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The Church of Ireland Diocese of Dublin |
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The Church of Ireland Diocese of Dublin |
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Previous issues of The Parish News Contents of this issue
The Parish News will be published monthly and will usually be available by the first Sunday. Copy Deadline Organisation reports should be sent either in written format to Martha Waller, C/O The Parish Office, or by email to: wallerm@oceanfree.net. These should be submitted by the 10th of the preceding month, no matter what day of the week. If possible please send them in a word document and not in the context of an email. The next Parish News will be published in the first week of June. The Rector WritesDear Friends, In this letter I want to share with you some of the things that are happening in the parish at the present time, which I outlined in my Easter vestry address, but which bear repeating to the larger audience of our parish magazine. Parish administrator: Community Building:
One of the priorities for our parish has to be building a sense of community. Last year there were over 80 movements of households in and out of our parishes: about 55 households joined and around 25 left. That's almost 20% of our households on the move. When people arrive we take their name and address, but it's following up on this that takes the time, about integrating newcomers and encouraging them to feel part of our fellowship. That's particularly important for those who may have come from beyond Ireland and may not have English as their first language. So our parish planning group is looking at ways of growing our community life and helping us all to feel part of what goes on. These are just two of the things addressed in the recent Easter vestry report: you can read the full text on our website. We'd love to hear your ideas on the issues raised. Good wishes to you all for the Easter season Yours in Christ Andrew AnnouncementsMay at a glance
Boys' Brigade NewsIrish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) The following awards were presented at Our Annual Display on Friday 23rd April: Anchor Boys: Inspection Cup: David Skehan/Rory Anders; The Fildes Cup: Thomas Connor; Anderson Cup: Sam McIntosh. Junior Section: The Shield: James Dobson; The Taylor Cup: Darragh McKiernan; The Gray Cup: David Duffy; The Hutchinson Drill Cup: Kyle McSheffery; 1st Year Bible Study; Monty Akpan and Richie Akpan; 2nd Year Bible Study; James Dobson; Bryan Shield for 3rd Year Bible Study: Robert Beattie. Company Section: Syms Cup: Andrew Waller; Scripture Cup: Sam McGuckin; Highest Mark Senior Section: Ross Melbourne. Activity Cup: Paul Lawson, Colum O'Reilly, Peter O'Reilly and Barry Sheridan. Best New Recruit - Captains Cup: David Coulter. Martha Waller, Secretary Girls' BrigadeWell done to Brigader Liz Farrell and our Associate team in the All Ireland Finals; although we weren't placed, it was a wonderful experience. After a lot of hard work we held our Annual Display on Friday 2nd April. It ran like clockwork and we must say a big "Thank You" to Sandi Kenny on choreographing our 'Finale' - it really did feel like 'Riverdance!' Well done to all of the leaders and the girls and thank you to their parents for all their help and support throughout the year. We finished the year with the Wednesday night Holy Week Service with a rather poor attendance. We look forward to our next session after a well earned break. Ros Garrett Mothers' UnionMembers will be attending the North Dublin Area Service on May 4th in Drumcondra Parish Church. On Saturday May 15th we are planning a visit to Avoca Handweavers and Powerscourt House and Gardens. Nothing too taxing - just go with the flow - coffee, lunch, more coffee and relax over a meal on the way home at whatever time! A great day was had by all twenty-one when we travelled by luxury coach to meet with our linked Branch members in Holywood. We couldn't have had better weather and that, combined with a little Retail Therapy, the Cultural Experience and the fellowship we had with our now longstanding friends, made for a most enjoyable day out. First stop was Newry for breakfast and a quick flit around the shops in the Quays Centre, then on to Belfast's Castle Court centre where many bargains were available. Some seemed to get the scent of the bargains from a distance!! In the afternoon we were joined by some members from Holywood for an hour long guided tour of the Harland & Wolff shipyards from the River Lagan with expert commentary from a member of the Belfast Titanic Society. It was sad to see the derelict buildings and cranes, once the hub of the busy ship building industry. However, plans