Parish News Archives - February 2009
Rector Writes | Readings & Services | From the Registers | Organisation Reports | Announcements | Other News
Rector Writes
Dear Friends,
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday February 25th. You’ll find full details on what is happening during Lent in our parishes elsewhere in the magazine.
At the moment, I’m reading President Obama’s memoir: Dreams from my Father. It’s a remarkable piece of writing, telling the story of his unusual early life in Hawaii, Indonesia, Los Angeles and New York, as well as reflecting on his parents and grandparents lives. What comes through the book is his belief in the need for hope: that there is no need to accept injustice; that things can change, that ordinary people can affect history: and his own life demonstrates this in microcosm. His other work Audacity of Hope articulates this in more detail. Which is why I believe that we as Christians ought to observe Lent as best we can: because it’s from personal determination, personal changes that we make to our own lifestyle that the world can be changed.
Lent is a time when we are encouraged to reflect on our life-style and see what could be improved. Giving up being grumpy is probably far more significant than giving up sugar in your tea! After all, much of the traditional emphasis of Lent was on our relationships with God and other people, and it is important for all of us to take stock of our significant relationships from time to time to see if there are ways in which we can improve them, and to recognize habits and attitudes which undermine them.
Another important area for review at this time is our own personal "carbon footprint". It is easy to say that the scale of the problem is so vast that nothing I can do will be of any significance, but that simply is not true. The sum of lots of people's tiny contribution can make a real difference, and Lent is a good time for us to think about the way we use our cars and the sort of car we use, our use of power domestically (including all the lights we leave on and appliances which are left on "stand-by"), our travel arrangements, the food we eat and the waste we generate. These all contribute to global warming, and are all relatively simple problems to address. Can Lent 2009 lead us all to a healthier, greener life-style? If so, it can have an immediate advantage for us personally, as well as being part of our response to what is possibly the most important environmental issue of our day. A more sustainable lifestyle now means a better future for our children and grandchildren.
May God's love and blessings surround you throughout this New Year. This all sounds like a "secular Lent", but, of course, I would want to encourage people to make Lent 2009 a time of spiritual growth as well. Perhaps if you have got out of the habit of going to church Lent or Easter this year could be a time of making a return visit.
You know you will always be welcome.
Yours in Christ
Andrew
Readings |
Services |
1st February - Presentation/St Brigid
Malachi 3:1 - 5
Psalm: 24: 1 – 10
Hebrews 2: 14-18
Luke 2: 22-40
Hosea 6: 1-4
Psalm 134
1 John 1: 1-4
John 10: 7-16
8th February - 3rd Sunday before Lent
Isaiah 40: 21 – 31
Psalm 147: 1-12,21c
1 Corinthians 9: 24-27
Mark 1: 29 – 39
15th February - 2nd Sunday before Lent
Hosea 2: 14-20
Psalm 130: 1-13, 22
2 Corinthians 3: 1b-6
Mark 2: 13 – 22
22nd February - Sunday before Lent - Transfiguration
2 Kings 2: 1 - 12
Psalm 50: 1-6
2 Corinthians 4: 3-6
Mark 9: 2 – 9 |
Sunday 1st - Presentation/St Brigid
8.30 a.m. Eucharist (one said) St Brigid's
10.00 a.m. Eucharist Presentation St Mary's
11.30 a.m. Eucharist St Brigid's
Sunday 8th - Third Sunday before Lent
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St Brigid's
10.00 a.m. Morning Prayer St Mary's
11.30 a.m. Morning Prayer St Brigid's
Sunday 15th - Second Sunday before Lent
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St Brigid's
10.00 a.m. Eucharist St Mary's
11.30 a.m. Eucharist & Healing St Brigid's
8.00 p.m. Late Evening Office St Thomas's, Mulhuddart
Sunday 22nd - Sunday before Lent/Transfiguration
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St Brigid's
10.00 a.m. Service of the Word St Mary's
11.00 a.m. Service of the Word with Thinking Day St Brigid's |
From the Registers
Holy Baptism:
Christian Marriage:
Monday 29th December in St. Brigid’s: Sharon Leopold and Sean Downes of Rathborne.
