Parish Matters
Newsletter of Douglas Union with Frankfield
September 2014
The Rector writes……
Hymn 481 – ‘God is working his purpose out’ is one I feel deserves to be sung a little more. I think it is particularly appropriate for this time of the year when schools reopen, parish activities resume after the summer break and we prepare to celebrate harvest. It was written as far back as 1894 by a man who grew up in a rectory and was a teacher for most of his life at Eton College in England. Indeed it became popular and widely known because it was sung regularly at that school.
The hymn describes the mission of the Church with characteristic Victorian optimism. Each stanza ends with the refrain ‘the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea’, which echoes a prophecy in Isaiah 11:9. While some might regard the hymn as a little outdated in the 21st century, one cannot ignore the fact that its main propose is to stress the need in today’s world for human intervention, in co-operation with God, in the working out of his purposes. It reminds us that people ‘from utmost east to utmost west’ are to proclaim the gospel in word and deed and in concert with God ‘to prosper and increase love and justice throughout the world’.
A book I read recently by a former Bishop of Durham and now professor at the University of St. Andrews made a similar point. Dr. Wright states ‘the announcement that the creation is good, that the God who made it is good, and that this God will one day put it to rights, rescue it from its corruption and decay, and fill it with the knowledge of his glory…needs to be heard once again’[1].
This year while we celebrate God’s good creation in our churches on Sunday 21 September, we also remember in prayer those parts of our world where there is decay, injustice, exploitation and conflict. I am delighted that Keith Roberts, well known to us all in this parish, will be our special preacher in Frankfield and Douglas that day. At the evening ecumenical harvest thanksgiving in Passage West, Rev. Elaine Murray, Rector of our neighbouring parish of Carrigaline, will be with us. Also in this issue of our newsletter you will see advance notice of a special harvest ‘Songs of Praise’ to take place in a very unusual but appropriate location in October.
So this month, as we think of our world, let us also pledge ourselves afresh to work in harmony with God, to bring about his purposes and priorities.
Every blessing, Adrian.[1] Tom Wright (2013).Creation, Power and Truth – the gospel in a world of cultural confusion. London SPCK.
At the end of August, Barry Walsh finished his year with us under the Tus Initiative. Under this scheme he worked across our various parish properties doing painting and a little general maintenance. After twelve months it is fair to say that many of our properties have never looked so good! From gates to guttering, walls to woodwork, all received attention. Barry was a professional painter and so his skill was invaluable when it came to advising on the types of paint to be used. Health and safety restrictions coupled with the fact that he was largely working on his own, meant that only the more accessible parts of our church interiors could be painted. However in recent years, limited funds prevented even this work being considered and so it is good that these improvements could be made at fairly minimal cost.
We thank Barry for his work over the past year and Gordon Jermyn who acted as a supervisor and coordinator on behalf of the parish. Gordon was very conscientious in this voluntary role and this is acknowledged and appreciated. It is hoped that under this scheme a replacement worker, perhaps with a slightly different skills set, will be found.
FRANKFIELD NEWS
Over the summer two of our Frankfield parishioners represented Ireland in hockey at under-21 level in Portugal. We congratulate both Nick Burns and Simon Wolfe on this fantastic achievement.
On the first Sunday in September, Frankfield parish is holding a Cake Sale after the morning service. This event has run for several years now and over that time has grown in popularity. It provides parishioners with an opportunity to enjoy a cup of tea after the service and to catch up on all that has happened after the summer break. It also provides some much needed funds for the church. All are welcome to come to the 10.00am service on 7 September and enjoy some fellowship afterwards.
Sunday 21September will be observed as Harvest Sunday in this parish. That day Harvest Thanksgiving Services will be held in Frankfield, Douglas and Blackrock at the usual times. Mr. Keith Roberts will be our guest preacher in Frankfield and Douglas. At 7pm the annual ecumenical Harvest Thanksgiving will take place in Marmullane. This year Rev. Elaine Murray will be our guest preacher.
While on this theme, in October we are holding a special Harvest Songs of Praise in a very unusual location! On 12 October all parishioners are invited to Rumley’s Open Farm. This event will take place in the afternoon and it is hoped that people of all ages will enjoy coming together to sing and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the farm. Refreshments will also be served afterwards. Please note the date for now. Further details will be publicised next month.
