The Rector writes…
I recently came across a newspaper article bemoaning the fact that we are reducing the size of our vocabulary and no longer using ‘big’ words. The captivating title of the piece reads ‘Every time a word disappears, we lose a little of our spirit and wit’. I think the journalist hit on something. She argued that ‘social media, with its dependence on a certain kind of shorthand, is pushing us into a race to the bottom when it comes to our common language…. All around us is an enervating linguistic blandness. It comprises an awful lot of repetition, a certain amount of misuse, and a drastic devaluation when it comes to words that should have huge and grave import.’ We tend to feel that those who use large words are both elitist and fogeyish. That is a pity. Children are not afraid of ‘big’ words; they love them. Just think of all the young people who immersed themselves in the world of Harry Potter with its strange sounding words and concepts. This Christmas, children will again watch Mary Poppins which features a song with the longest word ever, which people still love to sing! I remember an incident a number of years ago when entertaining a visiting bishop to a meal in the Rectory. At the time, my brother-in-law was also staying with us. In the course of conversation over the meal, my brother-in-law told him about his forthcoming holiday plans to visit various people and places along the west coast of Ireland over a few days but that he had no firm itinerary planned. Later that evening, as my brother-in-law was leaving the bishop said to him ‘enjoy your peregrination.’ I have to confess that later that evening I had to check my dictionary! I discovered the precise meaning of the term and how it exactly applied to my brother-in-law’s holiday tour and so I acquired a new word for my vocabulary. Look it up yourself if you don’t know what it means. What has this to do with the seasons of Advent and Christmas? Well there are certain specific words, which may have an everyday use, but which acquire a precise and very specific meaning when used at this time of the year. The word advent itself, from the Latin adventus meaning arrival, is used to anticipate the arrival of an important person or thing. Each December we celebrate Advent, with a capital ‘A’. It is the church season of four Sundays before Christmas when we prepare ourselves for the coming, or second coming of Christ. The word ‘incarnation’ has a general meaning. It is a synonym for embodiment. But at Christmas when we talk of the Incarnation, with a capital ‘I’, it means the specific embodiment of God the Son in human flesh as Jesus Christ. The roots of the term are in ecclesiastical Latin, incarnare incarnat meaning ‘make flesh’. The word ‘carnal’ shares the same root. It is an amazing concept and one which is foundational to the Christian Faith. Another term we use at Christmas is ‘Emmanuel’ or ‘Immanuel’ from the Hebrew which means literally ‘God with us’. Matthew takes this Hebrew word and applies it to Jesus when he writes ‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us’ (Matthew 1:23). In doing so he deliberately used a term and gave it a new and very radical meaning. Christmas is about celebrating the fact that if we want to begin to understand God, we look first to Jesus who is the very embodiment of God living among us. That concept has brought hope and comfort to countless millions of Christians down the centuries and still does so today. I look forward to sharing with you the joy of the season. Yours in Christ, Adrian
Parish Bible studies Both groups are continuing with our Old Testament timeline. It is taking longer than we had originally anticipated, as there are so many interesting questions and details to explore. Feel free to join us…we have a summary of the previous study at the start of each session, so that we know where we are going. December dates: Wednesday 12th at 2.30 p.m. in Joan Miller’s home, Ballintemple Thursday 13th at 7.30 p.m. in Carol Boylan’s home, Monygourney. Wednesday 19th at 7.30 p.m. Fellowship night, including carols around the piano, in Carol’s home. Re-starting on Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th January 2019 All dv. Special thanks to our hosts, Joan and Carol. Florence Binions
Hymn Singing Eight people have expressed an interest in singing hymns around the piano every month or two months. I am hoping we can start in the New Year. If you are interested but have not yet let me know, please contact me. If you are not sure, why not try it for one night, and decide if it is for you? Florence Binions
The Royal British Legion Earl Haig Poppy Appeal Having organised the Poppy Collection in Douglas and Frankfield for many years, I would like to thank the parishioners for their generosity. It is much appreciated. The collections this year were Douglas 359.50, Frankfield €490.26, Blackrock €129.15. Many thanks to John Wolfe and Keith Dawson for their help. Cecil Locke
Christmas T
ree Sale
This has become an annual tradition in the parish as people buy their Christmas trees in the grounds of the Canon Packham Hall in early December. We thank Mervyn Sweetnam for supplying the trees and Uwe Schiller and his helpers who will be working hard on the day. So please come, buy your tree on 8 December in Douglas. Standard Trees (approx. 7ft.) € 45.00 Larger Trees available to order in advance. All profits go to parish funds. For further information contact: Uwe Schiller at 087 2318099
Confirmation 2019 The Rector is looking for expressions of interest from young people in the parish who are considering taking this step in their Christian faith. Already he has been approached by several candidates. Please contact him as soon as possible if you would like your name to be added to this list. A meeting for the parents of the candidates only will be held on Tuesday 8 January at 8pm in the Canon Packham Hall when the arrangements for classes will be outlined. Also parents will have to fill in an application form for child protection reasons. No one can attend classes until all this administrative work is in place. A. Wilkinson
Buen amino!