May their home be a place of love, security, truth and welcome
Funeral:
In Memorium:
Organisations Reports
Girls' Brigade
Well done to our junior/seniors who took part in the National Verse Speaking competition for the first time with their rendition of Elizabeth T. Corbett’s nonsensical poem “Three Wise Old Women.”
The competition was of a very high standard with lots of variation in delivery and the use of actions. Well done to St. Catherine’s who went on to win the All Ireland final. Our Castleknock girls gave a memorable performance and they are looking forward to next years challenge.
Preparations are well underway now for our competitions which will take place at the end of January/early February. Best of luck girls!
Sally was a delegate at a meeting of the European Fellowship and we are delighted to hear that there is a new Company opening in Kosovo. Isn’t it great that this war torn region can take another step towards a return to normality and we are thrilled to see the Girls’ Brigade playing a part in this process.
Heather Hayes
Boys' Brigade
As from 1st January 2009 following the adoption of the new constitution of The Boys’ Brigade at Brigade Council held in Scotland in September 2008, all Companies are permitted to enrol girls in their Companies. Each Company may form a Girls’ Association to run in parallel with The Boys’ Brigade, offering the same programme of activities and award structure currently offered to Boys. We in the 10th Dublin Company would be delighted to welcome Girls between the ages of 5 and 18 to drop in and try out our programme. Contact Sean Skehan for more details.
Announcements
Annual Hockey Match:
Once again we met at 12 midday on St Stephen’s Day at The King’s Hospital to play our annual match. As always, competition was fierce and many remarked on the “extraordinary” standard of play…..
Once again, we adjourned to the Nelsons’ home for mulled wine, snacks and a chance to chat and catch up with each other. Thanks are due to Robert and Jan for their wonderful hospitality, and also to The King’s Hospital for allowing us the use of their hockey pitch.
Jack and Jill Foundation:
The Jack and Jill Foundation was our chosen charity for December this year. The Foundation supports the families of children under 5 who have a severe disability or a life threatening condition. We were delighted to have Jonathan Irwin, the founder of the charity, as our speaker on December 21st, and he spoke so movingly about his own personal experiences. Among the fundraising events were coffee at Clonsilla, the collections at the School and Nine lessons and Carols services and a marvellous international Christmas canapés lunch. Well over €1,500 was raised - we will know the full amount shortly.
Nine Lessons and Carols:
There was also a marvellous atmosphere at this service, aided and abetted by the stunning singing of Jenny Mutawe, Avril Watters, Ros Garrett and our own newly formed choir. We should especially mention the duet performed by Matthew Good and Ali Keenan. Thank you Maedhbh, Philip and all who helped in any way with the music this year.
More Carols:
Our Mothers’ Union members returned to sing carols at Cuan Ros and Marymount Nursing Homes, to the great delight of the residents and staff who also joined in with gusto! Refreshments were kindly provided by the homes for all the thirsty singers.
Sunday Clubs:
Our two Sunday clubs excelled themselves with their nativity dramas this year. In Clonsilla on Sunday 21st, the Sunday club performed “the Christmas Storybook” to great acclaim, while on Christmas Day, Castleknock’s production of “Countdown to Christmas” was rapturously received. Well done to all involved, especially Avril, Linda, Lesley and all our leaders and helpers who work tirelessly throughout the year to make our Sunday Clubs a really enjoyable experience.
Thank you…:
To all those who decorated the Churches for Christmas and especially to Pat Gray and Dorothy Robinson, Valerie Fildes and Margaret Tutty for their leadership.
COMING UP IN FEBRUARY AND BEYOND:
The Sunday School Society’s Annual “Brainarama” Quiz will be held in Castleknock Parish Centre on Sunday 8th February. Full details from Lesley Anders.
Ash Wednesday: the first day of Lent will be marked by services in Castleknock Parish Centre at 10.30 a.m. and in St. Mary’s at 8 p.m.
Other News
Churches Together in Dublin 15 - Lent 2009
Speakers on the theme of “Justice and Peace in Ireland and the World”
Tuesday 3rd March:
“What’s happening now?”
Parishioners speak about the work they have doing in the developing world
Castleknock Parish Centre 8pm
Tuesday 10th March:
“Israel and Gaza; issues and solutions”
Laurel Lodge Church 8pm
Tuesday 17th March:
“Fair Trade and Human Rights - what we can do”
Castleknock Parish Centre 8pm
Tuesday 24th March:
“After the boom - where does Ireland go from here?”
Panel discussion - guests to be confirmed
Laurel Lodge Church 8pm
Tuesday 31st March:
The Passover Seder - come and experience the Jewish roots of the Eucharist
Laurel Lodge 8pm
Lent - Forty Holy Days
As a traditional time of self-denial, alms giving and prayer, Lent can help us to prepare our hearts and souls to celebrate the Easter victory.
ASH WEDNESDAY – The Porch of Lent.
On Wed 25th February, we have our opportunity to begin Lent together as a worshipping community:
10.30 a.m. Holy Communion, in the Parish Centre
The Ashes of Ash Wednesday signify mourning or contrition, a gesture mentioned frequently in the Bible, which Christians used as a public sign of penitence. Ash, made from the palm crosses of last year, are sometimes imposed with the prayer “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.”
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available privately for those who feel they need more than the General Confession and Absolution each Sunday. All Church of Ireland priests are commanded at their ordination to absolve sins with all the other pastoral duties. Feel free to contact Andrew or Elaine if you would like to discuss this further.
Weekday Services In Lent
WEDNESDAY – the regular Wednesday morning 10.30am Holy Communion continues in the Parish Centre.
Study Courses
Full details elsewhere in this Parish News.
Personal Bible Study
Lent also calls us to “a More Attentive Listening to the Word of God”. You might like to think about getting Study Notes to help you with your Bible reading (ask the clergy if you are interested). If your time is very limited, two very simple suggestions for Lent are either to read over the Sunday gospel each day in the following week (it is printed on the coloured announcement sheet each Sunday, so do take the leaflet away with you) or to look up the gospel for the following Sunday (the Readings for each Sunday are listed in this Parish News) and read it over several times during the week as a preparation for the following Sunday.
Prayer and Fasting
For Christians the idea of fasting (denying ourselves) is always linked to prayer and the sharing of our goods. Nowadays the word ‘alms giving’ is disliked as it smacks of condescension to the poor. ‘Sharing’ is a far more acceptable term – it is precisely what the original meaning of alms giving was (one fast to be able to share) – and it reminds us of the sharing in our Christian worship, particularly in the Breaking of the Word and the Breaking of the Bread.
Lent boxes for Christian Aid and for USPG are available in church if you would find it helpful to use one of those for regular giving. And don’t forget that regular giving to the church throughout the year is made easy by the envelope scheme (ask the clergy for details).
Support Christian Aid
During Lent, Christian Aid boxes will be available for everyone who wants to support their work by contributing something every day .
Christian Aid is sending emergency funds to its partner organisations in Gaza to help them respond to the humanitarian crisis.
The Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC) plans to distribute emergency food baskets to the most vulnerable families in Gaza. It will buy the bulk of the food from local farmers and women cooperatives.
PARC has experience in implementing similar programmes during previous emergency situations.
The PARC headquarters in Zeitun took a direct hit and was then used as an Israeli military post. All its computers and furniture were destroyed. In addition, all the PARC greenhouses, trees, plants, water sources and agricultural facilities were bulldozed. It is now working from a rented apartment in Gaza City.
The Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA) has received £30,000 to provide emergency food to 200 displaced families in Khan Younis. They will also receive flooring carpet and blankets.
The Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) is providing emergency healthcare and 24-hour medical and ambulance services.
The Near East Council of Churches (NECC) has re-opened its clinics in Daraj and Rafah. The NECC clinic in Sujaya has been completely destroyed.
‘We need the international community to do all it can to ensure the ceasefire holds,’ says a spokesperson from NECC. ‘People in Gaza are tired of violence.
‘Many houses have been destroyed, families have lost loved ones, industry and farming is devastated; people are in a miserable state now.
‘People are not sure that the ceasefire will continue. They are afraid that it will be broken and we will return back to the war and the destruction.’
US Churches and Obama: Rolling up Sleeves rather than finger-pointing
Poverty, violence and war are among the "enormous and formidable" challenges of the present time, representatives of member churches of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in the United States have pointed out to President Barack Obama on the occasion of his inauguration.
"Ours is not to point fingers at your new administration and say 'Fix it'," members of the Board of the US Conference for the WCC wrote in a letter to Obama dated 20 January 2009.
"Rather, ours is to roll up our sleeves and partner with you to help bring about the changes that are so desperately needed for the United States and the world to more closely reflect God's vision for humankind and all of creation."
Greeting Obama as "your sisters and brothers in Christ," the signatories of the letter declare to be "encouraged by [Obama's] commitment to rekindle hope and [his] vision for this country and our world". The letter is signed by members of the Board, heads of churches and associate members of the US Conference for the WCC. The US Conference for the WCC gathers the 34 member churches of the Council in the United States.
"Much is required of you and us if we are to begin to turn things around, "the US churches representatives state in their letter to Obama. They propose a nine-item list of issues that need responsibility and work together. It includes: trust amongst nations, national unity, common good rather than self-interest, human dignity over race and class divisions, an economy at the service of the poor, human rights, education, environment and health.
The content of the letter to President Obama was discussed by a number of heads of churches at a plenary session during the 2-4 December 2008 annual meeting of the US Conference for the WCC. One of the participants at that session, the Rev Dr Sharon Watkins, general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), has later on been given the responsibility to preach at the prayer service to be held at the National Cathedral in Washington DC the day after Obama is inaugurated president of the United States.
Text of Rev. Lowery's Inauguration Benediction
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou, who has brought us thus far along the way, thou, who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee, lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee.
Shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand true to thee, oh God, and true to our native land.
We truly give thanks for the glorious experience we've shared this day.
We pray now, oh Lord, for your blessing upon thy servant Barack Obama, the 44th president of these United States, his family and his administration.
He has come to this high office at a low moment in the national, and indeed the global, fiscal climate. But because we know you got the whole world in your hands, we pray for not only our nation, but for the community of nations.
Our faith does not shrink though pressed by the flood of mortal ills.
For we know that, Lord, you are able and you're willing to work through faithful leadership to restore stability, mend our brokenness, heal our wounds, and deliver us from the exploitation of the poor, of the least of these, and from favouritism toward the rich, the elite of these.
We thank you for the empowering of thy servant, our 44th president, to inspire our nation to believe that yes we can work together to achieve a more perfect union.
And while we have sown the seeds of greed — the wind of greed and corruption, and even as we reap the whirlwind of social and economic disruption, we seek forgiveness and we come in a spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices, to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other.
And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance.
And as we leave this mountain top, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will.
Bless President Barack, First Lady Michelle. Look over our little angelic Sasha and Malia.
We go now to walk together as children, pledging that we won't get weary in the difficult days ahead. We know you will not leave us alone.
With your hands of power and your heart of love, help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nations shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid, when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.
Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labours rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say, Amen.
Phoenix-Tara Toastmasters Public Speaking Club
Where: Dunboyne Castle, Dunboyne, Co Meath
Every 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month
Admission: Free to visitors and guests
Rector Writes | Readings & Services | From the Registers | Organisation Reports | Announcements | Other News
