Parishes of Swords Clonmethan Kilsallaghan Donabate and Lusk

Newsletter May 2016

SWORDS GIFT WEEK 15th – 22nd MAY

Each month, regular income from plate donations, envelope

donations and standing orders falls short of the monthly Diocesan

Assessment and other expenses.

Some of the difference is made up by fund-raising activities, such

the Golf Classic, Table Quizzes, Bridge Classic, Coffee Mornings

and Cake Sales etc. Whilst recognising the financial constraints continuing to face

everyone, Swords Select Vestry has concluded that the only way

of making up the shortfall is to have A GIFT WEEK.

The Gift week will run from Sunday 15th May to Sunday 22nd May

inclusive.

All parishioners are asked to please consider making a serious

contribution to the Gift Week, in order that your parish may meet

its financial obligations.

And if everyone gave something, it would help a lot!

Send your gift to the Honorary Treasurer, Billy Goodwin,

Wyestown, Oldtown, Co. Dublin, or bring your gift to church (in

an envelope marked “Gift Week” please) on Sunday 15th May or

Sunday 22nd May.

In advance … THANK YOU!

Bangers@MASH Service (for everyone!) 6.30pm – Sunday 15th May

As it’ll be Pentecost – wear something red!! ALL REALLY WELCOME!

A PARISH PRAYER Father, we pray for your blessing on our parish.

Give each one who worships in this place, grace to grow in faith, that we may live and work to your glory.

Fill us with your Holy Spirit and bind us together, that, in all we do, we may seek to build each other up in love.

Be with us as we come together to give witness in our community. Help us to look beyond ourselves and to reach out to those in any kind of need;

always remembering to put our trust in you. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Girls’ Brigade Congratulations to the Captain, Officers, Leaders and girls of the 45th Co. Girls’ Brigade Swords/Donabate on their thirteenth display held in the Parish Hall, Swords, on Saturday 23th April. A lot of preparation work was put in by everyone in the Company, and the result was an excellent display of what had been taught and learnt through the last season. And congratulations to the company on winning the Lewis Crosby Trophy for Scripture, and not only that, but also taking fourth place as well. And not only that, the company did excellently well in the Arts and Crafts competition – they won the Ethel Carroll Trophy for their design and making of a wedding dress from recycled materials. Both trophies were presented on the night to the individual team members by the GB National President Margery McElhinney. A suitable descriptive word might be “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”!

7th Dublin Co. Boys’ Brigade & 39th Dublin Co. Boys’ Brigade The annual company displays were held in Coláiste Dhúlaigh, Coolock on Saturday 16th April, and the occasion was especially poignant as it marked the one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary of the founding of the 7th Dublin Co. Many attending the display were past members, with a wide age range between them – and they displayed that they hadn’t lost it either – they drilled excellently. The Chief Guest was Mr Bill Beatty, a former captain of the 7th Dublin Co, and he spoke of his time in the company, and friendships made and retained down the years. The display itself was another excellent one, with all boys showing great enthusiasm and sense of fun in what they were doing. So congratulations to the Captain, Officers and Boys on their displays and on their one hundred and twenty-fifth year celebrations.

Table Quiz: Many thanks to the sub-committee of Brian Scott, Jean Ellerker and Kate Hender who organised a great Table Quiz in Keeling’s in Donabate, on Thursday 7th April. There were thirteen tables on the night, and between the Quiz and the Raffle, €760.00 was raised.

Many thanks to all who supported the night, presented the raffle prizes, and to our compare and question master, Fergus McDermott.

Here’s looking forward to the next one!

Commemorating Easter 1916 The Easter Rising began on Easter Sunday, 24th April 1916. To mark the centenary of this significant event in Irish history, an ecumenical Service of the Word took place in St Columba’s Church, Swords on the afternoon of Sunday 24th April 2016. The main thrust of the service was one of peace and reconciliation, acknowledging the past and present, and looking forward to the future. Present were the Rector, Addy Patterson, Fr Paul Thornton & Br Martin from St. Cronan’s Roman Catholic Church, and Fr Michael Carey from St Columcille’s Roman Catholic Church. The special preacher on the day was The Rev Dr Johnston McMaster, Irish School of Ecumenics, who travelled from Belfast (and back again!) to be with us. The main theme of Dr. McMaster’s address was about one eye on the past, and one eye on the future – acknowledging Ireland’s past, but using that as a means to look forward to the type of Ireland we’d like to see in the future. If anyone would like a copy of his address, please email me ( rwdeane@eircom.net ) and I’ll send you a copy. Regrettably, Yvonne Packer was not able to be with us for the service, and we are indebted to David Lambe who provided the musical accompaniment. After the service, refreshments were served in the Hall, and we thank the ladies who provided for us. All in all, it was a moving service, appreciated by all who attended. Thanks to the Pastoral Committee for their assistance and input.

Good Friday 2016 – Donabate:

An ecumenical service “At the Cross” was held in Donabate at 12.00noon on Good Friday in Donabate. The first half of the service, reading the Passion of Christ from St Matthew’s Gospel, was held in St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church. We then processed to St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland Church for the second half of the service, which comprised mainly of prayer.

The pictures below show Fr Joe Connolly and the Rector leading the procession, followed by various members of the congregation taking turns in carrying the cross,

and thirdly, being quiet, “at the cross”, between the prayers, in St Patrick’s C of I Church. (photos courtesy of Pat Kinsella, Donabate).

