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Among us you are all equal The words of Paul in his letter
to the Church at Galatia (Gal 3: 28 The Message). As I think about those
words I am reminded of a comment or statement which I heard once which
said that we belong to a nation of equals………only some
are more equal than others!! But what does it really mean to be equal.
Well it certainly does not mean that we all look the same or weigh the
same!! But in the world we live there is more and more legislation to
support the rights of the minority, to ensure that everyone gets a fair
share, that no one slips through the safety net or is compromised within
our society to the detriment of their well-being. At times we can all
feel that equality legislation can go a bit far – I’m not
going to mention any incidences when I think that this has been the
case but at times it can seem almost as if the tail is wagging the dog.
But isn’t equality a positive thing and something to be encouraged?
Well I believe that it is and it is something which we should be encouraging
not only in the world but specifically in our Church. Paul as he wrote
to the Church in Galatia was addressing a real problem in the congregation
– the Church was growing!! I can hear many of you saying to yourselves
as you read this “I wish we had that type of problem!” But
with growth there is also a need for careful treatment and supervision,
otherwise problems can develop. The growth in the Galatian context was
specifically growing through Gentile converts, people who had not been
circumcised as the Jewish Christians in this early period would have
been. False teachers had come into the Church and were insisting that
these new converts must be circumcised in order to ensure their salvation
and Paul answered this false teaching strongly by stating In Christ’s
family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free,
male and female. Among us you are all equal. What is essential is our
trusting faith in Jesus, a faith which is written on our hearts, written
on our hearts. Jesus sees beyond the exterior which we present
to one another and goes right to the core of our being and examines
our hearts. That is both liberating and frightening. Liberating in the
sense that it does not really matter what the world thinks of us as
Jesus sees beyond our frail bodies and sees the person beyond the facade.
We might be the least in our family or community, but we can trust that
Jesus died just for us because the Bible tells us so. Frightening in
the sense that Jesus knows the darkest secrets which no one else in
the world knows.
Jesus came to bring salvation and freedom to those who were perishing. He throws us a life saving ring as we bob up and down in cold, deep waters, unable to save ourselves. Let us reach out and grasp this gracious offer and know that we really matter to Jesus, regardless of how the world sees us. We matter enough to him that he died a horrific death for each one of us and through trusting faith in the blood shed for us we share in his freedom and know true equality without the need for courts or legislation.
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News ItemsSWANLINBAR GROUP NEWSForward! NewsI wrote in the last issue of our notes that we had hoped to hold a number of events in our group for different age groups in December…..and we certainly will be meeting our promise!! Trip to the cinema and McDonald’sThis will take place on Saturday 17th December with a trip to the Omniplex in Enniskillen followed by a meal in Ronald McDonald’s that is assuming the children do not mind going to McDonald’s!! This trip is aimed at our Sunday School children, though it is also open to our young people as well. The plan is to see something like Nanny McPhee in the afternoon (times not yet available) followed by a Happy Meal. Sunday School children will be contacted about this by their teacher, but anyone else who would like to go along should contact the Rectory in order that we can make the relevant bookings and benefit from group discounts. The cost of this trip will be in the region of £6. +++ Sunday School PartyThis will take place in St Paul’s Hall, Kinawley between 2 pm & 5 pm on either Thursday 22nd or Friday 23rd December. This party is for all of the children in our group and certainly was a great success last year as the children played games and had great fun under the leadership of Beatrice. Of course Santa comes at the end of the party and this all adds to the excitement of the season. +++ Senior Citizen’s Dinner This has been organised between 4 pm & 8.30
pm on Friday 16th December. The feast will begin with soup and then
a choice of roast beef or chicken along with three veg and all the trimmings,
and topped off with a choice of three sweets and tea/coffee and more
goodies (my mouth is even watering as I am writing these notes!!). And
then as if that wasn’t enough, we have laid on entertainment in
the form of Mr Robert Wilson of Florencecourt. This is not to be missed
and we encourage all of our Senior Citizens, from the whole group, to
come along. Transport will be provided for anyone who needs it and the
whole evening will be absolutely free.
