Eaglais na hÉireann + The Church of Ireland MALLOW UNION of Parishes
SUNDAY 23 rd JANUARY 2022 The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
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.
Please continue to make our churches safe for everyone by observing all distancing & hygiene protocols.
SERVICES TODAY
10.00am THE EUCHARIST in St Mary’s, Castletownroche
10.00am MORNING PRAYER in St Mary’s, Doneraile
11.45am THE EUCHARIST in St James’s, Mallow
NEXT WEDNESDAY 26 th JANUARY
Conversion of St Paul 11.00am
THE EUCHARIST in St James’s Church Mallow
Acts 9.1-22
Matthew 19.27-30
TODAY’S READINGS
Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10
All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their
hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the
law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
Luke 4. 14-21
Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’
NEWS ITEMS
CANDLEMAS DAY is the culmination of our Christmas & Epiphany celebrations, which we will celebrate on Sunday 30 th January. Being the fifth Sunday of the month, there will be one celebration of the Eucharist in this Union at 11.00am in St James’s, Mallow (being the largest of our churches and enabling us to ensure social distancing). The celebrant and preacher will be the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross.
CHOIR It is hoped to bring together an informal group of singers to form a choir for the Eucharist on 30 th January. If you’re interested, do come along to rehearse hymns etc. next Friday (28 th ), 8pm, St James’s Mallow and next Sunday (30 th ) at 10am, again at St James’s Mallow.
SELECT VESTRY meets next on Thursday 3rd February in the Parish Hall in Mallow at 8.00pm sharp.
MOTHERS’ UNION Hilary Dring, the Diocesan Mothers’ Union President and MU diocesan members have raised over €8,000 to
support projects being funded by the MU. Thank you to those from this Union who supported Hilary and the MU projects.
CASTLETOWNROCHE CHURCHYARD has been surveyed and recorded in a remarkable new book by Nora Ahern and Anne Daly as part of Castletownroche Tidy Towns 2021. Copies are available to purchase in St Mary’s and at Downey’s Spar in Castletownroche.
ETHNIC DIVERSITY Our life as a Union of parishes is greatly enriched by many people from a wide range of ethnicities and
cultural backgrounds who have made Ireland their home. The Church of Ireland has commissioned a new survey Ethnic
Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Justice in the Church of Ireland, launched by the Archbishop of Armagh and led by Dr Lucy Michael of the Diocese of Dublin & Glendalough. All members of the Church of Ireland are encouraged to contribute to the survey at: www.ireland.anglican.org/news/11144/ethnic-diversity-inclusion-and-racial
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
For Paul, our Bishop; and for the clergy and people of this united Diocese. In the Anglican Communion, for the Church in the Province of Hong Kong (Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui).
We pray for all those known to us, including Marjorie Thompson, Olive Kingston.
We commend to God’s mercy all who have recently died, among them Ned Foott along with those we have loved and lost whose
anniversary of death occurs at this time of year, especially William Livingstone.
We pray for all healthcare professionals, our GPs, those who work in our hospitals and vaccination centres; as well as
other areas of Irish society where large numbers of people are off work due to Covid infection, in public transport, schools and colleges, food production and transportation.
KEEPING IN TOUCH
The Reverend MEURIG WILLIAMS
Rector of Mallow Union
Telephone (022) 21473
mllwyd@aol.com
www.mallow.cloyne.anglican.or
g
Social-Media Channels
www.facebook.com/Mallow-
Union-of-Parishes-
153486538476524/
@MallowUnion
Diocesan Readers
Avril Gubbins (022) 24267
Emmanuel Adebisi
0868467464
SERVICES NEXT SUNDAY
SUNDAY 30 th JANUARY 2022
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple
(Candlemas)
11.00am FESTIVAL EUCHARIST in St James’s, Mallow
Celebrant & Preacher
The Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton
Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross