Eaglais na hÉireann + The Church of Ireland
MALLOW UNION of Parishes
SUNDAY 12th DECEMBER 2021
The Third Sunday of Advent
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
FÁILTE / WELCOME to everyone who worships in our churches today
Please take a moment to check you have switched off your phone before worship begins.
Holy Communion will continue to be administered in one kind only and worshippers will receive the consecrated bread.
Very happily, we are now able to resume refreshments after services on Sundays for those who wish to stay. We are also able to sing (gently behind masks!) Please continue to make our churches safe for everyone by observing distancing & hygiene protocols.
SERVICES TODAY
10.00am MORNING PRAYER
at St Mary’s, Doneraile
11.45am THE EUCHARIST
at St James’s, Mallow
3.00pm FESTIVAL OF LESSONS & CAROLS
at St Mary’s Castletownroche
NEXT WEDNESDAY
15th December 2021
11.00am
THE EUCHARIST in St James’s Church Mallow
Isaiah 45.6b-8
Luke 7.18b-23
TODAY’S COLLECT & READINGS
Collect
O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger
to prepare your way before you: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight; for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.
Zephaniah 3: 14-20
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.
Luke 3: 7-18
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’ And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’ As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with* the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
NEWS ITEMS
CHRISTMAS CARD giving details of all worship in the Union over the Christmas period is available today. Inevitably, there may have to be some adjustments if public health regulations change. Please take one as you leave church. If you would like more to pass on to people who may be interested, do let the Rector (or the churchwardens) know.
CHRISTMAS MARKET Thanks to Susan Brennan, Linda Deane, Diana Buckley and all who helped with, and purchased from, the Mallow Union Pop-Up at the Christmas Markets in St James’s, Malow over the past two Fridays. This has been a very positive opportunity for us as a Union of Parishes to be visibly engaged in the life of the wider community.
DIOCESAN MAGAZINE A consultation is currently taking place about the format and content of the magazine, as the Diocese seeks to connect more effectively with the communities served by all the parishes of the Diocese. The Rector will be glad to receive comments to pass on (anonymized if you wish).
MOTHERS’ UNION has produced a 16-day prayer diary for use during Advent to enable us to join in prayer across the Church of Ireland to highlight and combat domestic abuse and other gender-based violence. Copies are available in all our churches.
AFTER CHRISTMAS DAY A reminder that, on St Stephen’s Day (Sunday 26th December) there will be one service only in this Union, which will be a celebration of the Eucharist at St James’s, Mallow at 11.00am. We will celebrate the feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, one of principal festivals of the Church of Ireland, on Sunday 2nd January. In addition to morning worship at 10.00am in Castletownroche and Doneraile, there will be a Christingle Celebration at St James’s, Mallow at 4.00pm (but no morning worship in Mallow that day).
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
For Paul, our Bishop; and for the clergy and people of this united Diocese. In the Anglican Communion, for the Anglican Church of Canada.
We pray for all those known to us, including John Ladd, Peter, Nicky, Ned Foott, Marjorie Thompson, Olive Kingston, Melissa, Margaret, Katie; Sylvia, Tyler and Tierney Burke;
We commend to God’s mercy all who have recently died, among them Bose Akanu, Kenneth Wilkinson (priest) and Martin Burke, along with those we have loved and lost whose anniversary of death occurs at this time of year.
We pray for all who are facing added restrictions in these coming weeks, in our schools and in the hospitality sector – especially those struggling with the loss of business and income. KEEPING IN TOUCH
The Reverend MEURIG WILLIAMS
Rector of Mallow Union
Telephone (022) 21473
mllwyd@aol.com
www.mallow.cloyne.anglican.org
Social-Media Channels
www.facebook.com/Mallow-Union-of-Parishes-153486538476524/
@MallowUnion
Diocesan Readers
Avril Gubbins (022) 24267
Emmanuel Adebisi
0868467464
SERVICES NEXT SUNDAY
19th December 2021 : The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Micah 5. 2-5a; Luke 1. 39-45
10.00am ST MARY’S, CASTLETOWNROCHE
THE EUCHARIST
3.00pm ST MARY’S, DONERAILE
A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS & CAROLS
7.00pm ST JAMES’S MALLOW
A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS