Parish Notices Sunday 24th September 2017

The Rector writes ‘Our Harvest festivals kick off next Sunday 1st October when we will

have a United Service in St Mary’s Church at 11am. Keith Dyde will be our preacher and don’t forget to ’Bring & Share’ something for the lunch in the Parish Hall afterwards when we can all get a chance to chat to Keith. Then on Saturday 7th at 7:30pm we will have our Harvest Supper in the Canon McCrea Hall and thanks to Henry Forbes and his team for organising this event again. Finally we’ll end off with a United Service in St John’s Church at 11:15am when Revd Tony Murphy will preach. I’m really looking forward to it all now ! ’

Monkstown Home Group will recommence at 8.00 pm on Tuesday 26th September at the home of John Sweeney, Suaimhneas, Upper Ardmore, Passage West. The theme for this year is “My favourite bible story and why”. John Sweeney will lead the first session. Thereafter, participants will be invited to choose one bible story, giving a brief introduction (5-10 minutes) to what it is s/he likes about it, followed by our reading it together and discussion. For further details please contact John Sweeney on 087-0656290.

HARVEST DECORATION-The decorating of St Mary’s will be on Saturday 30th September at 11am. Any Greenery/Berries/ Flowers and Fruit or Vegetables would be most welcome. Please, if you can, help make our Church beautiful for our Harvest Celebration. The decorations will then be used to make the Canon McCrea Hall beautiful for our Harvest Supper on Saturday 7th and finally any edible produce will be given to Carrigaline Senior Citizens. Olna Trotter will be coordinating Tel. 4372069.

Carrigaline Union Harvest Supper-Saturday 7^th October at 7.30pm in the Canon McCrea Hall, St Mary’s School, Carrigaline. All Welcome. Ticket €15 includes supper and dancing. Contact Henry Forbes 0872035000 or Joy Keefe 0872559844 for tickets or the Parish Office.

St. Mary’s Indoor Bowls Club has reopened on Tuesday evenings at 7.45pm in St Mary’s School Hall. New members welcome. For enquiries contact Denis McLoughlin at 087 6100717 or Henry Forbes 087 2035000.

Monkstown Chamber Choir have returned to practice. Meeting on Thursday evenings in St Johns Church at 8pm. New members welcome. Contact choirmaster Roger Ellis on 087 053 9416.

Owenabue Garden and flower Club, Carrigaline will next meet on Monday 25th Sept at 8 pm in St Marys school hall, Carrigaline. A talk will be given on “The Winter Garden” by Mary Keenan, of Gash Gardens and Nursery, Portlaoise. Mary is a regular contributor of gardening articles to the Irish Garden Magazine. Visitors welcome. Enquiries to 0863222615.

Anam Cara the organisation that supports bereaved parents, is holding a Bereavement Information Evening on Wednesday 4th October at 7:30pm in the Clayton Hotel, Silver Springs, Tivoli, Cork. This is a free event and open to all bereaved parents. As Anam Cara will need to confirm numbers for teas, coffees, etc, please RSVP to info@anamcara.ie before Tuesday 3^rd October or call the Information Line on 085 2888 888.

A Hymn of gratitude for all Creation.

(to the air of ‘Immortal, Invisible, God only wise’)

Almighty, all knowing, Creator of all

your creatures all bless you, the great and the small,

you rule all the oceans, the earth and the wind,

yet still you’re beside us, our Father and friend

It’s you who created the day and the night.

The sun and the moon

and the stars that shine bright,

the tiniest flowers and mighty oak trees,

the thunder that rolls and the soft gentle breeze.

The small birds who sing and the bees buzzing by.

The dawn and the sunsets that light up the sky,

the bright summer sunshine and soft rains that fall

are your hands creation, O Father of all.

O, thank you , dear Father,

who caused this world’s birth,

and made all the beauty we see here on earth.

The gorse on the roadside, in bright gold arrayed,

the bright open meadows and green wooded shade.

For all of the flowers that bloom in the Spring

and all of the joys that the Summer may bring.

For warm fires in Winter and rich hues in Fall,

We thank you , dear Father, who gave us them all.

Mary Cowhig

We are delighted that we will be 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.

FORWARD PLANNER

25th Sept Toddlers Plus One 10am until 12 noon Parish Hall

Monday Club 3pm until 5pm Parish Hall

26th Sept Monkstown Home Group 8pm. John Sweeney’s home.

30th Sept Harvest Decorating 11am St Mary’s Church

1st Oct United Harvest Celebration 11am St Mary’s

Preacher : Keith Dyde

‘Bring & Share’ Lunch in Parish Hall after the Service

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

8th Oct United Harvest Celebration 11:15am St John’s

Preacher : The Revd Tony Murphy

Eco Congregation Climate Justice Candle will be lit

9^th,10^th & 11^th November Theatre Supper Nights in Douglas

9^th & 10^th December Live Crib Carrigaline

Random Notes No. CCXLVII

We all appreciate the many benefits that animals bring to our lives, as personal friends and family pets. But some animals have done more.

Maureen Fox (1937 – 2010) who lived in Coolmore Cottages, introduced readers of the Cork Examiner to “Ponsonby” in 1977. Her Bassett hound Erskine was rebaptised as Ponsonby and wrote the weekly column.

This gave her an alias in her writing, allowing her to touch on subjects which may have been too controversial to put her own name to.

Monty Don, the popular presenter of Gardeners World, shares his garden with two adorable golden retrievers – Nigel and Nellie. While the dogs bring calmness and normality to the TV show, their importance to Monty was revealed in 2016 when he spoke openly about his depression and “dark periods”. The dogs encouraged him back in to the garden and treated him as they always had done.

And avid readers of Random Notes will recall the special cat “Bob” who quite literally saved the life of his owner – James Bowen. The homeless London street musician and recovering drug addict, adopted Bob, who changed his life for ever.

Closer to home, pictured below is “Dzidzius” (Ghezhu), a Carrigaline ginger tom cat with attitude who passed away in September 2016. A much loved pet, his memory lives on through his sister Jinkee.