Pew Sheet – 2nd November 2025

The Rector writes ‘ As I mentioned in my sermon last week, we are now counting down to Advent and hence to Christmas!

Today is the 4th Sunday before Advent!  While I hate to talk about Christmas so far in advance, sometimes I have to…..

A lovely idea was suggested last year to ask families if they would like to contribute a special tree decoration to the St Mary’s Church tree (thanks Livy!). 

The tree is usually SO tall that it can comfortably take lots more decorations. (and thanks as always to the Poole family for these magnificent trees each year!)

Your Decoration can be one that you make yourself or one that you buy but hopefully it will be something that represents you!  We would need to have these by Friday 12th December.  Have a think about it !

Also, have a think about whether you would like to have the Posada Figures (Mary, Joseph & the Donkey) to visit your home over the Advent period.  Advent begins this year on Sunday 30th November and as you well know ends on 24th December!

A Sonnet from Malcolm Guite

On the feast of All Saints we celebrate the light of Christ reflected in the saints, living and departed who surround and inspire us even in our present darkness.

This sonnet comes from my sequence ‘Sounding the Seasons’ published by Canterbury Press. 

All Saints

Though Satan breaks our dark glass into shards

Each shard still shines with Christ’s reflected light,

It glances from the eyes, kindles the words

Of all his unknown saints. The dark is bright

With quiet lives and steady lights undimmed,

The witness of the ones we shunned and shamed.

Plain in our sight and far beyond our seeing

He weaves them with us in the web of being

They stand beside us even as we grieve,

The lone and left behind whom no one claimed,

Unnumbered multitudes, he lifts above

The shadow of the gibbet and the grave,

To triumph where all saints are known and named;

The gathered glories of His wounded love.

In many countries across the world, 1st November – All Saints’ Day,  is considered a day of dignity and reflection,  an occasion for people to remember and miss loved ones who have died,  especially perhaps those who have died during the previous year. 

When I was in Finland a few years ago, I experienced there the moving Lutheran All Saints’ Day tradition to visit cemeteries where loved ones rest and to light candles on their graves to honour and remember them.       

  The 10 strong diocesan group who were visiting Finland back in 2017, all found it immensely impressive to see the spectacle of thousands of burning candles in many churchyards in the dark of the Finnish winter as we journeyed on a minibus through the countryside and we really  appreciated the opportunity given to us to lay candles in a graveyard in memory of our own deceased loved ones.  The flames burning on the graves until the candles run out are just one evocative way to keep alive the memory of those who are no longer among us.  I have never forgotten the Finnish experience and have tried to recreate each year since.

Today in our Services, I will light candles for all of the names that have been sent into me and after the 11am Service, I will place these lit candles in the Graveyard where I will remember all of the people whom we have known and loved and who have gone to God before us. 

May they all rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.  

Canon Elaine

Random Notes DVIII

Roberts Cove wasn’t always as tranquil as it now appears to be.  

On the 22nd of December, 1775,  at about 7pm, the local people were horrified to hear moans and shrieks coming from the shore.

Being superstitious, they closed their curtains, stayed safely indoors, leaving any investigation until daylight. The shrieks were the result of a shipwreck.  The beach was strewn with the bodies of soldiers.

A transport ship from Portsmouth—the Marquis of Rockingham— with three companies of soldiers, and two women and children, had been driven on to the rocks by a storm the previous night and dashed to pieces.  Everyone on board, except three officers and thirty privates, had died in the normally quiet little bay. Even the survivors had been badly gashed by the rocks, and to make matters even worse, they were attacked by several villagers, who ran off with any goods and personal possessions small enough to be easily carried away.

(Thankfully 250 years on, the locals are more civilised than their ancestors!)

MMPC  

November

Thursday 6th

           Confirmation Classes begin 5-6:30pm Parish Hall

Friday 7th and Saturday 8th

           Parish Plays 8pm in the Canon McCrae School 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: Brenda Haubold ‘’All things Christmas’

Flower arrangements

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

Sunday 23rd

Parish Gift Day

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.

As there will be a Raffle on the two nights of the Plays, if anyone has any suitable prizes to offer, please let Olna Trotter know.

If anyone would like to donate a prize for the Raffle on 22nd November , the Charity Whist Drive for St Luke’s Home, please let Henry Forbes know. Thanks you.