Mallow Union Newsletter
St. James’ Mallow, St. Mary’s Doneraile, St. Mary’s Castletownroche
October 2020
Rector in Charge: Canon Alan Marley
021/4902459
Email: alan.marley@ucc.ie
Pastoral Care: Rev. Tony Murphy
087/8327347
Email: tmurphy@tmahr.com
Website: www.mallow.cork.anglican.org
Facebook: Mallow Union of Parishes
Lay Readers: Avril Gubbins 022/24267
Emmanuel Adebisi 022/20477
NEWSFLASH
September 25, 2020
Appointment to Mallow Union of Parishes, United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross Archdeacon Adrian Wilkinson, Commissary to the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, is delighted to announce the appointment of the Venerable Meurig Williams, who currently is serving as Archdeacon of France and Monaco, Commissary and Chaplain to the Bishop in Europe, to be the new Incumbent of Mallow Union of Parishes.
Meurig Williams was born in Bangor, North Wales, where his father was a Baptist minister and grew up in a Welsh-speaking home. After studying modern languages at the University of Aberystwyth, including a year in Bordeaux, he was a teacher in a secondary school near Cardiff for four years.
He returned to the University of Wales to study theology and trained for ordination at Westcott House, Cambridge. He was ordained in Bangor Cathedral in 1992 and served a curacy in the port town of Holyhead.
He subsequently served as Incumbent of Pwllheli, a market town in rural North-West Wales; and then became an Incumbent in Cardiff. He returned to Bangor as Archdeacon in 2005. In 2011 he moved to become Commissary to the Bishop in Europe – a role which he combined with being Archdeacon of North-West Europe (serving Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) before his current appointment as Archdeacon of France in 2016.
He currently has oversight of 83 congregations across France, many of which serve scattered, rural populations.
Meurig has been involved in fostering strong ecumenical relationships throughout his ministry, and is currently involved in discussions between the Church of England and the French Protestant churches. He also has good working relationships with the Roman Catholic Church in France and as a fluent French-speaking Anglican has contributed to various ecumenical conferences, including at the Catholic Institute in Paris.
Meurig writes:
I am very excited about moving to become Rector of the Mallow Union, particularly in returning to being a pastor and an encourager in the local Church. I am especially energised by a move to Mallow as the town experiences growth and development, with an increasingly diverse population, as well as enabling the three churches to flourish in their distinctive ways. I enjoy art, cooking, cycling, gardening, music and walking – and am especially looking forward to discovering more of County Cork and Munster, as well as living and ministering in the Western-most part of the European Union. Above all, I am keen to get to know the people of the Union of parishes and the wider communities in which they are set as, together, we discern the future direction of the Church of Ireland community at the Crossroads of Munster.
Mallow Union of Parishes is located in the north-west corner of County Cork covering the area from the Kerry Border in the west to the Awbeg River in the east, and from the Limerick border to the north to the Nagle and Boggeragh Mountains in the south. It occupies mainly the beautiful Blackwater Valley and extends into the mountains on each side. It stands on the crossroads between the Limerick to Cork and Killarney to Cahir roads – the ‘crossroads of Munster’ – and is the first main station on the Cork to Dublin railway line: two and a quarter hours from Dublin by rail and twenty-five minutes from Cork by road or rail.
A special word of thanks to all our parish nominators and all the other nominators, Bishop and Archdeacon for all their work in nominating our new rector in these very challenging times.
Harvest Services
Thanks to all involved today in the harvest services and to Emmanuel, Rev. Tony Murphy and Canon Alan Marley for taking the services. Castletownroche Collection is for Christian Aid, Doneraile is for Edel House, Cork. Mallow is for The Irish Emergency Appeal Coronavirus for seven of the worlds poorest countries.
The Harvest service in St. James’ Church today would have been very different, not alone the building not being decorated as usual and the usual crowd not being there but John Coulter not being present. September/October would have been very special to John as his birthday was in September and he would also have looked forward to decorating the church for the Harvest Service as well as for Christmas. Church was his life all through his years. On a recent post on Facebook when there was a picture put up for his birthday there were several messages put up about him and here are some of them which summed up John.
“What a lovely photograph” “A really lovely man”
“A true gentleman” “Lovely picture thinking of ye all”
“ Ah look. That’s such a lovely photograph. Lovely memories. Pure Gentleman”
“A great man, Thinking of you all. He is missed”
“lovely photo, he was such a nice man”
“John was the life and soul of St. James Mallow, anytime I worked there John made tea, brought in sandwiches, was so pleasant to deal with, and loved his music”
“Awww…The lovely John…Forever missed”
“Yes great man we remember you always, may you continue to rest in peace. John we love you but Jesus loves you more”
General Vestry Meeting 7th October 2020 (Easter Vestry)
Thanks to all who returned nomination forms for the elections which are due to take place at the General Vestry. This is a triennial year which means not only have we elections for the Select Vestry but also for those who are to represent us at Diocesan Synod and also those who will be our Parish nominators for the next three years ( hopefully they wont be needed!!!)
Thanks also to all those who have allowed their names to go forward for election to the various different positions.
Thanks,
Linda Deane (Secretary of the Vestry)
Mini-Vegetable Sales
We would like to thank John and Jean Gardiner for there mini vegetable sales. This year due to Covid 19 they were unable to have their annual vegetable sale and cup of tea etc, so instead they brought some vegetables to Doneraile and these were purchased by the parishioners there. The proceeds are for parish funds.
