The Rector writes……
Last month, I along with Revd. David Bowles and two other clergy from the Diocese, spent five days on a retreat at the Community of the Resurrection at Mirfield in West Yorkshire. This was my second opportunity to spend some time at this special place. If you look up their website you will see that they define themselves as a community of ‘brothers in Christ, rooted in the Anglican tradition and formed in the monastic round of prayer, worship and ministry.’ They welcome others to ‘come, see, learn and share.’ Again reading their website it is interesting to note that in recent years there has been an increased interest from people wishing to explore religious life. Fr. George Guiver, a member of the community who deals with enquirers, attributes this new interest to three things: a number of TV programmes and films about monasteries, an increasing quest for meaning in a world that provides less and less of it, and thirdly the Internet as most enquiries now come via the Internet. While only a small number of people in the end will be drawn to fully embrace the life of a religious, it is good to know that there are places like Mirfield where clergy and lay people can come on retreat to reflect, recharge, refocus and recommit. I am very grateful to the Bishop for providing this opportunity.
I also want to take the opportunity this month to say a word of thanks to those who serve on the Boards of Management in the two primary schools in our parish. Their four year term of office is coming to an end. Trevor Stephens, is the outgoing chairperson of the Board in St. Michael’s School. We thank him for his commitment to the school over that period. Other members whose term of office also comes to an end in Blackrock are Ken Hegarty, Rachelle Harley, Tim Jackson and Sharon Kerr. The teachers’ representatives currently are Anne Walsh and Annemarie O’Donovan.
In St. Luke’s School in Douglas the Board is chaired by Roger Flack. I know the school community value all that he does in that capacity. The outgoing members of this school board are Sarah Jones, Gordon Jermyn, Shane Treacy and Ann Caird. The teachers’ representatives are Olwen Anderson and Elaine Guinane.
As rector, I serve on both these committees as a patron’s representative. Each week I see the quantity and quality of work being done by volunteers to ensure that these primary schools are well managed and run smoothly. They are responsible for a vast array of matters including staff employment, finance, buildings maintenance, health and safety, school policies, enrolment, as well as supporting the ethos of the school. I’m sure if the Department of Education had to pay for all that these people do in a voluntary capacity, it would amount to tens of thousands of euro each year. All this work can be very time consuming and it is done to serve the needs of the pupils, parents and staff in our schools. Please say a word of thanks to these people, particularly if you are a past pupil, or have or had children in either of these schools. A process is in train whereby new boards of management will be formed in the coming weeks. While some of the current members may be re-elected, inevitably there will be significant change. Please remember this process in your prayers over the next month. The names of those nominated or elected for the next four years will be announced in due course when they have been submitted to the Patron and approved by the Minister of Education.
Yours in Christ, Adrian
Bible Study will take place in the home of Ailsa Jones, Passage West on the 21st October at 2.30pm and in the home of Carol Boylan, Moneygourney on Thursday, 22nd October at 7.30pm.
An Invitation to Remember… A Service of Remembrance will be held by Cork University Maternity Hospital on Friday 16th October2015 at7.30pm in the Sacred Heart Church, Western Road, Cork. All who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss are welcome to attend
Sunday School. It is good to note that Sunday School is up and running in St. Luke’s in Douglas on a very regular basis and that there is currently a team of about ten teachers who lead the different groups on a rotation basis. This year they have opted to follow the ‘Mosaic’ programme. They will also continue to have a DVD Sunday each month when the lesson revolves around the particular biblical story or character featured in the DVD. Popcorn and drinks are also provided for the children on those days.
Sunday School is also resuming in Frankfield but the need to have more teachers was highlighted at a recent vestry meeting there. This is a pity as we have a large number of early or preschool aged children attending church in Frankfield now and it is vital that their needs are met too.
We also hope to resume Sunday School on a regular basis in Marmullane but there again the load in terms of teaching is falling on the few. Parents are reminded that they have to fill in the special application form so that their children can attend Sunday School and that we have details about any special requirements they may have. We thank our volunteers who are involved in this very important ministry among children in our parish.
Refugee Crisis. All readers of this issue of Parish Matters will no doubt have been struck by the very disturbing images in the media of thousands of people fleeing violence and persecution in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East. The sheer volume of people who are displaced or killed as result of conflict there in recent years is almost overwhelming. The great risks that some are forced to undertake to find safety is truly shocking. However it should be noted that the images we see are those who have had the energy and resources to get to a place of safety and seek refuge. There are many more who for whatever reason cannot and are still suffering greatly. In response to this situation, we continue to pray for peace and justice for the people of Syria and the Middle East. Readers may also like to heed the call of both Archbishop Clarke and Archbishop Jackson for people to engage with political representatives and encourage them to show leadership and generosity towards those who are seeking refuge. While there are encouraging signs that this will happen, the real challenge will be in providing for the long term needs and integration of refugees. Hopefully in time the political situation will change and those who want to return to the land of their birth will also be facilitated if they wish to do so. As a parish we have responded to the suggestion of holding special collections in church over two Sundays in September in which we raised well over €1700. These funds, through the Bishops’ Appeal, will be channelled to agencies such as Christian Aid which is responding directly to the need of 12.2 million people in Syria and 4 million refugees in neighbouring Iraq and Lebanon as well as directing funds to NGO’s responding to the need in EU countries.