Last September I had the opportunity to walk the last leg (114kms) of the French Camino in Northern Spain, an historic pilgrim route known as the way of St. James. There has long been a connection between Ireland and this Camino which is situated in the Celtic region of Galicia. Indeed, as we arrived in Santiago de Compostela, our final destination, we were greeted with the sounds of bagpipes! The symbol of the journey is a scallop shell which has been found in many burial sites throughout Ireland indicating that hundreds of years ago the Irish made this then arduous journey as an expression of their Christian faith. Today many p
eople walk this Camino for different reasons. Mine was to go for a long walk and a chat with my friends and have an adventure together! A weekly walk from Harty’s Quay to Blackrock Village and a few treks up Maryborough Hill was the sum of our preparation!
Over five days we ambled along woodland paths and agricultural farmland enjoying various sights along the way which included fields of golden maize, quaint hamlets and Romanesque churches. We were quite surprised to see how green and fertile the landscape was. Kiwis, peaches, pumpkins, green and red peppers were growing in abundance. Unlike the Camino of the Middle Ages our route was dotted with inviting cafes and bars and other necessary facilities which we took full advantage of! No roughing it for us! It was a great way of meeting people from as far away as New Zealand to New York and listening to their interesting stories. We met people who were walking the full French Camino, 800kms, lugging a large backpack and staying in hostels on route. We took the easier option of having our luggage transferred on ahead of us to our hotel each evening. Much more civilised and a real treat at the end of each day!
Journey’s end on day five was the cathedral city of Santiago, the old town being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were blown away by the 
fantastic architecture as we walked along the streets of the old town and felt a certain sadness that this wonderful experience had all too soon come to an end. My friends attended a pilgrim mass in the cathedral that evening and found it extraordinarily moving.
Writing this piece for the Newsletter has brought back some wonderful memories of this special time we experienced together. Looking back our trip had passed all too quickly, without a cross word or a single blister! In the end to enjoy the Camino you just need a spirit of adventure, a reasonable level of fitness and good pair of runners! Buen Camino! Paula Cronin
Our Mission Partners Keith and Lyn Scott are our current mission partners and are working in Theological Education in Kitwe in Zambia. One of their tasks is teaching English; a good knowledge of English opens whole new resources for the students. Keith and Lyn are involved in the life of the church in Zambia. They post fascinating reports on www.cmsireland.org; see Latest blogs The Scotts. There you will read , for instance, of the dramatic and perilous consequences when the engine in their X-Trail failed in September. Keith concluded his report with the words of the collect: “Almighty God, you have safely bought us to the beginning of another day…” If you would like to see for yourself what happens in the Church in Zambia, a CMSI team will be going to Kitwe for two weeks in July/August 2019. Full details and application form at www.cmsireland.org/cmsi-teams CLOSING DATE 14th DECEMBER 2018. Years ago, I went on one such team to Tanzania. It was a truly life-changing experience; well worthwhile. Do keep praying for them. Hazel Minion
Eco-Congregation’s Vision To see churches of all denominations throughout Ireland celebrate the gift of God’s creation, recognise the inter-dependence of all creation and care for it in their life and mission and through members’ personal lifestyles It is useful to remind ourselves of Cork County Council’s waste management programme motto: REDUCE, RE-USE AND RECYCLE Now we have to apply these actions to everything we buy, even at Christmas!
