Corrawallen Kildallon Kinawley Newtowngore Swanlinbar Templeport Tomregan Group Newsletter

Newsletter No 11 April 2008

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter said, “tell me to come to you on the water.” (Mt 14: 28 NIV)
I did something last week which I thought I would never be able to do – I climbed a ladder on a two storey building and then scaled a roof ladder to inspect a leaking chimney!! That might not seem like much to you, but to me it was massive. Why? Because I have a fear of heights! I only have to see something on television with heights involved and I feel sick. I remember climbing scaffolding in St Peter’s Church when it was being re-painted in preparation for my ordination in 2005. Upon reaching the top, I literally had to cling to the scaffolding pole as my head was spinning and I felt extremely nauseous. I was quite literally paralysed by fear and it took me a few minutes to edge my way down. Once I was down, there was no way I was going back up again. I saw something similar happen to a young person on a rock face as they abseiled down a vertical drop. Even though they had a safety rope and a qualified instructor at the top and bottom of the rock face, they could not move because of fear – they literally had to be lifted down. Fear can paralyze, fear can limit and fear can prevent us from doing things that other people can do quite naturally.
But fear can also paralyze, limit and prevent us from becoming the people and the Church God is calling us to be. As Peter stood on the edge of the boat, he was filled with fear, as were the other disciples. They gazed upon Jesus walking on the water and said “It’s a ghost.” Imagine what your response would have been in similar circumstances. Mine would probably have been the same as the disciples, full of fear. Yet fear paralyzes, limits and prevents us from becoming the people and the Church God is calling us to be.
Jesus stands on the water and calls us to overcome our fears and trust in His unfailing love as he beckons us to walk out of a place of fear and into a place of security where He is in control. Peter, as he stood on the edge of the boat, may have thought as follows; “I am an adult male, weighing about 12-13 stone, there is a lot of water beneath this boat. Everything that life has taught me so far tells me that if I step out on the water, I will sink. That is what my head is telling me. But if this is really the Son of God, and certainly everything I have seen him do would support that belief, then can’t I trust him in this situation.” Peter had to overcome the fear in his head and allow his heart to respond to the call of Jesus …. and he stepped out in faith, and walked on the water to Jesus. This was a life changing decision for Peter as he put his trust in Jesus and stepped away from fear and into an area where Jesus was in control.

I too have many fears in my life, as I’m sure many of you readers do also. One of my fears was how our Day of Vision would be responded to and received. If I had listened to those fears, I would have remained in the security of the boat and allowed those fears to paralyze, limit and prevent me from stepping out in confidence to the place where Jesus calls us to be with Him, on the water. It would have been much easier to remain in the boat and simply have our Easter Vestry meetings as we have always done in the past.

There are many areas in our lives and in our Church where we remain in the security of the boat, paralyzed, limited and inhibited by fear.
I genuinely hope that the next year will see more people stepping away from fear and onto the water where Jesus calls us to be, and I hope that we can do this together.

Church of Ireland Cross Geoff signature Rev Geoff Wilson

Kidz Club

It was just brilliant to see such a good turn out as we re-launched the kidz club last month in Ballyconnell Parish hall. Equally important the 90 minutes of games, bible teaching, munchies, songs and prayer went really well. Many thanks to parents for your support is crucial. Thank you also to Carol and Avril for vital and very capable help with running the event. As Geoff shared in the newsletter on my coming - my work includes a call to support from the whole of the congregation. We are not into one man shows, we are into building teams. Thank you for this early support. So much more can be done together.

This month we are in Newtowngore hall and we hope to continue to alternate between the two venues so that as many children as possible can share in this important work.
Our May meeting falls on Pentecost so we’re having Pentecost party. Our June meeting is a week later due to the Sunday School prize giving on June 15th.

Meeting are monthly from 3.30pm to 5pm on the following dates:
Sunday 13th April Newtowngore hall
Sunday 11th May Ballyconnell Parish hall
Sunday 22nd June Newtowngore hall

Prayer

Remember the boat - 2 oars - praying and working hard at the same time.
It thrills me no end to announce the start of weekly prayer meetings in homes across the group. Beginning this week there will be a prayer meeting in a home somewhere in the group each week. Times and days will vary so as many people as possible can join in crucial work of prayer.

