Parish News Archives - December 2006 / January 2007

Rector Writes | Readings & Services | From the Registers | Organisation Reports | Announcements | Other News

Rector Writes

Dear Friends,

Waiting. David Lodge, in his book Paradise News, tells the story of an elderly lady dying of cancer in Hawaii, unable to afford the healthcare she needs despite having once been well off. When her nephew arrives from England, however, he makes an amazing discovery among her papers. Lying forgotten, unsold when everything else was disposed of, is a share certificate. Just one share; but it dates from 1952, and it’s a share in IBM. With stock splits, dividends and astronomically increasing value, a share that is now worth almost half a million dollars. A share that would have been all too easily sold, but had instead lain in readiness for the time needed. That’s a theme that runs through the whole book: the need to wait for the right moment, the damage done by rushing into foolish decisions.

Advent is the season of waiting: waiting for God’s supreme revelation of himself in the incarnation. And yet how hard we find it to wait. Our modern world, our training, our upbringing militate against it. It’s one of the hardest lessons to teach children: Wait, don’t rush. We can’t seem to slow down and wait. Our world is obsessed by the drive to do more, produce more, consume more. And the consequences are all around us. A recent article in the journal Nature reported that that many in the developed world don’t even breathe properly, because we breathe too quickly and our lungs don’t operate to their full potential. We can’t even seem to wait long enough to breathe!

The Church ought to be different. Waiting is at the heart of the scriptures: “On God alone my soul in stillness waits” (Ps. 62:1). So we need to ask ourselves – are we just the same? Are we so busy doing things that we don’t stop to ask if they are the right things? Have we mistaken business for holiness? Are we waiting to hear what God is trying to say to us?

This Advent, we need to rediscover the skill of waiting. As individuals and faith communities, we could try to offer God something of our precious time, to wait on him, for then we will find in him the completion for which we long.

On behalf of the parish team, I wish you all the peace and joy of Christmas.

Yours in Christ

From the Registers

Holy Baptism:
22nd October: Isaac Hazzard, son of Glen and Suzanne of Dunboyne
12th November: Megan Comiskey, daughter of Jedd and Rachel of Kinsealy

May they shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father

Christian Marriage:
3rd November: Ciara and Richard Morris of New York

May their home be a place of love, security, truth and welcome.

Funeral:
8th November: Joan Cochrane, late of Blanchardstown.

May she rest in peace and rise in glory

In Memorium:
Joan Cochrane: Joan was at the heart of Sunday morning life in St. Brigid’s, coming week after week to sit on the north side. Her 91 years were full and active: the youngest of seven girls, she lived most of her life in Rathmines with some of her sisters. She worked as secretary for the Potterton family in Trim and with Brookes Thomas. An enthusiastic hill walker, she loved nature and the outdoors: her garden was magnificent, and she loved to walk her dogs. She was a greatly adored aunt and great aunt, who in turn cared deeply for her wide family circle. She had a very deep personal faith, depending on prayer through the day, and very much part of our midweek Eucharist group. Her long illness was heart breaking for all of us who had known her in active days, but she finally departed on November 6th.

Organisations Reports

Boys' Brigade
The Company was enrolled by the Rector during November. We had almost full attendance by the boys and it was good to see many of the parents there too. The boys were delighted with the sermon which required a lot of participation by them, as they did the sound effects for a thought provoking story about two golfers.

Company Section boys went on the annual battalion hike in Wicklow and everyone had a good time.

Anchor Boys went off to Fitzone in Leopardstown for their favourite battalion outing. They had a great morning.

The Company will close on the 5th December for Christmas. The Anchor boys are having a party in the parish centre and the rest of the company are off to Leisureplex for bowling.

The company will reopen on the 9th January 2007.

Janet Seaman

Youth Club
We continue to have a good attendance at youth club. We went bowling to Leisureplex during November and we had a club night in the Parish centre where we put together bags of goodies to sell at our tuck shop at the Christmas fair.
We are going to have a Christmas party for our members on the 16th of December in Castleknock.
All members are welcome but we will need to know if you are coming in advance please.

Janet Seaman

Announcements

Blessing of the Graves:
A big thank you to everyone who helped with the stewarding at the recent grave blessing ceremonies. Over 300 gathered in Clonsilla, while, as usual, there was standing room only in Castleknock. In Clonsilla, Andrew was joined by Frs. Gerry Gill and John Daly, while in Castleknock, Elaine was accompanied by Frs. John Jones, Maurice O’Shea & Mick Cullen. It is excellent to see this example of practical ecumenism continuing to be as popular as ever.

Blessing of Hands:
Elaine took part with the other Blanchardstown Hospital Chaplains at the recent Blessing of Hands ceremony in the Academic Centre. This is part of the graduation of the new nurses, and is very much appreciated by all involved.