• Refuse to take the free plastic bags for fruit and vegetables, bread and rolls in the supermarkets.
• Try to do some shopping in our markets where packaging is minimal.
• Put pressure on your local supermarket to collect the excess plastic on trays of vegetables and fruit.
• Demand that retailers change the non-recyclable plastics that wrap all toilet rolls, paper towels and most of the bags containing cereals.
Ask the managers to challenge the manufacturers to change to bio-degradable plastic.
• Lastly, write and lobby your local TD to demand that all County Councils should accept soft plastic that is labelled ‘Recyle’. Why aren’t they processing it? Where does it end up?
For more information on this topic see www.globalcause.co.uk and go to Future of Plastic Together we can turn the tide on plastics. Gay Elmes
Stuck for a Christmas Present?? A new book ‘New Light on Boole’ written by Desmond McHale and Yvonne Cohen might be the answer. Boole put his finger on the on the secret of mechanised thinking. This led to the digital computer which controls every aspect of our lives today . Boole is buried in Blackrock.
Whist Drive Whist players can look forward to a special Christmas Whist Drive which will be held on Saturday 15 December in the Canon Packham Hall in aid of Holy Trinity Church, Frankfield. We thank both Olive Burns and Susan Colton who are organising this again. We hope it will be well supported and all whist players are very welcome. Play starts at 8.30 sharp. A.Wilkinson
You are invited to a Christmas Coffee Morning at the Rectory on Friday 21st December. Just pop in anytime between 10. and 12 .30pm. All proceeds in aid of Charity.
St. Michael’s National School
Pupils from 3rd to 6th class are being coached in rowing every Wednesday this term in the Boat Club as part of the Cork Sports Partnership initiative. Monday after-school soccer now takes place at Blackrock Hurling Club and swimming continues in Douglas Pool on Fridays. We are very appreciative of all the work done by parents to provide these opportunities. Our Thursday after-school choir with Ms Chow is going from strength to strength and following one successful outing they are planning more. We were delighted to receive an Etwinning Quality award for our project with a French school. Three 5th class students represented St Michael’s superbly in the Concern debating competition this term. We had two teams participating in the Cork Credit Union Quiz in Rochestown Park Hotel and two of our pupils were also prizewinners in the recent Credit Union art competition. On Friday the 9th November we joined up with St Luke’s School in Douglas for a special Armistice Day assembly with a focus on prayers for peace. This was a very nice occasion for our two schools. The Bishop has given the schools an olive tree to mark the event and we will be planting this in front of our school next week. On the 2nd December pupils will be singing Christmas carols during the Sunday market in the village, the Christmas Fayre will be on the 9th December and our Nativity play will be presented in St Michael’s Church at the morning service on the 16th December. AO’Donovan (Principal)
Supper Theatre As you may have been aware, we held a weekend of Supper Theatre in conjunction with Carrigaline Union of Parishes between 15th and 17th of November in the Canon Packham Hall. A huge amount of work and time was put into it by so many people that I dare not mention any names because I am sure to leave someone out! I would like to personally thank each and every one of them throughout the parishes and also Carrigaline and Monkstown for all they did to make the event such a success. We are awaiting a final figure but although it was a very useful fundraiser, its main mission was to bring people from across parishes together in fellowship and maybe to entertain them too. I believe that it was an excellent social occasion though I apologise to those who missed the Ireland v New Zealand rugby match. We look forward to next year! David Bowles
Parish Prayer Chain Over the past eleven years the Parish Prayer Chain has always been in demand. Christmas and New Year can be particularly difficult for those in trouble; we ask you all to think of them.
How we work: Each member of the chain is allocated one day per week and chooses his/her own time and way to pray privately for those on the list, and to help with keeping the next on the list up to date with requests. We spend approx. 15-20 minutes in our own time on the task. We also meet informally once every seven weeks.
To those who have sent in requests: Many of you have given us excellent feedback; thank you for your appreciation. We have felt that our efforts have been worthwhile and for each of us our weekly intercessions have become part of our own lives too, as we recall the compassion of Christ for those who suffer. It has indeed been a privilege to share with you.
To those who would like prayer support: Please give a message to one of the clergy, or put a note in the special request box at the back of any of the churches. All requests are treated with the utmost confidentiality. We will pray for you each day for a month, or according to need. We value updates on ongoing situations.
