Parish Notices Sunday 28th July 2019

The Rector writes ‘In today’s Gospel Luke tells us how Jesus taught his disciples the best way to pray. All Christians know this prayer , calling it ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, or the ‘Our Father’  or ‘Pater Noster’ depending on our own Tradition.  In the Confirmation Resource that I use each year (called Youth Emmaus), it is suggested that the Lord’s Prayer can be simply summarized as being like ‘ 5 Fs ’  :

FATHER – We address God as Father and we acknowledge that he is great and holy.

FOCUS – We ask God to focus us on his kingdom, his values and on his will.

FEED – We ask God to give us our food and all that we need to grow.

FORGIVE – We ask God to forgive us and make us more forgiving.

FREE – We ask God to free us from temptations that entangle us and from evil in the world and within ourselves.

I think this is useful and not just for our young people!  You might like to try using the 5Fs to pray this week.’

Please note that during July and August the Parish Office will only be open on Wednesday and Friday mornings between 9:15 & 12:15.

        

OPEN GARDEN in CURRABINNY

In aid of Cystic Fibrosis, Southern Branch, John and Eithne Howard are holding an open garden and plant sale at Cutting, Seamount, Currabinny. P43 CP02 (between Novartis and GSK) on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August 12-4 pm (weather permitting) Plant sale. teas/coffees. All proceeds to the Cystic Fibrosis charity.

29th July—24th August     Rector on vacation,

                          Douglas Clergy covering pastoral emergencies

31st July          Holy Communion 10:30am St Mary’s Church

August No Littlies + 1

15th Sept No morning services in St John’s & St Mary’s as we will be attending the 11:15 Service in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral

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

13th Nov Faith in Action  Information Evening

7:30pm Parish Hall

Random Notes CCCX

Those of you who have read Dick Francis’ novels will know that they never included the bizarre-sounding storyline of a horse who deliberately lost a race.  That, however, is exactly what happened at Stockbridge, in Hampshire, in June 1872, during the Wallop Plate.   Mr W.F. Stanmore’s horse, Prince Rupert, was the 3/1 Favourite to win and the others were outsiders.

Before the start, Prince Rupert’s groom let go of him and he bolted, much to the annoyance of one jockey, Henry Custance, who was riding in the Wallop Plate at 3pm and had to catch a train at 3:45pm. The starter knew this, so once Prince Rupert was brought back, the race was quickly started. 

Although Merry and Wise led in the early stages, by the time they were halfway round the mile-long course Prince Rupert was ten lengths ahead of the rest. With quarter of a mile to go and Prince Rupert still well in front, the others began pulling up their horses, with the exception of Henry Custance, still riding hard on Liverpool, who began to overtake the rest, much to their surprise.

‘Where are you going?’   he was asked. 

‘To catch my train’   was his reply.

With just a few yards to go,  and Prince Rupert still leading by six lengths, Custance saw Prince Rupert’s jockey, Mr Trewen, use his whip on the horse, much to Prince Rupert’s displeasure. He kicked, swerved, half-stopped, stopped altogether and turned sideways across the course, completely oblivious of the fact that the winning post was only half a length away.  Custance took Liverpool on to win. Mr Trewin had to work hard to get Prince Rupert to swivel round and pass the post. He came second, just ahead of Lord Queensberry on Whirlwind, who led the bunch behind. (Whether or not Custance managed to catch the train is something we will never know.) 

This was not the only time that something like this happened.

At Ballina, another horse, The Doctor, stuck his toes in the ground and stopped just three strides from the winning post and stood there like a statue while, one by one, the others passed him.

In Belfast, Cashbox, halted so near the post that the judge and stewards found it very difficult to decide whether he had come first or last.

MMPC

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