of Holy Week:

13^th April  Wednesday of Holy Week:

14^th April  Maundy Thursday:

15^th April  Good Friday:

16^th April  Saturday of Holy Week:

17^th April  Easter Sunday:

Mothers’ Union  As we come into Spring with the daffodils and crocuses in full bloom, we have still to be resilient against Winter storms and cold winds.
Despite these unwelcome weather fronts we will have met on 16th March and enjoyed Brenda Haubold’s Easter flower demonstration and the cuppa to go with that. A raffle will have happened too for our M.U.funds. Hazel Sweetnam and Marjorie Garland will have brought their beautiful cards for every occasion including Easter. They may inspire us to send one or two to those we love or may be living alone.  Loneliness and isolation is very apparent in the past two years due to Covid and so it is very important to meet or phone those ladies who may still feel anxious about meeting up. We hope to have meeting on Wed. 27th April at 3.00 p.m. in St. Mary’s Parish Hall when we will have a Guide Dog owner or trainer to talk to us about their lives and work. They may also be able to bring a Guide Dog with them which would be very special. They give such wonderful support to Autistic children as well as those who are visually impaired or very arthritic. May we also keep the Ukrainian people in our prayers and give what we can to support the innocent victims in this very serious war. Meantime keep warm and well and keep in touch, till we meet again.  (DW)

Green Matters. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew who heads up the Parish Eco Group. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com  

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the May Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th April please.

The March 2022 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes Well! … things are looking much better at the time of writing compared to when I was doing the notes for the February magazine! Restrictions have lifted, save wearing our facemasks in church… we are even singing from behind our masks again. It’s beginning to feel a lot like…. normality! (you didn’t think I’d say Christmas!) .. speaking of Christmas, I’d like to thank each and every one who contributed unwanted Christmas gifts to the Giving Tree for our parish charities. I could barely fit them all in the boot of my car.

The Confirmation group have begun their classes and there are 11 young people this year (and 1 adult who is preparing separately as the Emmaus Course I use is geared towards teenagers). The Bishop is very kindly coming to us on Sunday 26^th June and this year it is the turn of St John’s Church in Monkstown to host the Confirmation Service.

St Mary’s School are collecting items for Cork Penny Dinners again this year in the ‘Love your Neighbour for St Valentine’s Day’ initiative. Based on previous years, I wouldn’t even attempt to try to fit all the stuff in my boot.. Thank you to Rowland Newenham who will deliver in his van to the city charity.

Sunday Club will be returning on the 2^nd Sunday of each month, beginning on Sunday 13^th March. Drop the children at 11am in the Parish Hall beside St Mary’s Church. Thank you to the leaders for organizing this.

Read the Bible in a Year Group are ploughing on through. At the time of writing these notes, we were halfway through Leviticus and it is tough but rewarding. Speaking personally, I am really enjoying the Wednesday Zoom sessions where the questions come thick and fast. It keeps me on my toes!

Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday 2^nd March and there will be a Holy Communion Service at 10:30am as normal and also at 7pm, both in St Mary’s Church. The reason for this earlier evening service time is that the regular Bible Study Zoom is at 8pm. There is no separate Bible Study for Lent this year, although last year’s Confirmation Candidates were all given a Lenten Bible Study courtesy of the Church of Ireland Youth Department and thank you to Hilda Connelly our diocesan Youth Officer for organizing this.

I hope I get to see you all soon. God bless, Canon Elaine

Mothers’ Union  I hope this finds you all keeping well and Covid free or well recovered, if you did succumb to Omnicron, which is generally milder in effect.

We joined in a Quiz on Saturday 29th January with M.U. members and friends in Perton, near Wolverhampton in England. This was organised by Rev. Julia Cody, who has preached very eloquently as a swap with Canon Elaine over the past year on zoom at our Sunday services. There were 6 in our team ‘Cork Seafarers’! (the Rector’s team was ‘The Canon Balls’) and in total there were 13 teams altogether. It was great fun and a way to link up with M.U. in Perton. Very stimulating and we worked together well from our different homes on zoom. Amazing how this technology works!

We as a committee are looking forward to meeting you all for an afternoon meeting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday 16th March in the Parish Hall. We hope that Brenda Haubold (nee Poole)will be able to come that afternoon and demonstrate some new ways of flower arranging with an Easter theme. There will also be a raffle with Brenda’s flower arrangements as a prize, in aid of M.U. Overseas and of course tea/coffee with delicious bites to eat! We will still be careful and wear masks when not sitting down for our cuppa.  We may also have Hazel Sweetnam and Marjorie Garland with us with their lovely M.U. cards and small gifts.

We will let you know each month when our next meeting will take place, since there is still uncertainty about Covid variants affecting us. Take care meantime and do keep in touch when you can .  (DW)

Green Matters.  It is lovely to see the snowdrops and primroses popping up from underneath the dead leaves in the Churchyard. We have had such a mild winter so hopefully the new shoots won’t be caught in an artic blast in the next few weeks. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew who heads up the Parish Eco Group. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com  

Music Matters.   The second of our video chat series ‘Music Monday’ was posted to our Facebook page on February 7th. The series features interviews with people from the liturgical music community and hopes to explore the many aspects of music in our worship life during 2022.  Important dates in the coming six months include Sunday March 6th when we celebrate women in church music in advance of International Women’s Day on March 8th. We also hope to mark International Pipe Organ Day on April 23rd as we did last year. All the organists of Carrigaline Union contributed videos to our Facebook page as well as two students Callum Nuzum and Meadhbh Campbell. We invite all the organists of the diocese to contribute this year – a short video introducing yourself and how you came to be an organist, as well as a short piece/hymn of your own choosing. Contact Bébhinn – bebhinnmuire@gmail.com if you would like to take part. (BNM)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the April Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th March please.

The February 2022 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes Yet again the prevailing mood as I write these notes in the beginning of January is one of despondence. We are all fed up with the restrictions and yet the rising figures from the HSE each day demands that we all continue to make the effort to stay at home, reduce our contacts and make sure we don’t endanger anyone if we are infected. At least most of us are vaccinated now and that has made a huge difference to the numbers in our hospitals. Thank God for science! But the depths of winter is never easy even in the best of times but the Spring IS coming and hopefully the restrictions will lessen soon.  We just have to keep looking forward and know that, with the help of God, we will all get through this. As we did last year, we made the decision to keep up the Advent Stars on the spires of both churches until Candlemas (2^nd February) as just like last year, we felt we could do with beholding the light of Christ shining from on high.

Mothers’ Union  These are strange and unpredictable times for us all. We had cancelled our Christmas lunch in December due to the possibility of infection.  Instead we as a committee (Valerie, Hilary W.P. and Deirdre) and our Diocesan President Hilary Dring visited or met you all individually with Christmas Cards and little handmade gifts – edible mainly! It was lovely to chat to you and hear how you were coping coming up to Christmas.  Many of us and our families  are coming through Omicron infections since Christmas.    I pray that you have kept well and warm as we come into Spring time with brighter days and all the lovely bulbs flowering in turn. We sadly cannot plan a M.U. Meeting yet but will keep in touch meantime as I hope you will too.  (DW)

Green Matters.  We are all striving to conserve energy usage, particularly in our homes. With that in mind we will be posting suggestions (relatively inexpensive) on the Parish Facebook Page over the next few weeks that could help. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew who heads up the Parish Eco Group. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com  (VA)

Music Matters.  On the Parish Facebook Page , on the first Monday of each month in 2022, Bébhinn Ni Mheara will be chatting with someone from the pipe organ community in a short interview. People who teach, play, build and manage organs in our parish churches will be featured. We hope you will enjoy exploring this significant aspect of music in worship.  Thank you to Bébhinn for organizing this. The inaugural January interview with Florence Binions, the former Organist from St Michael’s Church, Blackrock, was fascinating.

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the March Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th February please.

The January 2022 Magazine Notes

Christmas Thank you to everyone who made our parish Christmas so special, the people who changed their screensavers and phone wallpaper to our Advent theme in the leadup to Christmas, those who looked after the Stars that shone out so brightly from Advent Sunday till Epiphany on our Church towers, the people who decorated the churches, made the Advent Wreaths, put up the Cribs & the Christmas trees, played music, sang in the small separated choirs, hummed along with the music and attended the limited capacity, online or Zoom services.

A huge special thanks to all of the wonderful Church Wardens for working around all of the Covid-19 restrictions at the many Services and enabling us all to celebrate the birth of our Lord together safely. May we all take every moment that this New Year brings as a blessing from God.

The Bible in One Year! Thank you to everyone who has already ‘signed up’ to this initiative. It is a big commitment to take on … there will be no ‘days off’ during the coming year but I guarantee you that it will be the  most rewarding read of your life. The plan is that you read the chapters laid out each day (see inside for details) beginning on January 1st and ending on 31st December. If you don’t have a Bible yourself, you can just borrow one from the Church for the year. There are also plenty of online sites where you can read the passages. https://bible.oremus.org/ is a good site that I use all the time.  The version of the Bible that we read in Church is the NRSV version.  Every Wednesday at 8pm there will be a Zoom meeting for just one hour to answer any questions that you may have about the text you have read in the previous week. Obviously the Wednesday Zoom is entirely optional and something you can just dip into as you need. The one thing that is not optional is that you really have to keep up with the daily reading of the assigned text as much as you possibly can as it would be very difficult to try to catch up on a whole week’s texts in one single sitting. You can tick off each day’s text in the little box as you go….and now the important question to ask yourself is ……… are you ready to give it a go?’ There are booklets available with all of the dates/Bible texts or you can look up the parish website www.carrigalineunion.org.   Canon Elaine

Mothers’ Union   I hope this finds you all keeping well and with boosters to help your feelings of safety. We had a lovely zoom Festival Service for Beginning Again instead of the three services planned in St. Brendan’s Church, Bantry, Cloyne Cathedral and St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral in Cork. This went live on Sunday 21st November at 3pm. and could be seen online through M.U. Facebook.
November has also been an important time when we remembered those affected by gender-based abuse and violence. 16 days from 25th November to 10th December were to create awareness of this 1 in 3 incidence across all society.
Our Christmas lunch in R C.Y.C. sadly was also cancelled on 10th December due to a new Covid variant coming from South Africa.  We will donate the Euro109.00 collect on 27th October to the M.U. Overseas fund. On a brighter note, I hope you had a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas and would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year  and look forward to meeting again we hope in February.
Phone calls will keep us in touch meantime (DW)

Green Matters     

We are delighted that two heritage apple trees from Seed Savers have been planted in the church grounds at St Mary’s Carrigaline. We also encouraged everyone over Christmas to use recyclable wrapping paper and Christmas cards. If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com (VA)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the February Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 9^th January please.

The December 2021 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes  The Healer Prayer group marked the feast of All Saints by having a special Service on Sunday 31^st October. Parishioners submitted names of people they would like to remember and people they were currently praying for. These names were then written on wooden hearts. All of the names were read out while these hearts were hung on a special wrought iron tree we use for liturgies . The following day, 1^st November, at dusk, by request, candles in memory of parishioners deceased family and friends were lit and placed in St Mary’s churchyard, following a Lutheran tradition that I had observed in Finland back in 2017.  The following poem ‘All Saints’ by the Revd Malcolm Guite was read aloud

Though Satan breaks our dark glass into shards

Each shard still shines with Christ’s reflected light,

It glances from the eyes, kindles the words

Of all his unknown saints. The dark is bright

With quiet lives and steady lights undimmed,

The witness of the ones we shunned and shamed.

Plain in our sight and far beyond our seeing

He weaves them with us in the web of being

They stand beside us even as we grieve,

The lone and left behind whom no one claimed,

Unnumbered multitudes, he lifts above

The shadow of the gibbet and the grave,

To triumph where all saints are known and named;

The gathered glories of His wounded love.

Mothers’ Union  Our meeting went very well on 27th October and it was lovely for our members to meet over afternoon tea with 5 per table. We followed the H.S.E Guidelines very carefully.
We had 22 ladies and made Euro109.00 with donations for the cakes and sandwiches left over as well as for teas and coffees.
Hazel Sweetnam and Marjorie Garland brought some lovely Christmas cards and sympathy cards, calendars and small gifts which all sold well and helped us to think ahead to plan for Christmas.  Christmas cards etc. can still be ordered though the M.U.Gift Guide online or by phoning Hazel or Marjorie directly. Their mob. numbers are: Hazel: 0852512464 and Marjorie: 0860883400.
Sadly we, as a M.U. Committee decided to cancel our meeting for Wednesday  17th November at 3.30 pm, when Brenda Haubold (nee Poole) was to give us a “Flowers for Christmas” talk and demo. This was because of the rising cases of Covid and we felt it was too much of a risk for all our members to gather at that time. However, we are looking forward to meeting again on Friday 10th December for Christmas lunch at 12.30 pm. The cost will be Euro28.50 for a choice of two main courses and two desserts and tea/coffee. If you could let Deirdre, Hilary Warren Perry or Valerie Andrew know when we phone you whether you’d like to come that would be great. We will need definite numbers by end on November.  Meantime keep safe and well and in touch with each other (DW)

Green Matters We marked the COP26 gathering in our Church Services on 7^th November. The Rector preached on how we each have to commit, in our own lives,  to doing something to help reverse the Climate crisis. The appointed  Gospel reading of that Sunday was in fact the story of the Widow’s mite which is a good role model for us to give sacrificially. The intercessions by Simon Woodworth prayed for global communities like Madagascar who are now suffering from climate-induced famine.   

If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com

Dates for the Diary (may change due to COVID-19 restrictions)

17^th December   7:30pm St Mary’s Church   Carrigaline Community Carols

19^th December   4pm      St John’s Church   9 Lessons & Carols

24^th December   4pm      by Zoom              Carols around the Crib

24^th December  11pm   St Mary’s Church     First Eucharist of the Nativity

25^th December   9am, 11am & 1pm   St Mary’s Church  

                         10am  & 12 noon    St John’s Church

Please note that you will need to book in for the Christmas Day Services in order to manage numbers. Contact the Rector by text or email.  Thank you.

The November 2021 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes   Our Harvest Services on 3^rd October were a joy. The wonderful smell of greenery , fruit & vegetables in the churches! Thank you to all who decorated and contributed produce. The produce used to decorate the churches were distributed to Meals-on-Wheels and Penny Dinners.  There was a retiring collection of 667 euro for UNICEF’s ‘Get a Vaccine/Give a Vaccine’ appeal. Thank you to everyone for their generosity.  The children’s Sunflower Competition prizes were distributed during the Services and you can see some of the photos in this edition or check the photo gallery on www.carrigalineunion.org Well done to all of the children who very carefully nurtured their Sunflowers since the Spring…although sometimes even with the best of care the Slugs will still get them! Don’t worry if this happened this year, just try again next year!

Douglas Henderson writes   “Jane Henderson, formerly of this parish, passed away peacefully at her care home in Welwyn, UK on July 30th last, aged 95. She will be sadly missed by her family, friends, neighbours and former colleagues.”

Mothers’ Union  As you read this, I’m sure we will have enjoyed meeting again indoors at last in our newly refurbished Parish Hall on Wed. 27th October for a chat and a cuppa, at 3 pm.  That day Hazel Sweetnam will have brought some Christmas cards and calendars/diaries as well as other sympathy and birthday cards for us to decide on and choose or order from the M.U. Gift Guide.
These are also available online.  We will meet in a similar way in the Parish Hall, on Wed 17th November at 3 pm, when we hope Brenda Haubold (nee Poole) will give us a flower- arranging demonstration with a Christmas theme. We also hope to have a raffle as well that afternoon for our M.U. funds which are very depleted due to having no meetings over the past 18 months.  Looking ahead to December, we have booked the Royal Cork Yacht Club for our Christmas lunch, on Friday 10th December at 12.30 p.m. So we will take numbers at our meeting on 17th November, where possible! Details will be discussed that day. Keep well and we will be in touch by phone very soon (DW)

Green Matters.   This year’s Season  of Creation ran from Sept 1st to 4th of Oct., and no better way to finish it than with the results of the Sunflower growing competition on Harvest Sunday 3rd Oct. It is a wonderful way of introducing children to gardening and allowing them to connect with nature  (VA)  

If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com

Dates for the Diary

20^th November 10am – 12noon Intercessions Workshop

Holy Baptism

9^th October 2021 St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline, Harry Edward Joseph Whitely, son of Philip and Sarah.

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the December  Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 7^th November please.

The October 2021 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes   What an exciting month September was for the parish. The Revd Richard Dring was ordained Deacon on 5^th in St Mary’s Church and at the time of writing we were planning for 9 people to be confirmed on 26^th and hopefully as you read these notes I would have been finally installed to the Prebendary of Timoleague on 19^th, getting in just before the Dean of Ross retires at the end of October!. This had been initially planned for March 2020!

It was a pity that we didn’t get to have the ‘remote’ Animal Blessing at the end of September as the Confirmations took precedence but hopefully next year around the feast day of St Francis of Assisi we will be back to the ‘live’ version of our popular Animal blessing Service.  Even though things are slowly opening up again, we are sticking to Zoom for our weekly Bible Study (8pm on Wednesdays) and for the monthly Netflix gathering ( 8pm on the last Friday of the month)

This month, we have our Harvest Services in both churches on 3^rd October and the newly ordained deacon will preach at both of them. Then the following week, 10^th October, the Revd Julia Cody from our link parish of ‘The Church in Perton’ will be preaching via videolink at the 11am Service I will of course be preaching over there.

Mothers’ Union   At the time of writing, I feel sure our Opening Service on Tuesday 14th September at 8 pm in St. Mary’s will have gone well. We would have had a chance to chat afterwards outside the church if dry; otherwise inside. We will be able to have teas/coffees and a good catch up with each other at our October meeting on Wednesday 27th at 3 pm. So that will be lovely for us all. The restrictions will be lifted on 22nd October for groups to meet indoors. This means we can use the newly furbished Parish Hall too.  We will continue to wear masks at our meetings, indoors in particular, for the moment. Restrictions are being eased in this regard, so watch this space!   We can only go from month to month in our programme planning, so we will let you know in good time a month ahead.  Hilary Dring’s walks for Mums in May are going well so far and she will be very glad of sponsorship. Please contact Hilary (0863680513) or Deirdre (0862612442) re same.  Keep safe and well until we meet again!   (DW)

Green Matters.   Sunday 29th August was designated Climate Sunday in our parish with the theme of creation very evident throughout the service. It allowed us to reflect and renew our commitment for action as a community and as individuals to help the ever growing crisis of Climate Change. (VA)  If you have any thoughts on how we as a parish can improve our green footprint, get in contact with any of the parish eco group. For ideas you can check out www.ecocongregationireland.com

Dates for the Diary

3^rd October 10am & 11am Harvest Thanksgiving Services. Sunflower Competition

10^th October  11am Service Pulpit Swap with Revd Julia Cody from Perton

29^th October 8pm Parish Netflix Club

20^th November 10am – noon Intercessions Workshop

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the November Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 7^th October please.

The September 2021 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes   I am writing these notes just before I take my holidays and I really can’t wait to have a few weeks with no structure about it. I think that is the best part of time off – the whole idea of having nothing to do and nowhere to be … just to not check your diary every morning is great. Thank you to the people who covered for me. Revd Isobel for pastoral emergencies and Gordon Coombes, Helen Burke and Wilfred Baker for taking the services and of course huge thanks to our fantastic Church Wardens (Hilary, Barney, Henry & Lesley) who always manage everything beautifully, even in these difficult times.

As you read these notes, we will be getting up to fever pitch in excitement at the ordination of Richard Dring to the Deaconate. This will take place on 5^th September at 5pm in St Mary’s Church and I believe this will be the very first time anyone was ever ordained in this church since it was consecrated back in 1823… amazing. I just wish we didn’t have these restrictions as I’m sure the church would have been packed out to support Richard on the day. Luckily the bishop has kindly given his permission for the service to be live-streamed so you can all tune in and watch the beautiful ordination liturgy from the comfort of your own home. (www.carrigalineunion.org, under live-streaming , or go to YouTube and search for ‘Carrigaline Union of Parishes’)

I will be installed to the prebendary of Timoleague in St Factna’s Cathedral at 3pm on Sunday 19^th September. I’m grateful to the Dean of Ross for organising this long postponed service before he retires at the end of October. Do you remember we had planned a wonderful parish day out in March 2020! I don’t think many of us will be able to attend this time alas as Covid-19 restrictions will still be in place. I’ll make sure someone takes photos!

Speaking of photos, some of the children have already sent me in lovely photos of their growing Sunflowers. The winners of this years competition will take place at our Harvest Thanksgiving on 3^rd October so please send me in the photos and the actual height of the Sunflowers by the end of September. 

The weekly Bible Study by zoom resumes (or should that be ‘rezooms’?) on Wednesday 1^st September. Each week we meet at 8pm to look at the upcoming Gospel for Sunday. All welcome to join and we never go longer than one hour, I promise!

I am hoping to have a ‘remote’ Animal Blessing as part of the 11am Service on 26^th September and I would encourage you to send me photos of your best friends whether furry, feathered or scaled!

The regular monthly Zoom Netflix gathering is back at 8pm on the last Friday of the month. On 24^th September we will be discussing the Movie ‘Penguin Bloom’ All welcome

Finally to mention that the Revd Julia Cody from our link parish of ‘The Church in Perton’ will be preaching via videolink at the 11am Service on Sunday 10^th October and I will of course be preaching over there.

Mothers’ Union   I hope you all will have had a relaxing time over the Summer and enjoyed our lovely weather, although almost too hot at times, in July. We are looking forward to meeting up in St. Mary’s Church on Tuesday 14th September for our Opening Service. We would love to be able to have refreshments afterwards in the newly renovated hall but all this will need to be done within whatever safety guidelines are in place. We as a committee will also be in touch in the meantime to see how you feel about meeting again. Hilary Dring will be doing her 5 km. walk for Mums in May on Wednesday 8^th  September from St. Mary’s Church. There will be a Communion Service at 10.30am (as usual) first and Canon Elaine will say some prayers to help Hilary, and those accompanying her, on their way. Hilary hopes to walk in each of the parishes over the next two months, starting in late August. This is a great fundraising cause  (21in 21) and June Butler, our All Ireland M.U. President, has been doing  three 7km. walks around the Cork diocese in July, meeting people and getting to know the county as she went.” Just Giving” is the website or donations directly to Jean Patterson should you so wish. Keep safe and well!  (DW)

Green Matters.   Climate Sunday was being planned as these notes were being written. In advance of COP26, parishes around Ireland and the UK were having special Climate Sunday Services to pray for all participants. If you want to know more about the COP gatherings, check out the Pewsheet for 29^th August where there is a great article on how these ‘Conference for the Parties’ began.  If you would like to contribute notes on the subject of the environment, please get in touch with Valerie Andrew, who heads up our parish Eco Group.

Dates for the Diary

1^st September 8pm Weekly Bible Study on Sunday’s Gospel by Zoom

5^th September 5pm Live-streamed Ordination Service of Richard Dring

19^th September 3pm Rector will be installed in St Factna’s Cathedral, Roscarbery

24^th September 8pm Parish Netflix Gathering

26^th September Animal Blessing (photos only!) at the 11am Service

3^rd October 10am & 11am Harvest Thanksgiving Services. Sunflower Competition

10^th October  11am Service Pulpit Swap with Revd Julia Cody from Perton

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the October Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 7^th September please.

The July/August 2021 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes  Congratulations to the Revd Tony Murphy on walking an amazing 100km around all the parishes in the diocese during May… a fantastic feat and it raised over 10, 000 euro for the diocesan Christian Aid project in Burundi.  I have to say I’m finding it just as hard writing these notes this month even though we are open for business again! We may be open for church services again but nothing else is happening in the parish!. I’m optimistic for the autumn though. The parish hall should finally be open again (and those toilets will never be taken for granted again!) and hopefully we will soon be having our after church coffee and chats again in the beautifully renovated space.

Mothers’ Union Summer has definitely arrived with so much warmth at last and growth and blossom everywhere.  I hope you are all fully vaccinated or about to be by now. Giving our family members and grandchildren a hug again is such a joy.  I hope also that all those of us who are careful still will benefit from having a safer Summer without another lockdown.  Thinking of all those students doing Leaving Cert and college exams as I write. Also those who are struggling with anxiety/depression who we may know, not helped by the pandemic isolation.

Please keep all those vulnerable folk in your prayers as you enjoy your long- awaited freedom for these Summer months.    Regarding the M.U. Mums in May fundraiser during this year,(21 in 21), I am enjoying walking 21 km each week for the month of June, and hope you can do something similar to help with this worthwhile fund for the homeless and families in need of support.

I have a sponsorship card which I can email to any of you if you wish. My mob. is 0862612442.  As always do stay in touch when you can with a phone call or a walk with a friend. (DW)

Green Matters.  The green committee in the parish are continuing to raise awareness to make gardens more attractive for Pollinating insects, Oxeye Daisy plants were offered to parishioners. They are a native Irish flower,and a great source of nectar. A very successful project, some were taken by Monkstown Tidy Towns.  No Mow May has been extended to Don’t Mow -Let it Grow in the Rectory garden (and my own )for the summer. (VA)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the September Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 5^th August please.

Funerals

27th November 2020  Christopher Henderson   Ringaskiddy Crematorium

25th January 2021  Joan Nicholson  St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

14th April 2021  Vivienne Sharpe  St Luke’s Churchyard, Douglas

17th April 2021  Ed Fleury  Ringaskiddy Crematorium

4th May 2021  Ruth Howe  St Mary’s Graveyard, Carrigaline   

.

   

The June 2021 Magazine Notes

The Rector writes      

Hopefully by the time you are reading these notes, some of us will have met up again in church! It will be so lovely to be able to see you all in person. Obviously we would have been lost without Zoom but you can’t beat meeting up in reality. Mind you, one huge advantage of Zoom is that people were attending the Lenten Bible Studies from the comfort of their own sofa which prompted me to begin a weekly Bible Study on Wednesdays at 8pm. For one hour only, we will look at the coming Sunday’s Gospel and have a chat about it. People will be free to dip in and out as the sessions will be standalone. The Zoom link is on the weekly email from me but just email me at emitincork@gmail.com if you’d like to join in.

Children’s Ministry

All of the children in the parish received Sunflower seeds in the post just before Rogation Sunday. They now have all summer to try and grow the tallest Sunflower in the parish and win the prize at our Harvest Thanksgiving Service.  Some of the children got cracking immediately! (see photo)

Link Parish

Our Link Parish of Perton in the Diocese of Lichfield held another online fundraising Quiz in May, this time for Christian Aid. The rector was asked to write the Bible Round questions again even though she’d set the last lot at a ridiculously high level which meant nobody did well on that round!. At the time of writing these notes, the quiz had yet to happen so hopefully it all went better this time!  The Revd Julia Cody, their Team Vicar, preached for us again on Rogation Sunday and the Rector preached over in Perton, by video obviously! We look forward to the day when we can all meet up in person!

