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Habitat For Humanity Trip To Madagascar

Habitat for Humanity is the well known housing charity which builds homes across the developing world and in poor areas of richer countries. Volunteer labour is used in the construction and the future residents also join the building process.

Bernard Neary is leading a trip to the island of Madagascar for 18 days beginning on September 12th and is inviting parishioners to come with him. Volunteers should be reasonably fit but no building experience is necessary; they will need to raise €2,650 in sponsorship (events are already planned). This could change your life for ever!

For more details contact Bernard

Parish Hockey Match

This year saw a wonderful turnout for our annual match. We played approx. 20 a side with Rob Nelson and Dave Garrett captaining the teams. Dave Garrett, Shirley McGuckin, Valerie Dobson and Eddie Colton defended their goal (or so they said – I saw them huddled together on numerous occasions, probably discussing TV programmes and presents!), and Celia Murphy, Ros Garrett, Richard and Rob Nelson ably defended their goal. In between these defence forces lay the attackers!

Dave’s team had among them Paul Lawson, Ben Garrett, Philip and Ronnie Woods, Karl O’Donoghue, Gareth Anderson, Gary Colton, Jenny Nelson, Karen Cadoo and Eddie Greene – sounds impressive eh? – nothing compared to Rob’s team! We had Cormac Woods, Keith Colton, Sarah Nelson, Sheena Cadoo, Emily Dobson, Sam and Hal McGuckin, Theo and Robert Lawson, and Alex Kitching.

This year we had a few extras playing – friends and relations who added to the game. These teams were evenly matched and only an odd flash of brilliance reflected the final score – Philip Woods scored after a deflection off an unknown defender’s stick! The match ended 1-0 with everyone in very good spirits and no injuries.

Our umpires could not go unmentioned – Dave Dobson wearing a very stripy top, and Ada Lawson – they kept the game well under control. During half time Ada organised a match amongst the up and coming players in national school, helped by some 1 st – 3 rd year players. We would not have survived without our half time refreshments – thanks to Valerie Greene and Monica Woods for organising this.

We adjourned to the home of the Nelson family for the afternoon where Jan and Robert produced a wonderful spread and mulled wine. Here we discussed the match and had a very relaxing time. Our thanks must go to the Nelsons for opening their home with such wonderful hospitality.

Ros Garrett

Commissioning Of New Lay Readers

A THOUGHT

Do not criticise others.
No one likes criticism.
Everyone needs attention,
Admiration and affection
- in large doses

It was a wonderful day for the parish when the Archbishop commissioned Martha Waller and Stella Obe as lay readers in Christchurch Cathedral on January 15th. A large crowd saw them make their promises to the Archbishop, and pledged to support them in their new ministry. Five readers were commissioned altogether, into this very ancient office of the Church. Stella will be serving with us, as well as once a month in Santry and Glasnevin, while Martha will be working in St. George and St. Thomas, Cathal Brugha Street. We wish them congratulations and God’s richest blessing in their ministry.

What Is Uspg?

When you see your parish accounts at Easter, you may see that a donation has been made to USPG. What is it? And why should you support it?

The United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel is an Anglican mission agency. The name may be old-fashioned, but USPG is not! We do have a successful 300-year track record of enabling people to grow spiritually, to thrive physically and to have a voice in an unjust world. We work alongside Anglican and United churches and communities around the world, providing the resources – people, money and ideas – that they define as necessary to meet local needs.

We share people through our missionary programmes, which encourage people from Britain and Ireland to work overseas, bring people from overseas to work or study here, and facilitate the movement of missionaries from one province of the Communion to another. There are programmes to suit everyone – short programmes for ordinands and clergy on sabbatical, opportunities for people who can spare 6 – 12 months, and short- and long-term missionary placements.

We share money through our projects, through grants made to dioceses for the development of ministry, buildings and personnel, and through health grants ranging from major investment in the struggle against HIV/AIDS to the maintenance of small local dispensaries.

We share ideas from all around the world through our personnel, and in our publications. For parishes we produce Advent, Lent and Harvest resources annually.

We encourage parishes in Ireland and Britain to participate in mission through prayer, fundraising and service, and also by developing links with the world church. A link with a project brings a sense of partnership in mission, with newsletters, information, visiting speakers, and sometimes the opportunity to visit.

Every year we need to raise money to fund our life-changing and life-giving programmes. The Society relies on donations from churches and individuals to undertake its work. The amount of help we can give, depends on what we receive. For more information please contact: Linda Chambers at uspg@compuserve.com, or check the website www.uspg.org.uk.

Can You Help The Church To Rebuild Tsunami Communities?

The response of the worldwide church to the tsunami disaster was immediate and overwhelming. The Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel) was among those organisations that sprang into action with pastoral, practical and financial help for places throughout the affected area.

One of the worst affected places was the Diocese of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a remote part of the Church of North India (CNI). On Car Nicobar island, 12 of 15 villages were washed away. On Chwra, Terressa, Kondul, Pillowmillow, Pillobabi and Trinquet Islands, 70 per cent of people were lost, and all church buildings were washed away. On Katchal Island, 90 per cent of the population died. The Revd Enos Das Pradhan, General Secretary of CNI, told USPG: ‘We have a gigantic task ahead of us to reconstruct a diocese which has lost everything. The islands will have to be rebuilt from scratch.’

Within a week of the earthquake, the CNI Disaster Management Committee had despatched relief workers and aid, including food, medicine, tarpaulin for make-shift shelters, clothes and cleaning materials. CNI was the first agency to reach the islands. Two relief camps – partly funded by USPG – were set up on Car Nicobar, with 4,000 people receiving daily support.

In the midst of devastation, Anglican congregations turned to God. The Revd Enos noted: ‘The people in these islands lost their places of worship and their belongings, yet they are assembling for worship service on Sunday morning. This is a great challenge to many of us, who do not give priority to worship despite having everything.’

Of 52 ministers on the islands, eight lost their lives and the remaining 44 are living without support.

The Rev. Enos said: ‘Thank you very much for your prayers and timely support. I was overwhelmed by the responses received. I am grateful to each one of you for your prayers and your expression of solidarity, which has been a great source of encouragement for us in the Church of North India.’

USPG’s Tsunami Disaster Appeal was set up specifically to help the local church at the forefront of the necessary rebuilding and rehabilitation of the devastated communities. Thousands of pounds poured in and USPG has sent funds to the church in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, North and South India, and elsewhere in the region.

The Rev. George Tay, Dean of Indonesia, gave ‘heartfelt thanks’ to USPG. He said: ‘As well as collecting clothes, etc, for people who have lost practically everything, the church is looking to the more pressing demand for rebuilding. Meanwhile, let us mobilise our most powerful resource: prayer.’

In Bangkok, Thailand, the Rev. Andrew Dircks said a USPG donation would help the church identify ‘people who fall through the cracks’, such as those in remote villages away from tourist areas.

In Galle, Sri Lanka, the church set up an inter faith youth team to help with the clear up, alongside other initiatives. Dr Pauline Sathiamurthy, General Secretary of the Church of South India (CSI), thanked USPG for our instant response, and said: ‘We want to provide housing as a long-lasting contribution.’

You can read more about USPG’s response to the tsunami and how you can help at www.uspg.org.uk The Church of Sri Lanka has asked for priests and trainers able to teach trauma counselling. If you have experience of inter-cultural work and can offer between one and three months of your time, contact Linda Chambers at USPG for more information by emailing uspg@compuserve.com.

Chance Of A Lifetime: Uspg’s Hiv/Aids Project

Most of the world's women are poor and most of the world's poor are women. Women's economic vulnerability and dependence on men increases their vulnerability to HIV by constraining their ability to negotiate the use of a condom, discuss fidelity with their partners, or leave risky relationships. This is taken from a report in the BMJ (issue 324:p183) by Geeta Rao Gupta, President of the International Centre for Research on Women, in which she highlights the gender inequality that must be tackled if we are to make any in-roads in tackling the HIV epidemic.

The church, more than any other organisation, has the infrastructure, the compassion and the message of hope to help tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic. USPG is playing its part by helping the overseas church to provide HIV/AIDS training and education, support for AIDS orphans, home or hospice care, and HIV/AIDS protection packs and test kits for rural hospitals.

In Namibia, USPG supports the Home Based Care Programme (HBCP) scheme to help those living with the HIV/AIDS virus, whilst teaching others the dangers of HIV and how it spreads. The HBCP relies on the help of volunteers: women, most of them mothers, who not only care for their own families, but who also put time aside to pay weekly visits to the homes of people living with HIV. The aim is to give physical, spiritual and moral support for patients needing terminal care, and to their families and communities. There are now 61 trained care workers who make use of home care kits, supplied by USPG.

Emmanuel Hamenya's wife left him when she discovered he was HIV positive. As symptoms developed, Emmanuel could no longer fend for himself, so his 13-year-old daughter Heralia started to look after him. She now has the support of the Home Based Care Programme (HBCP). Emmanuel said: 'Before HBCP came along I felt rejected by my friends and the community. I was lonely. But the HBCP gives me moral support so I don't feel lonely anymore. The HBCP give me medicine and they teach me how to look after myself. I have been given blankets and food, and they also helped me to get my pension. So my life has changed very much indeed.'

Our Chance of a Lifetime appeal will help the overseas church run projects to care for some of the 40 million people living with HIV and AIDS in the world today. £5 could pay for an orphan to go to primary school for a month; £50 could feed everyone at an HIV/AIDS safe haven for a week with a special diet to boost their immunity; £100 could buy a mountain bike to help a caregiver reach patients in outlying areas; £2,000 could buy a pack to protect patients and staff at rural hospitals from exposure to infected blood.

The Church of Ireland Diocese of Dublin Welcome to the Parishes of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla