Some Thanks

From Danny, Sean Corrigan, Lasse Morgan, Dean Teggart and Kiaran Kiernan to everyone who made the recent fund-raising dance a great success. Thanks also to all who baked, donated food and prizes for the raffle, all who sent donations, those who prepared the Resource Centre for the evening and the ladies from Templeport Social Services who helped with the catering on the night. The total amount raised on the night was €1, 755.

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MU Opening service

This will take place at 8pm in Corrawallen Parish Church on Tuesday 16th Sept. New members are always welcome, especially from the younger age group. There is a myth which abounds regarding the work of MU; it goes something along the lines of baking tray bakes and wearing stout shoes because your arches have fallen! MU are engaged in much more than catering and fashion. Their work supports those in real need in our own community and abroad, supporting the institution of marriage and family at a time when they are being challenged from so many different areas. Why not come along and find out more about its work. If you are interested in finding out more, either come along to the service or contact the branch secretary, Mrs Naomi Wilson on 00 353 499521404. (RoI 049 9521404)

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A Thanks from Bethany Wilson To everyone who contributed to the recent coffee morning to raise funds for my trip to China with Youth With A Mission. €2,025 was raised on the day and through associated donations. I had a great time and was massively challenged by what I saw and the stories of the people I encountered. At some stage in mid-September (date yet to be decided) there will be an opportunity to come along some evening and hear all about my trip and the difference your gifts will have made in another continent.

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Harvest supper and concert

Who could forget our Harvest supper and concert last year in the community centre Kildallon. It was perhaps one of the most memorable occasions since our amalgamation in May 2007. I believe that the key to the success of the night was quite simply down to the participation of you the parishioner. Some people may have felt quite out of their depth and others may have been much more comfortable on the stage, but together we all made it a most enjoyable night.
We would like to build on that foundation with an even better night's entertainment this year. We will have the same format as last year with the program comprising sketches, dancing, music, song and yarn telling; whatever your particular talent is, please share it with us all! As with last year, someone from your Parish may well approach you and ask you if you are too shy to come forward. Please do respond generously to such approaches and lets all come together and have another great night in our Group.

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A note regarding service schedules

As a result of a request from a number of parishioners, with effect from September 2008, we are introducing a more regular & predictable service pattern in the Swanlinbar part of our group. The new pattern will pair Kinawley with Ballyconnell and Swanlinbar with Templeport with the former pairing having services on the 2nd and 4th Sundays and the latter pairing having services on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. This will now mean that the United Family and service of Holy Communion will alternate between the 1st and 2nd Sunday. This may seem a little confusing, but if you are accustomed to simply following your newsletter for service times etc, then just continue to do so! Of course this will mean no less services in the Group, it just means that people will be able to forecast the location of a service in 6 months time!
And the implications of this change will now mean that the United Family service will alternate with the service of Holy Communion between the 3rd and 4th Sundays in the Kildallon part of the Group. Arrangements for Holy Communion in September are exceptional due to the Harvest celebrations.
I apologise for what may seem to be more changes just for the sake of it, but some of these changes have come about as a result of listening to feedback from others.

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Templeport Foróige Meetings resume on September the 8th at 7.30pm in Templeport Resource Centre, new members are welcome. Foróige’s work is directed primarily at young people in their adolescent years. óige club membership is confined to boys and girls in the 12-18 age group. The purpose of Foróige is to enable young people to involve themselves consciously and actively in their own development and in the development of society. This challenges and supports young people to involve themselves in developing their character and talents.Thinking for themselves,

Reflecting on their actions and taking responsibility, Having fun and making friends, Building positive and helpful relationships, Acquiring knowledge and skills for life, Improving the community. Templeport Foróige is one of the 20 clubs in Ireland who have been selected to receiveat thePermanent TSB youth citizenshipAwards to be held in Croke Park in October of this year. This Award is a great achievement for the club who put ina lot of work into their projects in their first year togetherwe hope with the help of new members we can make this year a success too.

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Christianity Explored

This highly regarded course took place in Ballyconnell last year. From visiting some folk who went to it, I know it was a great way for folks to explore the Christian faith.
In an informal setting the course essentially deals with 3 questions

At whatever stage of your Christian journey you presently find yourself this is a great course for you.
If you are exploring what Christianity is all about but not yet committed to Jesus, it's for you.
Similarly you might be in your twenties or retired in your eighties and a committed follower of Jesus and this is also for you. Seriously it is for anyone wanting to grow in faith. You might even have done the course before but want to be refreshed by it again.

This year we will be running the course in Newtowngore Parish hall and this is for everyone in the group.
It will run on Wednesday evenings beginning 1st October running for 10 weeks. There is also one day away after week 6. Meetings will start at 8.30 pm with a cup of tea/coffee and informal chat, a presentation
through a DVD and some discussion regarding what we have seen. There will be more details next month.

Please let Geoff or myself know if you intend to come along as there is some material which needs to be ordered in advance for each participant.

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Holy Baptism We welcome into the family of the church, three new members through baptism. Liam Mark and Justin Pearse O’Reilly were baptised in Corrawallen Parish Church on Sunday 27th July and Alastair William Hewson was baptised in Ballyconnell Parish Church on Sunday 3rd August. Richard described infant baptism as the first cut in the cake which represents our Christian life – well put and well received by all at Corrawallen Parish Church. May these three little boys grow in their knowledge of Jesus and may their parents nurture them in the faith into which they have been baptised.

TOP    +++ Holiday Cover Geoff is presently on holiday to Sunday 24th August inclusive. In an emergency please contact Richard during Geoff’s absence. +++ Swanlinbar - Kildallon Group Office Surgery hours 14th August 2 - 4 pm   26th August 11.am - 1.pm   11th September 9.30 - 11.30am   21st September 2 - 4 pm   1st October 2 - 4 pm   +++ A letter of thanks from Rev Hazel Hicks I want to convey my sincere thanks to all the people of the Swanlinbar/Kildallon group for the beautiful and generous gift of a set of stoles, which I will use for my entire future ministry. Although my ministry will always be about serving God using the gifts and abilities he has richly blessed me with, when I wear the stoles I will remember with love and gratitude the very special and happy placement in your Parish group. Thank you also to all who attended my ordination service in Kilmore, those who provided food for the tea and to so many people who phoned or sent me cards, letters, emails and gifts. A special thank you to Bethany, Mark and Helen for playing so many of my favourite hymns. As I have spent so much of my working life with young people it was great to have youth participation in the service. I have always had a very warm welcome in the Swanlinbar/Kildallon group and my placement was more of the same-I immediately felt part of the family of the group-thank you to all of you for your prayers, friendship and support. Geoff, I have learned so much about parish ministry from you. I joined your new group at a time of great change-when the former two parish groups of Swanlinbar and Kildallon had come together and you had been instituted Rector. I've nothing but admiration for you, the leadership team and the parishioners for the achievements of the past year and the great progress that has been made in such a short time. It was great to be part of the leadership team, planning. praying and sharing in leading worship with Diocesan Readers, Parish Readers, Richard, the late George Browne and yourself The other experience that was such a privilege for me was visiting people in hospitals and in their own homes. My placement with you has helped me lay a very solid foundation on which I will build the rest of my ministry and I will always be grateful to all of you for that. Geoff I would certainly nominate you as a training Rector for the future. I will continue to keep all of you in my prayers and may God richly bless your Parish group as you continue your journey together. Please keep me in your prayers as I take another step on my journey of service. I will always remember your kindness to me. Kind Regards Hazel Above: Rev Geoff presenting the stoles to Hazel Hicks Below: Hazel Hicks Ordination Photo From the Left: Rev Hazel Hicks, Mark Crawford, Helen Graham, Bethany Wilson +++ Bereavements Our sympathies are extended to the Fisher and Gray family circles in the loss of Christy and Minnie. Saying good bye to a loved one is never easy, even when they reach a good age. May both families know God’s comfort and peace in the midst of their grief.   +++

United Group Vestry meeting

We will be holding next meeting on Monday 15th September at 8 pm in Ballyconnell Parish Hall. As well as dealing with normal business at this meeting, we will also begin to take a look at how we as a Group engage with Mission at home and abroad. To that end there will be presentations from a couple of agencies regarding partnership in mission, what it is, how it works and the benefits for all concerned. Geoff will be writing to each vestry member to encourage as full an attendance as possible and to explain more about this particular development.

Regular Vestry meetings

Would members of Vestry please note the following meetings for September;

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Harvest celebrations for 2008

Some dates for your diary for the forthcoming Harvest celebrations;
Do try and make a special effort to visit a church you have never been to before.

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  Training evening for people working with children & young people

Some advance notice of a forthcoming training evening for all adults working with children and young people in our group. This is an annual program of training at which everyone engaged in such work is expected to attend. The whole idea of the training is to update workers on latest changes in policies and procedures and to ensure that our volunteers feel supported and resourced in their vital work with our most vulnerable members. The training evening for this year will take place on Thursday 11th September in Ballyconnell Parish Hall at 7.30 pm.

After the Safeguarding Trust training, Rev Paul Hoey will address the workers on their role and how we might develop our ministry to children and young people. This should be a most valuable evening and all workers are strongly encouraged to attend.

Sunday School material for the forthcoming term will be distributed at this meeting in time for the resumption of our Sunday School following the end of our Harvest celebrations.

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New Central School Update

It is great to see the school progressing so quickly. By the time you read this the roof timbering should have been started. Below you will see the roof timbers being unloaded from the low loader lorry. Another piece of good news is that the school will have geothermal heating saving the environment and reducing the running costs.

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