Here are the first dates:
Tuesday 15th April 10.30am Kinawley at Mackey & Vi Breen’s home.
Wednesday 23rd April 3pm Kildallon at Valerie Livingstone's home (next to Kildallon Rectory)
Thursday 1st May 8.30pm Ballyconnell at Roy & Rachel Mitten's home.
Dates for Corrawallen / Newtowngore & Templeport have yet to be set.
I’m aware there will still be questions about these. So a short explanation.
Meetings will be about an hour.
We will begin meetings with coffee and chat.
Prayer can be for anything - time giving thanks to God, praising him, time praying for concerns we have about our world, our homes and families, as well as our church.
You are all invited to every meeting wherever it is held. If you make one in the month fantastic. If you can get to all - wonderful. In truth it’s not at all about numbers rather an ongoing work of prayer and we hope you see in time the value in coming.
If you are not confident about praying out loud you are in the majority. Don’t let that stop you coming. No one is going to be picked on. If you don’t pray out loud that is ok. You can still join the prayer in the silence of your hearts.
As well as the incredible value of prayer these meetings are a great way for folk to get to know one another better across the group.
These meetings are another way to build the body of Christ up and for us to be encouraged.

Finally thank you once again to all who have offered their homes

Gospel Concert in Templeport Parish Church

If you haven’t already heard about this night, which stone have you been hiding under for the past couple of months!! The evening will include a whole variety of artists, namely the family of Dean Raymond Ferguson, Lorraine Vance, Linda Lindsay, Paul Irwin and Maire Claire Brodie. Please make a big effort to come along and support the Parish in this event. The evening will commence at 8 pm and will include supper at the interval. All proceeds will go towards the Church Repair Fund. Tickets are priced at €10/£7 and can be obtained from Gracie Gould 049 9523326, Hazel Howden 049 9521270, Carol Graham 049 9523039 or Linda Lovett 049 9523332.

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Service for Newly Elected Vestries at Kilmore Cathedral

All newly elected Vestries (that means all Vestry members, not just new members!) are invited to a service of dedication in Kilmore Cathedral on Tuesday 5th June 2008. The purpose of the service will be to dedicate ourselves in God’s service through our Vestry membership. Please do try and attend this service as it should be a time of encouragement and inspiration for all of us. Please note the change of date from that originally published.

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Jar of Grace - empty

Growing in Grace

I would like to thank everyone who has already returned their Jars of Grace, but I do suspect that perhaps there may be one or two lurking in someone’s kitchen somewhere in the Group! If you have overlooked returning your Jar then please do not feel embarrassed by this as we are still receiving them. I hope to be in a position to announce the total figure in next month’s newsletter.

Jar of Grace - full!

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Confirmation in Swanlinbar

Everyone is warmly invited to attend our service of confirmation on Sunday 27th April at 3.30pm in the Parish Church, Swanlinbar. We have five candidates preparing for confirmation; Hazel Wilson, Lee Clements, Kenneth Gould, Nigel Graham and Sam Wilson. Please do remember these young people as they prepare for this important occasion in their lives.

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Informal Praise

Our next Informal Praise service takes place in the Parish Church, Derrylin this evening (13th April) at 8pm.

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Swanlinbar Kildallon Group Youth Fellowship

Youth fellowship resumes next Sunday evening at 6.30 pm in the Ballyconnell Minor Hall.

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Mothers' Union News

The closing service for MU will now take place in Ballyconnell Parish Church at 8pm on Tue 29th April, followed by the AGM in the Parish Hall. All members for our Group are encouraged to attend.
Please don’t forget about the evening the Young Families Unit have organised with Dr Dickie Barr between 7 & 10pm on Tuesday 20th May in Florencecourt Parish Centre – the theme of the evening is Time Out For Parents. Further information can be obtained by contacting Ann Howard on 043 45848.
Finally, the annual Diocesan Festival Service is at 8pm on Thursday 17th April 2008. The theme of the service will be Time For Relationship and the guest preacher is the Rt Rev Richard Henderson, the all Ireland Chaplain of MU. I would encourage members to make it a priority to come along on the night and immediately following the service to Kildallon Community Centre for refreshments.