are in hand to have these buildings and cranes restored and to make them the focus of this historic dockside area. It was a fascinating and most informative tour and would be well worth doing if ever you visit Belfast. Holywood was the real destination of the day and we had a short time of worship conducted by their Rector, Rev. Roger Elks, in their beautiful church. As usual we had a scrumptious tea served to us and we met up with more members and had time to chat. Ruth Ryan was celebrating an '0' birthday so we sang good wishes to her as she blew out the candles on her own personal cake. We were back on the bus by 7.30 p.m. and the chat still continued but was accompanied at times by the sound of gentle snores! The overall verdict - a great day. Valerie Greene - Hon. Secretary Pentecost and Our Parish Confirmation"Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?" Do you believe in the supernatural? Do you believe there is a spiritual realm which infiltrates our world? Do you believe that God actually speaks to people today? Do you believe God performs miracles today? Do you believe that people can completely change, say from being a drug pusher to working as a missionary? Christians believe the answer to all these questions is YES. God's supernatural power is alive and well today in the form of the Holy Spirit, working in our lives, in our churches and in our community. At Pentecost (Sunday 30th May) we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles in Jerusalem, which is why Pentecost is also known as the Birthday of the Church - the power of God's spirit transformed those sad and frightened friends of Jesus into people of courage who spread the Gospel far and wide, the Good News which goes on being proclaimed in our time, 2000 years later. Ours is the Spirit-filled Church in which 12 of our young people will take the important step of Confirmation on 30th May: Before the congregation and the Bishop, they will affirm what they believe, continuing what was begun for them in their baptism. Please continue to pray for each of them at this significant stage of their faith journey. The Clergy Ascension Day (Thursday 20th May)
Based on Acts 1: 1-9 where, after 40 days of appearances, the Risen Lord speaks to the Apostles about the coming of the Holy Spirit and the Mission of the Church, the Ascension marks Jesus' being "taken up in a cloud" and no longer being seen on earth. This day is kept in the Church to recognise the solemn close of the Post-Resurrection appearances and it signifies the rule of Christ in the present (1 Cor: 15:25). It echoes words of Psalm 110 with the idea of the heavenly session (or being seated) at God's right hand. It is one of the chief Feasts of the Christian Year and has been kept at least since the 4th century. There will be a service of Holy Communion for the Ascension in St Brigid's at 10.30am on Thursday 20th May. Parishioners will then be free to attend the 8pm Sung Eucharist in Christ Church Cathedral that evening, when the Diocesan Launch of the new Book of Common Prayer (2004) will also take place. The Curate Launch of the Book of Common Prayer (2004)Throughout the month of May, to help us understand and mark the arrival of this exciting and historic milestone in the life of the Church of Ireland, there will be a series of sermons in this parish drawing on the story of the BCP in Ireland since 1551, as well as special church services, and the opportunity to get your own copy of BCP (2004). All are outlined in the following calendar: Sunday 2nd May: The Rector's sermon will take us back to Reformation times (in the sixteenth century) when the first prayer books in Ireland (and the first in the English language!) were introduced in 1551, followed by revisions in 1552, 1604, and 1662. Sunday 9th May: The Curate's sermon will focus on the significance of the 1878 revision of the BCP which followed disestablishment when the Church of Ireland was formally separated from the Church of England (despite Ireland still at the time remaining under the English Crown). Tuesday 11th May: Official Launch of BCP (2004) at General Synod in Armagh. Sunday 16th May: The Rector's sermon will bring us to the (familiar) BCP of 1926, which arose out of the 1908 Lambeth Conference. Thursday 20th May: Ascension Day. Diocesan Launch of BCP (2004) at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, 8pm. Bring your own BCP to use at this service (and you will receive a special bookplate to mark the occasion). Sunday 6th June: Parish Launch of the BCP (2004). Bring your own prayer book with you because special prayers of dedication will be said (for them and for the church copies in memory of loved ones) in all our churches (St Brigid's at 8.30am and 11.30am; St Mary's at 10am; and St Thomas' at 8pm). At the main services, the sermon will be by our Curate Sandra, who was involved in producing of the BCP (2004). If you haven't seen the BCP (2004) yet, read on: Canon Brian Mayne, Editor of BCP (2004), said: "The Book of Common Prayer expresses the mind of the Church on how we worship and in what we believe. It should hold the diverse congregations of the Church together, although not with a straitjacket of absolute uniformity. It seeks in the twenty-first century to make Sunday worship relevant to people living in changing situations. It also seeks to stimulate personal prayer and recover something of the way earlier generations were spiritually fed by using their prayer books. It is not just a book for the pew in church but for the bedside to enable personal daily encounter with the living God." The Clergy Christian Aid Week - 9th to 15th May 2004"We believe in life before death". Christian Aid believes in giving people a chance to support themselves. Many of you filled Christian Aid boxes with spare coins during Lent, and we are currently collecting them in and counting them. Every little helps. The week 9th to 15th May is the annual Christian Aid week, and there are a number of events to highlight awareness: Friday 14th May: Coffee morning run by the clergy as part of Ire land's largest Fairtrade Coffee Morning - in the Parish Centre, 10.30 am to 12 noon. Other Fair trade goods will also be available to sample and to buy. Please support this and bring along your friends. Sunday 16th May: The Sung Eucharist at St Mary's at 10am and at St Brigid's at 11.30am will have a Christian Aid theme in the prayers and sentences throughout the service. Flag Days: By supporting Christian Aid Week, we are among millions of people who think poverty is a scandal. Jesus said that he came "that they may have life and have it abundantly". So life is for living, not merely for surviving! Our actions, commitment, contributions and support will help bring about a better life for people in poor communities all over the world. Healing Service and Prayer for the SickOur monthly Healing Eucharist will be held on Sunday 9th May at 7pm at St Brigid's. The names of all those for whom prayers have been asked during the month will be remembered in this service. You are welcome to receive the laying on of hands for yourself or on behalf of someone else. Also, don't forget that the regular Wednesday morning Holy Communion (10.30am in the Maharry Room, Parish Centre) includes intercession for the sick by name. Clonsilla ProjectA number of fund raising events are arranged for the near future: Cake Sale: Sponsor a Cycle Ride to the Arctic:
Car Boot Sales: Fort Lucan - Fun for all the Children: on Friday 18th June from 6-9pm, with face painting, cake sales, tots area, hoopla, and lucky dip. Free for children (adults €5). Thanks: Thank you also to the Leamington Sinfonia, an amateur small orchestra of professional standard, who performed works by Mozart, Holst, Grieg and Haydn on 14th April in St Brigid's.
The Story of Easter as Told Through Flowers,
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Sunday 2nd May (4th Sunday of Easter) Sunday 9th May (5th Sunday of Easter - Diocesan Family Day) Sunday 16th May (6th Sunday of Easter -Christian Aid theme) Sunday 23rd May (Sunday after Ascension) Sunday 30th May (PENTECOST) |
Every Wednesday: Holy Communion at 10.30 a.m. in Parish Centre
Sunday 2nd May - 4th Sunday of Easter
8.30 a.m. Eucharist [BCP] St. Brigid's Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Eucharist St. Mary's Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
Sunday 9th May - 5th Sunday of Easter
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Mattins and Sermon St. Mary's Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Mattins and Sermon St. Brigid's Castleknock
Sunday 16th May - 6th Sunday of Easter
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Eucharist St. Mary's Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
8.00 p.m. Night Prayer St. Thomas' Mulhuddart
Thursday 20th May - ASCENSION DAY
10.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
Sunday 23rd May - Sunday after Ascension
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Service of the Word St. Mary's Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Service of the Word St. Brigid's Castleknock
Sunday 30th May - PENTECOST
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Eucharist St. Mary's Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Parish Confirmation St. Brigid's Castleknock
Parishes of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla
Parish Office
Main Street
Castleknock
Dublin 15
Tel: 01-820 0040
Fax: 01-820 0040
E-mail: castleknock@dublin.anglican.org