Pew Sheet – 20th February 2022

The Rector writes ‘It’s the time of year when the Parish starts planning for the ‘Easter Vestry’ , the Annual General Vestry, which is when the Church & Glebe Wardens, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Health & Safety Officer and the Select Vestry are voted in. This might sound confusing but it isn’t really …The parish consists of all people who consider themselves parishioners. Some parishioners choose to ‘register’ as ‘vestry persons’. When you are registered as a vestry person, you get to vote in the annual elections to choose the group of people who will more or less run the parish (well they look after what’s called the ‘3 Fs’ Finance, Fabric & Furnishings – but I’m glad to say that the liturgical and spiritual aspects are still in my care ! ) On a serious note, if you don’t actually know if you are registered on the list of vestry members, just ask me and I will check the register for you. If you are not on the vestry list and would like to be, then there will be a window of opportunity so to do!

I have emailed out the relevant forms with the Pewsheet this week and you just have to fill it in and get it back to me. If you are not on email or if you don’t have a printer, there will be spare forms at the back of both churches during the next weeks, just ask the Churchwardens. You have until 28th of this month to register if you want to vote at this year’s Easter Vestry.

As per the rules of the Church of Ireland, the actual Vestry Book with all the names will be available for scrutiny and for amendments in the Parish Hall from 7:30pm to 8pm on Monday 28th February. Again, if you have questions around how the Parish is run, then just talk to me and I will explain it all to the best of my ability. This parish is YOUR parish and if you want to have a say in what happens in the parish or what gets priority within the parish, then you need to get registered and make your vote count. It’s a bit like not using your vote in local elections and then complaining about what is not happening in your locality. The Easter Vestry meeting takes place in the Parish Hall at 7:30pm on Thursday 21st April but I will remind you nearer the time.’

Monday 28th February 7:30pm

Ash Wednesday 2nd March 10:30am & 7pm

Morning and Evening Holy Communion Services in St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline

Friday 4th March 7pm

World Day of Prayer Service in Our Lady & St John’s Parish Centre (behind the R.C. Church in Carrigaline)

‘I Know the Plans I Have for You’ Jeremiah 29 1-14 is the theme this year and was prepared by the WDP committee in Wales, England & Northern Ireland.

All welcome including men!

Sunday 13th March 7pm

Choral Evensong in St John’s Church, Monkstown

(the first one in 2 years! Come along and support the Monkstown Chamber Choir under the direction of Roger Ellis)

St Patrick’s Day Thursday 17th March 10:30am

Service of Holy Communion in St Mary’s Church (Please note no Wednesday Service on 16th March)

Friday 18th March 10am till 12 noon

On this day of Remembrance and Recognition, the Churches will be open for 2 hours for private prayer.

Music Notes 20-02-2022

Hymns at St Mary’s
6 Immortal, invisible
58 Morning has broken
80 Great is thy faithfulness

Now that we can sing together again (maybe soon without masks) we are really appreciating the dimension which singing as a community adds to our worship. The American hymnodist and poet Susan Palo Cherwien (1952-2021) puts it beautifully in one of her poems:

When we sing hymns to God together
when we sing praise together
when we worship God together
we are being formed into a glorious body –
a glorious “We.”

Susan Palo Cherwien, To God I Give My Melody (Morningstar Publishing, 2019).

Bébhinn 087 228 5965
bebhinnmuire@gmail.com

Random Notes CDXIV

The Book ‘Glad to be Grey’ listed the advantages of growing older.

Here are some of them.

FASHION DOESN’T MATTER ANYMORE,

In the evenings, you no longer have to decide whether to wear jeans, skirts, trousers, or leggings. You only have to decide which pjyamas you’re going to wear.

TV IS BETTER WHEN YOU’RE OLDER.

You’ve now seen so much TV you can enjoy endless games of “Oh, what was he/she in back in the 1960s/70s/80s?”

YOU DON’T DEPEND ON A MOBILE PHONE.

Your idea of recharging your batteries is with a stiff gin and tonic.

BOOKS ARE BETTER THAN E-READERS.

You can chuck a book at your other half without causing €100 worth of damage. You can’t impress your friends if shelves full of highbrow literature aren’t gracing your living room.

YOUR SOCIAL LIFE IS BETTER.

It’s so much cheaper to invite your friends round for drinks than having to pay nightclub prices. You can be nicely tucked up in bed by 11pm instead of just beginning your night out.

YOU CAN STILL SURPRISE PEOPLE.

An 18 year old dyeing their hair magenta will go unnoticed, but at your age it’s revolutionary. Wear a short skirt – especially effective if you’re a man.