Ladies Night, On Saturday 7th November a Ladies Night was held in St James Mallow, €1,550 was raised in aid of Parish Ministry/Finance. I would like to thank Susan Brennan, Ruth Sherlock, and all those who helped plan and prepare the evening, our sponsors and all those who attended the event.

There will be a Special Christmas Carols Concert in St James Church Mallow on Tuesday 22nd December at 8.00pm. The Eden Singers, Chor Magh Ealla, Canadian Tenor Mr Des Flahive ( from Doneraile) will perform under the direction of musical Conductor Mr. Mark Slade. Tickets €10, (one can also pay at the door on the night). Funds raised will be used in the development of Parish Ministry.

Christmas Carol Services

• The Carol Service in Castletownroche will be on Sunday the 13th of December at 3.00pm and will include the Children’s Pageant. The collection will be in support of Protestant Aid.
• St. Johns Buttevant will host a Carol Service on Wednesday Night 16th December at 8.00pm. The Collection will be in aid of St. Vincent De Paul, Buttevant
• Doneraile will host its Carol Service on Sunday 20th December at 3.00pm. The collection will be in aid of the Simon Community.
• St. James Church Mallow will host a United Service of Carols and Epiphany on Sunday 27th December at 11.00am. The collection will be in aid of St. Vincent De Paul, Mallow.

Christmas Communion Services

• In St. James Church Mallow, will be at 8.00pm on the 24th December.

• Doneraile at 11.30pm on the 24th December.

• On Christmas Day Castletownroche at 10.00am and in St James Mallow at 11.30am.

Service Time Changes

On the first Sunday in January, Doneraile and Castletownroche will exchange Service times with Doneraile going to 9.00am and Castletownroche to 10.30am through to the end of June 2010.

Bereavement:

We extend our sympathy to Anne Ladd and family on the death of her brother David Connolly, Mallow. And, to Mr. Dick Pomeroy and family on the death of his brother James Pomeroy, Midleton. May they rest in peace and rise in Glory.

Normal Weekday Services. in St James Church Mallow

• Morning Prayer 9.30am, Monday, Thursday & Friday.

• The Eucharist  Wednesday 11.00 am. First Wednesday of the month Celebration of Wholeness & Healing, 11.00am

• Coffee and a Prayer Wednesday afternoons 4pm St James Church Mallow

• Friday Mid-day prayer at 12 noon.

Sunday Services

• Castletownroche 9.00am

• Doneraile 10.30am

• Mallow  12.00 noon

I believe I met that man once!

One day when I was driving my Taxi, as I passed St Luke’s I got flagged down as soon as the person got in, I almost cursed myself for stopping to pick him up, twas like the evening I was half asleep on the taxi rank in Patrick street when three winos jumped into the back seat of the Taxi, and I decided to take them where they were going as it would be far easier than trying to get them out, much to my surprise they paid me when I got there and as they where about to get out of the car one of them turned to me and taking a bottle out from under his coat said to me I am sorry we don’t have a tip for you but would you like a slug out of the bottle!

Getting back to my man at St. Lukes, driver he says will you take me to White Gate and back, in order to try and get rid of him I will says I but it will cost you £55 which you pay up front, grand says he taking out as big a wad of money you wouldn’t see on a horse dealer at a fair, if I give you £65 will you go now. Well he sang most of the way, as we approached Middleton he asked if I would take him to get a bottle of champagne, when we stopped to allow him go into an off license I was fierce tempted to drive off and let him there. As we approached White Gate he says to me I want to go up to the graveyard I will show you how to get there.

As we pulled up outside it he asked me if I would go in and help him find a plot, I decided I would go in other wise I could be there all night. He pulled out a piece of paper with a plot number on it and we had no difficulty finding it. However there was no headstone on it I asked him was he sure he had the right number? Of course I am says he sure its me own didn’t I buy it today, with that he threw himself down in it and started twisting and turning looking up at me he says I’m trying to find a comfortable position. Sitting up he cracks open the bottle of champagne and says driver will join me in a drink for the next time I will be here I will be as stiff as an old Baptist and won’t be able to have one.

When I got back to the Taxi rank and told the other lads about it, after a good laugh they concluded it was probably John the “traveller” I picked up as he does crazy things when he has alcohol on board.

