Pew Sheet – 30th March 2025

The Rector writes  

‘Happy Mothering Sunday to you all! I even got a card for being a Granny this year as well! Happy times!

As I always say, whether we are mothers or not, we have all had mothers so I say we all claim this day! Men, women and children!’

A final reminder about the Lichfield Diocesan 24 Hours of Prayer. The whole 24 hours, from 12noon on 2nd April – 12 noon on 3rd April, are on Zoom. Each half hour is led by a different deanery / ministry in the Diocese. 

Our Cork – Lichfield Link has half an hour from 6.30pm on 2nd April, and it’d be lovely to ’see’ you there if you can.  The link for this is:

Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89065110157?pwd=7LOy9bj0aDuidJ3OZ9hxIBVqgOyJyZ.1

Meeting ID: 890 6511 0157

Passcode: 142337

Dates for your Diary

April

13th   Palm Sunday: 

9:30am Morning Prayer in St John’s. Palm & Passion Liturgies

11am Morning Prayer in St Mary’s including Palm Procession, with Palm Liturgy in the Rectory Grounds before returning for Passion Liturgy in the church.

7:30pm  Rector will preach at the Songs of Praise

in St Factna’s Cathedral, Roscarberry. All Welcome.

14th – 16th Monday – Wednesday  of Holy Week: 

10.30am Holy Communion in St Mary’s

17th    Maundy Thursday:

12 noon   Diocesan Chrism Eucharist in St Factna’s Cathedral, Rosscarbery.

7:30pm   Maundy Thursday Eucharist in St Mary’s,including washing of feet

9pm until Dawn    ‘Night/Gethsemane Watch’ , in St Mary’s Church, praying for the Environment ahead of Earth Day on 22nd April.

18th    Good Friday:

10.30am  St John’s – Morning Prayer with Litany

12 noon Stations of the Cross in St Mary’s Graveyard with our   sister church of Our Lady & St John

7.30pm    St Mary’s – Service of Tennebrae

19th    Saturday of Holy Week:

9pm St Mary’s – Easter Vigil Service, Pascal candle lit from outside byre.

20th   Easter Day:

9.30am St John’s – Easter Eucharist 

11am St Mary’s – Easter Eucharist

May

1st  Annual Vestry Meeting ‘Easter Vestry’ at 7:30pm in the Parish Hall

4th   Cork Choral Festival Choir from Canada will join us for the 11am Service

June

8th  Confirmation Service 11am in St Mary’s Church

On the 5th April from 10am-12pm, there will be a workshop on the Liloma Project in Sierra Leone to raise our ongoing awareness and support of the Diocesan Project as chosen by our Bishop. This will be held at St Nicholas House (T12 RP40) 

The morning will include, firstly a presentation from Andrew Coleman on the work of Christian Aid, secondly Tony Murphy on the Liloma Project where we will link up with the Christian Aid office in Freetown, thirdly Clodagh Yambasu will speak of her experience of the Christian faith as someone who has lived in Freetown and is familiar with the context. 

There will be an opportunity for discussions around the Liloma Project with time for questions and comments and how we can continue to support this important project.

All parishioners are welcome to attend but you must let the organisers know as numbers are limited.

Email the Diocesan Education Officer the Revd Terry Mitchell at terrym438@gmail.com if you would like to attend. 

Random Notes CDLXXXVII

Plants with an attached legend.

          Parsley

Parsley should be avoided by the superstitious.  There is a long tradition which labels it as the Devil’s plant, and the only safe time to plant the seeds is on Good Friday as on this day the Devil has no power over living things on earth.

Cutting parsley and giving it to a friend means bad luck for you and an even worse fete for them.  

A witch’s curse was to cut parsley while speaking the victim’s name and young lovers were warned not to pick the herb or their sweethearts would die. 

Of course this nonsense will not affect you. 

Sow the seeds in Spring and wait for several weeks for them to germinate, they must travel to the Devil seven times before they can emerge. 

And never boast if your parsley flourishes as it can only mean one thing…….

(Perhaps it would be safer to use Sage and Onion stuffing instead!)

MMPC