Mulhuddart News:
The proposals for a new parish centre and other building in Mulhuddart took a big step forward recently, when the proposal was passed by the RCB Property Committee. This is a very exciting development, which will greatly enhance our outreach in this growing part of the parish.

Posada:
Again this year, we will be encouraging the true spirit of Advent and Christmas into our homes with the Mexican Posada tradition. The Mary and Joseph crib figures will be journeying from house to house in the parish, spending one night in each place. Prayers are included and it is excellent way of getting to meet new people.

Reader Training:
Thanks to Tom Gordon of the Theological College for coming to train our readers and intercessors recently; a very enjoyable occasion for all who attended.

Parish Hockey:
Work off that turkey with our traditional St. Stephen’s Day hockey match at King’s Hospital from 12 noon to 2pm. It would be great to see new faces this year. No experience necessary!!

Brownies:
Our very popular Brownie Pack is looking for a couple of new leaders. They meet on Thursday evenings from 6.45 to 8pm and they are open to girls from 7-11 years. If you are over 18 and think you could help with this very enjoyable and satisfying ministry, please contact the clergy. Full training is given by the Irish Girl Guides. Why not give it a try?

Coming up in December and beyond:
The one and only Christmas Fair takes place on December 2nd!!
The service of Nine Lessons and Carols takes place on 17th December at 7pm.
Christmas Day services are at the usual Sunday times, but preceded by the 1st Eucharist of Christmas at 11.30pm on Sunday 24th.

January 7th: 1st Sunday after Epiphany: Baptism of Christ. We will be inviting all those whose babies have been baptised in the last year to join us to mark that special occasion.

January 14th: Mission Sunday
January 21st: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, with our usual pulpit swap between the local churches.

Other News

Subscriptions - A Word From The Treasurers

A lot of people ask us: “how can we support the Church financially?” Everyone knows that the Church doesn’t run on thin air. But how is your money spent?

Each €1 was spent last year in this way:

Buildings, maintenance and insurance 36 cent
Priests, Ministry support and Visiting preachers 32 cent
Administrative support, literature and Parish News 7 cent
Staff (sexton, organists, secretarial) 3 cent
Charity 10 cent
Diocesan and Church of Ireland obligations 3 cent
Education and Youth Work 4 cent
Worship and worship resources 3 cent
Hospitality and catering 2 cent

As people so often comment, it is a miracle that so much is done, and so many lives touched and enriched on such a small budget. However, we still do not meet our running costs through direct giving.

If you’d like to help the Church by giving in planned way in 2007, we offer two ways to for you to do this:

STANDING ORDER: a regular payment of your choice is automatically deducted from your bank account every month.

ENVELOPES: a year’s supply, marked with the date of each Sunday, comes packed in a box. Simply place your giving in the envelope and put it on the collection plate at the offertory. If you miss coming to Church on a given Sunday, simply bring the all the envelopes with you next time you come. That way you can be sure your giving is regular and planned. You can have more than one set of envelopes in a family, so that older children can make their contribution too.

Even better, contributions to the Church made either of these ways can be increased through Gift Aid - where the church claims back the tax you have already paid on your donation. We cannot do that on money put directly into the plate.

If you would like to subscribe in either of these ways or want more information, contact the Treasurers:
Castleknock: James Anderson, Clonsilla: Ken Doyle or the Parish office mornings only 8200040.

Thank you

Christmas Cactus

How amazing! You grow from a segment.
Ready, with roots ‘to go’,
Dead and dormant you spring to life.

First a nipple: then a bud.
Just add some water, to prompt and quicken,
To make you sprout, new, green, and glisten.

Now climatic mood is your desire.
Both shade and light: in careful measure.
Not too cold, not too hot,
Just a private, constant spot.

Then all year long we wait, until;
It’s November and you stir, slowly, slowly,
Brimful, gorgeous flowers
Enshrine you more each passing hour.

Then on Eve, just as we prayed, your heavenly haze
Doth shine and blaze, imperial light for Son of God.
O Lord! O Lord! What hope, what joy!

With Passion colours Of Blood and Gold,
You Mark His Birth. God’s Will is yours!
His Love Alive! Eternal Spring of Life re-new!

Christmas cactus: gem of night,
Now, all in glory, all in show,
You simply dazzle winter’s snow.

By Freddy Kerr, Castleknock, Dublin.


Footnote:-
This poem celebrating life and the joy of Christmas has been written by a Parishioner, Freddy Kerr, Castleknock. It is one of a series of botanical poems dedicated to the Twelve Apostles. Christmas Cactus is dedicated to the Apostle Mark.

Freddy was diagnosed with cancer in 2003 and now lives with cancer. He participated in a Creative Writing Workshop at the Irish Cancer Conference and says that this was the catalyst which sparked his post-diagnosis adventure as a poet.