A few days later I was sitting in my Taxi on the bus rank when along comes John the “Traveller”, I crouched down in the car so he wouldn’t see me, next I heard Priest I travel with you. Yet he did not say it in a demeaning way, but I was puzzled how he knew my background as I did not mention it to him, it later transpired that he had asked the lads about me. As we travelled along he says I meant no offense while ago, I really admire you for giving it a go. He then began to share with me his story, he grew up on a farm in Clare, he would walk over two miles and back everyday in order to serve mass in Latin, when he was coming to the end of his schooling a priest from a missionary order called to his school, John expressed interest in joining it so he arranged for an evening when the priest could call to see his parents, the evening went well he thought.

When the priest left his father’s mood changed in a temper he dragged John out to a shed and beat him with the buckle of his belt and in a rage shouted at him no son of mine is going to become a poor mans priest.

There was a time when your social standing determined what type of priest you could become, for example the Maynooth statutes at one time stated that you could only become a Diocesan Priest if you had your own water pump in the middle of the farm yard, it also required that you submitted your baptism cert in Latin, because that would indicate if you where illegitimate or not.

Despite his fractured relationship with his father Tom lacked the courage to follow the call of Christ. Now in the twilight of his years he felt all he is left with are regrets and a longing for unfulfilled potential.

In the quietness of your own heart I invite you in the days ahead to reflect upon the things that may be hindering your own response to Jesus’ invitation to come follow him.

Castletownroche Harvest Festival

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On Sunday the 4th of October we celebrated the Harvest Festival in Castletownroche. I would like to thank Susan Buckley for organising the Music, all of those who prepared the Church and organised the refreshments afterwards. It was great to be joined on the day by members of the wider community in Castletownroche and of course our friends from neighbouring Unions. The mystery preacher if I must say so myself was excellent!

Thomas Davis Commemoration

On Friday night the 16th October we had the annual Thomas Davis Commemoration, the guest speaker was John Quinn from the Open Mind Series.

Up Coming Events

Saturday 7th November at 8pm in St James Hall Mallow, Ladies Night Make-Up and Styling, Tickets €10, for more information Contact Susan Brennan at 022-21038. Money raised will go toward Parish Funds.

December 22nd Fundraising Carol Service, St. James Church Mallow, there will be more information next month, so watch this spot.

On Sunday 20th September we were privileged to have Revd. Daniel Owens as our Harvest Preacher before he sets out to traces the steps of St Finn barre and heads west to the Kilgarfe Union. If the words he shared with us are a foretaste of the message he will bring to Kilgarfe indeed they will be twice blessed to have him as their Rector and Spiritual mentor.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank John Coulter and his band of merry helpers for turning the Church out so well. To Ed Winters Organist, our children’s choir, the adult choir and the pupils of Mallow No 1, National School and their teachers lead by Mrs Sheila Collins (Principal). Our Churchwardens Ruth Sherlock and Emmanuelle Adebisi. To those who provided the Refreshments afterwards in the Parish Hall.

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On the following Sunday afternoon 28th September we headed to Doneraile to celebrate the Harvest there. In Doneraile it is truly a community celebration with the local choir from the Catholic Church partaking in the ceremony and members of the wider community joining in our celebrations.

I would like to thank Dean Alan Marley, for the wonderful address he gave as our Harvest Preacher. I would like to thank all those who helped and participated in the festival, Avril Gubbins & Olive Buckley Diocesan Readers, Dr. Yvelynne Kelly (Our Organist), Therese O Callaghan and her Choir, Our own choir. Those, who decorated the Church and provided the refreshments, Money raised from our Harvest Festival this year will be used to Fund Christian Aid Work in Haiti, where we hope to link up with a local Church and School.

Church 21

Church 21, the parish Church 21 panel and I attended the Church 21 conference in St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra 11th to 13th Sept. The theme of the conference, being, ‘Vision: What It Is, How To Get It, Share It And Implement It’.

The keynote speaker was the Revd Ian Coffey, Director of Leadership Training at Moorlands College, Ian, ‘Asked churches to consider where they are on their church life-cycle, challenge any “survival mentality” and offered advice on managing change, setting priorities, anticipating hurdles and inspiring others to see a vision for churches through to completion.’

The Conference also included a series of workshops, looking at themes such as: ‘A Church for All Ages?’ – Is it possible to build a church where people of all ages can worship and grow together? ; ‘Doing Church Differently’ – How do churches engage with those who don’t easily fit in to traditional structures? ; ‘Growing Closer: Growing Deeper’ – How can we help develop for ourselves and others around us a faith relevant to the 21st century? ; ‘Managing Change’; ‘Team Talk’ – What would good team leadership in our parish look like?); ‘Strategic Outreach’ – How do churches engage proactively with local communities? and ‘Small is Beautiful?’ – The challenges of building a common vision across a group of small parishes.