Parish Carol Services
The first of our parish carol services takes place in St. Mary’s Church, Marmullane on Sunday 16 December at 7.00pm. We anticipate having the usual variety of seasonal music as well as ecumenical input from the Passage West Folk Group. It is always good to welcome many members of the local community to this service each year. On Sunday 23 December there will be morning carol services in Holy Trinity Church Frankfield at 10.00 and in St. Luke’s Douglas at 11.15. A service of ‘Carols by Candlelight’ will be held in St. Michael’s Church, Blackrock at 7.00pm. Again this year the music will be led by the St. Nicholas’ Brass Band. They will be joined by the Dundanion Singers and the Parish Folk Group from our sister church in Blackrock. This service has grown in popularity in recent years with its festive lighting and evocative setting. All are welcome at any of these services.
Readers are reminded that details of all our services and events can be downloaded each week from our parish website, www.douglas.cork.anglican.org. It includes our weekly ‘Pew News’ sheet and ‘Parish Matters’ newsletter. Our Christmas edition of Parish Matters will be delivered to every home on our parish lists. You can also follow the parish on Twitter and on Facebook. A. Wilkinson
Parish Book Club Most months the parish book club meets in the Rectory on the second Tuesday. In December they will gather on Tuesday 13 when readers will bring their choice of book by Charles Dickens. New members are always welcome. J. Wilkinson
Andrew Coleman is known to many people in this parish through his work with Christian Aid. On 25 November he, along with Maia Paulus, were licensed as lay readers in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. Andrew will serve a practical placement with us in this parish. We look forward to having him with us as he preaches and leads us in worship in the coming months. A. Wilkinson
St Luke’s School
St Luke’s School continues to be a very busy place. As well as the teaching and learning in the classrooms there are many new and extra-curricular activities happening regularly. We hosted a most enjoyable “Grandparents Day” in March organised by our Student Council. Over 100 Grandparents visited their grandchildren in their classrooms and learned more about school in 2018! The senior classes were introduced to two new sports this year. Rowing and Tug of War sessions were really popular for all the pupils involved. Educational Trips are huge part of our curriculum today. Our classes visited such places as Rumley’s Farm, UCC, Douglas Library, Cappanalea Adventure Centre, Crafty Hands, Nemo Rangers, Oysterhaven and the Lifetime Lab. We always welcome visitors to our school. This year we welcomed our Lord Mayor, Cllr Mick Finn, Dick White from Focus Ireland, Alison Flack with a guide dog Orchid, the Irish Guitar Quartet, Emma from Maxi Zoo, and Peter McDaid from the Red Cross. Art and Culture is an integral part of life in St. Luke’s. We are very fortunate that we have such talent as Ms Guinane on the staff who works very hard with our superb school choir. This year they entered the Feis Maitiu, entertained the residents at St Luke’s Home and sang at a concert in St FinBarre’s Cathedral. The West Midlands Theatre visited and entertained us with a production of “Arabian Adventure”. 5th and 6th classes attended “High Street Musical” at Ashton School where they saw many of our past pupils treading the boards. World Book Day was celebrated this year by asking pupils to turn a vegetable into their favourite book character. Paddy O’Brien, a storyteller came to tell stories to our junior classes. All our pupils had the opportunity of being involved in five sessions of Creative Dance led by CADA. Many of these activities are funded and supported by our very hard working Parents’ Association. They organised Coffee to go Mornings, a Halloween Disco, a St Patrick’s Disco, a Summer Barbeque and many sporting activities throughout the year. They are currently busy organising their annual Christmas Fair. We are continually grateful to the clergy of the parish who take Assembly every Tuesday morning and take such an interest in the school. Our classes regularly visit St Luke’s church when the clergy are always available to explain or show them different aspects of the church. This year a special Armistice Day Assembly on the theme of peace was held in the church when the two schools of our parish came together for the first time.
