Parish Notices Sunday 8th December 2019
The Rector writes ‘Some of you may remember that I was on a ‘Clothes Fast’ during 2018 when I didn’t buy any article of clothing for the whole year. It was strangely liberating to walk down the aisles of Debenhams and not be drawn into the 70% off trap! In the interest of the Planet (and my soul) I plan on doing the same in 2020 and I invite you to join me. There is a little planning involved to make sure you have enough of the essentials (ahem!) before you begin … that does NOT mean buying everything around you before January 1st! We live in such a throwaway culture it can be very restful to just step back from that fast fashion treadmill so I hope you will join me from January in saying ‘No, I actually don’t need it’ and of course the ideal is that the money saved can be put to some better use over the course of the year.
Please note we have upgraded our email server and emails are now coming from parish@carrigalineunion.org. Please update your address book and save us as a favourite to ensure parish emails don’t go into spam or junk.
Christian Aid Calendars for 2020 are available at the back of both churches at a price of €10. Payment can be given to the wardens who will pass it on to John Sweeney, our Christian Aid rep.
Monkstown Home Group has been rescheduled until the New Year to allow members to attend the Christmas Film Night on Wednesday 11th December at 7pm in the Parish Hall.
Christmas Gift Cards are available from the Parish Office, costing 10 euro each, your donation will go towards the resettlement of a Refugee family in our area.
Music Notes 08-12-2019
George Thomas Smart (1776-1867) wrote the melody for the hymn “Through all the changing scenes of life”. He was organist at the Chapel Royal from 1822 having sung there as a chorister in his youth. Smart is famous (to organists) for having said: “My dear Sir, I never in my life played on a gridiron!” when invited to play an organ with a pedalboard. He was awarded a knighthood by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1822 after a successful series of concerts in Dublin.
Dates for your diary: Community Carol Service at Carrigaline on December 15th & Nine Lessons and carols at Monkstown on December 22nd.
9th Dec Littlies + One 10-12 Parish Hall
11th Dec Holy Communion 10:30am St Mary’s Church
Christmas Film Night, ‘Risen’ 7pm in the Parish Hall . Mulled wine & Popcorn!
15th Dec Carrigaline Community Carols, 7:30pm St Mary’s
22nd Dec Nine Lessons & Carols, 4pm , St John’s Church
24th Dec Carols around the Crib, 4pm , St Mary’s
First Eucharist of the Nativity 11:30pm St Mary’s
25th Dec Eucharist 9.30am St John’s 11am St Mary’s
29th Dec 11:15am United Christingle Service St Mary’s
Hannukah Ceremony Service, 4:30 in Shalom Park , Cork City.
6th January 10am Epiphany Service in St Mary’s School,
6th & 13th 8pm Whist Class, Parish Hall
18th Jan Special Whist Night 8:30pm in Canon McCrea Hall for CEPT Carrigaline Welcomes Group
Random Notes CCCXXVI
Community Sponsorship
The Carrigaline Ecumenical Project Team known as CEPT is an group set up by Canon Elaine Murray and Fr. Pat earlier this year. It is an ecumenical committee or team whose first project was to under-take the sponsorship of one refugee family to be settled in Carrigaline or its surrounding area.
Community Sponsorship started in Canada in the 1970s where 300,000 refugees have been settled since the programme began. A number of other countries have followed suit and Community Sponsorship Ireland was officially launched at the Nano Nagle Centre on the 15th November last, by the Minister of State in the Department of Justice & Equality , David Staunton.
Different towns in Ireland have decided to do something concrete about the terrible plight of refugees that we see on our screens over the past number of years, and the Community Sponsorship programme is a structured way of doing just that.
Persons eligible for this programme have been identified by UNHCR and accepted by the Irish government as those who need settlement. Presently, these refugees in camps in Lebanon and Jordan, and who are mostly from Syria, will have the same civil, economic, political, social and cultural rights as Irish Nationals once they arrive.
The first step to be taken is fundraising. The committee are now working on different events which will be advertised, but our first fundraiser is the sale of Christmas GIFT cards. In other words, cards we send to friends and relations in lieu of presents. The Gift Cards cost €10 each and are now available in our Parish Office or at the Parish Centre in Our Lady & St John’s or from committee members.
The subsequent “steps” involve finding a house or apartment for the family to rent, greeting them on arrival, arranging schools, doctor, social welfare, counsellor if needed, etc. The team will be assisting the family where necessary for up to eighteen months and ensuring that housing is secured for a minimum of two years.
They will also assist in the family’s successful integration into the community. So please help out by buying some Gift Cards and watch out for future events.
Many thanks, Hazel Fleury
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