Elizabeth Bowen Commemoration

On Sunday 13 September, the annual memorial service for the writer, Elizabeth Bowen, took place in St Colman‘s Church, Farahy (near Kildorrery) Co. Cork. The service was taken by the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Dr Robert MacCarthy, and the address was given by Dr Maud Ellmann, Professor of Irish Studies at Notre Dame University and author of “Elizabeth Bowen: The Shadow across the Page”. The service took the form of Evening Prayer (old form).

Upcoming Events

Castletownroche Harvest Festival will be held on Sunday 11th October at 3.00pm.

On Friday 16th October the annual Thomas Davis Commemoration and Ecumenical Service will be held in St James` Church Mallow at 8pm all welcome.

Parish Web Site has gone live, thanks to the work of Charlotte Kitto, though we need to tweak it a little, we hope shortly to add a children’s corner which will have a monthly competition.

Other Community News

Baptisms: on Sunday 6th September Amanda Ellen Gardiner, daughter to Valerie and Andrew Gardiner from Ballyclough was baptised in St Marys Church Doneraile.

Bereavement On September 14th Ronnie Mc Grath, passed away in Heatherside Hospital Doneraile, Ronnie was a resident in Heatherside for a number of years, prior to that he would have been living in Vicars Road Cork, and a resident in Skiddys before becoming ill. A prayer Service was held in the Chapel in Heatherside Hospital followed by funeral service and burial in St. Lukes Douglas.

Services

• Normal Weekday Services. in St James Church Mallow
  Morning Prayer 9.30am, Monday, Thursday & Friday.
• The Eucharist Wednesday 11.00 am.
• First Wednesday of the month Celebration of Wholeness & Healing, 11.30am

Sunday Services

• Castletownroche 9.15am
• Doneraile 10.30am
• Mallow 12:00pm

On Friday 16th October the annual Thomas Davis Commemoration and Ecumenical Service will be held in St James` Church Mallow at 8pm all welcome

]]> http://www.mallow.cloyne.anglican.org/2009/10/september-in-the-union/feed/ 0 http://www.mallow.cloyne.anglican.org/2009/09/september-diocesan-notes-2009/ http://www.mallow.cloyne.anglican.org/2009/09/september-diocesan-notes-2009/#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:29:49 +0000 Denis MacCarthy http://www.mallow.cloyne.anglican.org/?p=267 Jesus said to Philip. “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?”….Philip answered him, “Six months wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.”…Andrew Simon Peters brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loafs and two fish. But what are they among so many people?…and from the fragments of five barley loafs, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. (John 6: 5-13) NRSV.

The little boy in gifting to Jesus his five barley loaves and two fish enabled Jesus to work a mighty miracle through them. Just like the boy in John’s gospel story you and I are invited to surrender the gift of who we are, in the service of Christ. I know that some of you reading this may feel you have nothing worthwhile to offer. I myself had that same feeling when I was pondering a return to ministry, or you might feel that “I am too old or to bent over” too be of any use, in the service of God.
I would like to share with you the story of Cork man who like the little boy offered his loaves and fishes to Jesus and in turn feed thousands of the worlds hungry. His name was Jim Keating and I was privileged to have him as a friend and a mentor. To the little boy in me Jim was always a crippled old man with twisted fingers, who sat on his bed by the window peering up Eason’s Avenue near the North Cathedral. Jim had at one time been a carpenter, but rheumatoid arthritis had ravaged his body turning it into a painful twisted wreck. Jim while confined to his bed  read about the plight of the hungry in the third world and began to collect green shield stamps in an effort to help ease their plight and many an evening I spent by his bedside sticking  Green Shield Stamps to books while drinking from his fountain of knowledge and understanding. From such meagre beginnings developed an army of volunteers that eventually led to the foundation of the Mother Teresa organisation in Cork. But his house became more than a drop off point for charitable donations, it was a hot bed of theological debate, fierce debates were won and lost by men of all religions and none, by conservatives and liberals, it was where I was first introduced to the concept that “we all have something to offer”, to liberation theology, to Christ Ring whom I mistook for a docker, and to Mother Theresa. (Those of you who were at my licensing would know it was Mother Teresa who chose the names of my two younger sisters.) Thousands of men, women and children, throughout the third world were fed and offered new hope of a bright tomorrow, by a crippled old man whose own hands were too bent and twisted to allow him to put on his own shirt, Yet hands that feed the world, because like the little boy in Johns Gospel story Jim offered his meagre Loaves and Fishes to Christ. And God took Jims gifts and used them transforming the lives of others. God too can take your gifts and mine and use them to transform the life of his Church and the community we live in.
Youth Club, On Thursday 23rd July with the assistance of Aoife Ladd and Elise Saureliere we took a group of 15 young people from our the St James Youth Group  up to the Cork City by train. Our activities for the day included a game of Ten Pin Bowling (where the Rectors blushes were saved with the help of Victoria Woulfe from Buttevant!) We also managed in the course of the day to take in the latest Harry Potter movie. (Which I am tempted to say was just like any other day in the Church of Ireland Theology College!!!). Before getting them all back safely to Mallow we fed and watered them in that old Scottish Restaurant Mac Donald’s!  

