Harvest Festival
On Sunday 20th September we were privileged to have Revd. Daniel Owens as our Harvest Preacher before he sets out to traces the steps of St Finn barre and heads west to the Kilgarfe Union. If the words he shared with us are a foretaste of the message he will bring to Kilgarfe indeed they will be twice blessed to have him as their Rector and Spiritual mentor.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank John Coulter and his band of merry helpers for turning the Church out so well. To Ed Winters Organist, our children’s choir, the adult choir and the pupils of Mallow No 1, National School and their teachers lead by Mrs Sheila Collins (Principal). Our Churchwardens Ruth Sherlock and Emmanuelle Adebisi. To those who provided the Refreshments afterwards in the Parish Hall
On the following Sunday afternoon 28th September we headed to Doneraile to celebrate the Harvest there. In Doneraile it is truly a community celebration with the local choir from the Catholic Church partaking in the ceremony and members of the wider community joining in our celebrations.
I would like to thank Dean Alan Marley, for the wonderful address he gave as our Harvest Preacher. I would like to thank all those who helped and participated in the festival, Avril Gubbins & Olive Buckley Diocesan Readers, Dr. Yvelynne Kelly (Our Organist), Therese O Callaghan and her Choir, Our own choir. Those, who decorated the Church and provided the refreshments, Money raised from our Harvest Festival this year will be used to Fund Christian Aid Work in Haiti, where we hope to link up with a local Church and School.
Church 21
Church 21, the parish Church 21 panel and I attended the Church 21 conference in St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra 11th to 13th Sept. The theme of the conference, being, ‘Vision: What It Is, How To Get It, Share It And Implement It’.
The keynote speaker was the Revd Ian Coffey, Director of Leadership Training at Moorlands College, Ian, ‘Asked churches to consider where they are on their church life-cycle, challenge any “survival mentality” and offered advice on managing change, setting priorities, anticipating hurdles and inspiring others to see a vision for churches through to completion.’
The Conference also included a series of workshops, looking at themes such as: ‘A Church for All Ages?’ – Is it possible to build a church where people of all ages can worship and grow together? ; ‘Doing Church Differently’ – How do churches engage with those who don’t easily fit in to traditional structures? ; ‘Growing Closer: Growing Deeper’ – How can we help develop for ourselves and others around us a faith relevant to the 21st century? ; ‘Managing Change’; ‘Team Talk’ – What would good team leadership in our parish look like?); ‘Strategic Outreach’ – How do churches engage proactively with local communities? and ‘Small is Beautiful?’ – The challenges of building a common vision across a group of small parishes.
Elizabeth Bowen Commemoration
On Sunday 13 September, the annual memorial service for the writer, Elizabeth Bowen, took place in St Colman‘s Church, Farahy (near Kildorrery) Co. Cork. The service was taken by the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Dr Robert MacCarthy, and the address was given by Dr Maud Ellmann, Professor of Irish Studies at Notre Dame University and author of “Elizabeth Bowen: The Shadow across the Page”. The service took the form of Evening Prayer (old form).
Upcoming Events
Castletownroche Harvest Festival will be held on Sunday 11th October at 3.00pm.
On Friday 16th October the annual Thomas Davis Commemoration and Ecumenical Service will be held in St James` Church Mallow at 8pm all welcome.
Parish Web Site has gone live, thanks to the work of Charlotte Kitto, though we need to tweak it a little, we hope shortly to add a children’s corner which will have a monthly competition.
Other Community News
Baptisms: on Sunday 6th September Amanda Ellen Gardiner, daughter to Valerie and Andrew Gardiner from Ballyclough was baptised in St Marys Church Doneraile.
Bereavement On September 14th Ronnie Mc Grath, passed away in Heatherside Hospital Doneraile, Ronnie was a resident in Heatherside for a number of years, prior to that he would have been living in Vicars Road Cork, and a resident in Skiddys before becoming ill. A prayer Service was held in the Chapel in Heatherside Hospital followed by funeral service and burial in St. Lukes Douglas.
Services
- Normal Weekday Services. in St James Church Mallow
Morning Prayer 9.30am, Monday, Thursday & Friday. - The Eucharist Wednesday 11.00 am.
- First Wednesday of the month Celebration of Wholeness & Healing, 11.30am
Sunday Services
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- Castletownroche 9.15am
- Doneraile 10.30am
- Mallow 12:00pm
On Friday 16th October the annual Thomas Davis Commemoration and Ecumenical Service will be held in St James` Church Mallow at 8pm all welcome