There are so many things which you could do and we would love to enable you to be part of this developing work. Please contact the Rectory with any offers of help or materials in order that the whole thing can be co-ordinated and if you have any other ideas of things which would add to the evening do not hesitate to give me a ring with your thoughts. +++ Bowling trip to Cavan for teens, 20s, 30s and others!!We have organised this event for everyone who really doesn’t fit into our senior’s dinner or our children’s trip! If you are asking yourself if this is really for you then if you enjoy bowling (or would like to learn) and you enjoy eating, then this really is the one for you. The plan is to leave Tomregan Parish Hall, Ballyconnell or some other pre-arranged rendezvous at 5.15pm on Friday 30th December and go bowling at Astra, Cavan followed by some food in The Derragarra Inn, Butler’s Bridge. The total cost of this is just €11 so don’t delay as we are limited to just 36 places. Contact the Rectory to book your place and avoid disappointment. +++ Holy Communion Service in Breffni Residential Care Centre, BallyconnellIt was most encouraging, once again, to share in the Holy Communion in Breffni on Tuesday last, not least because we were joined by folk from outside our Group who had heard of this little service and came along to be part of this ministry. After the service was finished we continued to share in fellowship through a cup of tea and some homemade short bread! Anyone reading these notes who feels that they would like to come along on the second Tuesday of each month will be made to feel most welcome. Our next service will be in the Breffni at 2 pm on Tue 13th December. +++ Attention all carol singers!!Come out of the woodwork all you closet singers as we prepare to bring the Good News of Jesus to folk who will be unable to make it to any of our Advent Carol Services! We hope to take a group of enthusiastic singers, both young and not so young, along to the Breffni Residential Care Centre one evening in the lead up to Christmas and to encourage the residents through the bringing of the Christian message in a most traditional way. So if you would like to be part of this then please give me a ring in the Rectory. Date to be arranged. +++ Advent Carol Services Our Advent Carol Services will take place this
year as follows; +++ Christmas Day Communion Services Have been arranged as follows; +++ Our SympathiesAre extended to John Ebbit and the whole Ebbit/Reilly family circle in the tragic loss of John’s sister Yvonne in a farm accident recently. It can be so difficult to express what we feel at times and I know the sense of shock and loss is great for many people as a result of Yvonne’s sudden death. But we do pray that the sense of loss will diminish with each new day and that Yvonne’s life may have been an inspiration to those of us who knew her. +++ Sustentation/Free-will offerings We really value the gifts of all our parishioners
and friends of the various Parishes in our group – without your
giving the work of the Church would not be possible. But we would like
to gently encourage people to ensure that their offerings are with the
various Parish Treasurers by the last Sunday of the year, ie 25th December.
If we all comply with this request then the Treasurers will have opportunity
to bank your gifts before the end of the financial year, ie 31st December,
and they will then be in a position to produce a set of accounts based
on the balance in the account at that date. +++ Swanlinbar Parish Annual Sale of WorkOur annual sale of work in Swanlinbar Parish will take place on Saturday 10th December between 2pm & 4pm in the Old School House, Swanlinbar. If you would like to buy your Christmas cake, logs for the fire, or even some crafts or bric a brac then the sale of work is the place to be. All proceeds will be for Parish Funds. +++ Kilmore Christmas Dream Auction and Cake SaleI have been asked to announce that this will begin at 8.30pm on Saturday 3rd December in Ballinagh Community Centre. I am afraid that anyone wishing to go should not contact for me for directions as I have no notion of how to get there!! +++ Blood Transfusion ServiceThe next blood donation session will be held in St Aidan’s High School, Derrylin on Friday 25th Nov between 2.30pm & 4pm and also 5.15pm & 8pm. Please support this vital service is you are in a position to give blood. +++ Tomregan Guest TeaThis will take place on Friday 25th November in the Parish Hall, beginning at 8pm. Dancing will be to the music of Michael Moran and a few (very few) tickets are still available priced at €10/£6.50. Contact the rectory for more details. +++ Some humour to smile at! Some parents may have heard this one from their
offspring! +++
+++ And some of the wives in the Parish may be able to identify only too easily with THE LAMENT OF A FARMER’S WIFE Why don’t you speak in
the morning Don’t expect y’ to
sing in the morning Well you talk to the dog in the
morning You can talk on the phone in the
morning Do all farmers say nowt in the
mornings Can you never be bright in the
morning We’re not asking for much
in the morning +++
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Back to TOP+ + + Service Schedule for the remainder of October and November
Please click here to go to the Service Schedule which will be updated with the latest information as soon as it becomes available. + + + |
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