Mothers’ Union

It’s hard to believe that we are nearly in Summer, one year on, at last. With more restrictions lifted and more of us vaccinated, we have a better chance of having a relaxing and safer Summer this year.  We hope to meet in the Autumn but this has to be given the go ahead by the All Ireland Council in June. Meantime we can perhaps join in the Mums in May initiative and decide to do 21 things to fundraise for that worthy cause, in this year of 2021. This idea is open-ended and can be anything we choose. We can ask for sponsorship from friends and family or may be approached by another M.U. member to join them and have fun. Sadly we lost our M.U. friend Ruth Howe in late April – our thoughts and prayers are with her family as they grieve. I hope you can all enjoy the fine weather and beauty around us from now on, walking or meeting at a distance for a coffee and a chat. Phone calls are also a great way to keep in touch.  (DW)

Green Matters.   

We are promoting No Mow May at the moment ,to encourage us all to avoid mowing the lawn in May. Many beneficial insects including bees, butterflies, moths, & dragon flies thrive better in long grass. So do frogs, toads, hedgehogs & many birds. Lawns only cut every four weeks support 10 times as many bees as those cut weekly. Our Church grounds in St Mary’s & the Rectory garden have been designated No Mow areas, so it will be an interesting month (VA)  

If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the July/August Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th June please.

The May 2021 Diocesan Magazine Notes

The Rector writes     Yet again we had to have our Holy Week and Easter Liturgies behind closed doors. I would like to thank Simon Woodworth, our parish Webmaster, for all his efforts during Holy Week and Easter Day with the Zooming and Live-streaming. I have had several emails and text messages from Parishioners and Friends of the parish telling me how much it meant to them to be able to tune into the various Services.  I would also like to thank our Bishop at this stage as he is just a fantastic organizer and helped us all to tap into the diocesan events at the click of a button (on our PC obviously!). Hopefully next year we will all be out rejoicing together again but for now, we did our best and that will have to do.

Children’s Ministry

The children had a lovey Easter Crafts Workshop on the day before Palm Sunday and some lovely things were created.  Thank you so much to Tracey, Rachel & Elvina for their imaginative crafts and for giving their time to our children.  We also had a lovely Children’s Service at noon on Good Friday when we heard the whole Easter Story.

Drama Group

Thank you so much to the Director/Leader of the Drama Group Mary Murphy and some of the members of the Parish Drama Group for their moving Holy Week Drama (scenes set in the Upper Room, the Garden of Gethsemane, Pilate’s House and Golgotha). Kevin Ryan, Cecil Poole, Rowland Newenham, Hazel Kelleher, Hilary Warren-Perry and Livy Riordan were all fantastic in the roles. We were also able to use the wonderful music sent to all the parishes by Peter Stobart and the St Fin Barre’s Cathedral Choir in between the scenes and we are most grateful to them for yet again selflessly sharing their musical talent. The Drama formed part of the Evening Prayer Zoom Service live-streamed on Good Friday Night but it is also available to view on the Parish website and was posted on the parish Facebook Page. 

Mothers’ Union

We are at last seeing light at the end of the tunnel, since our travel restrictions have been eased and we can move more freely within our large and beautiful county. It has been so long since we have met in person, it will be a great joy to have family back and to meet a friend/family out of doors at least for a coffee or meal out of doors with a patio heater I hope!  The Lady Day service went very well on 25th March for those who could see it on the M.U. Facebook page. That is still available to see, since it was recorded. I know Wi-Fi and broadband isn’t always easy to access, but it has been our best way for now to keep in touch or have meetings.  Of course phone calls are a lifesaver too and so important to us all to catch up with friends regularly.  There are various events going on around the country in M.U. which can be seen in the Spring Focus magazine. This can be printed off the computer for you if you cannot see it yourselves.  Easter will be different this year but you will have enjoyed it in your own way by the time you read this. Sadly we could not go to our own Church on Good Friday or Easter Sunday. We can look forward to longer days and a staycation this Summer with family and meeting friends again when we are all vaccinated at last. Stay safe and keep in touch by phone when you feel like a chat anytime.(DW)

Green Matters.   

Pledge your Garden for Pollinators is part of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan. Easy suggestions to encourage & nurture these vital insects in our gardens. www.pollinators.ie/gardens  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the June Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th May please.

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The April 2021 Diocesan Magazine Notes

The Rector writes   As I try and think of something to write this month I am sighing and wondering are we ever going to get back doing things together and seeing each other properly!  Over in St John’s Church we had a partial wall collapse last week after the torrential rain (nobody was hurt thank God !) and when I went over to see it with a couple of the lads I was almost happy to be ‘out’ and talking to someone other than Liam or the dogs!  I also love when I legitimately bump into people down in Barry Collins or Lidl or Dunnes… We are all missing each other so much and most are finding this latest lockdown to be very tough. We are weary of all the restrictions at this stage even though we know how important they still are. Although we do have some sort of an end date in sight (April 5^th) it’s almost kind of hard to believe that it will all end soon. But, the vaccine rolls out as I type and that is definitely something to be happy and positive about. When a majority of us are vaccinated it will make a huge difference. For now, we just have to hang on and grit our teeth and know that some day , hopefully in the not too distant future, we will be on the other side of this painful time.

Easter    

At the time of writing these notes I still don’t actually know what the Services will be like for Easter. Unless the restrictions are lifted, and that seems unlikely,  we won’t be physically in Church again this Holy Week and Easter.  I hope that we will be inventive as we were last year with some Services available online and of course we will Livestream as normal from St Mary’s Church at 11am on Easter Day , just as we did last year.   So I will pin the Palm Crosses on the Church Gates to be taken away by anyone passing by during Holy Week, we will have some Zoom Services during Holy Week and there will also be diverse liturgies available on the Diocesan website as was the case last Easter.  Please keep an eye on the Parish website www.carrigalineunion.org or the Facebook Page for details.   I hope that we will have our Easter Garden over in St Mary’s Churchyard as usual and after I light the Pascal Candles on Holy Saturday night, I will again leave on all of the electrical lights in the two churches so that everyone will see the light of Christ shining out into our wounded world.

Children’s Ministry

The children in the Parish received a packed envelope of stuff to do during Lent and Holy Week (see photo) and are no doubt looking forward to their Easter Craft Zoom Workshop with the Sunday Club leaders the day before Palm Sunday.  We will also have a Good Friday Zoom Service for the children at 12 noon. The link will be sent out nearer the time.

Green Matters.   

Cork County Council are in the process of putting a draft plan together to deal with the traffic congestion, improve the infrastructure of footpaths, and cycles lanes to encourage less use of cars into the town centre. There is also provision in the plan to enhance amenities in the town centre such as outdoor seating areas. Full information on corkcoco.ie (Carrigaline Transportation and Public Realm Enhancement) (VA)  The Nesting Boxes are in situ now so keep an eye out for activity if you are in the churchyards (see photo) If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the May Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th April please.

The March 2021 Diocesan Magazine Notes

The Rector writes  As well as older people who have had to cocoon, the restrictions have been particularly difficult on our children and young people. It is so hard to stay connected when we are not meeting in person. In the parish over the last year, we have tried to stay in touch with regular posting to all the children. Hopefully as you read this, our children will working away on the various activities which were posted out to them just before Ash Wednesday. One of the activities was a Lenten Family Prayer Journey Booklet which I have put together with different exciting prayer ideas for each week of Lent.   The children also have a Lenten Roadmap where each of the 40 days of Lent can be ‘ticked’ off by colouring in the square as well as a  ‘Stained Glass’ colouring in sheet which they can stick up on their window. Following on from the successful Christmas Craft Workshop, there will be a Zoom Easter Craft Workshop at 3pm on Saturday 27^th March and thank you to the Sunday Club Leaders; Tracey, Rachel, Elvina & Nora for taking this on. We will also have a special Zoom Children’s Service at 12noon on Good Friday 2^nd April. Invitations for these Zoom meetings will be sent out by email nearer the date. It is hard to stay in touch but not impossible!  At the time of writing these notes, we still have no idea of what we will be able to do liturgically for Easter so do keep an eye on our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org  I will also keep you updated via the weekly Pew Sheet email (and if you are not already on the email list, let me know at emitincork@gmail.com) and of course the April Diocesan Magazine will have the most up to date information on Easter services in the parish.  

The Lenten Bible Study is by Zoom at 8pm each Wednesday in Lent (apart from St Patrick’s Day 17^th March). We will look at the Gospel for the Sunday following and discuss it.  The Zoom invitation will be on the Pew Sheet email each week.

Finally, congratulations to Hilary Dring who successfully completed the Diocesan Certificate in Christian Studies awarded by St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. We are all very proud of her.

Mothers’ Union We’re nearly there we hope by the time you read this! The promise of lighter restrictions and less need for them is keeping you optimistic I hope, and as busy and warm as you can be in this cold weather. You will find a very good way to keep busy on the M.U. Website where Mothering Sunday (14th March) will be celebrated in a lovely way. If you like baking, a recipe for a Simnel Cake is included. Also a special Prayer Diary from 8th ( International Women’s Day) to 14th March (Mothering Sunday). This is the time to remember all those women and girls in our community and our family circle as well as worldwide. They deserve our love and support and thanks for all they’ve done – as ‘good enough’ mothers and friends – not perfect! Being a Mum is the most important and undervalued  job in the world don’t you think?  We also hope to have a zoom service on Thursday 25th March ( Ladies’ Day) to Pray with Purpose. This will be recorded hopefully, so you can see it on M.U. Facebook page later if it doesn’t suit that day. Time to be confirmed. No more to add except to  wish you all a safe, happy and Holy Easter, whether you are on your own or able to be with family. (DW)

Green Matters.     Although Spring has technically arrived, weather can still be harsh. Besides providing food for our garden birds, always ensure there is accessible drinking water for them also. (VA)  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the April Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th March please.

The February 2021 Diocesan Magazine Notes

The Rector writes The prevailing mood as I write these notes in January is one of despondence. We are all fed up with the restrictions and yet the rising figures from the HSE each day demands that we all continue to make the effort to stay at home, reduce our contacts and sanitise, sanitise and sanitise.  The depths of winter is never easy even in the best of times but Spring is coming and the restrictions will lessen soon.  We just have to keep looking forward and know that, with the help of God, we will get through this.

Confirmation The group of 8 young people who began their confirmation preparation last year and were halfway through have now recommenced their classes via Zoom.We will be ready when the Bishop calls! The Rector is also keeping a list of those who would like to be confirmed in the next group.

Mothers’ Union I hope when you read this we will be looking forward with Hope and Confidence to this awful pandemic being managed with vaccines. Our theme for this year is to have that hope and confidence, which I know has been so difficult during the various lockdowns. We need to find a way of getting in touch as a branch again. We are all missing our regular monthly meetings and chat over a cup of tea afterwards. At the moment it would be great to make regular phone calls to those members you may know who are on their own and perhaps feeling lonely and isolated. Prayer is very important too specially for those who are ill with or without Covid 19, or who have been bereaved. My heart goes out to those who have lost a close family member or friend and have not been able to have that normal comforting hug from those they love.
There will always be beauty in the sunsets and scenery and birds to feed and enjoy, as the Spring comes in and snowdrops peep up as well as daffodils and crocuses. Stay safe and warm and healthy these cold days and everything will come right with God’s help and protection. (DW)

Green Matters.    We are in the process of building Nesting Boxes for small garden birds. They will be placed in the grounds of both Parish Churches and the Rectory Garden to encourage our garden residents to ‘stay local; when looking for a nesting site. (VA)  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the March Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th February please.

The January 2021 Diocesan Magazine Notes

Christmas Thank you to everyone who made our parish Christmas so special, the people who changed their screensavers and phone wallpaper to our Advent theme in the leadup to Christmas, those who looked after the Stars that shone out so brightly from Advent Sunday till Epiphany on our Church towers, the people who decorated the churches, made the Advent Wreaths, put up the Cribs & the Christmas trees (inside and outside!), played music, hummed along with the music and attended the limited capacity, online or Zoom services.

A huge special thanks to all of the Church Wardens and the members of the Lead Response Group for working around all of the Covid-19 restrictions and enabling us all to be back together safely. May we all take every moment that this New Year brings as a blessing from God.

Confirmation The group of 8 young people who began their confirmation preparation last year and were halfway through will now recommence on Thursday 14^th via Zoom. The Rector is keeping a list of those who would like to be confirmed in the next group although it is likely that will not be until next year.

Link Parish News Our Link Parish ‘The Church at Perton’ Wolverhampton in the diocese of Lichfield has invited us to join them in another Quiz Night. The last one was great fun with the Rector’s team doing grand, neither winning nor failing miserably! The Quiz will take place at 7pm on Saturday 16^th January via Zoom. As we did the last time, instead of transferring money to the Mothers’ Union in Perton, the organisers have asked that we donate 10 euro to our local MU here.  To register a team, email revjulia.perton@gmail.com  The ‘Canon Balls’ from the Rectory will be in the mix again this time! (The rector is setting the Biblical Round of questions in fact!)   The other bit of news from our link is that the Revd Julia and the Rector will ‘swap’ Pulpits again on Sunday 31^st January. We look forward to that!

Green Matters.    If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the February Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 10^th January please.

The December 2020 Diocesan Magazine Notes

Canon Elaine writes Writing these notes we are still at Level 5 but hopeful for a lessening of the restrictions soon. Normally in the December notes, I give you the details of all the Christmas activities but in truth I don’t know at this stage what will be possible.

The Sunday Club leaders are putting their heads together devising crafts that have to meet two very different criteria. They must a) be something that fits in with our Zoomed Christmas Eve Children’s Service and b) must also somehow fit in an A4 envelope for posting to the children ! Not an easy task but Tracey, Rachel, Elvina & Nora are amazing and I look forward to seeing what they will come up with. We will have a Zoomed Workshop on Saturday 19^th when we will , from the comforts of our own home, make the Crafts to use at the Christmas Eve Service.

Our link parish of ‘The Church at Perton’ in the Diocese of Lichfield invited us to take part in their Diocesan Day of Prayer in October. We had the 8am – 9am ‘slot’ in their 24 hour Prayer Day. We also included Lichfield in the regular clergy/diocesan reader Friday Zoom Morning Prayer. I was impressed with the prayer that they had written for the occasion and hope you will enjoy it too.

Generous God, you have provided for your people in every generation.

In our faithlessness you remained steadfast.

In our obsession with scarcity you provided abundance.

In our anxiety you offered us freedom from fear.

In our despair you gave us hope.

We receive your gifts, believe your promises and trust you for the future.

May we cease trying to fix the church and join with you in loving your world.

May we hear your call to fullness of life and share it with others.

May we be shaped by the Good News of Jesus, the light of the world

and May we seek your kingdom as People of Hope. Amen.

Mothers’ Union It seems so long since putting pen to paper for you loyal and patient readers and M.U. members. Since we have not been able to meet even in Church over the past two weeks, the days must seem long and all the same to many of us. A phonecall means a lot to those living alone, so even once a day we need to remember our friends we cannot meet.  I feel a glimmer of light at last with talk of a vaccine and of a new president elect in the U.S.A., thank goodness for the latter!  I also hope and pray that the restrictions will lighten for people returning for Christmas from across the water by air or sea, with quarantine in place of course.  On a more serious note, we need to remember those who are in difficult circumstances in their homes between loss of jobs or homelessness. Also many partners living in too close proximity where tensions may turn to abusive behaviour. This has a long-lasting effect on the children too.
We remember and pray for all those affected during the 16 days of Activism of between November 25th and December 10th. This will begin with Morning Prayer online on the 25th Nov. and finish with Evening Prayer online on 10th December and our M.U. website will inform you of other events during this time.  May I wish you and your families a safe, holy and peaceful Christmas and every blessing for the year ahead – a better one we hope in 2021, when we will meet again. (DW)

Monkstown Chamber Choir have resumed practice. In September, we sorted ourselves into small groups and met in various locations around Monkstown and Carrigaline. However, the more recent lockdown meant that we had to change our thinking and we eventually gave in to Zoom! Elaine was really helpful in setting this up for us.  We now meet at our usual 8pm on a Thursday evening, but from the comfort of our cosy homes. Roger has introduced us to a lovely anthem “In my Fathers house” by Philip Stopford and we are also learning some new hymns. It is not ideal, but while Roger stays on video and audio, he plays us through each line, then we mute ourselves to sing along. Seeing each other is lovely, and as we would normally do, we chat for a few minutes before practice as we get settled in. Some of the choir enjoy practice with an accompanying glass of wine – not something that we would normally do, but sure why not?!

Christmas is going to be weird. At this stage, we really don’t know how it will pan out. So we are keeping all our options open until 1 st December. Most likely, we will not be able to enjoy the now traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in St John’s this year. Perhaps we can perform some sort of outside Carol singing? Some choir members have signed up for a virtual concert arranged by composer Ian Callanan, whereby we record ourselves signing carols and he will then get a sound engineer to mix them together. The concert is called “A Christmas Story” and will be aired on Facebook on 20th December.

What a year it has been for us all. The last time we met each other for real, was just before our forthcoming St Patrick’s Eve service in St Luke’s Church, Douglas. If you had told us then that we would not be together as a group for probably nine months or more, and that practice would be via Zoom, nobody would have believed you. But Monkstown Chamber Choir are made of strong stuff….we shall get through this and keep together, no matter what!! (RE)

Funerals  26^th October 2020  St Mary’s Cemetery, Passage West, John Sweeney   

If you have items to be included in the January Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before 4^th December.

The November 2020 Diocesan Magazine Notes

Canon Elaine writes And yet another strange month behind us. Along with some others I was supposed to have attended a Preaching Conference with the Bishop in Oxford but had to content myself with a one day online conference on 29^th September instead. It was actually a wonderful day, very well organized with fantastic speakers and lots of new thoughts on preaching but you can’t really compare walking around Oxford in the Autumn with sitting for an entire day looking at a screen in my Rectory office… Such is life at the moment and I have little to be complaining about. 

We were so lucky that we managed to have our Harvest Thanksgiving Services in both churches on 4^th October. The very next week we were at Level 3 and only On-line Services allowed…Phew!  The Revd Julia Cody, the Vicar of our linked Parish of Perton in the diocese of Lichfield preached via a video for us while I ‘preached’ over there. It went very well as those of you who were at the 11am Service on 4^th October or who read her sermon on our website will testify (and a reminder that sermons and intercessions are put on the parish website on Monday morning each week). The Revd Julia had actually recorded her sermon in a Vineyard local to her parish in Perton (near Wolverhampton) so I thought that was pretty snazzy as the reading was about a Vineyard (see Photo).  At Harvest Thanksgiving we also gave out the prize for the tallest Sunflower and the winners this year were the Whitley boys with a fantastically tall Sunflower! Thank you to the 11 families who put in entries, they were all amazing and all of the families received a lovely prize too. (see photo). We also had winners for the Harvest Colouring Competition so well done to all of the children who sent me in their colouring sheets. If you’d like to see more photos of the Harvest celebrations including the amazing decorations in the two churches , go to the Gallery on our parish website www.carrigalineunion.org and check them out.

The Parish school is getting through these weeks safely and effectively. I have sent in some video Assemblies and we have had one big Zoom Assembly at the time of writing with another one to happen hopefully before Halloween. Again thank you to Ms Elliffe the Principal and all of her staff for managing cheerfully in what is a very stressful time for all involved in teaching. They are remarkable really.

Another lucky break for us was that we managed to fit in our ‘Easter’ Vestry on Thursday 1^st October… again phew!. We could have fitted up to 45 people in St Mary’s Church but as is usual at our Easter Vestries, we were nearer the 20 mark! I always say that a sparsely attended Easter Vestry is a sign that the majority of the people in the parish trust the Rector is doing a good job (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!)

Anyway, this year was a Triennial year so we had to vote for Parish Nominators and Diocesan Synod Members as well as the Select Vestry. I have given the results below. Thank you to the outgoing Select Vestry for doing a wonderful job in a tough year. Welcome to the incoming group… it’s all ahead of us but with the grace of God we’ll get through whatever the year has still to throw at us!

Select Vestry 2020-2021

St John’s Rector’s Churchwarden                  Barney Deane

St Mary’s Rector’s Churchwarden                 Hilary Warren-Perry

St John’s People’s Churchwarden                  Henry Forbes

St Mary’s People’s Churchwarden                 Lesley Roberts

Rector’s Glebewarden                        Cecil Poole

People’s Glebewarden                                    William Warren-Perry

Hon. Secretary                                                Rowland Newenham

Hon. Treasurer                                                Helen Arnopp

Health & Safety Officer                                 Richard Dring

Valerie Andrew, Mary Cowhig, Jonathan Fleury, Madeleine Geary, Oriel Hosford, Sydney Hutton, Mary Murphy, Eddie Pierce

Parochial Nominators 2020-2023

Helen Arnopp, Rowland Newenham, Lesley Roberts, Hilary Warren-Perry

Supplementalists : Hilary Dring, Jonathan Fleury, Eddie Pierce, Richard Dring

Diocesan Synod Members 2020-2023

Hilary Warren-Perry, Helen Arnopp, Richard Dring, Joy Keefe, Simon Woodworth

Supplementalists : Clodagh King, Oriel Hosford, Eddie Pierce, Cecil Poole

Green Matters  A very insightful and thought provoking zoom conference was hosted by Eco Congregation on Saturday 3rd of October, over 120 people attended. The theme was how to have hope in these uncertain times of climate change. The presentations by the three speakers will be available soon on the ECI website at www.ecocongregationireland.com  (VA)  Both churches had an Eco Congregation Candle lit during the recent Harvest Thanksgiving (see Photo)

Holy Baptism  13^th September 2020  St John’s Church, Monkstown , Priscilla Grace Statham, daughter of Nick and Louise.

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the December Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 7^th November please.

The October 2020 Diocesan Magazine Notes

Canon Elaine writes Another strange month behind us. It is getting ever more difficult to write diocesan notes when not a lot is happening event-wise. But we are all still ticking over. We have our church services each Sunday and that is something to be very grateful for. I remember back in the dark days of April , May and June when I was on my own in the church (and our Parish Webmaster Simon Woodworth manning the Camera) I used to long for the day when we would be back together again in church, so I am grateful. Mind you, a lot of us are still choosing to tune in remotely to the livestreamed 11am Service but again we are grateful for the technology that allows us to do this. On the negative side, our parish social life is still more or less absent. There is no coffee after church, no Bowls, no Friendship Club, no Theological Book club, no Sunday Club , no Animal Service etc.  We will have started a Zoom Bible Study Course by the time you are reading this. Each Wednesday at 8pm we are looking at the Book of Job, a most timely book for this time in our existence. Do join us if you like, just email me (emitincork@gmail.com) for the link.

The Parish school is safely back in business. A huge thank you to Ms Elliffe the Principal and all of her staff and the many helpers for getting it safe and ready for the pupils. I have limited myself to video Assemblies but on the plus side, this meant I was able to introduce my new puppy Daisy to all the children – I couldn’t have done that in ‘real life’!

We will be having our (limited) Harvest Thanksgiving on October 4^th and the ‘remote’ preacher will be the Revd Julia Cody, the Vicar of our linked Parish of Perton in the diocese of Lichfield. I will be ‘preaching’ to them at the same time. Isn’t modern technology a wonderful thing! Thank you in advance to the socially distanced people who will decorate both of the churches for that day.

A new initiative began over in St Mary’s Church last week. The plan is to use the lovely ‘Fuzzy Felt’ cut-out figures and display boards which were gifted to us by the Revd Stella Jones who was rector in Kinneigh until quite recently (and our sincere condolences to Revd Stella on the death of her husband Bob Beare on 8^th September. May he rest in peace and rise in glory).  It is really difficult at the minute to try and engage our children during the Services and of course no Sunday Club activity is currently possible.  So as well printing the usual scripture based activities for the children (word quiz, colouring sheet, crossword etc.)  the Rector is going to try and tell the story of one of our readings through the media of this ’Fuzzy Felt’.  We shall see how it goes!  Obviously the adults are allowed check it out too! The photo shows the first Passover in Egypt from the reading in Exodus on 6^th September.       

Mothers’ Union These are indeed strange times and it is sad that we could not meet as a group to come together in September for our Opening Service in St. Mary’s Church.
We do hope to have had a Virtual Festival Service by the time you receive this, at the end of September. It will be good for us to meet in this way but also I do hope that members can be in touch with each other by phone as well as perhaps a coffee, being socially distanced of course.
We are waiting to hear from our All Ireland Trustees and President June Butler as to when we can safely meet again. The decision was made by them not to meet before the end of November. So maybe a small gathering before Christmas. That remains to be decided.
We hope that 2021 will be a healthier year when this Pandemic has eased, and all of us have come through the Winter unscathed.
Meantime we’ll keep in touch through Church services and phone calls at least. Stay safe and well and enjoy fresh air when you can! (DW)
 

Monkstown Chamber Choir were itching to get back to some sort of practice after our extended summer break. We are considering all our options as we cannot yet sing in St John’s Church. This might include small “pod” practices in our homes as well as group zoom meetings. For Culture Night on 18th September, Roger composed and Denis Lane wrote the lyrics for “Hymnus de Amicatiae” (Hymn of Friendship). This was written to celebrate the friendships within our choir and the joy of singing  together. It was presented as a group programme with Cork Volunteer Centre under the talented eye of Adam Lacey. Poems, artwork, songs and other creative treasures were displayed in a special Facebook edition during this difficult time. However we return to practice, what is so clearly evident is the joy and community wholeness within our lovely choir. (Roger Ellis, Organist & Choirmaster).

Eco Congregation We created a wilderness area in the garden and were well rewarded. Overgrown Ivy allowed Sparrows to nest and Teasels attracted bees when in flower and now are offering seeds for birds. Nettles also offered a safe haven for some species of butterflies to lay eggs. (VA)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the November Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 7^th October please.

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The September 2020 Diocesan Magazine Notes

Canon Elaine writes   Our two Churches opened up again on July 5^th and we were all really glad to see each other. We are still having to ‘book’ into one of the three service (9am St Mary’s, 10am St Johns & 11am St Mary’s) to ensure that no one will have to be turned away because we are full. (with the social distancing restrictions we can only fit 45 in St Mary’s and 25 in St John’s) We continued with Live Streaming the 11am Service so that anyone who is not feeling well, even a tiny bit unwell, or if someone is particularly vulnerable, then they can stay at home, tune into the livestream and be part of the Service from the couch, thereby not endangering themselves or any other person.

What happens when you get to Church :

• There is a one way system in place. Please follow the directions of the Church Wardens. We will enter through the main doors and fill the church from the front to the back and then when the Service ends, we leave through the back door , row by row, from the front to the back. Once you are sitting in a pew, please don’t get up and move around the church until you are leaving.

• There is hand sanitiser at both doors. Please sanitise your hands as you arrive and as you leave. Be patient with the automatic dispensers. Put your hands close to the nozzle and it will come out!  

• There are pedal operated bins at the entrance and exit.

• There are packets of tissues available in church.

• There are unfortunately no toilet facilities available in either church for the duration of these restrictions.

• When you arrive you will be met by one of the churchwardens. They will tick your name off on a list (for later contact tracing if required). Non-Parishioners visiting will need to give them a contact number as well as they won’t be on our Parish Database. The Wardens will show you where to pick up the Pew Sheet which will contain all the words of the Service as well as the normal parish news like Random Notes, Musical Notes etc. We aren’t using the normal Prayer Books for the moment. Please take home these Pew Sheets with you when you leave. Indeed please make sure to leave nothing belonging to you behind on the pew.

• Masks are required. Please bring your own mask if possible. Some masks will be available from the Church Wardens if you have forgotten yours. Again, please take home your mask with you.

• If anyone gets ill during the service, please alert one of the Churchwardens.  There is an emergency procedure to isolate someone with suspected Covid-19 symptoms

I know that you all care about others enough to know that these measures are what we need to do in order to get through this awful Pandemic in a safe a way as is possible.

There are plastic pockets of Coloured Markers for children on their first visit back to church and they can bring their own markers and pencils with them on Sundays. I will always have new colouring sheets and activity sheets for them.

At the time of writing , we still don’t know how we are ever going to get back to school but whatever happens I know that it will involve a lot of work and effort from teachers so in advance I thank them for all that they do and are doing. Good luck to all of last years 6^th Class as they begin in Secondary school and to all young people beginning in college in this strangest of years. All our prayers go with them all.

The Select Vestry had their very first ‘real’ meeting on August 6^th (see photo) . we had been meeting via Zoom and while it has been very effective most of the time, it was lovely to actually see all the Select Vestry gathered , socially distanced and masked, in St Mary’s. We also had Zoom at the meeting for anyone who didn’t want to be in the Church. Thank you to all of them, who have continued on, in the absence of the Annual Easter Vestry, to work for our parish. In particular I would like to thank the Church Wardens and the Health & Safety Officer who are working so hard each Sunday. In St Mary’s , they come in for the 9am Service, have coffee & a biscuit in the Vestry and hang around until the 11am Service – truly devoted! Thank you to Richard Dring, Barney Deane, Henry Forbes, Hilary Warren-Perry and Lesley Roberts. Thank you also to our Parish Webmaster Simon Woodworth and his team for keeping our livestreaming going so successfully.

Speaking of the Annual Easter Vestry, this meeting will now take place at 7:30pm on Thursday 1^st October in St Mary’s Church. It will be a shortened meeting to conclude all the essential business , like adopting the accounts from 2019, voting in the new Select Vestry, and as it is a triennial year, we have to vote in Diocesan Synods persons and Nominators.

Finally and most importantly, I continue to pray for you all daily and I hope you will pray for me as we keep worshipping together in safety.

God bless us all.

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the October Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 7^th September please.

.

The July/August 2020 Diocesan Magazine Notes

for Carrigaline Union of Parishes

Canon Elaine writes  Here I am again, writing notes when we still haven’t seen each other yet!. But on the positive side, we hope to open up our churches on 5^th July! This is of course depending on how the second phase proceeds and it is within that 2^nd phase that I am writing…. So I hope as you read this, the plan is still on track. The Select Vestry are now frantically putting in place the safety measures required to open. It won’t be the same as before unfortunately and this is something that we have to face. Just as you don’t shop in the same way or visit your friends in the same way, so too going to Church will be different from before.  We will adhere to every Government advise but at least we will be back together, albeit at a safe distance. The most important thing for us to remember is that if we don’t feel well, we must not attend church. This is really key.  We will be continuing the Live Streaming even after we open the church so if you don’t feel well, even a tiny bit unwell, or if you are particularly vulnerable, you should stay at home, tune into the livestream and be part of the Service from your couch, thereby not endangering yourself or any other person. Other major differences will be that there will be no gathering in groups in the Churchyard or heading over to the Parish Hall (sin sceal eile!) for coffee and chatting afterwards.  Things are not going to be the same I know but we all given up so much recently that we are grateful for every little step forward.

I know that you all care about others enough to know that these measures are what we need to do in order to get through this awful Pandemic in a safe a way as is possible.

Each month I have posted activity sheets and odds & ends to the children in the parish and some of them have sent wonderful photos back showing themselves hard at work and also how their dogs looked in their handiwork! (see photos). Thank you to the parents for encouraging them to stay connected to church. It has been most uplifting.

Well done to all the teachers in St Mary’s for playing a blinder during the lockdown. It is no easy thing to teach children remotely each day from home. The St Mary’s School Board of Management has met twice by Zoom and the Rector also had a Zoom Assembly in June.  We wish all of 6^th Class a successful transition to Secondary school and our prayers go with them all.

The Select Vestry have continued meeting via Zoom and it has been very effective most of the time although like all technology it can have it’s hilarious moments. Those of you who remember Daleks in Dr Who will recognize the sound coming from some people’s home PCs.   Still, glitches notwithstanding, the Select Vestry have been working very hard to keep all the plates spinning in the air. Thank you to all of them, who have continued on, in the absence of the Annual Easter Vestry, to work for our parish.

Finally and most importantly, I continue to pray for you all daily and I hope you will pray for me as we come back together in safety.

God bless us all.

Eco Notes. Lockdown has been a challenge for us all, but it has allowed us a greater awareness and appreciation of nature. Our parish Climate Justice Candle is featured along with others in the latest EcoCongregation newsletter and can be seen at www.ecocongregationireland.com (Valerie Andrew, Parish Green Committee)

Monkstown Chamber Choir. Monkstown Chamber Choir ended abruptly like so many other groups and of course actual services. We had been practising and looking forward to the St Patrick’s Eve service in St Luke’s Church, Douglas which was cancelled at the last minute. Also, our fundraising event at Dorothee Roberts’ home was postponed but depending on regulations at the time, we hope to have this outside instead, in August perhaps. Very sadly, chorister Mary Andrews’ husband Paddy passed away in April. Some of the choir members who were able to attend, sang “An Irish Blessing” outside the church in Monkstown as his coffin arrived for the private funeral. We normally have our annual West Cork trip in June, so we may look at deferring this to the autumn. We all need our West Cork fix!! Exactly how a return to practice will work in September is still to be revealed, but we WILL return sometime and in some sort of form. James Taylor was unable to practice his organ skills in the School of Music during lockdown, and as he resides in Monkstown we were delighted that he used our lovely organ in St John’s instead. This was great, as a lack of use for such a long period would have been very bad for the organ. We have chosen our comeback hymn – number 468 in the hymn book “How shall I sing that majesty” (tune Coe Fen) and will practise this ourselves at home over the summer. The first four lines seem so apt:- “How shall I sing that majesty which angels do admire? Let dust in dust and silence lie; sing, sing, ye heavenly choir”. The choir members have been keeping in touch through our WhatsApp group, sharing music, stories, jokes, pictures, recipes, old photographs and other silly things. It has been lovely to stay in contact. (Roger Ellis, Organist and Choirmaster)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the September Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 7^th August please.

The June Diocesan Magazine is available to read online

Diocesan Magazine June 2020

The May Diocesan Magazine is available to read online

Diocesan Magazine – May 2020

The April 2020 Magazine can be viewed online by clicking the link below.

http://carrigalineunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Diocesan-Mazazine-April-2020-.pdf

Carrigaline Union Notes for March 2020

Lenten Bible Study Group  led by the Rector are using the Bible Association of the Church of Ireland’s Lenten Study for 2020 entitled ‘Caring for the Garden of the Earth’ by Margaret Daly-Denton. Meeting each Wednesday in Lent at 8pm in the Parish Hall, immediately following the Evening Prayer Service in St Mary’s Church.

Christian Aid The Rector has been asked again to contribute to the Lenten Reflections from Christian Aid and her reflection will appear on March 25^th.

If you are interested in receiving daily reflections emails during Lent, the link is https://www.christianaid.ie/lent-easter-appeal/footprints

Women in the Bible Study Group led by Clodagh King are focusing over a six week period on some of the remarkable women to be found in the bible. Meeting Thursdays at 7:45pm in the Parish Hall.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘Mr Golighty’s Holiday’ by Salley Vickers and we will meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 11^th to discuss. All welcome.

Littlies Plus One continue to meet in the Parish Hall beside St Mary’s Church for a couple of hours from 10am each Monday morning. All accompanied toddlers welcome for some uncomplicated playtime, coffee & chats

Sunday Club made their own Alleluia Butterflies in advance of Lent (when they will go to sleep for 6 weeks before awakening on Easter Day) The children also have a Lenten Roadmap where each day can be coloured in from Ash Wednesday until Easter Day. Sunday Club meet at 11am on the 2^nd Sunday of each month in the Parish Hall.

St Mary’s School This year the school community again collected items for Cork Penny Dinners in the ‘Love your Neighbour for St Valentine’s Day’ appeal. It was truly amazing to see all the stuff piled high on the stage. Well done everyone!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 12^th March. All welcome.

Ecumenical Project Team – Carrigaline Welcome Group. Thank you to all who came to our recent Table Quiz in the GAA Hall. At the time of writing we were again on the look out for a house to rent in the Carrigaline area (our last house unfortunately fell through at the last minute). Please keep your eyes peeled!. Somewhere there is a refugee family in waiting whose greatest wish is to come and be part of our community here in Cork.

Mothers’ Union   We had a very good Area meeting and Bring and Share lunch at 1.30 p.m. on 15th. Jan which was quite well attended and soup of two varieties and rolls were enjoyed by those there with sandwiches they brought themselves.  Hilary challenged us the think of the parable of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes and how we need to use our God-given resources when we are going through a crisis of some kind. Then she asked us to discuss the way M.U. is working and also any ideas we had were listened to around how to commemorate the Centenary of the War of Independence, as requested by Bishop Paul.  When you read this, you will have enjoyed Clare Poole’s talk on 19th February in the Parish Hall – “A Few Steps on the Wild Side” when she will have shown us photos and told us of her adventures travelling in Canada and the Rockies and cruising to Alaska.
Forward Planning: Saturday 7th March at 10 a.m. we will celebrate The Women’s World Day of Prayer in the Parish Centre of the R.C. Church of Our Lady and St. John, in Carrigaline. This promises to be a very thought provoking ecumenical service. Wednesday 25th March at 3pm in the Parish Hall beside St. Mary’s Church: Ladies’ Day:  Bring and Buy (Home Produce/Cake Sale) for the “Make a Mothers’ Day” Fund. Tea and coffee provided. All welcome. (DW)

Green Matters.  Lots of takers for the free Oak Saplings initiative and thank you to John Andrew for organising it all.  If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the April Magazine, please email them to the rector (emitincork@gmail.com) before the 7^th March please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

2^nd March      Annual review of Vestry Persons Register 7:30pm Parish Hall

4^th March      Evening Prayer 7:30pm St Mary’s 8pm Bible Study in Parish Hall                               (Wednesdays)

5^th March      Women in the Bible Study Group 7:45 Parish Hall (Thursdays)

8^th March      Sunday Club 11am Parish Hall

Choral Evensong 7pm St John’s Church, Monkstown

12^th March     Friendship Club 11am Rectory

29^th March     No morning services in Monkstown/Carrigaline ,

11:30am Installlation of the Rector as Canon in St Factna’s                                  Cathedral in Rosscarbery.

7pm Service of Wholeness & Healing St John’s Church

Holy Baptism :  26^th January, St Mary’s Church, Ben Robert Nation, son of Sean and Nicola, brother of Conor and  Kevin.

Carrigaline Union Notes for February 2020

Giving Tree Originally built by William Warren-Perry (based on the design of St Anne’s Shandon!) for Christmas giving, the tree was emptied and the goodies delivered to our four charities (Simon, Penny Dinners, Cuanlee Refuge and Direct Provision Kinsale Road) on 23^rd December. Lo and behold, after Christmas it started filling up again with unwanted/unused Christmas fare! Thank you to everyone who have given so generously. It will be emptied and dismantled for Candlemas 2^nd February to make a reappearance next Advent.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Lost Message of Paul’ by Steve Chalke and we will meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 3^rd February to discuss. All welcome.

Littlies Plus One continue to meet in the Parish Hall beside St Mary’s Church for a couple of hours from 10am each Monday morning. All accompanied toddlers welcome for some uncomplicated playtime, coffee & chats.

St Mary’s School had a special Epiphany Service as their Assembly on 6^th January. The children then had as their only homework the chalking of the lintels of their home using the symbols  ’20 + C + M + B + 20′. Although they each brought home their service sheets detailing how the three Wise Men, (C)  Caspar, (M) Melchior, and (B) Balthasar followed the star of God’s Son who became human (20) two thousand and (20) twenty years, the rector has heard some hilarious versions of what the letters actually stand for.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 13^th   February.

Ecumenical Project Team – Carrigaline Welcome Group. Thank you to all who came to our recent Whist Drive and especially thanks to Henry, Barney & Oliver the organisers. The next event is on 21^st of this month when the Welcoming Group are organising a Table Quiz in the GAA Hall in Carrigaline. 7:30pm on Friday 21^st. Spot Prizes welcome.

Mothers’ Union  Our Christmas lunch was enjoyed by all on 4th December in R.C.Y.C. We had a great turn out and good fun catching up with old friends and meeting some maybe for the first time, from different parts of the parish, including those from Douglas and Crosshaven parishes. After our lunch, we had a collection for the Cuan Lee Shelter for women/men who have suffered violence and need a refuge. Hilary Dring and our rector Elaine also spoke of the need to support those in Direct Provision, and clothes and money was collected for their needs as well. Thank you to all those who contributed. By the time you read this we will have had an Area Meeting and Bring and Share lunch on Wed. 15th January at 1.30pm. in the Parish Hall beside St Mary’s Church, when soup/rolls will have been provided and those coming brought their own lunch. Hilary will have talked about what will be happening this year and it is an opportunity to discuss M.U. going forward. Also the subject of the Centenary year of the War of Independence and our part in it will be opened up.  Future Planning: Wednesday 19th February @ 8 p.m. in the Parish Hall “A Few Steps on the Wild Side”- a talk and photos of her trip to The Rockies last Summer will be given by Clare Poole, which should be very interesting. We can be armchair travellers!
Supper will be provided as always. Bring a friend and I look forward to seeing you all there. (DW)

Green Matters. A new boiler has been installed in the Rectory. It uses on average 35% less fuel,resulting in less carbon emissions and lower heating bills .A campaign to encourage usage of recyclable wrapping paper ran before Christmas. It was encouraging to find the product was widely available in the shops (VA)   If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the March Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 7^th February please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

3^rd Feb         Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

2^nd Mar         Annual review of Vestry Persons Register 7:30pm Parish Hall

Funerals :

31^st December, Edward Henry Worth Newenham, interred in St Mary’s Churchyard.

Carrigaline Union Notes for January 2020

Christmas Thank you to everyone who made our parish Christmas so special, the people who hosted the Posada on it’s journey from home to home (especially Fr Pat, but that would be an ecumenical matter!) , those who looked after the Stars that shone out so brightly from Advent Sunday till Epiphany on our Church towers, the people who decorated the churches, made the Advent Wreaths, put up the Cribs & the enormous Christmas tree, played music, sang and attended the services. May we take every moment of this New Year brings as a blessing from God.

Whist Night for Carrigaline Welcome Group. Thank you to Henry Forbes,   Barney Deane & Oliver Webb for organising  a special Whist Night for the Carrigaline Welcome Group on Saturday 18^th January at 8:30pm in the Canon McCrea Hall, St Mary’s School. All money raised will go directly to the CEPT team (Carrigaline Ecumenical Project Team) to welcome a Refugee family to the Carrigaline area. Please do come along and support the night, or if you can’t be there perhaps you could contribute a little something towards it anyway? Thanks also to the lads for holding Whist Classes for any beginners on Monday 6^th and 13^th January, 8pm in the Parish Hall.

Drama Group A huge well done to all of the people involved in the recent Supper Theatre Fundraiser. For the third year, the Drama Group in Carrigaline Union collaborated with the Douglas Union with Frankfield Group and it was a fantastic three night run. The actors, director, producer, wardrobe, props, the hardworking ‘Backroom Boys’ and ‘Kitchen Crew’ should be so proud.

Confirmation If you would like to be confirmed this year please contact the Rector.  Classes begin on Thursday 23^rd January (5-6:30pm ). Please make a note now of the Bishop’s Confirmation morning 7^th March as all confirmands must attend.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Message of Paul’ by Steve Chalke and we will meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 3^rd February to discuss. All welcome.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 9^th  January.

Mothers’ Union   We had a very inspiring talk by Tracey Pierce on recycling and creating Christmas Crafts on 20th November.  The Diocesan M.U. Getaway Weekend in Garryvoe Hotel on 22nd to 24th November was also a great success and we all felt refreshed and nurtured after it. Our guest speaker Sarah-Jane Cromwell was amazing in how she came through gender dysphoria and has spoken widely on her life and hardships she suffered growing up both in school and her own  home.  The Sixteen Days against Gender Violence was also spoken about and on Thursdays we are encouraged to wear black and wear a badge that explains the reason.  We will have enjoyed a delicious lunch in R.C.Y.C on 4th December to bring in the Christmas feeling, by the time you read this;  Advent being a time for preparation for Jesus’ birth, and not all about consumerism!  Forward Planning: Wed. 15th. January at 1.30pm.  – “Bring and Share” to enjoy soup and rolls in St. Mary’s Parish Hall as we chat and listen to Hilary Dring. This will be an Area meeting, to find out what will be happening during the year going forward. She will also discuss plans for the centenary year of the War of Independence.  Meanwhile I hope you have had a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year! (DW)

Green Matters.  Our Eco-Group had a stand at the “Faith in Action” evening  on 13^th November in the Parish Hall. Thanks to our members we had detailed information about composting, tips on cleaning using non-toxic products and a comprehensive list of Irish Nature trees and shrubs which would encourage wildlife in the garden.  We find Social Media (Facebook) an excellent method of sharing information particularly when our posts are shared by other like-minded groups.(VA)  If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the February Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th January please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

6^th Jan          Whist Class for beginners 8pm Parish Hall

9^th Jan          Friendship Club 11am Rectory

13^th Jan        Whist Class for beginners 8pm Parish Hall

15^th Jan        Mothers’ Union 1:30pm Parish Hall

18^th Jan        Whist Night for Carrigaline Welcome Group 8:30pm Canon McCrea           Hall, St Mary’s School, Waterpark

23^rd Jan        Confirmation Classes begin 5-6:30pm each Thursday

3^rd Feb         Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

2^nd Mar         Annual review of Vestry Persons Register 7:30pm Parish Hall

Funerals :

30^th November , Graeme Nelson Moore, St Mary’s Church followed by cremation.

Carrigaline Union Notes for December 2019

Sunday Club  The children all had their feet painted onto a lovely banner that now hangs proudly from the Pulpit. Then at the November Sunday Club the children all made poppies to distribute to everyone in the congregation and learned a lovely action prayer about peace. Well done to Rachel & Tracey for doing some amazing stuff. All  school going children are welcome to come along on the 2^nd Sunday of each month at 11 am in the Parish Hall.

Mothers’ Union  Going back to 16th October, many thanks to Dorothee Roberts for her wonderful Painting Demonstration in acrylics where a beautiful coastal scene grew before our eyes! A lovely supper followed too. We will have enjoyed Tracey Pierce’s Christmas Craft Demonstration on 20th Nov. and got inspiration for handmade  Christmas gifts I’m sure.   The M.U.  Diocesan Getaway Weekend in Garryvoe Hotel will also have happened by the time you read this. I’m sure it will have been a relaxing weekend and a time for: Listening to God, and  Nurturing Ourselves and our World being very beneficial for us all.  The sixteen Days Campaign against Gender Violence will also have started that weekend, and Sarah Jane Cromwell will have shared her story with us, (having been diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria,) as part of that awareness, on Sun 24th Nov. in Garryvoe Hotel. Our Christmas Lunch on 4th December will also have been a good time for all there to treat themselves before the feast of Christmas in every household – held in the lovely venue of R.C.Y.C., Crosshaven and at Euro25.00 very good value. Next year’s Spring /Summer Programme will be given to all then too. I would like to wish Canon Elaine, and all our members and friends a Very Happy Christmas and see you all in January for our first meeting of 2020. This will be an Area Meeting with Hilary Dring our Diocesan president talking to us about what will be happening during the coming year,  also being the centenary year of the War of Independence, on Wednesday 15th January with a Bring and Share Lunch – soup and rolls provided – at 1.30 p.m. in St. Mary’s Parish Hall.  (DW)

CEPT (Carrigaline Ecumenical Project Team) ‘Carrigaline Welcomes Group’ This month NASC the Migrant Rights Group came to our parish hall and provided the required training for ourselves and the St Luke’s Welcomes Group on various aspects of welcoming a refugee family into the community. We are in the middle of the Garda vetting and will shortly be beginning our fundraising activities in earnest. The church collection at our Community Carols on 15^th December in St Mary’s will go to CEPT Carrigaline Welcomes Group. We have also a lovely ‘gift card’ for Christmas where you can give a gift of money to the group on behalf of someone you love! The Whist Group will run a special charity Whist Night on January 18^th in the Canon McCrea Hall for us and thank you to Henry, Oliver & Barney for their kindness. There will be an opportunity in the Parish Hall on Monday 6^th and 13^th to learn how to play Whist, so no excuse!. If you would like any further details, speak with the Rector, Rowland Newenham, Hazel Fleury, Jocelyn Pierce or Cecil Poole to hear more about the initiative.

Green Matters.  The phrase “Big trees from little acorns grow” is one we would like to keep in mind in relation to the parish Eco Group. To start we are posting Eco Tips regularly to the Parish Facebook page and in due course the website also. Always remember every change makes a difference. We are also preparing a stand for the Faith in Action evening on Wednesday 17 th November. We will have a report on the event in next month’s notes.  A special thanks to our resident social media guru John Andrew. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on their new website  https://www.ecocongregationireland.com/   (VA)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the January Magazine, please email them to the Rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 8^th December please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

4th December  Mother’s Union Lunch. 12:30pm RCYC

11^th December  Christmas Film Night,’Risen’  7pm in the Parish Hall Mulled wine & Popcorn!

15^th December  Carrigaline Community Carols, 7:30pm St Mary’s Church

22^nd December  Nine Lessons & Carols, 4pm , St John’s Church

24^th December  Carols around the Crib, 4pm , St Mary’s Church

First Eucharist of the Nativity 11:30pm St Mary’s Church

25^th December   9.30am Eucharist St John’s & 11am Eucharist St Mary’s

29^th December   11:15am United Christingle Service St Mary’s Church

30^th December Hannukah Service, Shalom Park (time to be announced).

6^th January      10am Epiphany Service in St Mary’s School, Waterpark

6^th January      8pm Whist Class, Parish Hall

13^th January    8pm Whist Class, Parish Hall

18^th January    Special Whist Night in Canon McCrea Hall for CEPT Carrigaline Welcomes Group

20^th January    Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

Holy Baptism – 3^rd November 2019, St Mary’s Church Carrigaline, Alexandra Violet O’Reilly, daughter of Ed and Pamela (nee Newenham) (see Photo)

Holy Matrimony – 25^th October 2019, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline , Jane Kelleher & Ronan Mahony

Christian Burial – 29^th October 2019, St John’s Church, Monkstown, Joan Gollodk (nee Deane) interred St Luke’s Churchyard.

Carrigaline Union Notes for November 2019

Week of Harvest  Thank you to everyone who made our Harvest week so special this year. Fr Pat Fogarty and Revd Liz Hanna who preached at the services, Henry Forbes and his team who organised the Harvest Supper, all the people who contributed produce and who decorated the churches so beautifully (and those who cleaned up afterwards!) and those who distributed the produce to Penny Dinners and Monkstown Meals on Wheels. Well done everyone!

Faith in Action! On Wednesday 13^th November, from 7:30pm in the Parish Hall, Carrigaline, there will be an information evening to help you find out what you can do (regardless of your level of fitness!) to put your faith into action. There will be people from Samaritans, Street Pastors, Simon Community, Mothers Union, Healer Prayer group, Eco Congregation, CEPT (Carrigaline Ecumenical Project Team) who will share with us simple ideas about what can be done in our locality to help others in need.  All welcome to come along to Carrigaline on the night.

Sunday Club  At the time of writing, the children were about to paint their feet onto a banner for church showing they were ‘following Jesus’ (the theme for Sunday Club this year). Perhaps a photo next month! All  school going children are welcome to come along on the 2^nd Sunday of each month at 11 am in the Parish Hall . For more details, please talk to the leaders : Tracey Pierce or Rachel Warren-Perry

St Mary’s School On the day of the Climate Strikes , 20^th September, we had a special Assembly. Special Posters had been created for the day in solidarity with all those marching in cities around the world . The Bells in St Mary’s Church also rang out for the occasion (thanks to the Bellringing team!) October 4^th Assembly remembered St Francis of Assisi , the first Eco Saint!  6^Th Class represented the School again at the special Service in St Peter’s Bandon where Revd Andrew Orr spoke about how important our climate is to our well being, using a real kidney to illustrate the point! The children were delighted with this of course!

Friendship Club  generally meet in the Rectory from 11am on 2^nd Thursday of the month . That will be 14^th this month.  Everyone is welcome to come along to the Friendship Club and if you need a lift, please contact the Rector.

Littlies Plus One are back . Meeting every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Youth Club    The Youth Club generally meet on the 2^rd Sunday of each month, from 7 till 9pm in the Parish Hall. Please check with the leaders for more details (Peter Coughlan, Brenda Haubold, Tracey Pierce, Oriel Hosford , Alison Warren-Perry & Christina Dring).

Mothers’ Union We had a very pleasant Opening Holy Communion Service in St Mary’s Church on Wed 18th September, led by Elaine our rector, with members participating in readings and prayers. Our A.G.M. followed and then a delicious supper. Many thanks to all who came, participated and brought those tempting eats!  The October meeting on Wednesday 16th, will have been enjoyed by all I hope, when you read this. Dorothee Roberts  will have given a painting demonstration using acrylics and depicting a coastal scene. Great hope for those inspired by her!  We meet again on Wednesday November 20th at 8 pm when Tracey Pierce will give a Christmas Craft Demonstration. More ideas and creativity with Christmas around the corner.  The Diocesan Women’s Weekend Away  will be held in the Garryvoe Hotel, Castlemartyr from Friday 22nd. to Sunday 24th November. All welcome and booking forms are still available from Hilary Warren Perry / Deirdre Whitley. Forward Planning: The Christmas lunch will be held in R.C.Y.C Crosshaven on Wed.4th December at 12.30 p.m. Please let Hilary Warren Perry know if you are able to come. Price to be confirmed (DW)

CEPT  Carrigaline Ecumenical Project Team is a group of people from the parishes of Carrigaline Union and Our Lady & St John’s Parish who are working together to enable a Refugee family become settled in our area (under the Community Sponsorship Scheme from the Dept of Justice & Equality). We are still at the planning phase (being garda vetted, training, searching for suitable accomodation, fund-raising) but you will be hearing more from us very soon!

Speak with the rector, Rowland Newenham, Hazel Fleury, Jocelyn Pierce or Cecil Poole to hear more about the initiative.

Green Matters. Valerie Andrew will be heading up a new Parish Eco Group to generate new ideas & vision. Sarah Foott and Clodagh Bryan are also part of this new group and with all this gardening expertise, we are sure to see something spectacular blooming. Thank you to Valerie for taking this on and if you are interested in being part of the group, please contact Valerie. Other news is that Conor & Kevin won the Sunflower Challenge this year, with Zoe and William and Lexi (via her Grandad) also getting prizes. Well done to them all. Our Animal Blessing Service was lovely and again highlighted the importance of all Creation. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew  or the rector or indeed any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on their new website  https://www.ecocongregationireland.com/

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the December Magazine, please email them to the Rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th November please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

1^st Nov         Service of Reflection 7:30pm St Mary’s Church

13^th Nov       Faith in Action evening 7:30 Parish Hall, Carrigaline

22nd-24th Nov       Mother’s Union Weekend Away Garryvoe Hotel.

29^th Nov – 1^st Dec   Theatre Supper Nights, Canon Packham Hall, Douglas

with Carrigaline & Douglas Drama Group

Carrigaline Union Notes for October 2019

Harvest Celebrations Our Harvest Celebrations began with the United Harvest Service in St Mary’s Church where the Preacher was the Very Revd Pat Fogarty, well known to many of you as a friend and neighbour as well as the local Parish Priest. This happened on Sunday 29^th September, and the following Saturday night 5^th October will be our Harvest Supper in the Canon McCrea Hall. This starts at 7:30pm and please let the Parish Office know if you are bringing a Salad or a Dessert. The next day, Sunday 6^th , our United Harvest Service is at 11:30am in St John’s Church where the Preacher will be the Revd Elizabeth Hanna whom the rector trained under up in Bangor Abbey many many years ago!

Sunday Club had their first gathering of the year in September and we were delighted to have a good gang join us. (see Photo)  Richard Dring very kindly covered the Service to allow the Rector be with the children and leaders for the first day. We spent time colouring and sticking leaves on some Harvest Posters ready for the service on 29^th.   The general theme of Sunday Club for the next year will be ‘Following Jesus’ and all school going children are welcome to come along on the 2^nd Sunday of each month at 11 am in the Parish Hall . For more details, please talk to the leaders : Tracey Pierce or Rachel Warren-Perry.

Friendship Club  generally meet in the Rectory from 11am on 2^nd Thursday of the month . That will be 10^th this month. Thank you to Joyce Loney for hosting September’s gathering in her home when the Rector was up in Dublin for an Interfaith Meeting. Everyone is welcome to come along to the Friendship Club and if you need a lift, please contact the Rector.

Littlies Plus One are back . Meeting every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Youth Club    The Youth Club generally meet on the 2^rd Sunday of each month, from 7 till 9pm in the Parish Hall. Please check with the leaders for more details (Peter Coughlan, Brenda Haubold, Tracey Pierce, Oriel Hosford , Alison Warren-Perry & Christina Dring).

Mothers’ Union  We’re well and truly into Autumn when you read this and will have had our M.U. Opening Communion Service on Wed 18th September where we all will have had a chance to reconnect after the Summer and join together in prayer and praise for the season ahead. We will have also had a delicious supper afterwards, and heard from the committee how the year has gone and an account of our finances will be given as well. The Autumn Programme will also be handed out that p.m.   Our meeting this month will be on Wed.16th at 8 p.m. Dorothee Roberts will speak to us and give us a “Painting Demo” using water colours and  acrylics, which I’m sure will be very inspiring and encouraging to any would-be artists in our midst. Her talk will be followed by supper as always. Contributions welcome!  Forward planning: November brings us closer to Christmas, and Tracy Pierce will show us how to make “Christmas Crafts”, using her creativity as always, on Nov. 20th.  December 4th we will be having our annual Christmas lunch in R.C.Y.C., more details to follow. Put the date in your diaries!  (DW)

Green Matters. Valerie Andrew will be heading up a new Parish Eco Group to generate new ideas & vision. Sarah Foott and Clodagh Bryan will also be part of this new group and with all this gardening expertise, we are looking forward to seeing something spectacular blooming. Thank you to Valerie for taking this on and if you are interested in being part of the group, please contact Valerie. Other news is that the rector has sent off for some Cyclamen seeds to plant in St Mary’s Graveyard for next spring so watch out for those! And at the time of writing we don’t know who has won the Sunflower Challenge this year but all will be revealed in next month’s notes. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact Valerie Andrew  or the rector or indeed any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on their new website  https://www.ecocongregationireland.com/

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the November Magazine, please email them to the Rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th October please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

5^th Oct          Harvest Supper 7:30pm Canon McCrea Hall

6^th Oct          United Harvest Service 11:15am St John’s Church

Preacher : The Revd Elizabeth Hanna

10^th Oct        Friendship Club , 11am Rectory

16^th Oct        Mothers’ Union 8pm Parish Hall

1^st Nov         Service of Reflection 7:30pm St Mary’s Church

13^th Nov       Faith in Action evening 7:30 Parish Hall, Carrigaline

(Simon Community, Samaritans, Street Pastors etc.)

Baptism:

25^th August, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Louis Simon Pope, son of Simon & Julie

Funeral:

28^th June,    St Mary’s Church, Andrew Willis  (Carrigaline Union) , Cremation

31^st July,      St Mary’s Church, Ann Meagher (Carrigaline Union), Cremation

14^th August, St Mary’s Church, Heuston Dagg (Schull & Carrigaline), Cremation

Carrigaline Union Notes for September 2019

Friendship Club  meet again on 12^th September. We generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. Everyone is welcome and if you need a lift, please contact the Rector.

Littlies Plus One are back again on 2^rd September. We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Theological Book Circle We are reading ‘The Great Spiritual Migration’ by Brian D. McClaren and will meet at 8pm in the Rectory on Monday 30^th September to discuss. All welcome to come along.

Sunday Club  The next Sunday Club will be September 8^th  The Club meets in the Parish Hall from 11am on the 2^nd Sunday of the Month.  If you have Primary School children they are welcome to come along and join us.

Holiday Club  This year’s Templebreedy & Carrigaline Union’s Holiday Club ‘The Adventure Cruise’  was a great success. 47 children and 20 teen and young adult leaders learnt all about the high ‘C’s  : Choice, Courage, Call, Change and Commitment through exciting stories from the Gospel of Luke. The teen leaders had a wonderful BBQ night in Crosshaven Rectory (see photos), thank you to Norman for not burning anything!

Youth Club    The Youth Club generally meet on the 2^rd Sunday of each month, from 7 till 9pm in the Parish Hall. This month several young people will be going to Cape Clear Island with CDYC , please check with the leaders for more details (Peter Coughlan, Brenda Haubold, Tracey Pierce, Rachel Warren-Perry, Oriel Hosford, Alison Warren-Perry).

Mothers’ Union  Looking back to June, we had a lovely Summer Outing to the Beechwood Garden in Glanmire on 26th June, when all those who came were amazed at the beauty and diversity in this unique garden. The sun shone too!

We had a very pleasant break for lunch before that in Ballyseedy Garden Centre, where plants were good value and so some ladies purchased wisely and well.

Early evening we had a delicious meal in the Elm Tree Restaurant in Glauntaune, before being driven back by coach to Carrigaline, dropping off the Douglas ladies enroute.  On that day, Sarah Foott kindly offered to host the same group and other friends on Friday July 19th to see her beautiful garden and have delicious afternoon tea and homebaking. Appreciated by all. Donations were accepted for the M.U. Overseas fund, Total €132.00. Many thanks to Sarah and those who donated. Forward Planning: We look forward to meeting again at 8 p.m. on 18th September, for our Opening Communion Service in St. Mary’s Church, Carrigaline, followed by A.G.M. and refreshments in the Parish Hall. All welcome.

The October meeting will be on Wednesday 16th Speaker to be confirmed, but promises to be very interesting.  The Autumn programme will be handed out on 18th September. (DW)

Green Matters. It was observed that some people are still coming into the Graveyard in St Mary’s and using pesticides like Round-up on the area around their family graves so we will be putting notices on both Churchyards to alert people to our Eco Friendly policies. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the October Magazine, please email them to the Rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th September please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

12^th Sept      Friendship Club 11am Rectory

15^th Sept      No morning Services in Monkstown/Carrigaline as Parish

will be attending 11:15 Service in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral

18^th Sept      Mothers’ Union Service 8pm St Mary’s Church

22^rd Sept      Blessing of the Animals, 11am St Mary’s Church

29^th Sept      United Harvest Service 11:15am St Mary’s Church

Preacher : The Revd Willie Black

30^th Sept      Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

5^th Oct          Harvest Supper 7:30pm Canon McCrea Hall

6^th Oct          United Harvest Service 11:15am St John’s Church

Preacher : The Revd Elizabeth Hanna

13^th Nov       Faith in Action evening 7:30 Parish Hall, Carrigaline

(Simon Community, Samaritans, Street Pastors etc.)

Carrigaline Union Notes for July/August 2019

Rector’s Vacation  The Douglas Clergy will provide emergency pastoral support during the Rector’s vacation (29^th July until 24^th August). They can be contacted at 021 4891539

Sunday Club   The children of our Sunday Club were delighted with all their prizes on Pentecost Sunday and were surprised when all the red balloons descended from the Galleries! Well done to Tracey Pierce and Rachel Warren-Perry, our Sunday Club Leaders on inspiring our children to be closer to God. Thank you!

Congratulations  to Oriel Hosford on doing so very well in the CYCD/YMCA  Leaders In Training Course. We are very proud of you.

Theological Book Club   Our chosen book for the Summer is ‘The Great Spiritual Migration’ by Brian D. McClaren. We will be meeting to discuss it in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 30^th September so you have plenty of time left to buy it , read it and inwardly digest it before then!

Mothers’ Union  The highlight for May was the Diocesan Festival Service and Hilary Dring’s Commissioning as Diocesan President, alongside the 90th Anniversary of M.U. in Carrigaline/ Monkstown Union. This all happened with a great sense of community and happiness for Hilary on Thursday 30th May in St. Mary’s Church when Bishop Paul gave a very thought – provoking sermon, and reminisced on how he and Hilary had been in school together, and had some fun in the telling. There were over 100 in the church, many having travelled a long way, and all enjoyed a lovely supper later in the Canon McCrea Hall. A beautiful anniversary cake was presented by Hilary Warren-Perry, and was delicious too. Cork Summer Show will have taken place on 15th and 16th June, where any volunteers who helped at the M.U. baby changing facility were much appreciated I’m sure.  We will have had our Summer Outing on 26th June which promises to be a pleasant day out, being picked up by bus, visiting Beechwood Garden in Glanmire, stopping for a coffee/tea break enroute in Ballyseedy Garden Centre, and finishing with an early meal at the Elm Tree Restaurant in Glauntaune. Our next meeting will be the Opening Communion Service on Wed.18th September. Wishing you all a lovely Summer! (DW)

Green Matters.   The rector spoke in the Sacred Heart Church in Monkstown on Ecumenism in Ecology during the recent Cork Ecumenical Bible Week, and she feels that it was no coincidence that the very next week, the Green Party was so  successful in the European and Local elections! Our Wildlife patch in St Mary’s Churchyard was quite spectacular this year. Thank you Carrigaline Tidy Towns! Valerie Andrew will be getting together a small group of like-minded parishioners to further our Eco journey so please contact her or the rector if you would like to become more involved in this vital area.  If you have other ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the September Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 27^th JULY please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

22^nd – 26^th July   ‘Adventure Cruise’ Holiday Club 10-1pm St Mary’s School

Carrigaline Union Notes for June 2019

Confirmation Congratulations to  Julie, Nicholas, Philip , Rachel & Rian on their  Confirmation in St John’s Church on Sunday May 12^th. May they always know the presence of God in their lives.

Annual Vestry Meeting The annual vestry meeting , more commonly known as the Easter Vestry took place  on Thursday May 9^th . The elected members were as follows:

St Mary’s Rector’s Churchwarden : Hilary Warren-Perry

St Mary’s People’s Churchwarden : Lesley Roberts

St John’s Rector’s Churchwarden :  Barney Deane

St John’s People’s Churchwarden :  Henry Forbes

Rector’s Glebewarden : Cecil Poole

People’s Glebewarden : William Warren-Perry

Select Vestry Members 2019-20

Helen Arnopp (Hon. Treasurer)

Valerie Andrew

Roger Clough

Mary Cowhig

Richard Dring (Health & Safety Officer)

Madeleine Geary

Sydney Hutton

Joy Keefe

Rowland Newenham (Hon. Secretary)

Rowland Njoku

Eddie Pierce

Thanks to all for agreeing to be part of this years team. There was a special prayer of commissioning during the Confirmation Service on Sunday 12^th May.

Quest Youth Group Thank you to the Carrigaline Youth Team for hosting the CDYC annual quiz and to all the attendees for a successful night (See winning team in photo) (TP)

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 13^th June in the Rectory. All welcome and if you need a lift, please contact the Rector.

Mothers’ Union  The Famine Lunch on Palm Sunday was very well attended and all who came after Church enjoyed the delicious soup and rolls provided by our Rector and Hilary Warren-Perry. €170.00 was given in total by those there, in aid of M.U. Overseas Funds. There will have been a Diocesan Council meeting on 11th May in the Parish Hall, which is bound to have been well attended, starting with a cuppa at 10.30 a.m. The big event on Thursday 30th May at 7.30 p.m. was the M.U. Diocesan Festival Service and Hilary Dring’s commissioning as Diocesan President, with Bishop Paul preaching. A delicious supper will have been enjoyed afterwards as well. Also there will have been a 90th Birthday celebration of M.U. in Carrigaline Union, with a beautiful birthday cake to fit this special occasion. The next event will be the Cork Summer Show 15th to 16th June, where M.U.will be offering baby-changing facilities over those 2 days. We will also be having a M.U. Summer Outing on Wednesday 26th June, when we will travel by bus to Beechwood Garden in Glanmire, to arrive by 2.30p.m. when there will be a guided 1 hour tour of the gardens by the owner. Cost €7.00. We hope to then have an Early Bird meal at the Elm Tree Restaurant in Glauntaune, before heading home again by bus. Pick up venue and time and cost of the bus to be confirmed. Hopefully a sunny day too! (DW)

Green Matters.  The ecumenical Dawn Chorus event was again led by Tony Nagle and we are very grateful to him for his most interesting talk as we walked around Currabinny Woods. It’s amazing how many species of trees are actually non-native!. The birds were out in force on a lovely sunny morning and thank goodness the gnats stayed in bed and we managed to eat our breakfast in peace. Our Wildlife patch in St Mary’s Churchyard is really doing well this year. It’s just on the right hand side as you come through the gates.  If you have other ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the July/August Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th June please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

30^th May till 9^th June ‘Thy Kingdom Come’  Prayers at 12 noon in St Mary’s Church

6^th June   Select Vestry Meeting 8pm Rectory

13^th June  Friendship Club 11am Rectory

25^th June  6^th Class Graduation Service, St Mary’s Church

29^th June  Art Day for Holiday Club Junior Leaders, Parish Hall

30^th June  United Service 11:15 St John’s Church, Monkstown

Service of Wholeness & Healing 7pm St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline

22^nd – 26^th July   Holiday Club 10-1pm St Mary’s School

Holy Baptism

21^st April 2019  in St John’s Church, Monkstown,  Samuel Antonio Mangaoang Foott, son of Derek & Aine

Christian Burial

17^th April 2019 in St Mary’s Graveyard, Carrigaline, Sarah (Sally) Meehan.

6^th May 2019  in St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline, funeral service of Brian Thomas Mott, Cremation.

Carrigaline Union Notes for May 2019

Easter Thank you to all who decorated the churches so beautifully, those who brought along the chicks, donated Easter Eggs to the appeal, brought along the Donkey, Acted out the Passion Gospel, Cooked for the Seder meal, allowed their feet to be washed, assisted at the Services, led the prayers, read the lessons, drilled holes in the Pascal Candles, lit the fire, got up at the crack of Dawn to worship our Risen Lord by the water & all shook their Easter Alleluia eggs!

Confirmation Please hold Julie, Nicholas, Philip , Rachel & Rian in your prayers as they present themselves for Confirmation in St John’s Church on Sunday May 12^th.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘Wounds’ by Fergal Keane, a wonderful  book and so apt for these contentious centenary times we find ourselves in. We will meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 20^th May to discuss. All welcome.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 9^th May in the Rectory. All welcome and if you need a lift, please contact the Rector.

Quest Youth Club  The leaders met with Hilda Connolly for strategy planning in April so watch this space…. Generally meeting on the 2^nd Sunday of the Month, 7pm in the Parish Hall.

Mothers’ Union  The Ladies’ Candlelight Supper at the end of March was very well attended and enjoyed by all there. € 180.00 was made for the M.U. Thanks to all those who came and gave €6.00 for the cost of the Supper. By the time you read this, there will have been a Famine Lunch on Palm Sunday in the Parish Hall after the United Service in St Mary’s Church where hopefully you will have enjoyed a bowl of soup and some fresh rolls with cheese and other fillings. This will be in aid of the M.U. Overseas Fund so any donations will go to that very worthy cause. On Saturday 11th May there will be a Diocesan Council meeting in the Parish Hall. All welcome – to be there for 10.30 a.m. for a cuppa and will start at 11.00 a.m. The most important event this month will be the Diocesan Festival Service and Hilary Dring’s Commissioning as Diocesan President, on Thursday 30th May at 7.30pm in St. Mary’s Church. The Bishop will be preaching, so we need as many as can be there, to support Hilary. It is also the 90th Anniversary of M.U. in Carrigaline Union, to be celebrated that evening as well. Forward Planning: Cork Summer Show 15th -16th June where M.U. will offer Baby Changing Facilities.(DW)

Green Matters.  The Rector will be speaking on ‘Ecumenics & Ecology’ at 7:30pm on Tuesday 21^st May in the Sacred Heart Church Monkstown during the Cork Ecumenical Bible Week. All welcome.  If you have other ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the June Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th May please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

5^th May    Dawn Chorus 5:45am Currabinny Woods Carpark

9^th May    Friendship Club 11am Rectory

Easter Vestry 7:30pm Parish Hall

12^th May  Confirmation Service , United Service 11:15am, St John’s Church

20^th May  Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

21^st May   Rector’s talk on ‘Ecumenics & Ecology’ 7:30pm, Sacred Heart Church,        Monkstown

25^th May   Parish Fete 10-2pm St Mary’s School

30^th May    Commissioning of Hilary Dring as MU Diocesan President 7:30pm St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline

22^nd – 26^th July   Holiday Club 10-1pm St Mary’s School

Carrigaline Union Notes for April 2019

OSKARS Night  Well done to all who took part in this Charity initiative , when over 30,000 euro was raised! A lot of hard work went into the seven Movies shown over the two nights but it was such entertainment for all of us who attended. Congratulations to all who won OsKars, especially to the cast of the Best Film on Friday ‘The Field’  to the cast of the Best Film on Saturday ‘Sister Act’  Great fun all round and a great community effort led by the Carrigaline Lions Club.

Quest Youth Club Last month we visited ‘The Homeless Drive’ in Douglas.  We first met at the parish hall, to sort through the copious amounts of donations into separate bags. We then piled the car full of all the bags of foods and clothes and headed on our way to meet Finbarr – the man behind the mission. Finbarr really opened our eyes to the homeless epidemic, recounting many of his experiences to give us an idea of just how incredibly dire the situation is. He showed us around the warehouse, where all the clothes were arranged by size and all the shoes by number. Finbarr and his team provide hot food, tea and coffee to people in need on the streets and offer fresh clothes and supplies to anyone who needs them…and all from the boot of the car!  Quest Youth Group would like to  thank Finbarr and his incredible team for having us and to everyone in the parish for all of their generous donations. We would also like to especially thank Ms. Morgan who very kindly knitted ten beautiful hats for us to bring along. On April 27^th , at 7:30pm in our Parish Hall, CDYC will be hosting the Annual Diocesan Quiz . All Secondary School level students welcome. (RW-P & TP)

Mothers’ Union The Women’s World Day of Prayer on Friday 1st March was well attended despite a very wet night. It was enjoyed and supported by all there, from both our parish of St. Mary/St. John and the R.C. parish of the Church of Our Lady and St. John, Carrigaline. Also St. Mary’s school had their own service that morning in the school and made a beautiful freize for the church with the theme “Come Everything is Ready” written and coloured in to be seen clearly from the Altar that evening. It gave us all a greater understanding of the suffering of the women in Slovenia during their years of conflict. Supper followed in the Parish Hall which gave a further opportunity for those there to meet and chat.

Hopefully you will have been able to come and enjoy the Ladies’ Candlelight Supper on Friday 29th March at 8 pm in the Parish hall by the time you are reading this.  On Sunday 14th April there will be a Famine Lunch after 11.00 a.m. service in St. Mary’s, in aid of M.U.Overseas’ Fund, where all donations will be welcome. Forward Planning:  Saturday 11th May – 10.30  Diocesan Council meeting will be held in Carrigaline Parish Hall and all are welcome.

Thursday 30th May at 7.30p.m. in St. Mary’s Church, there will be a Diocesan Festival Service and Hilary Dring will be commissioned as Diocesan President by Bishop Colton who will also preach. This is an important occasion so do come!  (DW)

Monkstown Chamber Choir returned to our regular monthly Choral Evensong in St John’s Church on 10th February. This beautiful Sunday Evening Service has recently become very popular again in the UK, where people enjoy it’s warm, gentle and calming effect before the busy week begins. For the last five years, we have sung at the now regular St Patrick’s Eve Diocesan Service in St Mary’s, Carrigaline where most of the music and liturgy is in Irish. This year however, the service was in St Mary’s Church, Dunmanway so we travelled down on the evening of Saturday 16th March. In May, we are looking forward to the Confirmation Service in St John’s on 12th. We are polishing up two very special pieces at the moment – Karl Jenkins “Benedictus” and Ward Swingle’s “Give us this Day”, both with thought provoking and indeed challenging texts but equally beautiful music and harmonies. As well as the two RSCM events coming up on the next few weeks, we practice every Thursday evening in Monkstown. But our always popular and hugely enjoyable event of the year is our “Trip to Sherkin”!!! This year we will sing at Mass in St Mona’s Church on the afternoon of 15th June, and no doubt be treated with the usual delicious spread laid on by the islanders afterwards. Matt Murphy’s famous apple pie and cream is always the first thing to go. Most of the choir normally miss the last ferry back to Baltimore, on purpose, so being stranded on a West Cork island, what else can we do but enjoy a few pints in the “Jolly Roger” and travel back next morning!! (Roger Ellis, Organist & Choirmaster)

Green Matters.  The Rector will be speaking on ‘Ecumenics & Ecology’ at 7:30pm on 21^st May in the Sacred Heart Church Monkstown during the Cork Ecumenical Bible Week. All welcome.  If you have other ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the May Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th April please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

10^th April  Final Lenten Study 8pm Parish Hall

(after 7:30pm Evening Prayer in St Mary’s Church)

14^th April  Palm Sunday:

• 9:30am Service in St John’s – Palm & Passion Liturgy
• 11am Service in St Mary’s – Palm Procession & Liturgy.

Followed by the Mothers’ Union Famine Lunch in the Parish Hall.

• 7pm Choral Evensong St John’s Church

15^th April   Monday of Holy Week:

• 30am Holy Communion in St Mary’s
• Joining with Douglas Congregation to hear Canon Alan Marley speak.30pm in St Luke’s Church Douglas

16^th April   Tuesday of Holy Week:

• 30am Holy Communion in St Mary’s
• Joining with Douglas Congregation to hear Canon Alan Marley speak.30pm in St Luke’s Church Douglas

17^th April   Wednesday of Holy Week:

• 30am Holy Communion in St Mary’s
• Joining with Douglas Congregation to hear Canon Alan Marley speak.30pm in St Luke’s Church Douglas

18^th April    Maundy Thursday:

• 7pm SEDER Meal in Parish Hall followed by Holy Communion.

19^th April   Good Friday:

• 30am St John’s – Morning Prayer with Litany
• 30pm St Mary’s – Evening Prayer with Litany

20^th April    Easter Saturday:

• 9pm St Mary’s – Easter Vigil Service

21^st April   Easter Sunday:

• Dawn EcumenicalService, meeting at 6 am at St John’s Church Monkstown,
• 30am St John’s – Easter Eucharist with Holy Baptism

• 11am St Mary’s – Easter Eucharist

9^th May    Friendship Club 11am Rectory

Easter Vestry 7:30pm Parish Hall

12^th May  Confirmation Service , United Service 11:15am, St John’s Church

20^th May  Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

21^st May   Rector’s talk on ‘Ecumenics & Ecology’ 7:30pm, Sacred Heart Church,        Monkstown

Carrigaline Union Notes for March 2019

Lenten Study We will be following the ‘Charting a Future with Confidence’ Lenten Course this year. All sessions are in the Parish Hall at 8pm on Wednesdays, immediately following the 7:30pm Evening Prayer in St Mary’s Church. 13^Th March ‘Planning for Growth’, 20^th March ‘Worship’, 27^th March ‘Ministry and Spiritual formation’ and 10^th April ‘Clustering’ .  The Course will be led by the Rector and Richard Dring (who was our Parish Representative on the Charting a Future with Confidence initiative).

Parish Retreat day Dr Iva Beranek and Carol Casey from the Church of Ireland Ministry of Healing will come to Carrigaline to lead our Parish Retreat day on Saturday March 9^th. The Retreat is entitled ‘Wellspring : Come to the well, the well is deep’. The day begins in the Parish Hall with registration at 10am and ends with a Service at 3pm. Lunch is ‘Bring & Share’, tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.  The Retreat is free to parishioners and 20 euro for non-parishioners. Please let the rector know if you would like to attend.

Whist Night for Yemen Famine Relief. This event was a fantastic success thanks to much hard work by Henry Forbes, Barney Deane & Oliver Webb and so far (money is still coming in!) a whopping 1300 has been raised for Yemen via Bishops’ Appeal.