Baptism
On Sunday the 6th September we welcomed Dylan Christopher Bolster into the church along with his parents, godparents and family. Thanks to Canon Alan Marley for taking this service.
At the moment we are in Autumn usually we would be having branch meetings and meeting up but this year due to restrictions we can’t do that. On the 6th October the Trustees in Cork plan to record a Virtual Festival Service with commissioning of Trustees. Archdeacon Adrian Wilkinson will commission our new trustees. A service sheet will be sent out for the service. The service will be available via Mothers Union Facebook page on Sunday the 11th October at 4pm.
Hope everyone will get time to watch it. You can watch it anytime after that Sunday or help others to watch it who may have missed out.
Thanks to each church who did prayers or put together service for Mary Sumner Day which took place on 9th August it was great to be able to celebrate when it fell on a Sunday this year.
Also thanks to Hazel Sherlock or any other knitters who made the knitted squares with the little prayer. It was a way of keeping in
touch in these uncertain times.
If anyone would like to order christmas cards diaries etc.. I have a catalogue if interested. Please ring Ruth Sherlock 086/1588719 as
this year we will not be able to have the Enterprise box but I am happy to take orders and deliver to anyone interested.
Loving Lord, Help us to be fruitful in our Work for Mothers’ Union
To grow initiatives that bring hope to the vulnerable
and the downhearted bringing new life
where there is often despair.
Amen
Historic Graves
The Historic Graves project is a community focused heritage project where locals are trained in a field survey of historic graveyards and
recording of their own oral histories. They build a multi-media online record of the historic graves in their own areas and unite to form a national resource. This is hugely beneficial to anyone with an interest in local history and family research. When completed any graveyard can be explored from the comfort of your own home.
Over the past few months all our local graveyards are being surveyed and, thanks to Mrs.Ina Lillis, St. Mary’s Churchyard and church have been included, and so, in early September some of us had a great time deciphering and recording all the graves and monuments in Doneraile Church under the professional training and guidance of Archaeologist, Mr. John Tierney and funded by Ballyhoura Development Ltd.. There was a healthy mix of old and young, parishioners and others, including Archdeacon Casey, the nearest neighbour to the church. We were also delighted to have Mr. George Buckley there to record some anecdotes and local happenings from the past.
St. Mary’s Castletownroche will be recording their graveyard sometime in October weather permitting.
Christmas Concert
It was decided a few months ago to cancel the Christmas Concerts this year. The concert has for many years been one of the highlights of the year and one of our major fundraising events to rather than loose out completely I have decided to do the concert on Facebook and create a go fund me page which would allow people to donate to the parish. It will be something for people to look forward to. The concert will be recorded in the Church and people can enjoy it in the comfort of their own home. I would appreciate if you could help advertise this nearer the time and encourage your friends and family to tune in on the night. All this will depend on restrictions etc. But I will do my best to bring it about.
Susan Brennan
DIARY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
7th October General Vestry Meeting at 8pm (Normal called Easter
Vestry) in St. James’ Church Mallow
11th October MU Virtual Festival Service at 4pm on MU Facebook
December Christmas Concert on Facebook
(more information to follow)
SUNDAY READINGS
4th October (Trinity 17) Green
Deuteronomy 8:7-18 Psalm 65 2 Corinthians 9: 6-15 Luke 17: 11-19
Harvest Service readings as above. Services Harvest themed.
Castletownroche 10am M.P. Emmanuel Adebisi
Collection is for Christian Aid
Doneraile 10am M.P. Rev Tony Murphy
Collection is for Edel House, Cork
Mallow 11.45am M.P. Canon Alan Marley
Collection is for The Irish Emergency Appeal Coronavirus
for seven of the worlds poorest countries.
11th October (Trinity 18) Green
Exodus 32: 1-14 Psalm 106: 1-6, 19-23 Philippians 4: 1-9 Matthew 22: 1-14
Castletownroche 10am H.C. Rev Tony Murphy
Doneraile 10am M.P. Family Service Avril Gubbins
Mallow 11.45am M.P. Emmanuel Adebisi
18th October (Trinity 19) Green
Exodus 33: 12-23 Psalm 99 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-10 Matthew 22: 15-22
Castletownroche 10am M.P. Avril Gubbins
Doneraile 10am H.C. Canon Alan Marley
Mallow 11.45am H.C. Canon Alan Marley
25th October (Trinity 20) Green
Deuteronomy 34: 1-12 Psalm 90: 1-6, 13-17 1 Thessalonians 2: 1-8
Matthew 22: 34-46
Castletownroche 10am M.P. Emmanuel Adebisi
(changed to MP as no clergy available)
Doneraile 10am M.P. Avril Gubbins
Mallow 11.45am M.P. Emmanuel Adebisi
1st November (Trinity 21) Green
Joshua 3: 7-17 Psalm 107: 1-7, 33-37 1 Thessalonians 2: 9-13
Matthew 23: 1-12
to be confirmed
If you have anything to put in the November magazine please give to
Diana Buckley before Monday 12th October and for the November
Newsletter please give to Diana before Wednesday 28th October.
Email: dianabuckley2@gmail.com or mobile 086/1547810 or address
Bridgetown, Castletownroche.