Pew Sheet – 23rd May 2021
The Rector writes ‘Happy Pentecost! We are now a whole 50 days after Easter and life continues on … We were all so glad to be open last week for public worship again and it was fantastic to see all your faces (even behind those masks). A reminder that the Sunday Services are 9am & 11am in St Mary’s and 10am in St John’s. Don’t forget that the 10:30am Wednesday Holy Communion Service in Carrigaline has now restarted. We also have the online Bible Study each Wednesday night at 8pm when the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel reading is discussed. As we are still not allowed gather indoors , we have now started a new little venture in the parish, specifically for those of you who are on Netflix (or other streaming facilities) We will have a gathering on the last Friday of the month to discuss a movie we will have watched during that month. We’ve started off with a film called ‘‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’ which is a 2019 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz. You have the rest of the month of May to enjoy it and then we will meet by Zoom at 8pm on Friday 28th May to discuss. I will send out the link with the Weekly Pew sheet nearer the date.
I was meant to include a note last week about the Flower Rota and the Bell Ringing Rota for St Mary’s Church and completely forgot!
If there is anyone who would like to be on these Rotas could you please get in touch with Joy Keefe 087-2559844. Joy will be able to explain better than I would what is involved. ‘
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Random Notes CCCLXXXI
Where there’s a will, there is usually a way, as shown in the following tale. In the 1860s, the American Civil War was raging. In the southern States, strict conscription laws meant that every man between the ages of 17 and 35 was forced to fight for the Confederacy.
A young soldier, Keith Blaylock, faced a dilemma. The laws forced him to join the Southern army even though he secretly supported the Union side. It had to be in secret as his neighbours would have turned against him as a traitor if they knew the truth.
If he deserted, it could mean a prison term or execution, while a self-inflicted wound would just be patched up and he would have to re-join his regiment.
What on earth could he do?
He just couldn’t fight for what he felt was the wrong side.
Inspiration struck when he overheard two officers talking about an outbreak of smallpox. Smallpox was so infectious that it could wipe out a regiment in a very short time, but how to feign such a disease?
The answer came when he spotted a patch of poison ivy growing nearby.
One night soon after, he slipped out of camp and rolled in it. He then crept back to re-join his comrades.
The next morning his face, arms, and legs were covered in a bright red, oozing rash. But would it deceive the army doctors?
It did. The doctor who examined him declared that such a rash could only be caused by smallpox.
Keith Blaylock got his discharge!