This year services of Harvest Thanksgiving will take place in St. Mary’s Church, Marmullane on Sunday 4 October at 7pm. The preacher at this service will be Canon Eithne Lynch. We look forward to welcoming her back to the parish. On the following Sunday there will be morning harvest celebrations in the other churches in our union at the usual times. Wilfred Baker will be preaching at Frankfield and Douglas. Revd. David Bowles will be preaching at Blackrock that day.
The next lunch in the Old Schoolhouse on Church Road will be on 28th October. All are welcome to a nutritious three course meal for a donation of €7. As usual there will also be a sales table. Our parish catering team are to be congratulated on the lovely and varied menu they provide each month.
Children’s Ministry Group. Following on from our previous training day in 2014 for Sunday club leaders and helpers (‘A Road map through Lent’), the Diocesan Children’s Ministry Group have planned a further training event, this time in the evening, for Thursday 5th November. ‘Come, let us adore Him’ will provide resource ideas for use during the Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and Candlemas seasons.
Ideas like using a Jesse Tree, a Posada, Advent Candles and Calendar, Nativity Dramas, Crafts and Games, planning a Crib or Christingle Service are among the topics and resources on the night.
This training evening will take place on Thursday 5th November 2015 from 7pm to 9pm at Northridge House, St Luke’s Home, Cork and we really need you to pre-book in order to ensure that we have enough ‘Goody Bags of Resources’ to hand out on the night.
The Application/Registration form can be downloaded from the Diocesan Website.
http://cork.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Come-Let-us-adore-Him-Application-Form.pdf
For further information contact Jacqui Wilkinson or Rev. Elaine Murray.
PARISH BOOK CLUB
The next meeting of the Parish Book Club will be on 13 October when the nominated book is ‘Go set a Watchman by Harper Lee. This book club meets once a month in the Rectory and new members are always welcome. J. Wilkinson
St Luke’s School Notes. We extend a very warm welcome to our 27 new Junior Infants and to 8 new pupils who joined various other classes in the school. We also welcome a number of temporary teachers: Ms Laura Phelan, Ms Therese McCarthy, Ms Alison Jeffery and Ms Jean McCarthy. We are delighted that Ms Delia Hodnett is joining our SNA team. We hope that they will all be very happy in St.Luke’s.
We congratulate Bean Uí Mathúna on the birth of baby Saoirse and Mrs Egner on the birth of baby Roisín.
Sonia Jermyn and Emma Wilkinson, both transition year students from Ashton will be working with us this term as part of their Community Action Work.
Congratulations to the following pupils who were presented with prizes at the end of term service in June:
Val Jago Shield: Rian Hickey, Lia Ryan and James Barber
Runners-Up: David Abat, Lucy McManus, Amy Dunne and Nosa Daniel-Jube
Flack Trophy for Handwriting: Alison McCarthy
Gash Squaddy of the Year: Harry McDaid
Bean Uí Chaoimh Shield (Gaeilge): Eric Cartis
Coombes Shield for Sportsmanship: Sheyla Whittaker
Gradam Mháire Roycroft (Pupil who contributed most to School Life): Lia Ryan
Andrew Chambers Memorial Award (most Promising Junior Hockey Player): Zachery Dunne and Eoin Gallagher
8 Years Unbroken Attendance: Niall Brooks
We look forward to a very happy and productive year ahead.
Parish Bowls Club. The Bowls Club has resumed activities after the summer break. It meets each Wednesday evening in the Canon Packham Hall. Membership numbers are very good and currently there is a waiting list. We wish all those involved in the Club continued enjoyment and healthy competition in the year ahead.
The next Select Vestry Meeting takes place on Friday, 30th October in the Canon Packham Hall at 8pm.
Badminton commences in the Canon Packham Hall on Monday, 5th October at 8.00pm. New members always welcome. Badminton also takes place in Marmullane on Tuesday nights at 8pm and Wednesday mornings at 10.30am.
A note for the diary: A parish fundraiser Coffee Morning will take place in the Canon Packham Hall on Saturday, 7th November at 10am-12.30pm. Usual stalls plus raffle will be held on the day.
Whist Drive will be held in the Canon Packham Hall on Saturday at 8.30pm on the following nights, 24th October, 28th November,19th December 2015 and 23rd January and 27th February, 2016
Eircode: We would be obliged if all Parishioners could forward their new post Eircode to the Parish Office at their convenience in order that the Parish Database can be updated accordingly.
