The Rector writes……
This issue of Parish Matters will be available in our churches on Sunday 9 September. In the United States it is the Sunday after Labour Day. There, it is observed as Grandparents Day. While I know the greeting card industry in the United States has led the way in promoting such occasions so that they can make more money, I think that there is much to ponder in having a day to honour all grandparents.
Recent studies in Ireland have shown how important grandparents are when it comes to providing child care and support to their children who are out at work. Time and time again I see grandparents collecting children from primary school or delivering them to afternoon activities. When I visit in certain homes in this parish, I often see grandchildren doing their homework at the kitchen table. All this is very good and valuable, particularly in an economic environment when many households require joint incomes to pay the mortgage and other living expenses.
On his recent visit to Ireland, Pope Francis touched on the theme of the wisdom of grandparents when he spoke to young couples in the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin. He reminded his audience that the life experience of older people is important and to be valued. Of course, not everyone is a grandparent. I am also all too aware of those grandparents who have family living far away in a very different part of the world and so rarely if ever see their grandchildren. Sadly too, family breakdown is a feature of life, and so for some, having family gatherings across several generations can prove complex or even impossible. Such grandparents may rarely see their grandchildren in relaxed and informal settings.
Nevertheless, I still think the wisdom of older people and the support and love given by grandparents is something to be cherished and celebrated. With that in mind, I hope you find the prayer I have written in this month’s newsletter helpful. I also ask grandparents to do all that they can to encourage their children, and by extension their grandchildren, to come to church. No matter what our personal family circumstances, we are all part of the Christian family of the Church. It is interesting to reflect on the fact that Sunday worship should be intergenerational, with people of all ages mixing together. In our modern society, where so much of life is segmented, this is rare. Now that we are back to the autumn schedule, I hope to see people of all ages, meeting together and enjoying the fellowship that comes from being part of Christ’s Church in this place.
Every blessing,
Adrian
A Prayer for Grandparents
God of life and love, we give you thanks for the joys of family life and for all that we receive through our relationships with others. We give thanks for the faith, wisdom and experience of grandparents and that they connect us with our heritage through time.
Bless all grandparents and grant them peace, strength and health. Reward them for their faith and fidelity, for their work and goodness, for their love and thoughtfulness, for their gifts and prayers. Give them a long and happy life together. May old age come to them in the company of family and friends. And when life is over, unite us all where parting will be no more, in the kingdom of your love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Following the summer break, Blackrock Lunches (on the last Wednesday of each month) resume on September 26 at 12.30pm in the Old Schoolhouse on Church Road. All are welcome to a nutritious three course meal for a modest donation. As usual there will also be a sales table.
PARISH BOWLS CLUB resumed on Wednesday 5 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. Meetings will take place in Joan Miller’s home on Wednesday afternoons, 12th & 26th September and 17th October at 2.30pm and on Thursday evenings in Carol Boylan’s home on the 13th & 27th September and the 18th October at 7.30pm.
New members are always welcome. Florence Binions
PARISH BOOK CLUB
The Book Club restarts on 11 September with coffee and chat in the Maryborough House Hotel at 8pm. It will be a chance to compare summer reading and choose the books that will be read in October, November and December. The Book Club meets in the Rectory every second Tuesday in the month and new members are always very welcome. J. Wilkinson
The Revd David Bowles writes ‘Sunflowers’ Back in the Spring, before we really began this glorious summer we had the last of our service with sausages. One of the things we did was give each child a sunflower seed and a flower pot with some soil in it. The challenge was to go home, plant it, look after it and see how it grew. This also happened in some of the other churches during the Sunday morning service too. Since then we have had wonderful weather, perfect weather for growing sunflowers!
My challenge was for those children to come back for our harvest festival with pictures of themselves beside their flowers in their height and we will see how everyone got on. As children of God, we are always trying to grow as Christians, maturing in our faith. To do that, we must have the right conditions, prayer, love, hope and faith to name but a few. No matter what age we are, we can always grow as Christian people. When we fall out with people, we must try and put it aside, feeding our relationships with the right nutrients so that we can blossom as people. It is not always so easy, but we must try and develop as images as God, as Paul tells the church in Ephesus in his letter to them in the New Testament.