His first four Nature Poems – Frog, Sparrowhawk, Snipe and Lament for the Barn Owl will be published on 7th December in the Phoenix Writers’ Group publication “Mongrel Scribe”.

Habitat for Humanity Madagascar House Build 2006 by Bernard Neary

On the 2nd September 2006, I led a group of fourteen volunteers on a Habitat for Humanity (Ireland) charity house build to Madagascar. My Co-leader was Janie Walthew, and a fellow-parishioner Muriel Kellet was part of the team. We arrived in Ankazobe, a town situated 90 kilometres and approx a two-hour drive from Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. We stayed the first few nights in Parliamentary House, the office of the local Member of Parliament. We had to sleep on the floor there, but all team members were equipped with blow-up matteresses! We were accompanied at all times by two local guides/translators, Laingo and Edwin, who proved to be capable and excellent hosts.

We were given a colourful and most generous local welcome in the local community centre, with soft drinks, biscuits and song and dance. After a site visit we settled in for the evening. We divided into two teams, and worked on two sites, which were only at the foundation stage on our arrival. We spent the next eight days bricklaying, mixing mortar, carrying bricks and doing general work on both sites. Each team rotated so everyone got a flavour of both the work sites and mixing with the families. The families were most generous, sharing their hospitality with us, including coffee prepared with their own home-grown coffee beans, and cassava.

We worked long and hard on both sites, and on our last day, Thomas Bergin, a team member, erected an Irish flag on the gable end of one of the houses; Jerome, the local Malagasy hung a Madagascar flag beside our one. We had a collection among team members and bought household items as gifts for the two new home-owner families. The dedication was very moving and emotional for both the locals and for our team. Bibles were presented to each family, each bible signed by each team member. A ribbon in the Madagasy colours was officially cut and later cut into pieces, a piece for each family and a piece for each team member, thus giving the team a connection with the family. We had constructed one house up to the level of the roof and the second house up to gable-top (well, one full gable and one half-completed gable). A highlight of the week was the Evangelical service in the local church, which had an auction (of a goose, of eggs and potatoes and cakes) after the service. It was a most colourful experience, one which all the team gleefully and enthusiastically took part in.

We spent up to four nights as part of the home-stay programme, living alongside local families in their modest, three-roomed houses. It was a moving and wonderful experience for the team members. On the Thursday of the second week the whole Habitat family in Ankazobe and tearful and emotional goodbyes were exchanged. On that day we visited an Orphanage at Akany Avoko just outside Tana, and visited their joint house-building project with Habitat for Humanity Madagascar. The visit was the highlight of most of the team members trip. We had two days of recreation in a State forest, where we saw the famed Lemurs — no trip to Madagascar would be complete without seeing them!

We then headed back to Tana, where on the night before our departure, two representatives of Madagascar Mother's Union joined the team for a meal. All in all it was a most productive and rewarding visit.

We are planning to send a team of 12-14 from the parish back to Madagascar next summer, in early August, to work with Habitat. Bernard will be the leader, and anyone over 18 is welcome to apply for this life changing experience. We hope to hold a meeting for anyone interested early in the New Year - please watch the announcements for details or contact the clergy.

Parish News Distribution

Our parish news distributors do their best to ensure that the magazine reaches you as soon as possible after publication on the first weekend of each month. However, many of them are busy people with heavy workloads and it can be hard to find time to deliver the magazine. However, there isn’t much point to a magazine which arrives when the events are over! So three appeals:
1. to magazine distributors: If you find that you cannot deliver the magazine on time very often, please let us know, so we can find someone to take over
2. to readers: if your magazine reaches you very late regularly, please let the office know
3. to reduce the workload on distributors and our postage costs, you could receive the magazine by email: contact castleknockparishoffice2@eircom.net or collect it in Church. Please let us know!

Extra!! Extra!! Read All About it….

If you would like to hear more about what’s going on in the wider church, there are two excellent publications you can subscribe to:-

The Church Review
is the monthly magazine for Dublin and Glendalough Diocese. Its packed full of all the latest news of what is happening in our communities and in other churches in Dublin. Every parish has a section on what they have been doing and what’s coming up, and a number of the contributions can be very amusing!. It’s a great way to get to know who’s who and what’s what throughout Dublin. It’s a large A4 colour magazine but a subscription for the year costs just €33.00(*)!
To order your copy or see a sample, contact Bea Richards.

The Church of Ireland Gazette
is the official weekly newspaper of The Church of Ireland. It contains news from around the country, north and south, as well as a good deal of information from the wider Anglican Communion and the world Church. In addition, regular columnists reflect, discuss and debate the issues of the day. It is best known for its editorials which are often provocative and challenging and frequently quoted in the secular media.
To see a sample or place an order contact Valerie Greene.

* - Based on 2006 subscription cost

A Christmas Visitor

It was the last day of the Christmas holidays and the wind and rain caused a gloom to descend upon us as we sat before a good fire. Someone had broken a pane of glass in our front window with an empty milk bottle the week before and the polythene patch over the hole in the window flapped dismally in the easterly gale. A gentle knock broke the silence. No visitor was expected; no one would be out in such a downpour. I opened the door to find myself looking at the shabby rain-soaked figure of a man. He muttered something about “a few pence”. From habit I shook my head. Our situation beside a church encouraged all comers to think that we should be “a soft touch”. He continued to mumble incoherently and I smelt the drink from his breath. “I am a travelling man.” I prepared to shut the door. “A couple of slices of bread, ma’am, I haven’t eaten since six this morning.” He was hungry. For the first time in my life I had the experience of someone begging some food from me. He backed away from the door and I closed it against the rain. Had he gone or had he read the acquiescence on my face; I heard a muffled cough outside. I hurried to the kitchen, made a ham sandwich, put it in a small paper bag and returned to the front door. He was waiting, standing in out of the rain. The matted reddish fair hair confirmed his story of being a “travelling man”. He took the sandwich, and then as I prepared to shut the door his gesture stayed me. He laid down a half smoked cigarette and the sandwich on the step, shook my hand and wished us a happy New Year. My automatic response “many happy returns” seemed singularly ridiculous to one in his circumstances. Then he picked up his cigarette and the sandwich and backed away from the door, still bowing his gratitude.

Do I feel good now? Have I shed a little of the spirit of Christmas on someone? I feel strangely disturbed. My thoughts wander and my hand strokes the cat’s soft fur as she sleeps curled up on a chair. Where will he sleep tonight? An abandoned car? A ditch? Under a tree? The cat has had two good meals today and fresh milk to drink. I gave him one paltry ham sandwich. True he has had drink. Did someone feel a surge of pity and assuage his conscience by buying him a drink? “Down and out.” It is just a name to lump together all those who do not fit into our accepted pattern of living. No fixed abode, but who would put him up. I remembered how I had rushed to wash after he had shaken my hand; his were strangers to water, except when it rained. I felt humbled; his gratitude was so complete for so little. How many more like him? This one had floated into my consciousness, clothed the term “ down and out” with flesh and blood, and communicated to me an awareness of human need in the midst of plenty, of loneliness in the midst of a busy city, of a society which treats its animals better than its humans. Now I am being unfair, I have looked in the face of poverty and want and it has unbalanced my judgement. Perhaps writing it all down will help to restore my normal complacency. He and his kind will be always among us. There are charities to help them. “The poor ye have always with you.” “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The Origin of the Jesse Tree

The Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: ‘A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots.’ It is usually a tree or a branch which is decorated with various symbols that remind us of the purpose and promises of God from Creation to the Birth of Jesus Christ.

The Jesse Tree incorporates references to these promises through special ornaments that are placed on the branches each week. These represent one of the major stories of the Old Testament. For example, a picture of Noah's Ark will remind us that God has promised never to destroy the earth again by a flood, while a picture of the Tablets of the Law remind us that God both forms us as a people and gives us guidance on how to live in the world that He made. Just as the Advent candles speak to us of the hope, the peace, the joy, and the love, that we have from God and which we await in the coming of Christ, so too the Jesse Tree will speak to us of what God has done and will yet do.

Some Jesse Tree Symbols
The Sun: Just as the natural sun gives light and life to all upon whom its rays fall, so Christ, the Rising Dawn, dispels darkness and brings eternal life and light.
The Tablets of the Law: The Law of Moses as symbolized in the tablets which God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai was fulfilled in Christ who brings a law of love.
Bethlehem: Seven hundred years before Christ's birth, it was prophesied that the Saviour would be born in the town of Bethlehem. Bethlehem, which means ‘House of Bread,’ was appropriately designated as the birthplace of Christ, the Bread from Heaven.
Jacob's Ladder: In a vision, Jacob saw a ladder reaching from heaven to earth, with angels descending and ascending. Christ, the Incarnate God, is the Ladder reuniting earth to heaven, humankind to God.
Jonah in the Whale: As Jonah remained in the whale three days, so Christ remained three days in the earth after His death.
The Temple: The Temple was God's dwelling place among the Jews of the Old Testament. His new Presence is within us.
The Crown and Sceptre: The crown and sceptre signify Christ's universal kingship.
Manna: The manna which the Jews ate in the desert for forty years was a symbol of Christ, the true Bread which descended from heaven.

Rector Writes | Readings & Services | From the Registers | Organisation Reports | Announcements | Other News

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