OSKARS Night At the time of writing, the actual filming has taken place and the  short clips from Movies were being edited. The actual Oskar night(s) will no doubt bring many interesting photos to these pages but for now just see can you recognise any faces from the cast of Sister Act as they filmed in the Rectory?  Next month there will be a report on how much was raised for local charities but as one of the ‘Nuns’ said ‘the craic was brilliant whatever happens’.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 14^th  March in the Rectory. All welcome.

Quest Youth Club had collected a large amount of clothes, food etc for the local Homeless Drive since Christmas and it was delivered by some of the youth group to the Homeless Drive centre in Douglas. Thank you to all who helped out by donating goods and dropping into centre.

Mothers’ Union  Our February meeting which at the time of writing these notes has yet happen,  but we hope all those who came to hear Wendy Bond tell us about her experiences during her year in Tanzania were very impressed with all she accomplished. Her talk may have been entitled “The Small Things”, but we are sure that they were far from that! As always at our meetings, this would have been followed by questions,  tea/coffee and treats. Hopefully you are reading these notes in time to join us , at 8 p.m. Friday 1st March, when we will have the Women’s World Day of Prayer in St. Mary’s Church, in conjunction with the R.C. parish of Church of Our Lady and St. John, Carrigaline. The Theme this year, prepared by the women of Slovenia is “Come – Everything is Ready!” and everyone is welcome, (including men!). Supper will be provided afterward in the parish hall. On Friday 29th March at 8 p.m. we will be having a Ladies’ Candlelight Supper in the Parish Hall in aid of Mothers’ Union. The cost will be Euros 6.00 per person and all are welcome. Finally, some forward planning : on Sunday 14th April, a Famine Lunch, in the Parish Hall after the 11 a.m. Church Service in St Mary’s Carrigaline, will be in aid of M.U. Overseas Fund. Hope to see you there. (DW)

Green Matters.  Mary Cowhig’s witty poem tackling our parish Recycling habits  was printed in our Service Linksheet a couple of weeks ago and it was requested that it be reprinted in the diocesan magazine for the enjoyment of those who were not in church that particular Sunday….

BIN there, DONE that.

Down in the Church Hall, the truth has proved bitter.

Some people are careless in dumping their litter.

If you are uncertain which is the right bin,

Please read the guidelines when you drop rubbish in.

Food waste in the left

House waste in the middle,

Recycling in the right (it isn’t a riddle!)

The printed directions are really quite plain

if everyone follows them then we won’t complain.

If you have other ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the April Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th March please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

1^st Mar         World Day of Prayer Service 8pm, St Mary’s Church

6^th Mar         Ash Wednesday

9^th Mar         Retreat Day ‘Wellsprings’ Parish Hall

13^th Mar        Lenten Study begins, 8pm each Wednesday , Parish Hall

14^th Mar        Friendship Club 11am Rectory

19^th Apr        Good Friday Children’s Easter Club 10-2pm Parish Hall

9^th May         Easter Vestry 7:30pm Parish Hall

12^th May       Confirmation , 11:15 , St John’s Church

Carrigaline Union Notes for February 2019

Whist Night for Yemen Famine Relief. This event has yet to happen as these notes are written but the ‘Master Class’ in Whist managed to turn out a good four tables of learners and Keith, Barney, Henry, Cecil & Simon helped all to learn the intricacies of this fascinating card game. New enthusiasts were born this night so bring on the Special Whist Night for Yemen! All money raised will go directly to Yemen via Bishops’ Appeal.

OSKARS Night Some of our parishioners are rehearsing hard at the minute to ‘star’ in short clips from Movies to be shown on 22^nd / 23^rd February as part of a fantastic Community Fundraiser by the Carrigaline Lions Club. Mary will be in ‘The Field’ and Jocelyn, Hilary, Hazel, Mark & Olna will appear in Sister Act! Each participant has to raise 500 euro so get ready for some serious fundraising within the parish. There will be boxes at the back of the church. Then we get to dress up for the Oskars Night when all the Movie Clips will be judged for Best Actor/Director etc. I think the tickets for this night will be available via the Lions Club themselves but if you’d like to know more about what is happening, speak to Mary Murphy or Olna Trotter or check out the Carrigaline Lions Club website.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 14^th  January in the Rectory. All welcome.

Monkstown Chamber Choir finished off their 10th anniversary year with the now traditional “Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” in St John’s Church, Monkstown on 23rd December, followed by a tasty dinner in Monkstown Golf Club. Our actual 10th anniversary celebrations were on Sherkin Island last June, but it has been a fantastic year. In October we joined other choirs from Cork Harbour to record our first CD, “Harbour Voices”, to support the fight against the European toxic waste incinerator in Ringaskiddy for CHASE. To commemorate the 100 years since the end of World War I, the Remembrance Sunday Choral Evensong in St John’s was very poignant on 11th November, with Kevin O’Neill playing the Last Post and Reveille on the trumpet. Then before Christmas, we travelled down to Timoleague to sing Advent Choral Evensong and as well as the usual fantastic welcome, we were treated to the most delicious spread afterwards. The supper seems to get better every year in Timoleague!! On the Thursday before Christmas, the “Cork Whiskey Society” invited us to sing carols at their annual Christmas event in St Peter’s Church in Cork city. The atmosphere was most enjoyable, and the hospitality warm and welcoming. In 2019, we plan to develop the quality and talent that we have built-up over the last 10 years within this most enjoyable, friendly group in Monkstown. (RCE)

Quest Youth Club Please note the Youth Club’s name! Why ‘Quest’ you ask? Well, in their own words “ kind’ve like we’re on a mission to serve, spread love etc.! “  and it certainly seems like that as one of the first things the newly named group decided to do was support the local  ‘Homeless Drive’ initiative in Carrigaline by collecting items during January to help those in need & volunteering to help on 10^th February. Well done our young people! From now on, hopefully this section will be in their own words! (EM)

Mothers’ Union  We hope everyone who was able to come along enjoyed our lunchtime Mothers’ Union where we looked at ‘All Things Knitting’.  Members in many parts of Ireland knit a variety of items which are then passed on to the relevant places – Comfort Teddies to refugees, women’s refuges, direct provision centres and more, Blankets, Bonnets and Angel Pockets to the maternity hospital, Prayer Shawls which are given to those who are going through tough times and need reminding that we care. Just one part of what Mothers’ Union is about and are really appreciated by hospital chaplains and others. This month we look forward to meeting at the Parish Hall in Carrigaline on Wednesday, 20th at 8pm when Wendy Bond will tell us about ‘The Small Things’ in Tanzania where she and her partner and son spent a year. For forward planning there will be a Candlelight Supper on Friday 29th March in aid of Mothers’ Union. More details to follow. Remember also the Women’s World Day of Prayer Service which is in St. Mary’s on Friday 1st March at 8pm. The theme is ‘Come – Everything is Ready’. Everyone welcome.  (HD)

Green Matters.  The All Age Service on 24^th February will be a ‘Fair Trade’ themed Service which will highlight the importance of supporting local farmers as well as fairly trading within the wider world. If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the March Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th February please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

7^th Feb         Confirmation Classes begin 5-6:30pm each Thursday

10^th Feb        Youth Club ‘Homeless Drive’

22^nd/23rd Feb   OSKARS Night Carrigaline Court Hotel

24^th Feb        Fair Trade All Age Service 11am St Mary’s Church

25^th Feb        Annual review of Vestry Persons Register 7:30pm Parish Hall

1^st Mar         World Day of Prayer Service 8pm, St Mary’s Church

6^th Mar         Ash Wednesday

9^th Mar         Retreat Day ‘Wellsprings’ Parish Hall

13^th Mar        Lenten Study begins, 8pm each Wednesday , Parish Hall

16^th Mar        St Patrick’s Eve Service 7:30pm, St Mary’s Church

19^th Apr        Good Friday Children’s Easter Club 10-2pm Parish Hall

9^th May         Easter Vestry 7:30pm Parish Hall

12^th May       Confirmation , 11:15 , St John’s Church

Carrigaline Union Notes for January 2019

Christmas Thank you to everyone who made our parish Christmas so special, the people who hosted the Posada on its journey from home to home , who looked after the Star that shone out so brightly from Advent Sunday till Epiphany on St Mary’s Church tower, the people who decorated the churches, put up Cribs & the enormous Christmas tree, played music, sang and attended the services. May we take every moment the New Year brings as a blessing from God.

Thank you to Hilary Dring who has stepped back from her Organist post in St Mary’s Church to concentrate on her new Mothers’ Union Diocesan President role. We wish her all the best and we are all very proud of her.

Whist Night for Yemen Famine Relief. Thank you to Henry Forbes and  Barney Deane for organising  a special Whist Night for Yemen. All money raised will go directly to Yemen via Bishops’ Appeal. Please do come along and support the night, or if you can’t be there perhaps you could contribute a little something towards it anyway? Thanks also to Keith Roberts for holding a Whist Class for us beginners on Monday 7^th January, 7:30pm in the Parish Hall. Sure we’ll all be brilliant by the 19^th.

Drama Group A huge well done to all of the people involved in the recent Supper Theatre Fundraiser. For the second year, the Drama Group in Carrigaline Union collaborated with the Douglas Union with Frankfield Group and it was a fantastic three night run. The actors, director, producer, wardrobe, props, the hardworking ‘Backroom Boys’ and ‘Kitchen Crew’ should be so proud.

OSKARS Night Some of our parishioners are rehearsing hard at the minute to ‘star’ in short clips from Movies to be shown on 22^nd / 23^rd February as part of a fantastic Community Fundraiser by the Carrigaline Lions Club. At the time of writing, it’s unclear how many of our parish will take part as the Casting night still hasn’t happened) but we will be supporting them all the way! Each participant will be hoping to raise 500 euro so get ready for some serious fundraising within the parish. No doubt there will be coffee mornings galore! And then we get to dress up for the Oskars Night when the Films will be judged for Best Actor/Director etc. If you’d like to know more about what is happening , speak to Mary Murphy or Olna Trotter or check out the Carrigaline Lions Club website.

Confirmation If you would like to be confirmed this year please contact the Rector.  Classes begin on Thursday 7^th February (5-6:30pm each Thursday).

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle and we will meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 21^st January to discuss. All welcome.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 10^th January but venue this month still to be decided upon.

Mothers’ Union  Christmas is just around the corner as I write this and we are looking forward to having Christmas Lunch together at the RCYC in Crosshaven. We are delighted to be able to collect items for the Women’s Refuge and for the Direct Provision Centre in Cork. It seems so little in the face of so much need; yet ‘every little helps’, as the Ad says. It would be so easy to be overwhelmed by the needs around us, the homeless, refuges, victims of crime, the poor, victims of war and famine; the list seems endless. Let’s not be despondent, rather let’s do what we can. Every action to help someone makes a difference to that one person. Mothers’ Union continues to work in over 80 countries to bring God’s love to others in tangible ways; our membership subscriptions and donations help this to happen. Our organisation also provides friendship and support locally and we look forward to meeting again on Wednesday 16th January at 1.30pm for lunch and chat at the Parish Hall in Carrigaline. Bring your own sandwich, soup will be provided. We’ll be looking at ‘All Things Knitting’ – something many members do behind the scenes. Our knitting projects make a difference to many people. Thank you to our committee, Hilary WP, Val, Jocelyn and Hilary D who have so faithfully organised our branch for the past year. Thank you to Deirdre Whitley who has joined the committee as Hilary moves on to her new post as Diocesan President. Please pray for all in leadership, especially those taking on new roles this month. We look forward to a great year and wish everyone every blessing. (HD)  

Green Matters.  If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the February Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th January please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

7^th Jan          Whist Class for beginners 7:30pm Parish Hall

10^th Jan        Friendship Club 11am Venue tba

16^th Jan        Mothers’ Union 1:30pm Parish Hall

19^th Jan        Whist Night for Yemen Famine Relief 8:30pm Canon McCrea Hall, St Mary’s School, Waterpark

21^st Jan        Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

7^th Feb          Confirmation Classes begin 5-6:30pm each Thursday

22^nd/23rd Feb   OSKARS Night Carrigaline Court Hotel

25^th Feb        Annual review of Vestry Persons Register 7:30pm Parish Hall

9^th Mar         Retreat Day ‘Wellsprings’ Parish Hall

Baptism :

23^rd December , St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Felicity & Molly, daughters of Ronan & Carol O’Donovan (nee Cavanagh)

Funerals :

17^th November,  St Mary’s Graveyard, Carrigaline – Kenneth Gloster

28^th November , St Mary’s Churchyard, Caheragh – Rosie Foott, infant daughter of Stephen & Terezia, sister of Alielle.

Carrigaline Union Notes for December 2018

Sunday Club  This month the theme of Sunday Club will be ‘Advent’ and all school going children are welcome. Meeting at 11 am in the Parish Hall on Sunday 9^th November. For more details, please talk to the leaders : Tracey Pierce or Rachel Warren-Perry.

Youth Club The Youth Group had a wonderful Halloween Party at the end of October and then met again on 11^th November for chilling…. This month, the Youth Club will meet at 7pm on Sunday 9^th  If you are in Secondary School and would like to be part of the Youth Group, please speak with the Youth Leaders : Peter Coughlan, Brenda Haubold, Tracey Pierce & Rachel Warren-Perry , all of whom wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Mothers’ Union Thank you to Maggie and Catherine for a really enjoyable “Christmassy” evening. It’s always lovely to see people create beautiful pieces and get ideas for creating something ourselves. Our Christmas Lunch (25 euro per person) is on Thursday 6^th December at 12.30 at the Yacht Club in Crosshaven. If anyone would still like to join us you are very welcome. Please contact Hilary Dring. If you would like to bring some toiletries along to the lunch (or contribute to a collection to purchase some items) for the Women’s refuge it would be appreciated. It is one very practical way of supporting families in difficult times. Please also remember that annual subs and forms are due. New members always welcome. Wishing all who read this every blessing for Christmas and the New Year. “Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first.” (George Matthew Adams)  (HD)

Collegiate School Celbridge – A Social History: 1909 -1973 by Lorna Sixsmith.   If any of your family members are known to reminisce in glowing terms about their good old school days in ‘dear old Celbridge’, then this is the book for you; and more importantly it also the book for them. Many of these reminiscences are of the rose-tinted ‘life back then was wonderful’ variety, but it must be admitted that there may also be some of the ‘it was cold and I missed home’ variety. Within the covers of this finelywritten and well-illustrated book you will have an opportunity to check out your household’s oft-repeated story against the facts; or at least one person’s recollection of the facts. Your relative may appear in this book, not only on the list of the former pupils of the Collegiate School Celbridge (CSC), which is interesting in itself, but they may also be recorded as the heroine of some fondly-remembered academic, sporting or artistic achievement. This 151-page volume recites the social history of the CSC in the period from 1909 to 1973. The school, founded in 1730 was initially financed by the legacy of William Connoly, MP and speaker of the Irish House of Commons, reputedly the richest commoner in Ireland, and the builder of nearby Castletown House. CSC closed in 1973 when it merged with Kilkenny College and since then this co-ed college has become a powerhouse of Irish education. This is consciously a ‘social history’, and so the focus is on stories of daily life in CSC including memories of the diet, sports events, school trips, the college magazine, school plays and concerts. The teaching staff, curriculum and educational standards also come in for some comment. Notwithstanding that it is not an institutional history in the traditional sense, historians of education in general, and Protestant education in particular, in twentieth century Ireland will find much to interest them in this book. The text provides not only anecdotal or colour pieces but also gives a sense of daily life, concerns and attitudes in the relatively private world of a Protestant girls boarding school in twentieth century Ireland. The sources for this book have been twofold; firstly and most importantly individual reminiscences by numerous former “Celbridgites” and also by extracting details from the school archives, and in particular from the long-running in-house magazine The Celbridgite. The book is written in a lively chatty style by Lorna Sixsmith, a veteran observer of modern Irish life with numerous publications to her credit including, An ideal farm husband and Would you marry a farmer. Finally it must be acknowledged that the production of this book would not have been possible without the indefatigable dedication of Freda Yates. Freda taught in CSC and was headmistress of the school from January 1970 until its closure in June 1973. Freda’s dedication to her vocation as a teacher is legendary, as is her Christian charity and her devotion to bible study and its important role in ‘a loving devoted family’. This book constitutes another and enduring part of her already magnificent legacy. Christmas is fast approaching and this keenly priced volume is a perfect- stocking filler, not only for former Celbridgites and their relatives, but for anyone with an interest in local history, history of education, and in particular Protestant education in Ireland in the twentieth century. Dr. Brendan Twomey.

Copies are available through Kilkenny College at a cost of €15 plus P&P. Contact: Peter Dukelow, Kilkenny College, Castlecomer Road, Kilkenny (tel 056 7761544)

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the January Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 3^rd of December please. Note earlier time!

FORWARD  PLANNER

1^st & 2^nd December  Carrigaline Christmas Fayre run by St Mary’s School Parents’ Association GAA Hall Carrigaline

6^th December, Mothers’ Union Christmas Lunch, 12:30 RCYC Crosshaven

9^th December, Sunday Club 11am Parish Hall

Youth Club 7pm – 9pm Parish Hall

13^th December, Friendship Club 11am Rectory

16^th December, Carrigaline Community Carols, 7pm Our Lady & St John’s Church

19^th December,  Christmas Film Night,’The Nativity Story’  7pm in the Parish Hall Mulled wine & Popcorn!

23^rd December Nine Lessons & Carols, 4pm , St John’s Church

24^th December Carols around the Crib, 4pm , St Mary’s Church

First Eucharist of the Nativity 11:30pm St Mary’s Church

25^th December 9.30am Eucharist St John’s, 11am Eucharist St Mary’s

27^th December 10:30am Eucharist St Mary’s Church

30^th December 11:15am United Christingle Service St Mary’s Church

19^th January Special Whist Night in Canon McCrea Hall for Famine Relief in Yemen

21^st January  Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

Holy Baptism:

28^th October, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Anna Bea Elliott, daughter of Kenneth & Tara (nee Powell)

 

Christian Burial:

9^th November, St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline – James Samuel Barber

Carrigaline Union Notes for November 2018

Remembrance Sunday  As we remember 100 years since the Armistice was signed at the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month, the Bells will ring in St Mary’s four times before 11am (10:56,10:57,10:58 & 10:59) signifying the four years of WWI, following the Silence at 11am, the Bells will sound for several minutes remembering all of the people who died during that terrible war and in the ‘flu epidemic in it’s immediate aftermath. There will also be a short Act of Remembrance at both of the morning Services on Sunday 11^th November and the main Remembrance Service will be the Choral Evensong at 7pm in St John’s Church, Monkstown.  There will also be a special Assembly in the school at 9:15  on Friday 9^th November.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 8^th  November.  All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Sunday Club  This month the theme of Sunday Club will be ‘Remembrance’ and all school going children are welcome. Meeting at 11 am in the Parish Hall on Sunday 11^th November. For more details, please talk to the leaders : Tracey Pierce or Rachel Warren-Perry.

Animal Service Thank you to all the people who brought along their beloved pets (mainly Dogs but some very brave Cats and a Kitten plus a delightful Fish!)

Youth Club The Focus Ireland Sleep-out in Crosshaven just managed to avoid Storm Callum and thank you to everyone who sponsored one of the young people. At the time of writing the Halloween Night had yet to happen so who knows….. This month, the Youth Club will meet at 7pm on Sunday 11^th  If you are in Secondary School and would like to be part of the Youth Group, please speak with the Youth Leaders : Peter Coughlan, Brenda Haubold, Tracey Pierce & Rachel Warren-Perry.

Mothers’ Union    

We had a lovely lunchtime meeting in October with soup and time for chat along with a visit to the Alhambra in Spain via some photos. Thank you to all who came along. For some an afternoon meeting time suits better, so some months we are trying this out. The Getaway Weekend is happening very soon, 9^th – 11^th November. Quite a few from our parish are going; we pray that it will all go well. This month we will meet in the evening on Wednesday 21^st at 8pm for a ‘pre’ Christmas Evening with some flower arranging/table decoration demonstration which we hope everyone will enjoy. ALL welcome. There will be a Prayer Vigil for the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence in St. Anne’s Shandon on Sunday 25^th at 3pm with Mary Crilly from the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork speaking at it, as well as one in Kilgarriffe Church at the same time. By doing this we support victims of Gender Violence of all sorts. In December we will travel to the Royal Yacht Club in Crosshaven for our Christmas Lunch. This will be on Thursday 6^th at 12.30. If you need a lift please let us know. We will collect items for the Women’s Refuge at the lunch. Patsy’s last Diocesan Council Meeting will be on Monday 19^th in Innishannon at 7.30pm. It would be really lovely if several from our branch could attend as we make a presentation to her to thank her for all her hard work over the past six years. Please talk to Hilary if you are able to go. November is a time in particular for remembering: God bless you as you remember your loved ones and reflect on those who have been such a big part of your lives.(HD)

Green Matters.  The winning Sunflower this year was grown by Edward & Stephen and was a massive 256cm! John & James’ was 234cm, James & Mary Jane’s was 183cm and Conor & Kevin’s was 143cm. Well done to all of these siblings! If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the December Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th of November please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

1^st November,   A Service of Reflection for All Saint’s Day 7:30pm St Mary’s Church

9^th November,   Armistice Assembly 9:15am in School.

11^th November   Remembrance Service 7pm St John’s Church

11^th November   Youth Club  7pm in Parish Hall

13^th November   Official Launch of Mary Cowhig’s Poetry Book ‘A Mongrels Lament’ in the Public Library, Carrigaline at 7pm. All welcome.

15^th , 16^th & 17^th November   Theatre Supper Nights in Douglas

1^st & 2^nd December  Carrigaline Christmas Fayre run by St Mary’s School Parents’ Association GAA Hall Carrigaline

19^th December   Christmas Film Night,’The Nativity Story’  7pm in the Parish Hall Mulled wine & Popcorn!

23^rd December Nine Lessons & Carols, 4pm , St John’s Church

24^th December Carols around the Crib, 4pm , St Mary’s Church

Holy Matrimony

29^th September,   St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Pamela Newenham and Edmond O’Reilly

Carrigaline Union Notes for October 2018

Harvest Celebrations Our Harvest Celebrations began with the United Service in St Mary’s Church where the Preacher was Keith Roberts, well known to many of you as a friend and neighbour as well as a diocesan lay reader. This happened on Sunday 30^th September, and the following Saturday night (6^th) will be our Harvest Supper in the Canon McCrea Hall. This starts at 7:30pm and please let Millie Kingston or the Parish Office know if you are bringing a Salad or a Dessert. The next day, Sunday 7^th , our United Harvest Service is at 11:15am in St John’s Church where the Preacher will be the Revd Edwin Hunter, also of this parish although he has been working down in far East Cork for a few years now! With Keith & Edwin, we have finished off on the ‘Series’ of Harvest Preachers who originated in this parish. The Rector has already planned a new series for next year!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 11^th October.  All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Sunday Club had their first gathering of the year in September and some new children joined us. Richard Dring kindly covered the Service to allow the Rector be with the children and leaders. We spoke about God’s Creation and read ‘The Morning of the World’ , a lovely story adapted from Genesis by Bob Hartman, the master Story Teller! The children then made Creation Bookmarks. This month the theme of Sunday Club will be ‘Harvest’ and all school going children are welcome. 11 am in the Parish Hall on Sunday 14^th October. For more details, please talk to the leaders : Tracey Pierce or Rachel Warren-Perry.

Youth Club The leaders met up for a ‘strategic’ session in the Rectory in September so great plans are afoot! The first date for your diary is the Focus Ireland sponsored Sleep Out in Crosshaven. This will be overnight on Friday 12^th / Saturday 13^th October. If you would like to be involved please speak with the Youth Leaders : Peter Coughlan, Brenda Haubold, Tracey Pierce & Rachel Warren-Perry. We hope to have a more detailed plan with dates in place by then. We wish Oriel Hosford well as she begins a CDYC/YMCA course ‘Leaders in Training’.

Mothers’ Union   Thank you to Revd Elaine for being with us for our Communion service in September and to Hazel Sweetnam for coming with the enterprise stall. There are also lots of gifts, cards and other items available on www.muenterprises.org  if you’d like to have a look. October brings with it the beautiful colours of autumn, nights draw in and we look forward to cosy evenings by the fire. How privileged we are to live in a land where there is peace. Many Mothers’ Union members lives are not so peaceful; remember to pray for all of our worldwide family, both near and faraway. Our Families Worldwide booklet helps us to do this. This month’s meeting, at time of writing, is not yet decided. Apologies for this; please keep an eye on our parish notices/MU noticeboard for information. You can also contact Hilary if you would like to find out what’s happening. The Getaway Weekend in Garryvoe is from 9 – 11 November; it’s not too late to book yourself in but you’d need to do it very soon. It will be a great weekend. Hope you can make it.   A verse for October – ‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.’ 2 Cor 4:6 (HD)

Monkstown Chamber Choir returned from our summer break to Choral Evensong in St John’s Church, Monkstown on 9th September. We continue to sing at Evensong on the second Sunday of the month. As well as this, we have a few other events to look forward to. The choir have been invited to join with other Cork Harbour Choirs to record a CD in support of CHASE, the group who are opposed to the incineration of imported toxic waste in Cork. For this, we are going to sing Philip Stopford’s “For The Beauty of the Earth” and we had a boot camp with the wonderful musician, Bebhinn Ni Mheara over the summer, to polish this up. The Remembrance Day Choral Evensong on 11th November, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ending of World War One will be very special this year. Then we are in to the “silly season” of Advent and Christmas! Timoleague will be enjoyable, where they always make us so welcome to sing Advent Evensong, then of course the Traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in St John’s, Monkstown on Sunday 23rd December at 4pm. A busy autumn/winter schedule ahead for this wonderful choir who celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2018.(RE)

Green Matters.   The Rector spoke to a group in our sister church of Our Lady & St John Carrigaline about the possibility of becoming an Eco Congregation. We have a lovely new set of Bins in the Parish Hall so please do be careful separating the various kind of rubbish. If you have any further ideas of how we ourselves can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the November Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th of October please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

1^st Oct          Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

4^th Oct          Select Vestry Meeting 8pm Rectory

6^th Oct          Harvest Supper 7:30pm Canon McCrea Hall

7^th  Oct         United Harvest Celebration 11:15am St John’s

Preacher : The Revd Edwin Hunter

11^th Oct        Friendship Club 11am Rectory

12^th Oct        Focus Ireland Youth Sleep-Out in Templebreedy

14^th Oct        Sunday Club for Children 11am Parish Hall

14^th Oct        Choral Evensong 7pm St John’s Church

26^th Oct        CAMEO 10:30am Monkstown Sailing Club

15^th , 16^th & 17^th November   Theatre Supper Nights in Douglas

Baptisms

1^st September,   St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Caoimhe Michelle Fleming, daughter of Kevin and Andrea (nee Hickey)

Carrigaline Union Notes for September 2018

Friendship Club  meet again on 13^th September. We generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. Everyone is welcome and if you need a lift, please contact the Rector.

