The Curate writes……
Community of the Resurrection
As I write this, the excitement in my household is almost palpable. Easter is coming and my children are looking forward to the arrival of the Easter Bunny and all the Easter eggs that come with it. They do understand that there is more to Easter than just Easter eggs, although sometimes, especially at the ages of five and seven it is easy to forget!
Back in September, shortly before my ordination, myself and the Rector, along with Canon Paul Willoughby and Reverend David Compton went on a Retreat to the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield, Yorkshire. It was my first experience of going on a retreat. I found it a fulfilling experience, a time to reflect on the important things in life and also a time to contemplate my pending ordination.
This time during lent has also been a time of reflection. Over the last few weeks in the parish we have been meeting on Friday mornings as part of a Lenten reflection group talking about the subject of pilgrimage. Apart from a way of developing relationships between parishioners it has been a valuable time of reflection and discussion. Sometimes the topics can be challenging. But, is that not what we are here to be, challenged? We need to be challenged in our faith, challenged so that we too can become a Community of the Resurrection. As a church, we have a responsibility to reflect the teachings of Jesus, we are on a pilgrimage throughout our lives. As we progress towards Easter, the excitement of such an important moment, the resurrection of Jesus, is tempered by the sorrow of Good Friday.
Our time in Yorkshire was one of experience, peace and reflection, along with a time of fellowship. The brothers and priest of the community welcomed us with open arms, they were quirky, but then again who isn’t! They had beautiful grounds, made wonderful jam and spent their lives praising God. What examples they are for us. As we reflect on our lives, our lifelong pilgrimage, we know there will be ups and downs. We have our Good Fridays and our Easter Days. We have the wonderful things to look forward to, but we know that there will be time when we suffer too. But we too, as a Community of The Resurrection, need to be here for each other through those times. At the same time, we must be a community who are able to embrace others, and say with confidence. ‘Christ is Risen, Allelulia!’
Yours in Christ,
David
School News : St Luke’s School. All the pupils and staff have been preparing for Proclamation Day when we remember the events of Easter 1916. The Senior classes have done projects, taken part in Drama Workshops and had a visit from Aoife Breathnach who focused on “Douglas in 1916”. The middle classs have used our old school roll books and registers for research and learned how different St Luke’s School was in 1916. All our pupils have learned our National Anthem and focused on the meaning of and protocol associated with our National Flag. We were very happy to welcome back Harry Deane, a past pupil, now a Transition Year student in Midleton College on his Work Experience. We celebrated World Book Day with a book-themed hat competition – pupils designed and made their own hats based on their favourite books. Thank you to all our parents who supported our Book Fair, we are now able to receive 1296euro worth of books for our school and class libraries. Many of our classes have been out and about this term. 3rd and 4th classes recently attended the “Science of Draons” engineering show at CIT where they explored the science of how dragons fly! 2nd class went had great fun on “A Bug Hunt” in Ballybrack Woods organised by Cork Nature Network and Douglas Tidy Towns. 5th and 6th classes really enjoyed an excellent production of The Lion King in Ashton School. Junior Infants visited St Luke’s Church where Archdeacon Wilkinson gave us a really “Child Friendly” tour. Congratulations to all our hockey players who reached the finals in the Inter-Schools’ Hockey Tournament. Our Junior Team brought home some silverware! Well done and thanks to Orla Kingston and Robert Johnson who helped to organise and coach on the day. We say “Good Bye and Thank You” to Ms McCarthy and Ms Jeffery and wish them both well in their future teaching careers.
St. Michael’s School. We have been very busy this term at St Michaels. The Junior room have been practicing their Irish for Seachtain na Gaeilge. They have been learning the steps of the céilí dance “the Walls of Limerick”. They have been practising their Irish songs and the national anthem for “Proclamation for a New Generation Day”. The senior room visited the Lifetime Lab where they learned about sound and light, even making their own flashlights! The senior room also had a visit from an engineer for Engineer`s week. Michael Harrington is a past pupil and we really enjoyed him telling us all about how airplanes fly. We made our own paper planes and had a race to see which design flew the furthest.
Service & Sausages takes place on Sunday 3rd April in St. Luke’s Church at 6pm. We are grateful to Florence Binions who plays the keyboard and Revd. David Bowles who does all the practical organisation as well as devising the service.
The Frankfield Easter General Vestry Meeting will take place on Wednesday, 13th April in the Sunday School Room, Frankfield at 8.30pm preceded by a Holy Communion Service in Holy Trinity Church at 8pm. (Please note the slightly later time). On Thursday, 14th April, the Easter General Vestry Meeting will take place in the Canon Packham Hall at 8pm preceded by a service of Holy Communion in St. Luke’s Church at 7.30pm. All parishioners are welcome to attend this annual general meeting of this parish. A report about various activities in the parish will be presented as well as our annual accounts.
Confirmation
On the 10th April we look forward to the Confirmation Service in St. Luke’s church when thirteen of our young people will be confirmed by the Bishop. They are Holly Anderson, Jenny Barber, Sophie Dawson, Kian Donovan, Amy Dunne, Davan Elliffe-Smith, Charlotte Greene, Kosi Ibebugwu, Isobel Kingston, Niall Lynch, Ella Marry, Daniel McCarthy and Katie Neill. Please pray for them and encourage them by your presence at the service on the day.
You are invited to a Festival Service of Celebration & Thanksgiving in St Luke’s Church, Douglas at 11 am on Saturday 16 April 2016 – by kind permission of Archdeacon Adrian Wilkinson. Mothers’ Union is 140 years old this year – and the theme is A Celebration of Faith. The service will be followed by a simple lunch in the Canon Packham Hall from 1-2 pm, and then a Diocesan Council meeting of the Mothers’ Union in Cork, Cloyne & Ross from 2-3.30 pm.
This is a time for everyone to hear the latest news of MU activities and work across the diocese, the rest of Ireland – and some of the 83 countries we work in. The whole day is open to all (ladies & gentlemen!) and we would be delighted to see as many people – members and friends – at both the service and for the lunch and meeting. So if you’d like to join with us in worship, help us celebrate, hear a little about MU – and meet up with old and new friends from across the diocesan family – please come along. Some idea of numbers planning to attend would be very helpful – so if you’d like to come along to some or all of the day, please let Patsy know on 087 6413559 or patsydevoy@eircom.net. But if you haven’t been in touch and can come anyway – please do!
The Monthly Lunch will take place in the Old School House, Blackrock on Wednesday, 30th March at 12.30pm. All welcome.
Bible Studies will take place in the home of Carol Boylan, Moneygourney on Thursday, 7th April at 7.30pm and in the home of Joan Miller, Ballintemple on Wednesday, 16th April and the 20th April at 2.30pm.
CPR in the CPH
On Tuesday 8 March, John Clifford and his team of volunteer First Responders celebrated the first anniversary of their use of the Supper Room to teach CPR. In twelve months, using the second Tuesday night of each month, they have taught no fewer than 91 persons the basics of CPR and how to use a defibrillator. Beginners arrive at 6.45 pm and within an hour learn how to administer CPR both to adult and baby. Those interested in acquiring more advanced First Aid techniques are encouraged to attend follow-up sessions, arriving at 7.45 pm. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal, no pressure is exerted to participate (it is possible simply to watch) and the team communicates information clearly and entertainingly. People of all ages and from all walks of life have availed of the opportunity to acquire, free of charge, a skill that might save life. It would be hard to think of more worthy “tenants” of the CPH.