The monthly ‘last Wednesday lunches’ resume in Blackrock on Wednesday 24 September at 12.30. We hope that many people will gather for good food and conversation and take the opportunity to catch up with each other after the summer holidays. All are welcome.
Striking sound: In August parishioners John Kershaw and Jim Jackson spent some time in the bell tower in St. Luke’s Church. They were working on restoring the bracket which holds the hammer that strikes the hour. It was time consuming work in an awkward part of the building, but we are delighted to report that the clock chimes again over Douglas village. We thank both John and Jim for their attention and skill to see this job through.
Improved website: Parishioners may also like to consult our new and improved parish website which we hope will be up and running in September. We thank Dr. Edward Gash, a member of the Select Vestry for all his work in relation to setting up the template for this new website. The Rector has updated some of the information and added some new sections. Once you have had a look at it do let us know what you think and how it might be improved further.
Looking far ahead: It’s back! This year’s Douglas Union of Parishes Art Sale and Exhibition will run over the weekend of 15/ 16th November in the Canon Packham Hall. We are looking forward to the return of the fantastic range of talented artists from Cork and beyond as well as welcoming those who missed out last year. If you are interested in exhibiting please register for an entry form by contacting Edward Gash on 086 853 2055 or edward.gash@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you there. Watch this space for further details! Rev. S. Marry
St Luke’s Home Education Centre Evening Courses
The Education Centre is offering a morning introduction to Mindfulness on Saturday 20th September 10:30am – 12pm. This is a taster for our seven week course that will commence on Thursday 25th September and run on Thursday evenings concluding with a full practice day. We also offer a six evening course of Addressing Loss which commences on 23rd October and runs for six Thursday evenings. Further details on www.stlukeshome.ie or Claire at 021.4536551
PARISH BOWLS CLUB resumes on Wednesday 3 September at 7.45pm in the Canon Packham Hall. We wish them an enjoyable and successful season.
PARISH BIBLE STUDY GROUPS
Our Bible Study Groups resume this month after the summer break. The Wednesday afternoon group will meet in the home of Joan Miller in Ballintemple at 3.30p.m. on10 September, 24 September and 8 October.
Another group meets in the home of Carol Boylan in Moneygourney on Thursdays at 7.30 p.m. on 25 September and 9 October. Both groups will continue to study St. John’s Gospel. We thank Florence Binions who leads both these groups. New members are always welcome. Contact the clergy or Florence for more details.
PARISH BOOK CLUB
The Parish Book Club will hold their first meeting of the new season in the Maryborough House Hotel on 16 September at 8.00pm. This gives the members a chance to talk about all their holiday reading. The next meeting will be on 14 October when the nominated book is ‘The Goldfinch’ by Donna Tartt. This book club meets once a month in the Rectory and new members are always welcome. J. Wilkinson
On two occasions during the summer months a work party met to help with some heavy pruning and hedge cutting at the Rectory. On the first occasion we as a family were on hand to be part of the team. Another group met while we were away on holidays. Thank you to all those who gave of their time in this way. Adrian Wilkinson.
A PRAYER FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Heavenly Father, thank you for the refreshment that the holidays have brought, for the people we have met and the places we have been.
At the start of a new school year, give us the energy to do our best, the desire to aim high and the ability to learn from our mistakes.
We pray for all pupils, parents and teachers. Bless and guide them, now and always. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
HELP PLEASE Frankfield parishioner Lambert Olupot writes…’A group of us Ugandans here are joining together to send some things on a container to Uganda. As it is, there will be some room in the container so I am kindly inquiring through you if there are some parishioners who may have items they can give away which could be of some use to the people in Uganda. Items like; kitchen ware, some electrical but not fridges, used clothing etc. The proposed shipment is planned for mid-end September and currently, we are storing items in Ovens where the loading will done. Any response will be highly appreciated.’Thanking you in advance
Lambert Olupot E-mail: totoakello45@yahoo.co.uk
Mob: +353 (0) 85 141 7344 or Mob: +353 (0) 89 966 9949
JUST FOR GIRLS!