Toddlers Plus One are back again on 3^rd September. We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club  back again on 3^rd September. We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Theological Book Circle We are reading ‘The Gaze of Love’ by Ruth Patterson, Veritas (2016) and will meet at 8pm in the Rectory on Monday 1^st October to discuss. All welcome to come along.

Sunday Club  The next Sunday Club will be September 9^th  The Club meets in the Parish Hall from 11am on the 2^nd Sunday of the Month.  If you have Primary School children they are welcome to come along and join us.

Holiday Club  This year’s Templebreedy & Carrigaline Union’s Holiday Club ‘The Big Top’  was a great success. 35 children and 20 teen leaders learnt about God’s strength, love, power, faithfulness and leadership through the characters of Samson, Jonah, Elijah, Daniel and Moses.

Youth Club    The Youth Club now meet on the 3^rd Sunday of each month, from 7 till 9pm in the Parish Hall. Meeting this month on September 23^rd.

Mothers’ Union What a wonderful warm summer we have had; so many of us have enjoyed the beautiful sunshine but we have been acutely aware of the lack of rain for so many weeks. We trust that by the time we read these notes there will have been plenty of rain to top up the reserves and that the farming community will not have been too adversely affected. September is always a month when lots of activities start up again after a quieter time. We look forward to meeting up again in St. Mary’s, Carrigaline for a Holy Communion Service at 8pm on Wednesday 19th of September, followed by supper. It’s always lovely to catch up with each other. We will hopefully have cards, calendars etc for sale. Earlier in September, on Tuesday 4th, there will be a trip to West Cork where we will visit the Sam Maguire Community Bells Project in Dunmanway; we hope to have the Rev Cliff Jeffers as our guide on the day. This will be followed by Afternoon Tea and a Garden Tour at Fernhill House Hotel in Clonakilty. We will leave from St. Mary’s Church at 11 am SHARP and return early evening. Please contact Hilary if you have not yet put your name down; it may not be too late to join us. We are delighted that Hilary Dring, our present branch leader, has been chosen by members in Cork to be their next Diocesan President; she will take over from Patsy Devoy on January 1st 2019. We wish her well; please pray for all in leadership in Mothers’ Union. A thought –  “When you arise in the morning. think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” (Marcus Aurelius) God bless. (HD)

Green Matters. After our summer of drought, these green matters are even more important …If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the October Magazine, please email them to the Rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th September please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

4^th Sept        Mothers’ Union Day out to Dunmanway 11am

13^th Sept      Friendship Club 11am Rectory

19^th Sept      Mothers’ Union Service 8pm St Mary’s Church

21^st Sept       Culture Night : Art Exhibition in Parish Hall

22^nd Sept      Workshop in Reading / Intercessions 10am St Mary’s Church

23^rd Sept      Blessing of the Animals, 11am St Mary’s Church

30^th Sept      United Harvest Service 11:15am St Mary’s Church

Preacher : Mr Keith Roberts

1^st Oct          Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

6^th Oct          Harvest Supper 7:30pm Canon McCrea Hall

7^th Oct          United Harvest Service 11:15am St John’s Church

Preacher : The Revd Edwin Hunter

Carrigaline Union Notes for July & August 2018

Friendship Club met on Thursday 14^th June and drank our coffee and ate our delicious cake knowing that just down the road, Charles & Camilla were enjoying the delights of the English Market.. Perhaps we should have invited them to the Rectory to join us!. We will meet again on 13^th September. We generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. Everyone is welcome and if you need a lift, please contact the Rector.

Toddlers Plus One are finished now for the summer months. Back again on 3^rd September. We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club  also finished up for July and August, back again on 3^rd September. We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Theological Book Circle We are reading Antonia Fraser’s ‘Gunpowder Plot : Terror & Faith in 1605’ and will meet at 8pm in the Rectory on Monday 23^rd July to discuss. All welcome to come along.

Sunday Club had their Prize Giving day during the Service on Sunday 10^th June when the children who had attended this year received a lovely present each.  Leaders Tracey and Rachel were presented with chocolates and a Thank you card for the amazing work they have done with the children this year. Please do think about setting aside this Sunday for your primary school children.  The next Sunday Club will be September 9^th  The Club meets in the Parish Hall from 11am on the 2^nd Sunday of the Month.

Holiday Club  This year’s Holiday Club ‘The Big Top’ will be from Monday 16^th July to Friday 20^th July, again in the Canon McCrea Hall in St Mary’s School. All children who are will be in Primary School in September 2018 are welcome. The cost remains at  30 per child with a maximum of 70 per family. The application forms are available from the Paris Office or from the Rector.

Youth Club    The Youth Club now meet on the 3^rd Sunday of each month, from 7 till 9pm in the Parish Hall. The next meeting is September 23^rd. Thank you to the Leaders, Peter, Brenda, Tracey and Rachel for all of their enthusiasm and energy.

Monkstown Chamber Choir were delighted to be invited back to sing again this year at the, now annual, St Patricks Eve service in Irish at St Mary’s Church in Carrigaline. Then we had the Confirmation service in April. We sing Choral Evensong on the second Sunday of the month in St John’s Church, Monkstown at 7pm but are now on our summer break until September. At the time of writing, we were looking forward to our annual trip to West Cork and singing Sean O Riada’s mass in St Monas Church on Sherkin Island in June. The islanders always make us so welcome and put on a delicious spread afterwards. We stay the night in the Islanders Rest Hotel, so no doubt a few pints or glasses of prosecco will be enjoyed as we celebrate our 10th anniversary year! (RE)

Green Matters.  The Recycling Workshop with Dan Boyle was excellent and will hopefully help us to know what goes where in our bins. We plan on buying some new bins for the Parish Hall Kitchen along with a laminated poster of what to put where. The Carrigaline Tidy Town Group’s ‘wildflower’ patch in St Mary’s Churchyard is slowly taking seed and hopefully we will see the rewards of it soon. There has been such a profusion of buttercups and daisies this year it is a pleasure to walk through the churchyard. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the September Magazine, please email them to the Rector (emit@eircom.net) before the end of July please as the Rector is on holiday in August so will need to send in the notes earlier than usual.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

16-20^th July  Holiday Club , Canon McCrea Hall , St Mary’s School

23^rd July  Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

29^th July  United Service 11:15am St Mary’s Church

Service of Wholeness & Healing 7pm St John’s Church

13^th Sept  Friendship Club 11am Rectory

23^rd Sept  Blessing of the Animals, 11am St Mary’s Church

Christian Baptism

27^th May  Ross Tracy, son of Shane & Jill in St John’s Church , Monkstown

27^th May  Alex Valquez, son of Simon & Jackie in St John’s Church, Monkstown

27^th May  Mila Valquez, daughter of Simon & Jackie in St John’s Church, Monkstown

 

Carrigaline Union Notes for June 2018

Parish Fête.  Thank you to Eddie Pierce and his intrepid gang of helpers for yet another fantastic Parish Fête. A wonderful day – socially, financially and indeed spiritually! Thank you to everyone who supported it.

Dawn Chorus Thank you again to Tony Nagle who guided us around Currabinny  Woods last month. It was truly an ecumenical occasion as Fr Pat , Fr Sean and Fr Con joined the Rector and various people from all their respective parishes. None of the clergy will own up and claim the local midges as parishioners mind you!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We meet this month at 11am on Thursday 14^th June. Everyone is welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Toddlers Plus One We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club  We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Theological Book Circle We are reading Antonia Fraser’s ‘Gunpowder Plot : Terror & Faith in 1605’ and will meet at 8pm in the Rectory on Monday 23^rd July to discuss. All welcome to come along.

Sunday Club meet in the Parish Hall from 11am on the 2^nd Sunday of the Month with Leaders Tracey and Rachel.  Last month the children celebrated Easter, Ascension and Pentecost with wonderful artwork. Check out their Noticeboard in Church. Well done to all.

Holiday Club  This year’s Holiday Club ‘The Big Top’ will be from Monday 16^th July to Friday 20^th July, again in the Canon McCrea Hall in St Mary’s School. All children who are will be in Primary School in September 2018 are welcome. The cost remains at  30 per child with a maximum of 70 per family. The application forms are available from the Paris Office or from the Rector.

Youth Club    The Youth Club now meet on the 3^rd Sunday of each month, from 7 till 9pm in the Parish Hall. Thank you to the Leaders, Peter, Brenda, Tracey and Rachel for all of their enthusiasm and energy.

Mothers’ Union  Mothers’ Union activities in our own and many other branches tend to quieten down for the summer months. We hope that everyone will have a good summer. We are delighted that Jocelyn Pierce recently delivered 150 comfort teddies to the Navy on our behalf so that they could travel on the L.E. Samuel Beckett to be a help to any refugee children that are rescued. They are really appreciated. At a Diocesan level there are several things coming up over the next few months. Cork Show will be on the 16th/17th June and you are very welcome to call in to the marquee while you are there. Anyone who would like to volunteer on either day at our baby-changing facility, please let us know. Mothers’ Union will also be at the Synod on the 9th June, so watch out for our stand there. A little bit of advance notice for you…On Friday 3rd August come and enjoy an hour apart from the busyness of life with an hour of reflection, from 1.30-2.30 pm followed by a Summertime Tea party from 3-5 pm in Carrigrohane Parish Centre – with a donations plate in aid of Mums in May.  Come to either or both. All welcome!   Also if anyone would like to join the ‘team’ for the Women’s Mini Marathon on 16 September – let us know! A thought for summer… “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.” -John Lubbock  (HD)

Green Matters.  By the time you read this our Recycling Workshop will be over and hopefully many of you now have a better idea of exactly what goes where in our bins!. The Carrigaline Tidy Town Group have planted a ‘wildflower’ patch in St Mary’s Churchyard so we look forward to seeing a profusion of colour in the area on the right as you come in the gates. The children were given Sunflower seeds on Rogation Sunday so the competition is now on to see who will grow the tallest Sunflower by Harvest. Good luck to you all. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the July/August Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th June please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

10^th June  Choral Evensong 7pm St John’s Church

14^th June  Friendship Club 11am Rectory

22^nd June  Parish BBQ Rectory Garden

26^th June   6^th Class Graduation Service 11am St Mary’s Church

16-20^th July  Holiday Club , Canon McCrea Hall , St Mary’s School

23^rd July  Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

29^th July  United Service 11:15am St Mary’s Church

Service of Wholeness & Healing 7pm St John’s Church

Christian Burial

5^th May  Denis McLoughlin, Ashes interred St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

 

Carrigaline Union Notes for May 2018

Parish Fête.  Reminder that this year’s Parish Fête is on Saturday 26^th May in St Mary’s School, Waterpark, Carrigaline. This will be a great day for all the family with Bouncy Castle, Burgers, Bric-a-Brac, Books, Cakes, Plants, Toys, fantastic Raffle etc. Eddie Pierce and his team of helpers are again in charge of organising so do contact him if you would like to donate anything or if you would like to help out in any way. This is the major fundraiser for the parish each year so as well as being a great social occasion it is also extremely important financially for our parish that we all support it…. luckily it is so much fun that you don’t even notice that you’ve spent all your money! Hopefully we’ll see you there! (and as an added incentive…. if you show the Book Stall this Magazine note, you can have TWO books free! … normally its 3 books for 5 euro but if you show this note, you can have FIVE books for a fiver! Now there’s a bargain!)

Select Vestry for 2018/2019 We welcome the incoming Select Vestry for the coming year and thank them for their willingness to do this work for us all. Details are on the Church Noticeboards. They will be commissioned during the Choral Evensong on 13^th May. Please keep them in your prayers during the coming year.

Dawn Chorus Thank you again to Tony Nagle who will lead us around Currabinny  Woods on Sunday morning 6^th May which is also Rogation Sunday!. We meet at 5:45am in the Carpark. Wear weather appropriate clothes & shoes and bring along a flask of something hot for afterwards.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We meet this month at 11am on Thursday 10^th May (Ascension Day!) in the house of Joyce Loney as the Rector is at General Synod in Armagh. Everyone is welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Toddlers Plus One We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club  We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Sunday Club meet in the Parish Hall from 11am on the 2^nd Sunday of the Month with Leaders Tracey and Rachel.  Last month the children made beautiul paper egg shapes which had lovely colours detailing the life of Jesus. Check out their Noticeboard in Church. Well done to all.

Confirmations Congratulations to the eight young people who were confirmed last month by the Bishop. May Charlie, David, Eoin, Harry, Luke, Ralph, Rebecca & Shane continue to reflect God’s light in our world.

Holiday Club  This year’s Holiday Club ‘The Big Top’ will be from Monday 16^th July to Friday 20^th July, again in the Canon McCrea Hall in St Mary’s School. All children who are will be in Primary School in September 2018 are welcome. The cost remains at  30 per child with a maximum of 70 per family. The application forms are available from the Paris Office or from the Rector.

Youth Club    The Youth Club now meet on the 3^rd Sunday of each month, from 7 till 9 in the Parish Hall. Thank you to the Leaders, Peter, Brenda, Tracey and Rachel for all of their enthusiasm and energy.  We were delighted that the Carrigaline Team won the CDYC Annual Table Quiz which was held in our Parish Hall this year (but no cheating was involved!!) Well done to them all.

Mothers’ Union Thank you to Roisin Clough for a very enjoyable evening last month. We always appreciate having someone share their knowledge, life experiences, wisdom, insights etc with us. We can learn so much from each other. Hopefully by now the weather is a little warmer and the farming community will have been able to catch up on their work which has been so delayed by the rain and cold. Thank you to Esther Ross from our neighbouring parish who wrote a prayer for favourable weather. It was shared on our Facebook page where you can keep up to date with our news and events. Your prayers would be appreciated as elections for a new All Ireland president along with some other All Ireland posts take place. This month we look forward to an evening of friendship and reflection. We hope that Patsy Devoy will be able to be with us to share a little of what is happening in MU at the moment as well as giving us some thoughts for reflection. This will be on Wednesday 16th May at 8pm in the Parish Hall. The wonderful Cork Summer Show is coming up again on the 16th/17th June. If anyone is able to help out at the Mothers’ Union baby-changing tent please let us know. All help gratefully accepted.  A thought for this month…”Remember, one kind word can change someone’s entire day”. (HD)

Green Matters.  We have organised a Recyling Workshop for Monday 28^th May in the Parish Hall. Dan Boyle, a VOICES Recyling Ambassador will be there to help us understand what can be a very confusing area.  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the June Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th May please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

6th May        Dawn Chorus in Currabinny Woods 5:45am

10th May      Friendship Club 11am Joyce Loney’s Home

13th May      Sunday Club 11am Parish Hall

13th May      Commissioning of Select Vestry 7pm St John’s Church

16th May      Mothers’ Union Meeting 8pm Parish Hall

20th May      Youth Club 7pm – 9pm Parish Hall

26th May      Parish Fete 10am – 2pm St Mary’s School, Waterpark

28^th May       Recycling Workshop 8pm Parish Hall

Carrigaline Union Notes for April 2018

Annual Easter Vestry meet in the Parish Hall at 7:30pm on Thursday 12^th April. The new Select Vestry for the coming year will be voted in. Everyone is welcome to come along to hear an update of the previous year and, if you are registered on the General Vestry,  to vote in the new Select Vestry for the coming year.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘God’s Secretaries – The Making of the King James Bible’ by Adam Nicholson, Harper Perennial 2003, ISBN 978-0-6-083873-7 . We will meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 16^th April to discuss. All welcome.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We meet this month at 11am on Thursday 12^th Everyone is welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Toddlers Plus One We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club  We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Parish Fête.  This year’s Parish Fête is on Saturday 26^th May in St Mary’s School, Waterpark, Carrigaline. This will be a great day for all the family with Bouncy Castle, Burgers, Bric-a-Brac, Books, Cakes, Plants, Toys, fantastic Raffle etc. Eddie Pierce and his team of helpers are again in charge of organising so do contact him if you would like to donate anything or if you would like to help out in any way. This is the major fundraiser for the parish each year so as well as being a great social occasion it is also extremely important financially for our parish that we all support it…. luckily it is so much fun that you don’t even notice that you’ve spent all your money! The Rector is on the Bric-a-Brac stall again this year and so will probably again bring home more than she donates… So put the date in your diary now and we’ll see you there!

Sunday Club meet in the Parish Hall from 11am on the 2^nd Sunday of the Month with Leaders Tracey and Rachel.  Last month for Mothering Sunday, they put together lovely boquets of daffodils (thanks to the Newenhams in Coolmore) and some choccies in little paper baskets for every woman in the congregation at the 11am Service. Plus they produced some wonderful Mothering Sunday Art work for the Sunday Club Noticeboard in Church. Well done to all.

Holiday Club  This year’s Holiday Club ‘The Big Top’ will be from Monday 16^th July to Friday 20^th July, again in the Canon McCrea Hall in St Mary’s School. All children who are will be in Primary School in September 2018 are welcome. The cost remains at  30 per child with a maximum of 70 per family. The application forms will be available after Easter but please contact the rector for more details if required.

Youth Club    The Youth Club now meet on the 3^rd Sunday of each month, from 7 till 9 in the Parish Hall. Thank you to the Leaders, Peter, Brenda, Tracey and Rachel for all of their enthusiasm and energy.  By the time you are reading these notes , the CDYC Annual Table Quiz will have taken place and Carrigaline Union were delighted to have hosted it.

Mothers’ Union is an amazing organisation – members speak out and campaign on behalf of others, as well as all the other things they do. As I write there is a delegation of members from Sudan, Canada, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, the USA and the UK along with other Anglican Women, in New York at the 62^nd UN Commission on the Status of Women. You may remember that last summer we were asked to take part in a survey about issues facing women in rural areas. The feedback gathered is being used to inform the Mothers’ Union statement to the UN; presentations are being made by the different delegates about what life is like for rural women in their countries and what they hope to achieve from attending the CSW, and so we can genuinely say that we are represented there by our sisters. Find out more about it on the Mothers’ Union website, Facebook page and on Twitter. Locally we also play our part; we are putting our faith into action every day. Last month we raised some funds for the work of Mothers’ Union through our Candlelight Supper – thank you to all who came. Meeting together for friendship and support is also an integral part of Mothers’ Union and so this month, on Wednesday the 18^th April at 8pm we welcome Roisin Clough to our meeting in Carrigaline where she will share some of her ‘secrets’ about the skin care products she makes herself. We enjoyed her talk about homemade cleaning products and look forward to an interesting evening. We would love to welcome new members; please just ask if you are interested. Everyone is welcome to come to our evening with Roisin. (HD)

Green Matters.   The 3 Faiths Forum will again host an Earth Day Celebration in Bishop Lucey Park Cork at 2pm on 21^st April. The theme this year is ‘End Plastic Pollution’ and all are welcome…… If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the May Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th April please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

12^th April EASTER VESTRY  7:30pm Parish Hall

14^th April   Children’s Ministry ‘Godly Play’ Workshop, 10am – 1pm Northridge House, St Luke’s Mahon

15^th April  Confirmation Service , United Service 11am, St Mary’s Churchyard

16^th April   Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

18th April     Mother’s Union. 8pm. Parish Hall

20th April    Cheese and Wine Film Night 7.30pm Parish Hall

21^st April   Cork 3 Faiths Forum, Earth Day Celebration 2pm Bp Lucey Park Cork

6th May Dawn Chorus 5:45am Currabinny Woods

28th May VOICE Recycling Workshop 8pm Parish Hall

Funerals :

24^th January 2018, Doreen Draper (née Barton) St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

25^th January 2018, DeeDee Dorman (née Gay) St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

28^th January 2018, Edward and Linda Lee (née Meagher) Burial of Ashes,  St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

22^nd February 2018, Deirdre McCrea, Burial of Ashes,  St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

24^th February 2018, Edwin Kingston, St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

Carrigaline Union Notes for March 2018

Lenten Study  We continue with our Lenten Series on the 5 Anglican Marks of Mission,  Wednesdays 7^th, 14^th and 21^st  at 8pm in the Parish Hall (following Evening Prayer at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church). We look forward to again joining with Douglas Parish on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week this year to hear Bishop David Chillingworth speak.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘God’s Secretaries – The Making of the King James Bible’ by Adam Nicholson, Harper Perennial 2003, ISBN 978-0-6-083873-7 . We will meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 16^th April to discuss. All welcome.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We meet at 11am on Thursday 8^th March , which is incidentally International Women’s Day but don’t let that put any men off! Everyone is welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Holiday Club  This year’s Holiday Club will be from Monday 16^th July to Friday 20^th July, again in the Canon McCrea Hall in St Mary’s School. All children who are will be in Primary School in September 2018 are welcome. The cost remains at  30 per child with a maximum of 70 per family. The application forms will be available after Easter but please contact the rector for more details if required.

Youth Club   The Youth Club are looking forward to our Parish hosting the CDYC Annual Table Quiz night in our Parish Hall on Friday 24^th March. There are also plans afoot to change around our monthly meeting from Fridays to Sundays so watch this space! Five of our teens will be heading up to Co. Wicklow this month to take part in the Holiday Club Junior Leader Training weekend along with young people from several other dioceses so we wish them well.

Mothers’ Union By the time most of you will be reading this the Getaway Weekend in Garryvoe will be almost over. Hopefully some of you will have been able to enjoy this special time away. It is always a wonderful time of rest and refreshment for all who come. Locally this month we will have an evening of fun and food when our Candlelight Supper takes place on Friday 23rd March at the Parish Hall in Carrigaline at 8pm. As always we ask people to bring either a salad or dessert, or even something to drink, if they can – please let us know which one – and the main course will be provided. The cost per person will be €6. All welcome. Money raised will go towards our ‘Mums in May’ Fundraising which supports local and overseas Mothers’ Union.  There will be no meeting on the third Wednesday of March to allow everyone to go to the Lenten Bible Study if they so wish. On Wednesday 18th April we look forward to having Roisin Clough share some of her skin care secrets with us. Details will be in next month’s notes. May the freshness of Spring remind us of God’s love and compassion; may the season of Lent give us time for reflection as we look forward to Easter.  (HD)

Green Matters.  We are delighted that our neighbouring parish of Douglas Union with Frankfield are beginning their Eco Congregation Journey and wish them all the very best.  In February we published the new guidelines on recycling as there seems to be a lot of confusion around what goes into which Bin! Check out the very clear instructions http://recyclinglistireland.ie/  If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the April Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th March please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

3^rd March Women’s World Day of Prayer 10am Our Lady & St John’s Church, Carrigaline

8^th March Friendship Club 11am Rectory

16^th March  St Patrick’s Eve Eucharist as Gaelige 7:30pm St Mary’s Church

Preacher : Sr Kathleen McGarvey, Provincial Leader of the Irish province of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles (OLA’s )

22^nd March, Carrigaline Singers Charity Concert 7:30pm St Mary’s Church

23^rd March, Mothers’ Union Candlelist Supper, 8pm Parish Hall, Carrigaline

24^th March  CDYC Annual Quiz, Parish Hall, Carrigaline

25th March Palm Sunday:

• 9:30am Service in St John’s – Palm & Passion Liturgy
• 11am Service in St Mary’s – Palm Procession with Billy the Donkey through the Estuary Estate, with Palm Liturgy in the Rectory Grounds before returning for Passion Liturgy.

26th March Monday of Holy Week:

• 30am Holy Communion in St Mary’s
• Joining with Douglas Congregation to hear Bishop David Chillingworth speak. 7.30pm in St Luke’s Church Douglas

27th March Tuesday of Holy Week:

• 30am Holy Communion in St Mary’s
• Joining with Douglas Congregation to hear Bishop David Chillingworth speak. 7.30pm in St Luke’s Church Douglas

28th March Wednesday of Holy Week:

• 30am Holy Communion in St Mary’s
• Joining with Douglas Congregation to hear Bishop David Chillingworth speak. 7.30pm in St Luke’s Church Douglas

29th March Maundy Thursday:

• 7pm SEDER Meal in Parish Hall followed by Holy Communion.

29th March Good Friday:

• 30am St John’s – Morning Prayer with Litany
• 12 (tbc) Ecumenical Walking the Stations of the Cross in Carrigaline
• 30pm St Mary’s – Evening Prayer with Litany

31st March Easter Saturday:

• 9pm St Mary’s – Easter Vigil Service

1st April Easter Sunday:

• Dawn Service, meeting at 6:15am at St John’s Church Monkstown, walking with the parishioners of the Harbour Parishes to the Sea wall (Car Park) for the Ecumenical Service which will be followed by breakfast in the Gill Room.
• 30am St John’s – Easter Eucharist
• 11am St Mary’s – Easter Eucharist

12^th April EASTER VESTRY  7:30pm Parish Hall

14^th April   Children’s Ministry ‘Godly Play’ Workshop, 10am – 1pm Northridge House, St Luke’s Mahon

15^th April  Confirmation Service , United Service 11am, St Mary’s Churchyard

16^th April   Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

Funerals :

24^th January 2018, Doreen Draper (née Barton) St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

25^th January 2018, DeeDee Dorman (née Gay) St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

28^th January 2018, Edward and Linda Lee (née Meagher) Burial of Ashes,  St Mary’s Churchyard, Carrigaline

Carrigaline Union Notes for February 2018

Lenten Study  This year we will once again be using the Bible Association of the Church of Ireland (BACI) Lenten Studies. We have found them excellent in the past and this year looks like being no different! Based on the 5 Anglican Marks of Mission, the 2018 theme is entitled “As the Father sent me, so I send you” (John:20.21) the five studies focus in turn on the TELL, TEACH, TEND, TRANSFORM, TREASURE aspects of mission, moving from the teaching and pastoral care required after initial conversion to the wider social and environmental challenges of the Gospel. The writers are the Revd Jack Kinkead, the Revd Lesley Robinson, Mr Philip McKinley, Canon Paul Houston and Mr David Ritchie of the RCB.  We will begin on Wednesday 21^st February at 8pm in the Parish Hall (following Evening Prayer at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church).