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St Patrick’s Day Parade

Congratulations to the staff, parents and children of Ballyconnell Central National School on their success in winning a cup for “Most Artistic Float” in the recent parade through Ballyconnell. I know that everyone put an immense amount of work into preparing the float and there was great excitement on the float. Well done to you all!
It really is a pity we are unable to reproduce the lovely colours with which the float and children were decorated!

Please click on the thumbnail images to download the larger photographs. Use your 'Back' button to return to this page.
To protect the children their faces have been blured.

( Two Photos below are from Carol Graham)

Preparing the St Patrick's day Central School float

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Remaining Easter Vestry meetings for 2008

The arrangements for the second part of our Easter Vestry meetings for this year. (Please note the changes in these meetings from those published in last month’s Newsletter);

Vestry	Meeting place	Date	Time
Templeport	St Peter's Church	14th April	8 pm
Swanlinbar	Kinawley minor hall	15th April	8 pm
Kildallon	Sunday School Room	16th April	8.30 pm
Ballyconnell	Minor Hall	21st April	8 pm

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Lent & Holy Week Services

I would like to thank everyone who came along to one of our Lent or Holy Week services. Lent is a time for self-examination and reflection. For those of us who were able to get along to a service, it certainly proved to be a time when we were all challenged in different ways. Holy Week was a particularly poignant time in our services as we journeyed with Jesus to the Cross and contemplated how we might journey with Jesus beyond the Cross. On Good Friday in Ballyconnell, Richard led us in a very special service as we reflected on the message of the Cross. It was a powerful and moving experience to see our sins being nailed to the Cross and hearing the words of Jesus from the Cross when he declared “It is finished.” Sin dealt with because of His death, and the way to the Father opened up because of his sacrifice. George shared with us how we are also called to die to self as we pick up our Cross and follow Jesus. As we journeyed with Jesus to the Cross, we felt something of the pain and torment he experienced. As we journey with Jesus from the Cross, He feels the pain and torment which we too can experience as we are faithful in the picking up of our own Cross, dying to self and following Jesus wherever he leads us.

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Group Office

The work to the Group Office is now almost complete and it has to be said, it is looking really well. Hopefully, in the next couple of weeks, we will have our phone installed, our computers networked and established a pattern whereby people will know that if they contact or call at the office during specific times on specific days, they will be able to contact a member of the leadership team. It is certainly the plan to establish a form of “surgery hours” where people can call and have administrative tasks carried out. That could mean having a grant application for the Royal School signed or a passport countersigned. Details of these surgery hours will appear in next month’s newsletter, but it is not envisaged that this would amount to more than a couple of hours per week on a particular day.
Regarding the position of office administrator, to date no one has expressed any interest in this position, which is rather disappointing. The vision is very much to have someone in the office working for 15 hours per month on general administrative tasks. Please do contact Geoff if you are interested in finding out more information regarding what is involved and what the remuneration package is.

In the short term though, Sophia Whyte of Kildallon Parish has very kindly agreed to help us out until such times as we appoint someone. Sophia will be working from her home so if anyone needs to contact her then please phone 049-9526106 or e-mail nswhyte at eircom dot net. (Please change the 'at' to '@' and 'dot' to ' .' ). We are indebted to Sophia for being so willing to help us out in the immediate future as there is a very real need to have someone in this position. We remain, of course, totally committed to the plan to have an administration assistant working out of the Group Office rather than from their own home.

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New School

It was great to be in a position to announce that the contract for the new school building in Ballyconnell has been awarded to Patrick McGovern and Son of Bawnboy. Work should commence on the site during the week commencing Monday 14th April. It seems that we have journeyed some distance and been around quite a few corners in the school but it is such good news for the School Community, and indeed the Parishes. It is envisaged that if things go to plan that we should be able to complete the school within the level of grant aid from the Dept of Science and Education. Thank you to everyone involved in the decision making, and indeed the parents for ongoing support and patience in this matter.