‘Just for Girls’ is a fun activity event run four times a year on Saturdays for primary school aged girls. It is jointly organised by the Church of Ireland and Methodist Church and takes place in Ardfallen. All are welcome on October 4th from 11am – 3pm for crafts, cooking, games and stories. Each time we take as our theme a woman from the Bible and in October we will be looking at the life of Sarah and learning a little about her. Booking forms or further information is available from Jacqui Wilkinson (087-6404724).
The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind are holding a volunteer recruitment event in Douglas on Wednesday 10th of September in the Douglas Community Centre. We would like to invite you along and ask you to help us spread the word! If you or anyone you know would like to sign up to volunteer, we’ll be there between 11am-2pm.
We rely on our volunteers to help us change the lives of people who are visually impaired and children with autism. Our volunteers help in fundraising, client services, kennels, as puppy walkers, and in our HQ on Model Farm Road. Our services are growing every year as we help more people through our Guide dog, Assistance dog, Next Step and Independent Living Skills programmes. If you’re interested in giving even an hour of your time you can come along on the day and sign up. There are lots of ways you can help and our volunteers will be there to provide information.
We hope to see you there on the day!
Shane Kilcoyne (Events Administrator)
In conjunction with the Church of Ireland Theological Institute the Cork branch of the Children’s Ministry Network is delighted to announce that the Children’s Ministry Certificate will be held again in Cork this year. The Children’s Ministry Course will be held at Education Centre, Northridge House, St Luke’s Home, Cork. Cost €95. Dates are: Saturday 11th October 2014, Saturday 8th November 2014 and Saturday 17th January, 2015 commencing at 10.30am – 2pm. The Building Blocks Conference will take place in Dublin on the 22nd November, 2014. An application form can be downloaded at www.theologicalinstitute.ie (course information).
‘The 10 Must Know Stories’
This will be a theme running through our school assemblies this year. The idea comes from a book written by Heather Butler and published by Scripture Union. The author takes the top ten Bible stories that previous generations knew well and has adapted them so that they can be read dramatically to children. Her contention is that these stories must be passed on to the next generation. If not they will be forgotten and lost.
Many of you reading this will know these stories and will no doubt have come across them first in Sunday School or in the primary school class room. But when did you last read any of the stories from your Bible? When did you choose one of these great stories as a bedtime story for your child or grandchild?
In church this year we will also be reflecting on these ten stories – one will be printed each month on the back of pew news, the book will be given to babies at their baptism and as a parish we will all be encouraged to know afresh and pass on these ten must know stories to our children and grandchildren.
An understanding of Bible story is essential to so much of our culture, literature, history, language … Bible references are woven into the fabric of our national, artistic and literary heritage. The tabloids talk of a ‘David and Goliath encounter’ on the football pitch, a ‘Damascus Road experience’, a ‘lions’ den’ situation or an ‘exodus’ of skilled workers. People talk of the need for ‘the wisdom of Solomon’ or their longing for ‘the return of the prodigal’. But increasing Bible illiteracy means we are losing real understanding of such terms.
THE MUST KNOW STORIES are a way of restoring understanding of the importance of 10 key stories in the Bible – 10 stories that have been voted on as essential to our culture and which teachers and parents feel must not be lost to the next generation.
The 10 stories voted (by parents and teachers) as The Must Know Stories are:
Creation and Adam and Eve: Genesis 1-3
Noah’s Ark: Genesis 6-8
The Ten Commandments: Exodus 19-20
David and Goliath: 1 Samuel 17
Daniel in the Lion’s Den: Daniel 6
The birth of Jesus: Luke 1-2
The feeding of the 5000: Luke 9:10-17
The good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37
The Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-32
The death and resurrection of Jesus: Luke 22-24
Why not get a head start and look up these Bible references? A. Wilkinson
JUST A THOUGHT:
God of harvest, gardener supreme, you place us at the centre, feed us, equip us and having provided for us, look to a different harvest, a fruitfulness of lives in service to you and others.
God of harvest, feed us, prune us and harvest us that our lives might bring glory to you.