Buttevant: On Wednesday 29th of July a Service of Commemoration was held in St Johns Buttevant. In all close to seventy people attended, it was great to see some old friends and new join us in commemorating and giving thanks for those who have gone before us in faith. I would like to thank our organist Edward Winters, our choir, Bertie Daly, Ita Daly, the friends of St Johns and all those who by their presence helped make it a special occasion for all of us. 

Harvest Services in Mallow Union.

St. James Mallow: 3.00pm Sunday September 20th Preacher: Revd. Daniel Owens, Rural Dean, Rector of Cobh and Glanmire.

St Mary’s Doneraile: 3.00pm Sunday September 27th Preacher Very Revd. Alan Marley, Dean of Cloyne

St Mary’s Castletownroche: 3.00pm Sunday 11th October. Preacher to be confirmed

Church 21  Over the summer, our Church 21 delegates Ruth Sherlock, Diane Buckley, Susan Brennan, Avril Buckley, Emanuel Adebisi and Denis Mac Carthy, have been reviewing our progress so far and accessing the responses to the topics raised at our open meeting held through the Union. Among the topics reviewed and discussed were, What is encouraging in the Life of the Parish, What are our hopes and dreams for the Parish in the next 3-5 years, What are our skills, strengths and weaknesses? What importance do we place on our Ministry of Welcome and how can we develop it further? From there we went to explore the area of Nurture and Worship, in this section we examined how, accessible are our forms of service and how relevant are they to the lives of our people? What opportunities are there to develop and nurture faith outside of church services? Moving on from here we examined the topic of Ministry & Service to Others. In this area we looked at What are the principles on which a Church should operate, how ministry should be shared, the distinction between ministry to children and ministry to young people, what is our vision for ministry in our local church and how does this reflected in how our church endeavours to meet the needs of the local community? We concluded by trying to identify the real needs in our local area and asked ourselves the question; which of these needs do we feel God might be asking our parish to address?
On Friday 11 September our Church 21 delegates will be heading to Dublin for the Church 21 Conference. We ask for your prayers as we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to aid us in our journey of discernment and renewal.      

Parish Web Site. Charlotte Kitto, has been working on designing our web site and we hope to have it launched by the time you are reading this. I would like to thank Charlotte for all the hard work she has put into it, so please do look us up.
P.S. Nigel, I have learned that platforms are not shoes!

Baptism on August 8th  William Thomas Ladd-Finn son to Shirley and David was baptised into the community of faith in St Mary’s Church Castletownroche.

Bereavement. On Sunday August 2nd Robert (Bertie) Ludgate from Ballyclough passed away unexpectedly. Bertie was a thorough gentleman, who farmed all his life and who had a great passion for sport, he was a dedicated member of Ballyclough GAA Club, he co-managed the  Ballyclough Ladies Football team when they won the County Final a number of years ago. On the evening of his reception in to St James Church the Ballyclough GAA Club provided a guard of honour. Bertie was also very active in his local Fine Gael branch and a number of years ago he was honoured for his service by being made a Peace Commissioner.   We would like to extend our sympathy to his sisters Dorothy, Ruby, Evelyn, and to his brothers Tom and John. And to all his relatives and friends.

Normal Weekday Services. in St James Church Mallow
Morning Prayer 9.30am, Monday, Thursday & Friday.
The Eucharist  Wednesday 11.30 am.
First Wednesday of the month Celebration of Wholeness & Healing, 11.30am

Sunday Services
Castletownroche 9.15am
Doneraile 10.30am
Mallow 11.45am.

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