Dates for your Diary
Sunday 2nd December – Christmas Fair, Canon Packham Hall, 12.15pm
Tuesday 18th December – Senior Carol Service, 7.30pm
Wednesday 19th December – Junior Carol Service, 12 noon
Retirement Due to increased Sunday work commitments from his day job as a trainer of pilots, Mark Slade has had to tender his resignation as organist in St Luke’s Church with effect from the end of December. Mark began his musical career at Holy Trinity Church, Louth in Lincolnshire when he was first appointed an organist there at the age of nine and choirmaster at the age of eleven! Since then he has gained many musical qualifications and his skills at improvisation are highly regarded. Fortunately, he is still available to play at some of the early Sunday morning services in Frankfield and Passage. We thank Mark for all he has done in St Luke’s Church since he took over the post there after Easter in 2016. A. Wilkinson
Renovations in Passage West. Over the summer, the old corrugated iron annex to the parochial hall in Marmullane was demolished. While it had served its purpose for many years as a kitchen extension, it no longer complied with building standards. In its place, a new extension has been built and fitted out to a very high standard by Mervyn Hosford. It includes central heating and a kitchen with cooking facilities. We are very grateful to parishioner Jill Hingston, who generously sponsored much of the expense of this work and to the parishioners who raised money in recent years to bring about this development. The hall is being used by the parish for badminton several days a week, as well as for church meetings and hospitality after special services. A plaque will be unveiled and prayers of thanksgiving and dedication will be said in the refurbished hall at a reception following the Carol Service in Marmullane on 16 December. We hope many in our union of parishes, as well as members of the wider community will attend this carol service, dedication and the reception. We are absolutely delighted with the newly refurbished hall and annex. It is now a pleasure to hold events in these buildings! A.Wilkinson & Anne Hevers
Merry Christmas from The Boys’ Brigade –
1st Cork Company Anchors: 4-7 years 6-7pm
Juniors: 8-11 years 7.15-8.30pm
Company: 11 years plus 7.15-8.30pm
Every Boy and Girl welcome! Every Thursday evening at Canon Packham Hall, Douglas
‘The adventure starts here’
A Christmas Quiz In 2019 The parish Book Club will celebrate its tenth birthday, so the Christmas quiz has a book theme. Solve the anagrams which are all drawn from famous books at Christmas time. The book club is sharing favourite Dickens’ novels on 13 December and will begin again in 2019 on 8th January when the book is The Librarian by Sally Vickers (or any other book by this author). All welcome. Contact Jacqui Wilkinson for further information. A winner will be drawn on 21st December at the parish coffee morning from all the correct entries received by hand or post or email to Jacqui Wilkinson (jrwilkinson@eircom.net)
1. What were the children dreaming of on Christmas Eve according to Clement Clarke’s poem of 1823? margssluup _________
2. Which detective solves the Adventure of the Christmas Pudding? lechure tripoo _________
3. What did Ebenezer Scrooge give Bob Cratchit for Christmas? ziper yetkur ______________
4. What did Harry Potter receive from Dumbledore on his first Christmas at Hogwarts? bitiiyvisnil alcok ____________________
5. In The Gift of the Magi the wife sells her hair to buy her husband a thawc icanh__________
6. The husband sells his hcawt_______ to buy his wife smboc ________.
7. How do you get to see Santa in Chris Van Allsburg’s book? orlap srepexs ______________
8. What present did Edmund get in The lion, the witch and the wardrobe when the children met Father Christmas? gnhotni ________________
9. Where did Dr Seuss’s Grinch find the Christmas spirit? lowhelvi ________________
10. With what family did Marmee, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy share their Christmas food? hmmuel
11. In The Wind in the Willows who makes Christmas food for Mole when he is sad to be missing home? art ______ and who calls in to sing carols and joins the feast? cime______
12. In Great Expectations what Christmas food did Pip steal from his sister? icenm atem ipe __________________
Parish prayers Once a month a number of parishioners from across the Union meet to pray together for the parish, the world and anything and everything. In addition to our prayers it is a valuable opportunity to meet and chat. Those who attend vary between, young and slightly older, new parishioners and established parishioners. All are welcome, we alternate between houses and you will find hospitality wherever we meet. Our next meeting is on the 15th January. We are always looking to add to our numbers, if you are interested in joining us please contact the curate or keep an eye on the pew news.
