Pew Sheet – 17th September 2023
The Rector writes ‘It’s the time of the year when I remind all of those people who received Sunflower Seeds on the Sunday of Rogation in May to send me in photos of their beautiful Sunflowers… quick before the autumnal winds blow them down… and also if you could let me know the measurements as well. As in previous years there will be a prize for the tallest Sunflower at our Harvest Thanksgiving Services on 8th October but there is always a little prize given for effort so get all of those photos into me in the next couple of weeks.
Our Musical evening takes place next Saturday night at 7:30pm and then on the following day, Sunday 24th, it will be our annual Blessing of the Animals Service at 11am in St Mary’s Church so if you plan on bringing your best friend to church next Sunday, now is the time to get shampooing and clipping. I look forward to meeting up with many furry, scaly and feathered friends then.’
Dates for your Diary
September
20th Mothers’ Union Opening Service in St Mary’s Church at 3:30pm
23rd Musical Evening in St Mary’s Church at 7:30pm
24th Animal Blessing Service in St Mary’s Church at 11am
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.
Bicentenary Quilt
Our Bicentenary Quilt is coming together very nicely – thank you again to everyone who has made a
square/squares and to Millie 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.
The Owenabue Garden and Flower Club, Carrigaline will host a horticulture talk titled
“The Long Handled Hoe”
by Paul Smyth, Head Gardner, RHSI Bellefield House.
Also Horticulture and Decorative Competitions and Plant Sales Table, Raffle and Refreshments.
On 25th September 2023 at 8pm in St. Mary’s NS, Waterpark, Carrigaline.
All are welcome, visitors €7.
Connecting Through Art
Cork Three Faiths Forum
1st Art Exhibition
Exploring Jewish, Christian and Muslim Interfaith Dialogue
Carrigaline Library 12th –30th September
Formal Opening with Guest Speakers at 4:30pm on Culture Night Friday 22nd September
So sorry to mention Christmas in September but we are planning to have a display of special or unusual Cribs / Nativity sets in the Parish Hall this December. Each exhibit will have a little explanation so that people visiting the Hall can understand where each one comes from, what it is made of and perhaps if there was any special meaning for you…..
The Rector has many, many sets and could probably fill the entire hall! But it would be really lovely to have your special ones there.
They will be on display from Friday 15th until Sunday 17th of December so you will get them back in plenty of time for your own Christmas festivities.
Please let the Rector know if you would like to be involved.
Random Notes CDXXXIV
A Scottish writer, Neil McCallum, once published a book entitled ‘It’s An Old Scottish Custom’
Here are descriptions of some of the Spring and Autumn traditions in the Highlands and Islands.
In Spring on Skye they used to catch a bumble bee “We catch the first bum bee we see in Spring and put it in our purse and we are sure not to be out of money till next Spring”
On Islay, a horse’s ears were stuffed with butter on the first day of the ploughing season.
In other parts of the Highlands, earth from the plough was rubbed on the horse’s neck and shoulders. The harness, the plough, and the horse’s ears were sprinkled three times with water in which salt has been dissolved.
In Eriskay, salt water was sprinkled on the seed and the sower.
The seed was sometimes sprinkled with clear cold water three days before sowing in the name of the Father, the Son and the Spirit, while the sprinkler walked sunwise. A nail and an egg were placed beneath the seed in its basket. Or urine might be sprinkled on the earth, from a broom dipped in bedroom slops.
In the Borders, it was believed that heather burned in Spring helped to bring rain. Summer, however, was remarkedly free from superstitious rituals as the gods of fertility had already been appeased.
MMPC
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