Toddlers Plus One We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club  We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 8^th February.  All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Youth Club We want to extend a very warm Carrigaline welcome to Hilda Connolly in her new role as the Diocesan Youth Officer and we look forward to working with her to promote Christian youth work in our Union of parishes and throughout the Diocese. The CDYC Youth leaders weekend will probably be well over by the time you are reading these notes. This year’s theme in Clonakilty was Global Justice , led by Tearfund. It’s always a great event and youth leaders and potential youth leaders from round the diocese are grateful to be able to meet, share, learn and pray in a relaxed social setting with plenty of laughs also guaranteed!!. (PC)

Monkstown Chamber Choir will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2018. Our first performance of choral evensong was on Sunday 3rd February 2008 and an article was published in the “County” supplement of the Irish Examiner recording the resurrection of this wonderful service after five decades in Monkstown. We are looking forward to marking this special year in many ways, but our usual regular calendar includes Choral Evensong on the second Sunday of the month in St John’s Church, Monkstown, the St Patrick’s Eve Service as Gaelige in St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline and of course our annual trip to West Cork. (RE)

Mothers’ Union Thank you to Lesley Roberts and Clodagh King for their presentation about Carrigaline Pottery which was very much appreciated at our January branch meeting. It has played such an important role in the history of Carrigaline and surrounding areas. Lesley’s vast knowledge of things historical never ceases to amaze and, along with Clodagh’s photography skills, gave us an excellent insight into the pottery. In February we will not have any evening meeting in order to allow people to go to the Lenten Studies on Wednesdays during Lent.  Come along instead to the monthly Friendship Club on Thursday 8th  February at the Rectory in Carrigaline for some fellowship and tasty coffee and treats.  On Sunday 25th February, the day before Fairtrade Fortnight, there will be a Famine Lunch in aid of Mothers’ Union. It will take place after the 11 o’clock service in St. Mary’s in Carrigaline at approx 12 noon. We hope to have Mothers’ Union cards etc available for purchase which also supports the work of Mothers’ Union around the world. We look forward also to a Candlelight Supper in March. Details to follow next month. Our Diocesan Women’s Getaway weekend will take place 2nd – 4th March in Garryvoe.  Booking Forms available from Hilary Dring. All welcome – it is not just for Mothers’ Union members!! Treat yourself and come along. By the time you read this there will hopefully be some spring flowers peeping out and cheering us up to remind us of God’s faithfulness year after year. God never lets us down.   (HD)

Green Matters.  If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the March Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th February please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

8^th Feb          Friendship Club 11am Rectory

11^th Feb        Sunday Club 11am Parish Hall

11^th Feb        Choral Evensong 7pm St John’s Church

14^th Feb        Ash Wednesday Eucharist 10:30am & 7:30pm St Mary’s Church

16^th Feb        Youth Club 7:30pm – 9:30pm  Parish Hall

21^st Feb        Lenten Study 8pm Parish Hall

(immediately after 7:30 Evening Prayer in St Mary’s Church)

25^th Feb        Famine Lunch in Parish Hall

(immediately following the 11am Fair Trade themed All Age Service)

Baptisms :

31^st December 2017, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Abigail Eleanor Henrietta Anderson-Roberts, daughter of John Anderson and Charlotte Roberts

Funerals :

27^th November 2017, Cremation, Deirdre McCrea née Miskelly (Carrigaline Union)

2^nd January 2018, Cremation, Linda Lee née Meagher (Carrigaline Union)

3^rd January 2018, St John’s Cemetery, Ballinrae, Christopher Hare (Carrigaline Union)

Carrigaline Union Notes for January 2018

Live Crib ‘Road to Bethlehem’ thank you to all of the hardworking team that put together our wonderful event in December, decorated the church, made the animal pens, acted in the pageant, made cakes, served tea & coffee, stewarded, whatever!. We hope that yet again it made a real difference to our community’s understanding of the Incarnation. The local charities (SvP, Cork Simon, Charlie’s Equine Rescue) will have certainly appreciated the gate money donated to them. Thank you all.

Advent Talks Thank you to John Sweeney for helping lead the talks this year. Great evenings of listening, thinking and sharing.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Divine Dance’ by Richard Rohr, SPCK 2016  and we will meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 15^th January to discuss. All welcome.

Toddlers Plus One We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club  We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 11^th January.  All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Mothers’ Union   A New Year, a new beginning, for Mothers’ Union a new Theme… “In Mary Sumner’s Footsteps” is the theme for 2018. As we look to the future and the year ahead we want, as an organisation, to build on our heritage, and in particular, the life and vision of Mary Sumner and on her faith and resolve to follow God’s call to make a difference to families and society.  Mary Sumner started Mothers’ Union in 1876, over 140 years ago; today over 4 million members still make a difference around the world. We meet as Carrigaline and Monkstown branch and all are welcome to join us. This month, on Wednesday 17th at 8pm, we look forward to a visit from Lesley Roberts when he will tell us about Carrigaline Pottery, for so long part of the fabric of the town. Clodagh King’s photography skills will be put to good use as she helps Lesley with his presentation. We will meet in the Parish Hall in Carrigaline next to the church. Please remember that membership fees are due in January; forms have been posted/emailed out and are also available from Hilary Dring if you would like one. We would love to have some new members so please just ask one of us about it. We will be delighted to help. Wishing everyone who reads this many blessings for the New Year. “The 1st January is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.” ? Brad Paisley. (HD)

Green Matters.  If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the February Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th January please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

11^th Jan        Friendship Club 11am Rectory

15^th Jan        Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

17^th Jan        Mothers’ Unon 8pm Parish Hall

19^th Jan        Youth Club 7:30pm – 9:30pm  Parish Hall

Baptism: 3^rd December , St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Benjamin David, son of David Barbour and Niamh Hallinan

Funerals : Cremation, 27^th November 2017, Deirdre McCrea née Miskelly (Carrigaline Union)

Carrigaline Union Notes for December 2017

Live Crib ‘Road to Bethlehem’ Saturday December 9^th & Sunday 10^th in St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline 2pm – 6pm. All are welcome. Live animals, Nativity Pageant, Carol Singing, Mulled Wine, Teas  & Coffees and lots lots more. Adults €7 but children are free and like last year all money will go to local charities. Please come along and support it, it is a magical experience.

Advent Talks are on for just three nights this year, all on Wednesdays at 8pm in the Parish Hall, Carrigaline. 6^th December, 13^th and 20^th December. All welcome to come along as we explore the actual theology behind the tinsel, turkey and trappings.

Drama Group  Thank you to the Director Mary Murphy, Producer Olna Trotter and their wonderful group of Actors, Wardrobe & Props people for three fantastic nights at the Douglas Theatre Supper in early November. It truly was so professional and very very funny! We were all so proud of you. Thank you also to Madeleine Geary and her intrepid band of caterers for looking after all of the logistics. It was lovely for our parish to be involved in such an enterprise with our neighbouring parish of Douglas and Frankfield especially as so many of us are closely connected with them. We look forward to the next collaboration but in the meantime we have the Live Crib Pageant to enjoy so no pressure!

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Divine Dance’ by Richard Rohr, SPCK 2016  and we will meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 15^th January to discuss. All welcome.

Youth Club.   It has been an amazing couple of weeks for the young people of Carrigaline Union:

-On Friday 13th Oct, six of our youth club (Kyle, Oriel plus a pal, Alice, Jonathan and Alison) teamed up with Templebreedy parish youth and on a very damp and chilly night slept outside under a shelter in the church grounds to highlight the plight of the homeless and those facing homelessness in Ireland today.

The 20 young people raised over €1,200.00 euro in sponsorship for Focus Ireland – a really superb effort – and we can be very proud of them and learn from them. They really do understand that it is not right to have so many people (especially children) homeless in our country at this time and they want it to change. Thank you once again to Revd Isobel and Norman Jackson who organised this superb event and a special call out also for Oriel Hosford who attended this event plus more or less every other youth club meeting and event over the past few years  (fair play Oriel )

-At the recent Ashton School awards Rachel Warren Perry was named ‘Senior Student of the Year’ and Kyle Meiklejohn bagged the ‘Junior Student of the Year’ award (as well as a number of other prizes!) Superb , both of you!!

-Alice Woolworth was accepted into Mensa.  Brilliant Alice!

-Christina Dring (at just 18 years of age) has just played in the FAI Women’s Cup Final match for Cork City WFC against UCD Waves on Nov 5th at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and has come home with a winners medal!!(Cork won 1-0!)

– Add to this the Musical and Archery Talents of Alison Warren Perry plus the hockey and soccer skills of Jonathan Warren Perry and we have a group of young people with a huge range of talents!.

Big Congratulations to you all !!!

The Youth Leaders, Sunday School teachers and the entire parish are very proud of your achievements and wish you well with your future plans.

Keep it up Guys !, be humble in your victories and Thank God for these talents God has given you and enjoy them to the full. (Peter Coughlan)

Mothers’ Union   Thank you to Tracey Pierce for the wonderful Crafts evening in November. Our MU Christmas lunch will be on the 7th December at 12.30 in the Carrigaline Court Hotel. Please contact Hilary Dring or Jocelyn Pierce if you would like to come. For more information on upcoming events, please contact me on 086-3680513, or have a look at the Mothers’ Union Cork Facebook page or the website at www.cork.mothersunion.ie.  (Hilary Dring)

While we, the people of Carrigaline Union, were delighted that the Climate Justice Candle at our United Harvest Service appeared as the cover photo for the November Diocesan Magazine, the caption with the photo unfortunately said that St John’s Church was in Carrigaline. While St John’s Church is indeed one of two churches in the Carrigaline Union of parishes,  the Church has resided proudly in the beautiful village of Monkstown since 1832.  St John’s Church, along with it’s sister church of St Mary’s Carrigaline (1823),  has services every Sunday, in fact St John’s Church has an additional Service at 7pm on the second Sunday of each month when the 16 strong robed Monkstown Chamber Choir, directed by Roger Ellis, treat us all to wonderful Choral Evensong, a service that is rarely experienced outside of a Cathedral setting. All are welcome to join with us if you are in the area.

At that United Harvest in St John’s Church Monkstown depicted on the front cover of last month’s diocesan magazine, the preacher was the Revd Tony Murphy. Many of you already know him because, although he lives in Carrigaline, in his capacity as a Non Stipendiary Minister in this diocese , he is a frequent visitor to many of your churches.

That particular day he preached on Vocation and many of those who heard him asked me to somehow allow his words to go further than just the people who had gathered for the United Harvest. Someone suggested the Diocesan Magazine, so I am unashamedly hitching his slightly scaled down sermon onto my few words about St John’s Church in the hope that when you read it, you too will be nurtured by its quiet wisdom and perhaps there may even be one or two of you who will also feel a quiet stirring in your soul – and who knows where that will lead!

The Revd Tony Murphy’s Sermon at the United Harvest in St John’s Monkstown:

1: As Rev Elaine in recent years has invited as Harvest Preachers those who began their journey to the Ministry in this Parish I would like to change focus this morning to  the start of the Harvest cycle and reflect on how the seeds of ministry are set within the Christian Community in Parishes.

2: In recent decades there has been a broadening on the  roles of Ministries in the Churches. The Church of Ireland has a long tradition Lay Readership. In recent years  we have developed Pastoral Assistants;  Healing Ministry; Lay Assistants at the Eucharist together with more traditional ministries such as Wardens , Organists etc . It is sobering to recall that these insights were available from the early years of the Church but were overlooked when there was a highly clericalised structure. The Apostle Paul (Romans 12: 6-8) reminded his readers that we ALL have gifts to offer –gifts  that differ according to the Grace given to us. The key issue is not what grace or talent we have been given but, as we see from the story of the talents what we do with it. ,(Matthew 25: 14-30)

3: While we have experienced a growth in some ministries  there  has been a clear decline in vocations to the Ordained Ministry. The reasons for this are many but one has to accept that– compared to the present day —  the society in which people lived  in the past, the culture and the Parishes all  helped people to process the possibility of a call to Ministry.

However The Church of God has a structure of Bishops ,Priest and Deacons since the time of the Apostles and it is the responsibility of the Church in our day  to  ensure that the Church  continues to serve the People of God and Proclaim its witness.

4: What is the role of a Christian Community in relation to encouraging vocations to the Ministry?.

Could I suggest in the first case that it is  something that we should include in our prayers.  In Matthew9: 36-38 we are asked us to pray  to the Lord of the Harvest to send labourers into his harvest. How often do we follow this instruction?

Apart from the efficacy of prayer ,such a practice keeps the Ordained Ministry as part of the life of the Parish and not something that is disconnected . One should never underestimate the impact of prayer or talk on the Ministry to those who may be privately  agonising as to whether they have a genuine call to the Ministry.

5: Obviously the Church Community cannot cause vocations. That is the role of the Holy Spirit. The Church community can only help a person who believes that he or she has that call from God. However the Holy Spirit is not limited by our narrow vision or petty prejudices. My experience at a selection conference and viewing the diversity of people present in terms of age , gender, educational levels, churchmanship and personality brought me to the conclusion that it could not eb a human agency which brought this group together.

6: We will be entering a new phase in the life of the Church with the creation of Local Ordained Ministry. Trying to understand if one genuinely has such a call is a demanding experience but remember the repeated phrase from the first chapter of the Book of Joshua when the Lord appointed him as successor to Moses “ Be strong and courageous”.   We all have to place ourselves into Gods hands and have confidence that he will be with us through trying times as well as joyous ones.

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the January Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) earlier than normal to fit in with the Printers Christmas Break, so before the 3^rd December please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

2^nd /3rd  Dec   St Mary’s School Christmas Fayre in GAA Hall

6^th December  Advent talk 8pm Parish Hall

7^th December  Mothers’ Union Lunch, Carrigaline Court Hotel

9^th /10^th Dec   ‘Road to Bethlehem’ Live Crib  at St Mary’s Church

13^th December  Advent talk 8pm Parish Hall

15^th December  Carrigaline Community Carols 7:30pm St Mary’s Church

17^th December Eucharist 11am St Mary’s Church

Nine Lessons & Carols 4pm St John’s Church (no 9:30am)

18^th December 10am Toddlers + 1 Christmas & Carols Parish Hall

3pm Monday Club & MU Carol singing Parish Hall

24^th December Eucharist 9:30am St John’s Church

Carols around the Crib 4pm St Mary’s Church (no 11am)

First Eucharist of the Nativity 11:30pm St Mary’s Church

25^th December 9.30am Eucharist St John’s, 11am Eucharist St Mary’s

27^th December 10:30am Eucharist St Mary’s Church

31^st December 11am United Christingle Service St Mary’s Church

Baptism:

15^th October, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Alex Chris Pope, son of Simon & Julie (nee Trotter)

28^th October, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Sam Alan McConnell, son of Warren & Aoife

Carrigaline Union Notes for November 2017

Harvest Celebrations  We had an entire week of celebrations for Harvest this year, beginning with the St Mary’s Harvest Service when preacher Keith Dyde (from the Church Army who lived in Carrigaline for many years while a Missioner in this diocese) spoke to us about ‘Fruits of the Spirit’. We had a lovely ‘Bring & Share’ lunch after this service so that everyone  had a chance to speak with Keith and his wife Susanna. The following Saturday evening we had the Harvest Supper Dinner & Dance which was very well attended and thanks as always to Henry Forbes and his hardworking team for pulling off yet another brilliant Harvest event. The next morning we had the St John’s Harvest Service when our own Revd Tony Murphy spoke to us on the theme of the workers required for the Harvest and Vocations in general. It was an inspiring and timely sermon and many have requested that it be published here within our notes to ensure a wider readership. Tony will attempt to trim it down as much as possible and hopefully it will be here on our page in next months edition. We hosted the Climate Justice Candle at this service (see more under ‘Green Notes’). The Harvest collection this year went to Medecins Sans Frontiere (MSF) Rohingya Fund while the produce used in decoration went to Carrigaline Senior Citizens / Meals on Wheels and Monkstown SvP / Meals on Wheels. Thank you to all who decorated the churches so beautifully and anyone who helped out. It was a truly wonderful week.

Toddlers Plus One We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club  We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 9^th November.  All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Youth Club.  Six of our young people, along with leaders Peter & Tracey, slept out of doors with Revd Isobel and her gang in Crosshaven on a most miserable October night – Friday 13th indeed!. They were highlighting and raising money for ‘Focus Ireland’ and well done to them!  The Soccer/Funday in Ringaskiddy (Secondary School age) is on November 11^th. Details from Peter Coughlan.

Mothers’ Union  At our November 15^th meeting, Tracey Pierce will again be leading us through another wonderful evening making ‘Crafts for Christmas’ which was so popular last time. For more information on upcoming events, please contact Hilary on 086-3680513, or have a look at the Mothers’ Union Cork Facebook page or the website at www.cork.mothersunion.ie.   

Monkstown Chamber Choir returned to practice in September and sang at Choral Evensong in St John’s on the 10th. Later in the month, we were invited to accompany choir member Charlotte O’Connor in St Mary’s Church (Marmullane), Passage West as part of Culture Night. This was a very pleasant evening, where we also heard Paula Mealy sing beautifully with Dermot Locke on the new organ. Colman O’Mahony told us about the history of the church and the night was washed down with wine and olives! The combined Harvest service followed in early October where we sang the anthem “For the beauty of the earth” by Philip Stopford. Christmas will be busy again this year, but before that starts, we look forward to travelling to Timoleague on 3rd December for what has now become a traditional event – Advent Choral Evensong. (RE)

Green Matters.  We were delighted that we had the Eco Congregation Climate Justice Candle for the United Harvest Service in St John’s Church. Special prayers were said and a pledge taken to honour the environment in whatever way we can. The Rector also brought it along to the Clergy Conference in Ballylickey and it was lit for all of our Talks and Services there so hopefully it will encourage other clergy in the diocese to go the Eco Congregation route. Eco Congregation have wonderful online resources full of ideas on how to take an eco-friendly approach to church life – practically, spiritually and by connecting with your local community and with people in developing countries already impacted by climate change. The Tallest Sunflower grown from the seeds distributed on Rogation Sunday Competition Prizes were handed out at the St John’s Harvest too. Graham White won first prize with his 2m 6cm whopper and John Kennedy was second with 1m 99cm. First Class in St Mary’s had a lovely tall Sunflower too so well done to you all! If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the December Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th of November please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

9^th November Friendship Club, 11am Rectory

9^th,10^th & 11^th November   Theatre Supper Nights in Douglas

11^th November CDYC Ringaskiddy Soccer Tournament

12^th November  Remembrance Sunday Choral Evensong 7pm St John’s

15^th November Mothers’ Union 8pm Parish Hall

26^th November Gift Day in the Rectory 12 noon until 3pm

9^th & 10^th December  Live Crib Carrigaline

Baptism:

23^rd September, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Christopher Anthony Hegewald-McElroy, son of Ed and Bianca.

Funeral:

23^rd September,  The Churchyard at Ballyfoyle , Edith Noélle Roberts  (Carrigaline Union)

Carrigaline Union Notes for October 2017

Harvest Celebrations The first of our Harvest Celebrations is the United Service at 11am in St Mary’s Church, Carrrigaline where the Preacher will be Keith Dyde, known to many of you when he worked in this diocese for the Church Army. We are delighted he has come back to speak to us and look forward to chatting with him and his wife Susannah at the Bring & Share Harvest Lunch in the Parish Hall after the Service.  The following Saturday night (7^th) is our Harvest Supper in the Canon McCrea Hall in St Mary’s School. This starts at 7:30pm and please let the Parish Office know if you are bringing a Salad or a Dessert. The next day, Sunday 8^th , our United Service is at 11:15am in St John’s Church, Monkstown where the Preacher will be the Revd Tony Murphy of this parish! At this Service we will also be lighting the Climate Justice Candle which is winging its way around church communities in the whole Island. See the Green notes for more details.

Toddlers Plus One We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club  We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We will meet again at 11am on Thursday 12^th  October.  All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Mothers’ Union  ‘Digging Deeper’ is what we will be doing when we meet in the Parish Hall at 8pm on Wednesday 18^th  October to hear from a  (yet to be confirmed) guest on their personal Faith Journey.  At our November meeting, Tracey Pierce will again be leading us through another wonderful evening making ‘Crafts for Christmas’ which was so popular last time. For more information on upcoming events, please contact Hilary on 086-3680513, or have a look at the Mothers’ Union Cork Facebook page or the website at www.cork.mothersunion.ie.   

Green Matters.  We are delighted that we are hosting the Climate Justice Candle in our parish in October.  So many churches throughout Ireland have joined in the Eco Congregation  ‘Shine a Light on Climate Justice’ initiative, since it was launched at the National Ecumenical Prayer Service for COP21 in the presence of President Michael D Higgins in November 2015.  Eco Congregation hopes , by taking part in this initiative, our churches will be encouraged to include prayers for climate justice in every Service/Mass and to take actions to ‘green’ our churches. Eco Congregation have online resources full of ideas on how to take an eco-friendly approach to church life – practically, spiritually and by connecting with your local community and with people in developing countries already impacted by climate change. If you have any further ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the November Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th of October please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

1st Oct       United Harvest Celebration 11am St Mary’s

Preacher : Keith Dyde

Bring & Share Lunch in the Parish Hall

7th Oct         Harvest Supper 7:30pm Canon McCrea Hall

8th Oct         United Harvest Celebration 11:15am St John’s

Preacher : The Revd Tony Murphy

9^th,10^th & 11^th November   Theatre Supper Nights in Douglas

9^th & 10^th December  Live Crib Carrigaline

Baptisms

27^th August   St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Noah Alan Cavanagh-Hogan, son of Julie Cavanagh and Colm Hogan

3^rd September, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Andrew Edward Bateman, son of Ross and Gemma Bateman

10^th September, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – James Robert Whitley, son of Philip and Sarah Whitley.

Carrigaline Union Notes for September 2017

Toddlers Plus One This group returns to the fray on Monday 4^th September. We meet every Monday in the Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult

Monday Club are back on Monday 11^th September. We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm every Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. The Friendship Group will meet again after the summer break in the Rectory at 11am on Thursday 14^th  September.  All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Holiday Club  This year’s Holiday Club ‘Champions!’was a great success on many levels. 50 children and 20 teen leaders (plus the usual boring ‘Adults’) ensured that a great time was had by all! The joint venture from Carrigaline Union and Templebreedy Group ensures that there is always a great mix of children. Thanks to all who helped out in any way. We will be back same time next year (16^th to 20^th July 2018) so make sure you don’t book your holidays and clash with the dates!

Mothers’ Union  Thank you to Sarah Foott for welcoming so many of us to her beautiful garden in July and for serving us such a lovely afternoon tea along with her helpers! We all really enjoyed it. It is always like visiting a small oasis. Hopefully everyone has been able to enjoy the sunshine and warmth, a good reminder of God’s care and love for us all. Now September is upon us and we will have our first local gathering on Wednesday 20th September at 8pm with a Communion Service in St. Mary’s Church with AGM and supper in the hall afterwards.  All welcome to come along. New members very welcome. On the 9th September Mothers’ Union right across Ireland will be celebrating our 130th Anniversary with the Big Sing at the National Concert Hall at 3pm. Then, on the 23rd September there will be a Diocesan event called ‘A Day Away From It All’. This will be at Inchidoney Island Lodge & Spa. The day will begin at 12 noon with lunch, which will be a multi-course style menu based around local food producers. Each course will have its own food story which Kate Ryan of FLAVOUR.IE will talk through as we dine. Welcome drink included. Lunch will be followed by a walk on the beach (weather permitting) and a visit to Clonakilty Community Garden finishing at approx 3.30pm. Ticket includes a donation to the community garden. ALL WELCOME – Bring your friends /partner /husband /sister ……Tickets €37.50 pp – book directly by 21st Sept 4pm at www.flavour.ie/mu2017/ or call Kate on 086- 2059360. For more information contact Hilary on 086-3680513, have a look at the Mothers’ Union Cork Facebook page or the website at www.cork.mothersunion.ie. We look forward to spreading the word about the work of Mothers’ Union during the coming months as well as sharing fellowship and friendship together again. (HD)

Green Matters.  The Rectory Laurel Hedge has come on so well that a Working Party removed the old wooden fencing from the outside perimeter and it looks lovely. This specially chosen hedge flowers in the spring for bees and has lovely berries later in the summer for the birds. A real winner! If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the October Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th of September please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

4th Sept      Toddlers Plus One 10am until 12 noon Parish Hall

7th Sept      Select Vestry Meeting 8pm Rectory

8th Sept      Parish Barbecue 7:30pm  Rectory Garden

10th Sept    Choral Evensong 7pm St John’s

11th Sept     Monday Club 3pm until 5pm Parish Hall

14th Sept    Friendship Club 11am Rectory

15th Sept    Youth Club 7:30pm till 9:30pm Parish Hall

18th Sept    Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

24th Sept    Blessing of Animals Service 11am St Mary’s

1st Oct          United Harvest Celebration 11am St Mary’s Preacher : Keith Dyde

7th Oct         Harvest Supper 7:30pm Canon McCrea Hall

8th Oct        United Harvest Celebration 11:15am St John’s Preacher : The Revd Tony Murphy

Baptisms

18^th June   St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline – Sadie Rose McCarthy, daughter of Rosemary Fielding & Eoghan McCarthy

22^nd July    St John’s Church, Monkstown – Tommy Donal George Lehane, son of Fin & Karyn Lehane

Carrigaline Union Notes for July & August 2017

St Mary’s School  Congratulations to all who participated in the Inter Schools Sports Association Athletics Competition held recently in CIT. St. Mary’s NS were the overall winners of the Beamish Cup for the 10th consecutive year having won it 21 times since the competition began. St. Mary’s NS was responsible for organising the very successful event this year. Well done to all pupils, staff, parents, supporters and friends of St. Mary’s NS who helped to make the occasion such a success. (VE)

Mothers’ Union We had a wonderful day in Kilkenny on the 1st June, despite the rain. We were welcomed so warmly to St. Canice’s Cathedral by Dean Katharine Poulton where we had service of Compline, a tour of the Cathedral followed by a sumptuous afternoon tea in the Chapter Room – provided by members of Kilkenny Mothers’ Union – a lovely treat for all of us. We thank them all. It is so good to share friendship with each other. This month (July) Sarah Foott will welcome us to her garden for tea at 2.30 on Thursday 13th July. It is always such a treat to visit her beautiful garden which is so full of botanical treasures. We thank her in advance. If anyone would like to go and needs a lift please ask. Our next, more official, meeting will be in the autumn, dates to be confirmed. In the meantime, please do come along at 10.30 am on the first Wednesday of the month to the Holy  Communion Service in St. Mary’s Church Carrigaline when we have special mention of Mothers’ Union and time for coffee and chat afterwards. Forward planning – there will be an All Ireland Women’s Get Away Weekend at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sligo on the 20th and 21st October. Bookings will need to be in during September. Watch this space for more details. Hopefully a car load of us from Carrigaline can make our way to it. Be blessed during these summer months, when we sometimes have a little more time to enjoy the wonder of creation all around us.     (HD)

Monkstown Chamber Choir have had a very busy few months. At the May Confirmation Service in St John’s we sang “The Fathers Love” by Simon Lole during the administration of communion. Then two days later we were invited back to sing at the annual Ecumenical Service in the Bons Secours Hospital, where we are always made to feel so welcome. This is a very moving Service where the relatives of patients who have died during the past year remember their loved ones. Choral Evensong has ceased now for the summer, but we will be back in September. We ended our spring/summer term with a weekend trip to Dhuin Chaoin in Co Kerry. On the recommendation of a choir member, we stayed in a beautiful guesthouse called “An Portan”, and sang at Mass on the Saturday evening in St Gobnait’s church. Being part of the Ghealtacht, the whole ceremony was in Irish, and this was a challenge for us all. However, with the assistance of The Revd Tony Murphy, we practised our pronunciation and learnt nine pieces, including five hymns and Sean O’Riada’s Mass parts. We were assured that there would be a keyboard in the church, but when we arrived, there wasn’t anything in sight….so we decided to sing “Acapella”…ie without accompaniment!! It was a lovely little church, and in fact, a keyboard would have distorted the voices of the choir. The weather was magnificent, and our little trip was a perfect way to start our summer break. (RCE )

Toddlers Plus One This group continue to meet in Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm on Mondays during the Summer. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club has ended for the summer months. We’ll be back on Monday 11^th September. We meet in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm each Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. Thank you to all who came along on Thursday 8^th June for the special Fundraiser Coffee Morning for Tilara, a 5 year old girl living in Midleton, the grand niece of one of Jean Buttimer, one of our parishioners. We wish Tilara and her family well as they head for vital medical treatment in the U.S. which will help with Tilara’s Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy (check out facebook.com/timefor tilara). We will keep them all in prayer.   The Friendship Group will meet again after the summer break in the Rectory at 11am on Thursday 14^th  September.  All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Holiday Club  This year’s Holiday Club ‘Champions!’ will be from Monday 17th July to Friday 21st July, again in the Canon McCrea Hall in St Mary’s School. All children who are will be in Primary School in September 2017 are welcome. The cost will be 30 per child with a maximum of 70 per family. Please contact the rector for more details if required.