Baptism: We were delighted to welcome two new members into the Family of God in St. Columba’s Church, Swords. The first is James Malachy, son of Sheena Goodwin and Colin Hearney, Ard Cath, Co. Meath, on Sunday 20th March. And the second is George Samuel, son of Samuel and Lenka Dawson, Swords, on Sunday 3rd April. God bless them all their days.

Kidz Own Church: A shortened Service of Morning Prayer for those with younger kids, generally held on the first or second Sunday in the month, followed by orange squash (or tea/coffee!)!

The next service will be on Sunday May 15th at 10.00am,

in the Meeting Room, Swords. All welcome.

For more info, contact rwdeane@eircom.net .

Bill to General Synod about re-drawing diocesan boundaries

You may remember it was brought to your attention that the Commission on Episcopal Ministry and Structures (set up by the General Synod in 2014) is to bring a Bill to General Synod in May of this year. One of the provisions in the Bill refers to re-drawing Dublin & Glendalough’s diocesan boundary by annexing six parish groupings from Dublin & Glendalough to the Diocese of Meath & Kildare. An extraordinary meeting of Dublin & Glendalough Diocesan Synod was called and took place in Athy on Wednesday 20th April to consider the matter carefully. There was a tremendous turn-out on the night, and after a service of Holy Communion, members of the Diocesan Synod had the opportunity to have their say and express their thoughts. Suffice it to say that passions ran high and that there was a considerable rejection of the proposed removals. After much debate, and a break for refreshments, a proposal was put to the that two motions be presented to General Synod, one dependant on the other: Motion 1: that the Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough calls on the Commission to withdraw Bill No2 (the relevant Bill); and if that motion didn’t succeed, then Motion No2 would kick-in: Motion 2: that Section 6 of the Bill (referring to Dublin & Glendalough) be deleted and that all subsequent sections be renumbered accordingly. Both motions were passed almost unanimously, and we await the outcome at General Synod (May 12th -14th).

Your Favourite Hymns Swords Pastoral Committee plan to compile a list of parishioners’

favourite hymns, and would like you to submit yours so that they

may be included regularly in our weekly worship.

The first line of one or more hymns may be put on a slip of paper

which can then be handed to the Church Warden after church.

Looking forward to seeing your suggestions.

Confirmation 2016: We welcomed the Archbishop to the parish on Saturday 9th April, in St. Columba’s Church, Swords, when he confirmed seventeen young people. Our Confirmation Candidates were Joshua Ellison, Saibh Coleman, Amber Coyle, Darragh Dawson, Matthew Horne O’Connor, Scott

McNally, David Evans, Victoria Emorinken and Iuliana Cibotar, and they were joined by eight young people from Holmpatrick Union of Parishes. God bless them all their days as they grow in the faith.

(Photo courtesy Robbie & Kellie Coyle)

SERVICES IN MAY Date Donabate Swords Kilsallaghan

1st May Sixth Sunday of Easter

10.00am Morning Prayer & Sunday Club

11.30am Holy Communion

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8th May Seventh Sunday of Easter: Sunday after Ascension Day

10.00am Holy Communion

11.30am Morning Prayer

11.30am Holy Communion

15th May Day of Pentecost

10.00am Family Service

*** 10.00am *** KIDZ OWN

11.30am Holy Communion

*** 6.30pm *** Bangers@MASH

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22nd May Trinity Sunday

10.00am Holy Communion

11.30am Le Chéile Service

11.30am Morning Prayer

29th May First Sunday after Trinity

10.00am Wholeness & Healing

Service

11.30am Wholeness & Healing

Service

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5th June Second Sunday after Trinity

10.00am Morning Prayer & Sunday Club

11.30am Holy Communion

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Sunday 15th May – Day of Pentecost Wear something red to celebrate the day!

All welcome!

SWORDS SELECT VESTRY 2016 Swords Easter General Vestry meeting was held in Meeting Room, Swords, on Tues 5th April, and the following form Swords Select Vestry for 2016 – 2017: Rector’s Churchwarden – Sam Essandoh; Peoples’ Churchwarden – Olawale Awe; Rector’s Churchwarden (Kilsallaghan) – Ian Falkiner. Rector’s Glebewarden – Billy Goodwin; Peoples’ Glebewarden – George Montgomery. Elected: Anne Forsyth, Margaret Coyle, Enid Hughes and Andrea Patterson. At a subsequent meeting of the new Select Vestry, Enid Hughes was elected Honorary Secretary, and Billy Goodwin Honorary Treasurer.

DONABATE SELECT VESTRY 2016 Donabate Easter General Vestry meeting was held in the Parish Church, Donabate on Wednesday 6th April, and the following form Donabate Select Vestry for 2016 – 2017: Rector’s Churchwarden – Brian Scott; Peoples’ Churchwarden – Michael Swarbrigg; Peoples’ Glebewarden – Kate Hender. Elected: Albert Pratt, Brian Allen, Gordon Hempton, Niall Minto, Sally Beazley, Peter Maxwell, and Glynis Wilcox. At a subsequent meeting of the new Select Vestry, Brian Scott was elected Honorary Secretary, and Peter Maxwell Honorary Treasurer.

Lectio Divina

Swords Pastoral Committee invites you to experience

Lectio Divina – ‘a slow, contemplative praying of the Scriptures’ –

in home of Eleanor McQuinn, 17, Rivervalley Heights, Swords.

Our first Lectio Divina evening will be held on

Wednesday 4th May from 8.00pm to 8.45pm.

Please contact Eleanor, on 086 328 5780, if you wish to come along.

Sunday 22nd May – POT LUCK LUNCH after the Le Chéile Service! All welcome!

Darkness into Light 7th May, 2016 Text PIETA to 50300 to donate €2

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