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Eaglais na hÉireann + The Church of Ireland MALLOW UNION of Parishes
SUNDAY 9th JANUARY 2022 The First Sunday after the Epiphany (The Baptism of Christ)
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
FÁILTE / WELCOME to everyone who worships in our churches today
Please take a moment to check you have switched off your phone before worship begins.
Holy Communion will continue to be administered in one kind only and worshippers will receive the consecrated bread.
Please continue to make our churches safe for everyone by observing all distancing & hygiene protocols.
SERVICES TODAY
10.00am THE EUCHARIST in St Mary’s, Castletownroche
10.00am MORNING PRAYER in St Mary’s, Doneraile
11.45am THE EUCHARIST in St James’s, Mallow
NEXT WEDNESDAY 12th JANUARY 11.00am THE EUCHARIST in St James’s Church Mallow
1 Samuel 3.1-10, 19-20
Mark 1.29-39
TODAY’S READINGS
Isaiah 43: 1-7
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, ‘Give them up’, and to the south, ‘Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.’
Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’
NEWS ITEMS
THANK YOU to all those who have worked so hard to decorate our churches, who have enabled large numbers of people to feel welcome in our churches, as well as those who have helped prepare for worship and participated in various ways. May you all continue to be blessed in your celebrations throughout this joyful Christmas & Epiphany season.
FORTY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS! Candlemas Day (2nd February). This year, we will celebrate Candlemas as the culmination of the season on Sunday 30th January (which, happily, is the fifth Sunday of the month) when there will be a celebration of the Eucharist at 11.00am in St James’s, Mallow (being the largest of our churches and enabling us to ensure social distancing).
Choir It is hoped to bring together a group of singers to form a choir for the occasion. If you’re interested, please contact the Rector.
MIND MATTERS is a Church of Ireland study to promote better understanding of the Church’s attitudes and awareness of mental health. The report can be accessed at https://mindmatters.ireland.anglican.org/
In order to take forward the findings of the report, the Church of Ireland plans to roll out mental health awareness training in late January, with an invitation for parishes to apply for seed funding opening in late spring. Please contact the Rector if this is a subject of interest or concern.
SELECT VESTRY meets next on Thursday 3rd February in the Parish Hall in Mallow at 8.00pm sharp.
NEW APPOINTMENT IN THE DIOCESE The Bishop has appointed the Venerable Terry Mitchell to a new position of part-time Diocesan Further Education and Training Officer, based in Kilmoe Union of Parishes, where he will also be priest-in-charge. Terry is originally from South Africa. He moved to Ireland in 2016 and is currently Archdeacon of Killaloe. We look forward to meeting him in due course and keep him in our prayers as he moves to the Southerly-most group of parishes in Ireland.
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
For Paul, our Bishop; and for the clergy and people of this united Diocese. In the Anglican Communion, for the Church of England.
We pray for all those known to us, including Ned Foott, Marjorie Thompson, Olive Kingston.
We commend to God’s mercy all who have recently died, among them Desmond Tutu (Bishop), along with those we have loved and lost whose anniversary of death occurs at this time of year.
We pray for all healthcare professionals, our GPs, those who work in our hospitals and vaccination centres; as well as other areas of Irish society where large numbers of people are off work due to Covid infection, in public transport, schools and colleges, food production and transportation.
KEEPING IN TOUCH
The Reverend MEURIG WILLIAMS
Rector of Mallow Union
Telephone (022) 21473
mllwyd@aol.com
www.mallow.cloyne.anglican.org
Social-Media Channels
www.facebook.com/Mallow-Union-of-Parishes-153486538476524/
@MallowUnion
Diocesan Readers
Avril Gubbins (022) 24267
Emmanuel Adebisi 0868467464
SERVICES NEXT SUNDAY
SUNDAY 16th JANUARY 2022
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Isaiah 62. 1-5; John 2. 1-11
10.00am THE EUCHARIST in St Mary’s, Doneraile
10.00am MORNING PRAYER in St Mary’s, Castletownroche
11.45am THE EUCHARIST in St James’s, Mallow