Pew Sheet – 26th October 2025

The Rector writes ‘Today is the last Sunday after Trinity , the 20th Sunday this year.. and on this day, before the countdown to Advent, we traditionally remember the importance of the Bible to us all.  Hence our name for today is ‘Bible Sunday’ and of course the very familiar Collect for the day encourages us to ‘read, mark, learn and inwardly digest’ our scriptures. 

Our gospel reading tells us how, in the temple in Nazareth, Jesus ‘stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him’ Now while our first reading today also comes from the prophet Isaiah, it is a different text but isn’t it lovely that we are today reading from the very same prophet’s word as Jesus did in his day!. The book of the prophet Isaiah of course is very much part of Hebrew Scripture and shows us how our shared scriptures are so important to us. This is why I brought a motion to last years General Synod, on how it was so upsetting that our shared scriptures were being weaponized by the right wing Israeli government to justify what they were doing in Gaza. Today, in my sermon on Bible Sunday, I will be speaking some more about how important it is to read our scriptures in the context they were intended and not to suit our particular political agenda. ‘

Random Notes DVII

In light of our recent motion at Diocesan Synod condemning the genocidal action of the Government of Israel on the Palestinian people of Gaza,  the article in the current edition of the Church of Ireland Journal ‘Search’ by the Episcopal Rector of Ramallah on Trauma and Solidarity amid Genocide is very relevant.   

The article reviews trauma from  physical, psychological, social, economic and theological perspectives. 

However in light of our motion the following extract spoke most strongly.

              “Most agonising psychological Trauma for Palestinians has been the overwhelming sense of abandonment.. most painfully by the global Christian Community —    the very body of Christ to which we all belong. Too many of our Christian brothers and sisters remain silent. For us  this silence is a wound deeper than words , a betrayal of the very faith that binds us together. Silence imparts a clear message that Palestinian suffering is trivial, that our cries are not worth hearing, and that our lives matter less”

Thank God in our small diocese we took a small step to disprove this perspective.

The Revd Tony Murphy

November

Thursday 6th

           Confirmation Classes begin 5-6:30pm Parish Hall

Friday 7th and Saturday 8th

           Parish Plays in the Canon McCrae Hall

Sunday 9th

           Remembrance Sunday Evensong 7pm St John’s Church

Saturday 15th

           Youth Club in the Parish hall 7:30-9pm

Wednesday  19th

Mothers’ Union 3pm  Parish Hall

Speaker: Jonathan Fleury on A Visit to Australia

Refreshments later as always. All welcome! 

Friday 21st

Whiskey Tasting Fundraiser in the Parish Hall

Saturday 22nd

Whist Drive in aid of St Luke’s Home, Canon McCrea

Hall in the school

December

Wednesday 3rd

12:30pm Mothers’ Union Christmas Lunch 

Sunday 7th

Tractor Run 2pm GAA grounds and afterwards in the Parish Hall

Friday 19th

7:30pm Carrigaline Community Carol Service St Mary’s

Sunday 21st

4pm  Nine Lessons and Carols Service St John’s 

Christmas Eve 24th

4pm  Carols around the Crib  St Mary’s

11pm First Eucharist of the Nativity   St Mary’s

Sunday 28th

11am United Christingle Service St Mary’s Church

Carrigaline Union of Parishes are delighted to host a Whisky night on 21st of November 2025. @8pm.  Introduced and run by Liam Murray, President of The Cork Whisky Society, and presented by Conor Ryan. The International Ambassador for Pearce Whisky.   Tickets are available from Brenda Haubold on 087-6976552. @ a cost of €25 per person.

Numbers are limited so booking is essential. 

Parish Plays Tickets now available from  

Helen Arnopp 0876540226

Deirdre Whitely

0870646086

And any members of the cast.

All Saint’s Day is next Saturday 1st November  If you would like me to light a candle and place it in the churchyard in memory of someone special to you,  please email or text me the names before Thursday 30th October