Site for Ballyconnell Central school

Our photograph shows the site where the school is to be built, we hope to be able to have regular updates showing the construction progress.

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Enrolment for Ballyconnell Central School

Would any parents wishing to enrol their child for the September 2008 term please contact the school prior to 9th May 2008 by either calling in or telephoning 049 952 6055.

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What is Pentecost ?

Pentecost is the great festival that marks the birth of the Christian church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost means "fiftieth day" and is celebrated fifty days after Easter.

What Happened on Pentecost?

Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the twelve apostles, Jesus' mother and family, and many other of His disciples gathered together in Jerusalem for the Jewish harvest festival that was celebrated on the fiftieth day of Passover. While they were indoors praying, a sound like that of a rushing wind filled the house and tongues of fire descended and rested over each of their heads. This was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on human flesh promised by God through the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-29). The disciples were suddenly empowered to proclaim the gospel of the risen Christ. They went out into the streets of Jerusalem and began preaching to the crowds gathered for the festival. Not only did the disciples preach with boldness and vigour, but by a miracle of the Holy Spirit they spoke in the native languages of the people present, many who had come from all corners of the Roman Empire. This created a sensation. The apostle Peter seized the moment and addressed the crowd, preaching to them about Jesus' death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. The result was that about three thousand converts were baptized that day. (You can read the Biblical account of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-41).

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Tongues of fire descended and rested over each of their heads

Have You Anything You Can Contribute to this Newsletter

If you have a digital camera and could take photographs of your local parish activities we would like to hear from you.
This month we welcome photographs of the Ballyconnell prize winning Central School Float on St Patrick’s Day taken by Carol Graham.

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Changes to Our Existing Service Pattern

It has been suggested that perhaps a pre-existent service pattern in the Kildallon Group might be re-instated and to facilitate this, a number of changes have had to be implemented, mostly in the Kildallon part of the Group. The changes are as follows;
United Services (regular monthly rather than quarterly Group) will alternate between the 2nd & 3rd Sunday each month in all parts of the Group with immediate effect.
Holy Communion will alternate between the 3rd and 4th Sunday each month in the Kildallon part of the Group.

Additionally, there will be no regular monthly United Services when there is a quarterly Group Service in the same month (excluding exceptional occasions such as Confirmation in April 2008).
We very much appreciate your ongoing support as we continue to seek to establish a pattern which meets the needs of parishioners and moves us Forward! as a Church.

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Time for a smile?

An elderly woman had just returned to her home from an evening of religious service when she was startled by an intruder. As she caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables, she yelled, "Stop - Acts 2:38!" (..turn from your sin...) The burglar stopped dead in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done.
As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar, "Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to you."
"Scripture?" replied the burglar, "She said she had an AXE and two 38's!"

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Prayer points for April

Let us continue to listen to God in prayer and develop a daily routine of praying for the following on the day of the week indicated;

Monday:	For our government in Ireland as they move into a new era of leadership – pray for wisdom and integrity in all those who govern;
Tuesday:	For Hazel as she prepares for ordination – that the God who calls her onto the water with Him, will be with her as she continues to journey with Him in control;
Wednesday:	For our new School in Ballyconnell – for safety in construction and for a growing sense of what God is building in our Church through work like this;
Thursday:	For Kidz Club – that there would be full engagement with this crucial work as it moves into a new area and phase in its ministry to children;
Friday:	For our Day of Vision – pray that people would embrace the truth that God calls us to seek His kingdom first, above all other things;
Saturday:	For all those who are sick or troubled – pray for healing in their lives and peace for those who are anxious;
Sunday:	For our young people preparing for confirmation – pray that the service would be a defining moment in their lives when they step out of the boat and place their trust in Jesus.

C of I Cross

Service Schedule for the remainder of April and May

Breffni Residential Centre

Bishop Ken Clarke

1 after Service type indicates Traditional 2 after Service type indicates Contemporary
After the United Services there will be a cup of tea in the Church or local hall

News Items

GROUP NEWS

Prayer points for April

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