Green Matters.   You may have noticed the lovely grassy clumps and verges in St Mary’s Graveyard? We aren’t being lazy! These are deliberately being left ‘wild’ for our Bee population. If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the September Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the end of July please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

17th – 21st July   Holiday Club ‘Champions!’  Canon McCrea Hall

1^st – 26^th August   Rector on holiday,

Douglas Clergy covering Pastoral Emergencies

Carrigaline Union Notes for June 2017

Confirmation We congratulate Katie Daunt and Sonia Daunt who were confirmed in St John’s Church Monkstown on Sunday 7^th May. The weather was good and lots of people stayed around and had coffee and delicious cake afterwards. A lovely atmosphere. Thank you to the bishop for another memorable service. May Katie and Sonia’s journey in faith continue to be a blessing to them and their community.

Youth Group Well done to the young people who were  took part in the CDYC homelessness awareness event in St Ann’s Shandon and helped the voluntary team in Cork Penny Dinners. Thank you to Kristin for the arrangements and to Catriona and the team in Penny Dinners – for their guidance –  a really great and humbling experience. Hilda Connolly is running the next CDYC event on Wed 7th June- a trip to Tayto Park for a day of Rollercoasters and other fun activities. Spaces are limited so please let the youth leaders know asap if you’d like to go.(PK)

Exams Please keep all our young parishioners sitting State Exams in your prayers over the next couple of weeks.

Mothers’ Union  At the time of writing we look forward to hosting our Diocesan Festival Service on the 20th May which celebrates 13 Decades of Mothers’ Union in Ireland. What a day we will have had; a day of celebration, worship, fellowship and friendship. Thank you to all those who helped out in so many different ways. Thank you to all who came from far and near to be with us in our celebrations. In the midst of our celebrations we remember a very special lady who has been so involved in Mothers’ Union in the dioceses for so long and recently passed away. Marjorie Bond was an active member of her local branch, wherever she lived, and Carrigaline and Monkstown branch certainly benefited hugely from her commitment, experience and wisdom during her years in the parish. She was greatly loved by all and will be very much missed at our gatherings, whether they be small or large. Thank you to a wonderful person. May she rest in peace. Our outing to Kilkenny will also have happened by the time you read this and we look forward to a trip to Sarah Foott’s garden later in the summer. There is still time to volunteer for the Cork Show. Please let Hilary know if you are interested. May this summer be a time of rest and renewing for us all. (HD)

Parish Fête.  This year’s Parish Fête will be over by the time you are reading these notes while it is yet to happen in actual time…. Huge thanks to Eddie Pierce and all of his team for all the hard work (hope it didn’t rain!)

Toddlers Plus One This group meet in Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm on Mondays even during the Summer. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club Come along for a chat & cuppa in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm each Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month for tea, coffee & chat. We meet again this month on 8^th . This month will be a special Fundraiser Coffee Morning for Tilara, a 5 year old girl living in Midleton and who is the grand niece of one of Jean Buttimer, one of our parishioners. Tilara’s family are raising money for a vital operation in the U.S. which will help with Tilara’s Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy (check out facebook.com/timefor tilara) and we are delighted to help. Come along to the Rectory on Thursday 8^th from 10:30 – 12:30  All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Red Tent’ by Anita Diamant and will  meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Wednesday 14th June to discuss. All welcome.

Holiday Club  This year’s Holiday Club ‘Champions!’ will be from Monday 17th July to Friday 21st July, again in the Canon McCrea Hall in St Mary’s School. All children who are will be in Primary School in September 2017 are welcome. The cost will be 30 per child with a maximum of 70 per family. Please contact the rector for more details if required.

Green Matters.  About 25 brave people turned up at 5am on Sunday 14^th Mary for the Ecumenical Dawn Chorus when Tony Nagle led us around Currabinny Woods listening to the first calls. We also learned a huge amount about the various trees in Currabinny. The rain held off until we had almost finished our breakfast (most of us had forgotten what rain was after the long dry spell!).

If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the July/August Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10th June please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

1^st June   Mothers’ Union outing to Kilkenny

8^th June   Friendship Club/Coffee Morning for Tilara 10:30 till 12:30 Rectory

10^th June  Diocesan Synod, Rochestown Hotel

14^th June  Theological Book Circle, 8pm Rectory

28^th June  6^th Class Graduation Service 12 St Mary’s Church

17th – 21st July Holiday Club ‘Champions!’  Canon McCrea Hall

BURIAL

12^th May   Marjorie Bond , St Luke’s Churchyard (Carrigaline Union)

Carrigaline Union Notes for May 2017

Parish Fête.  This year’s Parish Fête is on Saturday 27^th May from 10am until 2pm in St Mary’s School, Waterpark, Carrigaline. This will be a great day for all the family with Bouncy Castle, Burgers, Bric-a-Brac, Books, Cakes, Plants, Toys, fantastic Raffle etc. Eddie Pierce and his team of helpers are again in charge of organising so do contact him if you would like to donate anything or if you would like to help out in any way. This is the major fundraiser for the parish each year so as well as being a great social occasion it is also extremely financially important for our parish that we all support it…. luckily it is so much fun that you don’t even notice that you’ve spent all your money! The Rector is on the Bric-a-Brac stall again this year and so will probably bring home more than she donates… again!…..See you there!

Bowls Club Congratulations to the teams who all did exceedingly well in the leagues this year.  They will be moving up a section. Well done!

Mothers’ Union Thank you to everyone  who came along to enjoy our Candlelight Supper on 24th March; it was a really lovely evening of friendship and chat which  raised €140 for the ‘Make a Mothers Day’ Mothers’  Union campaign.  Since then we have celebrated Holy Week and Easter and they are well behind us but the wonderful message of hope and resurrection remains with us all through the year. This month we have our very special celebratory Festival Service in St. Mary’s, Carrigaline at 2pm on the 20th May.  The All Ireland President, Phyllis Grothier, will be there and the Central MU Chaplain, Rev Andrew Proud, will be the preacher. There will be tea in the Canon McCrea Hall afterwards – lots of help needed for that. Please put the date in your diary and bring your friends along to celebrate with us. We are planning a day outing to Kilkenny on Thursday 1st June. We will leave early and be gone for the day; we plan to meet up with some Mothers’ Union members while we are there, as well as enjoying the beautiful city that it is. More details to follow. Please ask us if you are interested in coming along. Remember please if you wish to help out at the Mothers’ Union baby changing facilities marquee at Cork Show on 17th &18th June to let Gail Jonas or Hilary Dring know. Thanks (HD)

Youth Club had a fantastic bowling night on March 24 with our neighbours from Crosshaven. Garda Damien kindly drove us there n back in a Garda community bus !! It was a real bonus to be joined by German students Mirja and Miriam as well as French exchange students Louisa and Audrey.
Norman Jackson came from Crosshaven with his young people and we met up with diocesan youth officer Kristin in the Leisureplex with the Midleton youth group… 27 in the end. Great craic !  (PK) All Secondary level young people are welcome to the Youth Club on the 3rd Friday of each month. 7:30– 9:30pm in the Parish Hall, Carrigaline. Contact Peter Coughlan for details on any aspect of Youth work in Carrigaline Union.

Confirmation We congratulate Katie Daunt and Sonia Daunt who will be confirmed in St John’s Church Monkstown on Sunday 7^th May. May their journey in faith continue to be a blessing to them and their community.

Toddlers Plus One This group meet in Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm on Mondays. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club Come along for a chat & cuppa in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm each Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 11am for tea, coffee & chat but none this month as it clashes with Holy Week. We meet again on 11th May. All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Red Tent’ by Anita Diamant and will  meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Wednesday 14th June to discuss. All welcome.

Holiday Club  This year’s Holiday Club ‘Champions!’ will be from Monday 17th July to Friday 21st July, again in the Canon McCrea Hall in St Mary’s School. All children who are will be in Primary School in September 2017 are welcome. The cost will be 30 per child with a maximum of 70 per family. Please contact the rector for more details if required.

Green Matters.  The Dawn Chorus this year is on Sunday May 14th when Tony Nagle will again lead us around Currabinny Woods listening to the first calls. Meeting at 5am in the Currabinny Woods Carpark, set your alarms and don’t forget to bring along a brekkie sandwich and flask for after the walk and the short prayer.  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the June Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10th May please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

7th May   Confirmation Service 11:15am St John’s Church, Monkstown

14th May  Dawn Chorus 5am Currabinny Woods

19th May  Youth Club 7.30pm to 9.30pm Parish Hall

20th May  Mothers’ Union Diocesan Service, 2pm St Mary’s Church

26th May  CAMEO 10.30 Monkstown Sailing Club

27th May  Parish Fete, 10am – 2pm St Mary’s School, Carrigaline

17th – 21st June Holiday Club ‘Champions!’  Canon McCrea Hall

HOLY MATRIMONY

25th March    St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline Jane Willis (Moviddy Union) and Alan Jennings (Ross Union)

Carrigaline Union Notes for April 2017

St Mary’s School joined in with the Women’s World Day of Prayer again this year. Ms Collins and 4^th Class led a wonderful Assembly using material prepared this year by the women in the Philippines. Well done to them for a most informative and interesting Assembly. Their Artwork also brightened up St Mary’s Church for the WWDP Service that evening. The children also collected an enormous amount of dry goods for Penny Dinners in their ‘Love your Neighbour’ appeal for St Valentine’s Day. It was very much appreciated by Penny Dinners.

Monkstown Chamber Choir were back to practice in February and our first Evensong took the form of a “Songs of Praise” where this year the choir chose their favourite hymns. Choral Evensong continues on the second Sunday of the month in St Johns Church, Monkstown and on 12th March, we sang the beautiful “Benedictus” by Karl Jenkins, as the anthem. On St Patricks eve, we have been invited to sing at a special service performed in Irish in St Mary’s, Carrigaline which promises to be very special.  Then there is the Confirmation service in St John’s Monkstown on 7th May and also the RSCM “Come and sing the Psalms” in St Fin Barres Cathedral during the month. Instead of our annual trip to Sherkin Island, this year we will perform Sean O’Riada’s mass in Dunquin, Co Kerry on 27th May. Busy, and most enjoyable few months ahead! (RE)

Mothers’ Union  Thank you to all who supported our Famine lunch in February which raised over €300 for the Overseas Fund; every euro makes a difference.  Some of us in the dioceses have just returned from a conference at An Grianan in Co. Louth where, amongst other things, we heard about the worldwide element of Mothers’ Union and how much even the smallest bit of support can change lives. So Thank You !! We trust that everyone will have thoroughly enjoyed our Candlelight Supper on 24th March; a lovely time for friendship and chat while also raising some money to support the work of Mothers’ Union. This month we remember and celebrate all that happened during Holy Week and at Easter; may it be a special time for all of us. We will not meet formally during April but hope that some of us will make the Council meeting in Bandon on the 29th. Details in the programme. It would be so lovely to have a few people from our branch coming along to hear about what is going on. Beyond that, a reminder about our very special celebratory Festival Service in St. Mary’s, Carrigaline at 2pm on the 20th May.  To finish with a short prayer from our worship at the weekend…’Loving God, we step forward in faith this day, trusting in your plans for our future and your presence with us at every stage. Amen’    (HD)

Youth Club     At the time of writing , the young people were looking forward to a Bowling & Tag night with Templebreedy and Midleton Youth Groups and during the St Patrick’s Day weekend, some of our Youth Club went to Ovoca Manor for Holiday Club Training along with other young people from Dublin & Glendalough and Cashel, Ferns & Ossory, it’s really great to join up with others in this way. Remember that all Secondary level young people are welcome to the Youth Club on the 3^rd Friday of each month. 7:30– 9:30pm in the Parish Hall, Carrigaline. Contact Peter Coughlan for details on any aspect of Youth work in Carrigaline Union.

Toddlers Plus One This group meet in Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm on Mondays. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club Come along for a chat & cuppa in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm each Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2^nd Thursday of each month at 11am for tea, coffee & chat but none this month as it clashes with Holy Week. We meet again on 11^th May. All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Shack’ by William P. Young.  We next meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 3^rd April to discuss it. All welcome.

Green Matters.  The ‘Irish Seed Savers Association’ Coffee Morning in the Rectory on 1^st March (Ash Wednesday) was very well attended and a number of people ordered seeds and became members. Four people even represented our parish and went all the way to Co. Clare for their Open Day on 5^th March.  Check out their website for more details www.irishseedsavers.ie. The Dawn Chorus this year is on Sunday May 14^th when Tony Nagle will lead us around Currabinny Woods listening to the first calls.  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the May Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th April please.

 

FORWARD  PLANNER

3^rd April     Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

5^th April     Holy Communion 10:30am St Mary’s Church

Evening Prayer 7:30pm St Mary’s Church

Lenten Bible Study 8pm Parish Hall

6^th April     Select Vestry Meeting 8pm Rectory

9^th April     Palm Sunday, United Service, 11am St Mary’s

Choral Evensong 7pm St John’s

10^th April    Monday of Holy Week

Holy Communion 10:30am St Mary’s Church

Joining with Douglas in the evening for  Bishop Paul’s talk

11^th April    Tuesday of Holy Week

Holy Communion 10:30am St Mary’s Church

Joining with Douglas in the evening for  Bishop Paul’s talk

12^th April     Wednesday of Holy Week

Holy Communion 10:30am St Mary’s Church

Joining with Douglas in the evening for  Bishop Paul’s talk

13^th April     Maundy Thursday

Chrism Eucharist 12 noon St Factna’s Cathedral Ross

Seder Meal 7pm Parish Hall (followed by Holy Communion)

14^th April     Good Friday

Morning Prayer with Litany 10:30am St John’s

Evening Prayer with Litany  7:30pm  St Mary’s

15^th April     Easter Eve

Easter Vigil Service 9pm St Mary’s

16^th April     Easter Day

Dawn Ecumenical Service 6am St John’s

Holy Communion 9:30am St John’s

Holy Communion 11am St Mary’s

19^th April     Holy Communion 10:30am St Mary’s

23^rd April     Commission of Lay Ministers of the Eucharist

9:30am St John’s and 11am St Mary’s

24^th April     Annual Easter Vestry 7pm Parish Hall

30^th April    United Christian Aid Service 11:15 St John’s

Service of Wholeness & Healing 7pm St Mary’s

Carrigaline Union Notes for March 2017

Lenten Talks  We are using the Bible Association of the Church of Ireland (BACI) Lenten Studies ‘God’s Heart for Migrants: Biblical Wisdom for a World in Turmoil’ . Come and join us on Wednesdays at 8pm in the Parish Hall (following Evening Prayer at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church).

Sunday Club  made a wonderful St Valentine’s Day Poster and brought it into Church to show everyone while at the same time distributing Heart Shaped Chocolates! The Rector was very sad that Richard Dring was taking the Service that day (bad planning!) Well done to Karen Holmes and Tracey Pierce, our Sunday Club Leaders on a very imaginative and delicious idea.  ‘Sunday Club’ meet once a month, on the 2^nd Sunday. You can drop your children straight over to the Parish Hall in Carrigaline for an 11am start and they can be collected when the Service is over (usually around 11:45ish).   The other Sunday in the month that might appeal to the children is the 4^th Sunday of the month when we have an All Age Service at 11am in St Mary’s Carrigaline.  

St Mary’s School joined in with Operation Transformation for the 10@10 on Friday 10^th February. The Rector was exhausted just looking at them and luckily she was given the job of recording the event on the Principals phone. At the time of writing these notes, the children  were gathering together dry goods for Cork Penny Dinners in our annual ‘Love your Neighbour for St Valentine’s Day’ Appeal.

Mothers’ Union  Mothers’ Union. By the time you read this the season of Lent will have begun – a time of reflection and looking forward to Holy Week and Easter. We will have had our ‘Journey to South Africa’ with Clare and Cecil Poole, as well as our Famine Lunch in aid of the Mothers’ Union Overseas Fund; thank you to everyone who supported both these events. During March and April you are encouraged to join in the weekly parish Lenten Study each Wednesday at 8pm; because of this we will not have our usual 3rd Wednesday of the month gathering. There will however be a Ladies’ Candlelight Supper on Friday, 24th March, the weekend of Mothering Sunday, to which all are invited. It will be at the Parish Hall next to St. Mary’s church at 8pm. Please come along and bring a friend. The supper will be in aid of the ‘Make a Mothers’ Day’ campaign – €5 per person. If you can bring a salad or a dessert please let us know. A thought to finish with…”Fast from unkindness, thank God for the gift of love in your life, wherever you find it and pray for those who have forgotten how to love” (HD)

Youth Club   At the time of writing we were looking forward to welcoming Kristin Hollowell to join us for our February meeting! In March we hope to have a Bowling trip to Leisureplex with other youth clubs from east cork and the city, date tba.  All Secondary level young people welcome to the Youth Club on the 3^rd Friday of each month. 7:30– 9pm in the Parish Hall, Carrigaline.

Toddlers Plus One This group meet in Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm on Mondays. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club Come along for a chat & cuppa in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm each Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever! We have just sent a load of knitted hats to the Mission to Seafarers in Dublin where they will be much appreciated by cash strapped Seafarers who visit the mission there.

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2^nd Thursday of each month at 11am for tea, coffee & chat. We meet this month on 9^th March. All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Shack’ by William P. Young.  We next meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 3^rd April to discuss it. All welcome.

Green Matters.  The Rector is planning a Coffee morning to support ‘Irish Seed Savers Association’ in the Rectory on 1^st March (Ash Wednesday) after the 10:30 Eucharist. Their seed catalogue will be available with details on how to grow delicious produce while protecting and conserving Irish seed varieties. All welcome.  We will also have the annual Dawn Chorus again this year on Sunday May 14^th when Tony Nagle will lead us around Currabinny Woods listening to the first calls.  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the April Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th March please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

1^st March   Ash Wednesday 10:30 & 7:30 Holy Communion with imposition of ashes St Mary’s Church

1^st March  11:15  Irish Seed Savers Coffee Morning in the Rectory

3^rd March  8pm World Day of Prayer St Mary’s Church

8^th March  10:30 Holy Communion St Mary’s Church

7:30 Evening Prayer St Mary’s Church

8pm  Lenten Bible Study Parish Hall

9^th March  11am Friendship Club Rectory

12^th March 7pm Choral Evensong St John’s Church

15^th March 10:30 Holy Communion St Mary’s Church

7:30 Evening Prayer St Mary’s Church

8pm  Lenten Bible Study Parish Hall

16^th March  7:30 St Patrick’s Eve Eucharist ‘as Gaelige’

Preacher : The Rt Revd Michael Burrows, Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory

18^th March  10am – 2pm  Children’s Ministry Banner Making Workshop Parish Hall.

22^nd March  10:30 Holy Communion St Mary’s Church

7:30 Evening Prayer St Mary’s Church

8pm  Lenten Bible Study Parish Hall

24^th March  7pm  Mothers’ Union Candlelit Supper , Parish Hall

29^th March  10:30 Holy Communion St Mary’s Church

7:30 Evening Prayer St Mary’s Church

8pm  Lenten Bible Study Parish Hall

Baptisms :

29^th January 2017, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline, Conor Barbour, son of David Barbour and Niamh Hallihan.

Carrigaline Union Notes for February 2017

Lenten Talks  This year we will again be using the Bible Association of the Church of Ireland (BACI) Lenten Studies. This year’s theme is  ‘God’s Heart for Migrants: Biblical Wisdom for a World in Turmoil’ . We will begin on Wednesday 8^th March at 8pm in the Parish Hall (following Evening Prayer at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church).

Sunday Club  From last month, January 2017, the newly named ‘Sunday Club’ are meeting only once a month, on the 2^nd Sunday. You can drop your children straight over to the Parish Hall in Carrigaline for an 11am start and they can be collected when the Service is over (usually around 11:45ish).  We are hoping that this is something you can commit to as a family and that the children will be happy with the regularity of it.  It will also allow our trained and Garda vetted Sunday Club Teachers (Tracey & Karen) an opportunity to plan some really interesting crafts and games following the Church Seasons.  The other Sunday in the month that might appeal to the children is the 4^th Sunday of the month when we have an All Age Service at 11am in St Mary’s Carrigaline. At this Service we try to include the children in reading, prayers and so on, which is great for building up their confidence. The more children who can come along each month to the new Sunday Club will make it all the more enjoyable as they learn about Jesus in a safe and fun-filled environment. Please ring the Rector if you’d like any more information.  

Congratulations to Lloyd Forbes and Susie McCarthy on their engagement.

St Mary’s School At the first Assembly of 2017, we again marked the Door with the Epiphany Symbols ’20 + C + M + B + 17′  (2017 , Casper, Melchior and Balthazar). The children were each given a piece of chalk and instructions to bring home with them so they could mark their own doors. This month of February is when we will gather together dry goods for Cork Penny Dinners in our annual ‘Love your Neighbour for St Valentine’s Day’ Appeal. Now in its 4^th year, it is very much appreciated by the hard-working team in Penny Dinners.

Mothers’ Union  Mothers’ Union. Thank you to Tracey Pierce for stepping in at short notice to come and do a beauty evening for us last month. We hope everyone enjoyed it and got some tips. Clare and Cecil Poole were to come and tell us about their trip to South Africa but had to postpone as Clare’s step-mother, Hazel Chambers, had passed away. We extend our condolences to Clare and all Hazel’s family. We look forward to welcoming Clare and Cecil this month instead on Wednesday, 15th at 8pm at the Parish Hall. It’s always lovely to be an ‘armchair traveler’. On Saturday 18th, also in Carrigaline, there will be a Day of Reflection (Quiet Day) with Rev Kingsley Sutton; coffee at 10.30 for 11 am start. Soup will be provided but please bring your own lunch otherwise. On Sunday 26th February there will be a Famine Lunch after the 11 am service in Carrigaline in aid of the Mothers’ Union Overseas Fund. We may also have some cards etc on offer, the sale of which also supports the work of Mothers’ Union. We look forward to these various events and trust that they all can help us as we seek to put our faith into action each day  (HD)

Monkstown Chamber Choir enjoyed a break from singing during January, after a busy December. On 4th December we were afforded the usual West Cork welcome in Timoleague for our “Advent Choral Evensong”. Then on 10th we sang at the Alzheimers unit in Mahon for a Christmas sing-along. The Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols inSt John’s, Monkstown was a wonderful community event, before we kicked off our cassocks for a delicious meal and Christmas party at Mount Rivers in Carrigaline. The choir seem to perform best now singing acapella (unaccompanied) with a conductor so we will be concentrating on this in 2017. Next year will be our 10th anniversary so many things to look forward to in 2018  (RE)

Youth Club  Our Young people were very busy last month…. (Alice and Alison & anyone else?!) in the Ashton production of ‘Elf’ , we also had the CDYC annual shopping and ice skating trip at Mahon Point (which is always an excellent opportunity for those in secondary school to have great craic and hang out with other young people from all-around the diocese) plus our annual Youth Leaders Training Weekend in the Quality Hotel in Clonakilty on January 27 to 29th (it is a great event , a lot of fun mixed with a lot of information and experience sharing and is ideal for for youth leaders, or people thinking of becoming youth leaders, over 18s only)…. A Busy January! All Secondary level young people welcome to the Youth Club on the 3^rd Friday of each month. This month it is 7– 9pm in the Parish Hall, Carrigaline on Friday 17^th February. (PC)

Toddlers Plus One This group meet in Parish Hall from 10am till 12pm on Mondays. All babies and toddlers are welcome as long as they bring along one adult!

Monday Club Come along for a chat & cuppa in the Parish Hall from 3pm till 5pm each Monday. Bring your knitting, Ipads or whatever!

Friendship Club generally meet in the Rectory on the 2^nd Thursday of each month at 11am for tea, coffee & chat. We meet this month on 9^th February. All welcome and if you need a lift please contact the Rector.

Theological Book Circle are reading ‘The Shack’ by William P. Young.  We next meet in the Rectory at 8pm on Monday 3^rd April to discuss it. All welcome.

Green Matters.  If you have any ideas of how we can improve on what we already do environmentally as an Eco parish, please do contact the rector or any of the Select Vestry. You can also find out more about Eco Congregation on www.ecocongregationireland.com

If you have any items on any aspect of our parish life that you would like included in the March Magazine, please email them to the rector (emit@eircom.net) before the 10^th February please.

FORWARD  PLANNER

9^th Feb     Friendship Club 11am Rectory

12^th Feb   Sunday Club 11am Parish Hall

15^th Feb   Mothers’ Union 8pm Parish Hall

17^th Feb   Youth Club 7 – 9pm Parish Hall

24^th Feb   CAMEO 10.30 Monkstown Sailing Club

27^th Feb   Revision of List of Vestry Members 7 -8 pm Parish Hall

Baptisms :

17^th December 2016, St John’s Church, Monkstown, Ricky Young Foott, son of Neville Foott and Ruth Young.

8^th January 2017, St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline, Freddie Fleming, son of Peter and Jessica Fleming.

Funerals :

Cremation, 6^th January 2017, Hazel Chambers nee Crennell (Carrigaline Union)