Only if we nourish our lives with these ingredients can we be the tall sunflower of a Christian that God knows is in us waiting to bloom!
Culture Night Each year a huge number of events and activities take place on Culture Night. This year, we are participating again as a parish when St Michael’s Church in Blackrock will be open for an evening of heritage and some music. The speakers this year will be Professor Desmond MacHale and his research assistant Yvonne Cohen and their theme will be ‘George Boole and St Michael’s Church, Blackrock’. Professor MacHale’s new book on George Boole will be launched later in the autumn and it brings to light much new personal information about this mathematical genius. Boole is memorialized in the church and his grave lies in the adjoining churchyard. It should prove to be a very interesting evening. All are welcome between 7.30 and 9.00pm on Friday 21 September, which like all events on Culture Night, is free of charge.
Harvest Thanksgiving Services This year we begin our harvest celebrations in St Mary’s Church in Marmullane on Sunday 16 September at 7.00pm when the guest preacher will be the Revd Paul Arbuthnot, rector of Cobh and Glanmire Union.
On Sunday 30 September we look forward to having the Rt Revd Michael Burrows, Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory with us for our Harvest Thanksgiving. It is also the day after St Michael and All Angels Day, so our celebrations will have a patronal aspect to them too. Bishop Michael was ordained priest thirty years ago this year and so it is good to have him back in St Michael’s, the church where he celebrated the eucharist for the first time. Appropriately he will both preside and preach at our Harvest Eucharist.
Finally, advance notice is given of our morning harvest thanksgiving services in Frankfield and Douglas on Sunday 7 October. On this occasion will be good to have the Revd Sarah Marry return to be the preacher at both these services.
Prayer in Times of Need. Are you or a loved one going through an illness or a life crisis? Would the prayers of the Parish Prayer Chain help? We are seven people who accept all requests confidentially and one of us will pray for you every day as needed.
Please pass on your request to one of the clergy, or put a note in the prayer box in the church porch. If your request is for another, please check with them beforehand.
JUST A THOUGHT:
I recently came across the text of this prayer. It struck me as very powerful. I hope you will be challenged by it too. Adrian
‘From the arrogance that thinks it has all the truth; from the laziness that settles for half-truths; and from the cowardice that fears new truths, Good Lord, deliver us.’
St. Luke’s Sunday School
Sunday School starts in Douglas on 9th September. Sunday School takes place on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays of each month during school term time. Children of primary school age leave church with the Sunday School leaders during the service where they go to the Canon Packham Hall (beside the school). Once a month we have a DVD Sunday where we watch a Bible Story and have popcorn and drinks. The other Sundays we do stories, crafts/ worksheets and play games. Children are collected from the hall by their parents at the end of the service.
Enrolment Forms need to be completed each year for each child. They are available from the leaders and in the September parish newsletter which will be on the parish website.
If you would like to know more, do contact me or one of the clergy. There is also Sunday in Holy Trinity Frankfield, and if you would like details about it do ask the clergy.
Jacqui Wilkinson 0876404724.
Meals on Wheels. This service is run from the Community Centre in Douglas Village. For many years, this parish has provided the cooks for the meals which are delivered on Wednesday. Currently there are three teams of parishioners who cater every third Wednesday. There is always a vacancy for those who would like to be involved on an occasional or regular basis with this work. It involves working in the kitchen with others between 9 and 11am. If you would like to be involved, or to get more information about the ‘Meals on Wheels’ service, please contact Penny Shaw-Hamilton (Tel. 4365853).
Keith and Lynn Scott CMSI Link Letter
As a parish we support the work of CMS and in particular are a support parish for Keith and Lynn Scott who are currently working in Northern Zambia in Kitwei. You will find copies of Keith and Lynn Scott’s newsletter at the back of the churches. To save paper and the environment, the numbers of copies are limited but please do take and read it and pass it on to others. Alternatively you will find it on the CMS Ireland Website or at info@cmsireland.org.
