Parish Notices 12th February 2012

The Rector writes… “Last week in this Linksheet, it was mentioned that I had met with the Parish Renewal Group tasked with condensing all of the information gleaned from the Parish Survey you had contributed to.  On all of your behalf, I would like to thank this small dedicated group for the amazing amount of work that they have put into compiling what is for me a most useful document. Every ‘manager’ needs to know what people are looking for , what visions people have , and perhaps no group more than a church community. So I am very grateful that you have contributed so honestly to the survey as it really does amount to a vision and strategy for our parish union. It is hoped to have a short presentation on achievements to date at our Easter Vestry on the evening of 29th April. I will of course continue to keep you updated on initiatives that arise from this process although my hope is that you feel the benefits rather than read about them!  Yours in Christ, Elaine”

MID-WEEK EUCHARIST in St Mary’s Church every Wednesday at 10.30 a.m. All are welcome to come along.

PRAYER REQUEST SHEETS are at the back of both churches. This allows anyone to request prayers which will be incorporated into the prayers said at our services. Please just write the date and the first name of the person you would like to be prayed for. More details may be written but names will be not be mentioned aloud but will be remembered silently during our time of corporate and private prayer.

EVENSONG this evening in St John’s, Monkstown at 7pm

FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT begins on 27th February and we will reflect this in our services on Sunday 26th. It is hoped that this might mark the beginning of  the journey to becoming a Fairtrade parish. If anyone would like to help realise this, please contact the Rector.

MOTHERS’ UNION will join with some of the young people to celebrate the Eucharist in St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline on Ash Wednesday 23rd February at 7pm. “Non Lenten” pancakes afterwards in the Parish Hall!  The 10.30 Eucharist that day will incorporate the Ash Wednesday Liturgy.

INTERCESSIONS IN CHURCH If you would like to be involved in doing prayer intercessions at our church services, please contact the Rector who will put together a rota of all interested persons . As it will involve a little training in this area, the Rector has put together a small instruction booklet which will help anyone who is new to this area of ministry.

CORK CANCER RESEARCH are holding a Whist Drive in St Mary’s School Hall on Saturday 25th February at 8pm. Donations or raffle prizes would be greatly appreciated. Cork Cancer Research Centre investigates major issues in the development and treatment of cancer. Please do support this very worthy cause.  Contact Henry Forbes

THEOLOGICAL BOOK CIRCLE  sounds fancy but really only involves reading a particular book every three months. The book chosen for our first meeting in the Rectory on Tuesday evening 1st May is “The Lost Message of Jesus” by Steve Chalke and Alan Mann. This is an interesting, thought-provoking book rooted in good scholarship yet accessible to anyone. Jerome in the “Carrigaline Bookshop” has offered to source these books and offers us  a 5% discount as well. Please do support our local shops and keep jobs in the community.

MONKSTOWN HOME GROUP will meet on 14th February at 8pm in the home of Joan Nicholson. Further meetings will be suspended during the Lenten period to facilitate attendance at the Lenten Studies in the Parish Hall.

ST LUKE’S HOME EDUCATION CENTRE have a series of workshops on Saturday 25th February (10am—1pm) is on Mindfulness which hopes to provide an opportunity to reduce stress in our lives and Caring for the Older Adult(9.30am—4pm) will have professionals helping those who care for older family members at home. Contact Claire at  http://www.stlukeshome.ie/education-centre

PARENTING TEENS continues at 8pm on Thursday 23rd February at St Mary’s Parish Hall, Carrigaline. The topic this month is “Teenage Tensions — Boundaries and Battlefields”. Open to everyone! For info call Hilary Dring.

DIOCESAN MAGAZINE final date for 2012 subscriptions is next Sunday 19th February. Please forward €20 to Rowland Newenham or the Parish Office.

CHURCH OF IRELAND GAZETTE The Rector has been receiving some free copies of this weekly magazine and leaving them in the Church porch. If you would like to subscribe to this newspaper,  please let her know.  It costs 40 euro per year per person in a parish group.

 

FORWARD PLANNER

Feb 22nd    M.U. / Youth Eucharist , St Mary’s Church , 7 pm

Feb 23rd     Parenting Teens, St Mary’s Parish Hall, 8pm

Feb 25th      Whist Drive, Cancer Research. St Mary’s School Hall 8pm

Feb 28th Lenten Course begins, St Mary’s Parish Hall, 8 pm

 

April 19th Easter Vestry. St Mary’s Parish Hall 7.30pm

April 29th Parish sponsored walk after United service in St Mary’s

 

May 1st Theological Book Circle, Rectory, 8 pm

May 25th Official Opening of School Extension

 

June 10th Sunday School Prize giving

Parish Picnic in Rectory grounds.

June 23rd Parish Fete

June 24th  Patronal Evensong in St John’s Church, 3.30 pm with

the combined choirs of Monkstown Chamber Choir and the choir of St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny

July 4th ‘Champions!’ children’s day of fun with

Crosshaven parish. More details nearer the time.

 

Random notes                                                                            II

The Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway Co. (CBPR) train emerges from

the “Cut and Cover” as it approaches Monkstown Station. (1920’s)

 

As the train approaches the pier and station at Monkstown, a couple are being rowed by a gentleman in a cap. It is possible that they are heading to Rushbrooke as many private local fishermen would ferry customers across the river in return for a few bob. There has always been plenty of ferry traffic between Monkstown and the Great

Island, and in 1918 the Rector of Rushbrooke Church kindly offered to take Sunday evening services in St John’s as their current Rector (Revd. Emerson) was on war service in France (WW1).

 

The organist at St John’s in 1924 was Mr Wilberforce Franklin. He lived in Cork city and had to travel to Monkstown by train. He might even have been a passenger in one of the above carriages?! However, the train timetable did not fit-in with the

morning services in St John’s. As a result, the morning services were changed from 10.30am to11am to facilitate Mr Franklin in his musical duties. Sadly, and despite public outcry, the last train to arrive in Monkstown was on 10th September 1932. The cross river ferry (estd.1991) today transports another of St John’s organists across the river from Rushbrooke.

 

R.E.