Bishops’ Appeal for overseas aid and development In our mailing to parishioners this Christmas, you will also find a Bishops’ Appeal envelope as usual. This is your means to give a donation to the Bishops’ Appeal for overseas aid and development. In addition, you will find an information leaflet giving details of the projects supported over the past year. You can read more about the work by checking its website www.bishopsappeal.ireland.anglican.org The Bishops’ Appeal does not engage directly in development work itself, but channels funds through agencies and partner churches that are already in place in areas of need. It is particularly active in the areas of health care, sustainable agriculture and education projects in some of the world’s poorest countries. Please support this work by returning your envelope on the collection plate in church or by putting it in a stamped envelope and addressing it to one of the clergy or parish treasurers. We will see that it is included in our collection before the end of the year. A. Wilkinson
Prepare the way This is the title of a special evening service that will be held in St. Luke’s Church, Douglas on Advent Sunday, 2 December. Through the use of candles, images from art, as well as music and meditations from the Iona Community in Scotland, it will be reflective in nature. It begins at 7pm and should provide an opportunity for those who come to stop and take stock at the start of Advent, before the rush of office parties, shopping days and carol concerts. A. Wilkinson
BLACKROCK NEWS When in 2016 concerns were first expressed about the stability of the Haines memorial at the west end of St Michael’s, few could have envisaged the extensive programme of works necessary to address the underlying cause of the problem, diagnosed as water ingress via spire and tower. In 2017, major restoration was carried out on the spire for the third time in its history; the spectacular collapse precipitated by the lightning strike of January 1836 left weaknesses that are evident to this day and surely contributed to the displacement of the tip in September 1903 and to similar damage wrought by Storm Ophelia in 2017. The good news is that the spire is now fully re-pointed, reinforced in its most vulnerable section and restored to its original purity of line. in 2018, the focus has shifted to the tower, which has also been re-pointed with lime mortar and is consequently much drier internally and visually enhanced externally. Decayed bell support beams have been replaced, permanent ladder access has been provided to all tower levels, rotted lintels to the roof space have been renewed. Unfortunately, the large window over the main entrance was found to be beyond repair and has been replaced, as has the louvre window above it. During the year, internal re-decoration necessitated by repairs to the Haines memorial has been carried out and, as the year ends, a much-needed scheme to light paths to the choir and vestry doors is being implemented. This last project will be commemorated by a brass plate honouring the generous bequest by Sheila Griffin which has assisted conservation work. In recent years, St Michael’s benefited considerably by grants from Cork City Council through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Architectural Conservation Area scheme. Without the financial assistance of these grants, and to a lesser extent those from the RCB, it is extremely doubtful whether conservation on the scale undertaken could have been attempted. Encouragingly, it seems that in 2019 further support may be provided to undertake work on the entrance screen walls, gate piers and gates, all of which require attention.
CHURCH SERVICES
Sunday 2nd December
7pm Prepare the Way Douglas A reflective service at the start of Advent
Wed. 5th December
11.00 Holy Communion Douglas
Sunday 9th December
8.30 Holy Communion Blackrock
9.45 Holy Communion Passage
10.00 Holy Communion Frankfield
11.15 Holy Communion Douglas
11.30 Holy Communion Blackrock
Wed. 12th December
11.00 Holy Communion Douglas
Sunday 16th December
8.30 Holy Communion Blackrock
10.00 Holy Communion Frankfield
11.15 Holy Communion Douglas
11.30 St.Michael’s N.S.Service Blackrock
7.00pm Carol Service Passage (N.B. No morning service in Passage)
Wed. 19th December
11.00 Holy Communion Douglas
Sunday 23rd December
8.30 Holy Communion Blackrock
9.45 Holy Communion Passage
10.00 Carol Service Frankfield
11.15 Carol Service Douglas
7.00pm ‘Carols by Candlelight’ Blackrock
Monday 24 December
4.00pm Crib Service Douglas (midnight service only)
11.30pm Holy Communion Douglas
Tuesday 25 December Christmas Day
8.30 Holy Communion Blackrock
9.15 Holy Communion Douglas
9.45 Holy Communion Passage
10.00 Holy Communion Frankfield
11.15 Holy Communion Douglas
11.30 Holy Communion Blackrock
Sunday 30 December
8.30 Holy Communion Blackrock
9.45 Morning Prayer Passage
10.00 Morning Prayer Frankfield
11.15 Morning Prayer Douglas
11.30 Morning Prayer Blackrock