Theatre Supper Evening
We are planning Theatre Supper Evenings on 15th, 16th & 17th November. This will be held in collaboration with Carrigaline Union of Parishes and the venue will again be the Canon Packham Hall. We have a cast and rehearsals will be commencing shortly.
Douglas Union with Frankfield will be performing ‘The Patient’ by Agatha Christie and this year will be directed by Rodney Bolingbroke. Carrigaline will be performing ‘Between Mouthfuls’ by Alan Ayckbourne and a short sketch called “Shoppers” by Jean McConnell, which again will be directed by Mary Murphy.
Dinner will again be provided by the Bull McCabe’s. Tickets will be limited as always so we will let you know when they go on sale! Book early to avoid disappointment!
NB: The Parish Office will be closed on Friday, 21st & 28th September and will reopen on
Friday 5th October at 9am.
Parish Contacts:
Ven. Adrian Wilkinson, Tel: 4891539. E-mail: adrianwilkinson3@gmail.com
Rev. David Bowles Tel: 4358226. Email: dgd_bowles@yahoo.co.uk
Rev. Hazel Minion, Tel: 4361924. E-mail: hminion22@hotmail.com (Only contact if above unavailable)
Parish Office Tel: 4369578. E-mail: douglasoffice@ccrd.ie (Friday mornings only)
Parish Website: www.douglas.cork.anglican.org Follow us on Twitter: @DouglasUnion
9th September(Green) |
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16thSeptember(Green) |
23rdSeptember(Green) |
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30th September(Green) |
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St Michael’sBlackrock |
8.30Holy Communion11.30Holy Communion |
8.30Holy Communion11.30HolyCommunion |
8.30Holy Communion11.30Morning Prayer |
8.30Holy Communion11.30Harvest EucharistPreacherRt Rev M. Burrows |
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St Mary’sMarmullane |
9.45Holy Communion |
7.00 pmHarvest ThanksgivingPreacherRevd P ArbuthnotNBNo morning service |
9.45Holy Communion |
9.45Holy Communion |
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Holy TrinityFrankfield |
10.00Holy Communion |
10.00Holy Communion |
10.00Morning Prayer |
10.00Holy Communion |
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St. Luke’sDouglas |
11.15Holy Communion |
11.15Morning Prayer |
11.15Holy Communion |
11.15Holy Communion |
Douglas Union of Parishes with Frankfield
Rector: Ven. Adrian Wilkinson
Parental / Guardian Consent Form –Sunday School Membership
2018 – 2019
A SEPARATE FORM MUST BE COMPLETED FOR EACH CHILD. SPARE FORMS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH OR FROM THE SUNDAY SCHOOL LEADERS.
Attendance at : (church Sunday School) ____________________________
Membership from 1st September 2018 – 31st May 2019 on Sunday mornings during Church service times.
Child’s Full Name:______________________________________________________
Date of Birth:__________________________________________________________
Parent’s / Guardian’s Names:_____________________________________________
Contact Phone while the child is in Sunday School ________________
I give permission for ____________________________________ to become a member of
Sunday School, meeting on Sunday mornings during service times for 2018-2019 and know of no medical reason why s/he should not do so. It is my understanding that my specific consent will be sought for any additional activity outside of the above days and times.
Parent’s/ Guardian’s Signature: _____________________Date ________________
Please indicate if the above child suffers from any medical condition (specifying any medication s/he may be taking) and/or has any special dietary requirements about which the leaders of the Sunday School should be informed.
Form received by Sunday School Leader: __________________, Date ___________
The data in this form is subject to the GDPR (2018) , will be retained securely for the Sunday School Year 2018-2019 and will only be accessible to the Sunday School teachers. After the year it will be securely archived according to safeguarding trust regulations. A copy of the Data Protection regulations is on the Parish noticeboards or is available from the rector.
