PEALING BELLS After a period of restoration and refurbishment, the bells of St Mary’s, Doneraile, rang out once more after a period of silence in a new peal on Wednesday 13th September. We are grateful to the committee who oversaw the work, undertaken by Matthew Higby of Shepton Mallet in Somerset – and to the ringers who enabled us to hear the restored bells as they rang out across the parish once again.
HARVEST CELEBRATIONS At the time of writing, we are preparing for the first of our Harvest celebrations at St James’s Church Mallow. As well as a specially themed farmers’ market and Culture Night concert on the Friday evening, there was also a market for local craftspeople and growers to display and sell their work on the Saturday. Canon Tom Sherlock of Kingston College preached at the celebratory Songs of Praise on the Sunday afternoon, which was attended by parishioners and friends from other churches. The celebrations continue on Sunday 8th October at St Mary’s, Castletownroche, at 3.00pm (at which the preacher will be the Reverend Meghan Farr, Priest-in-Charge of St Anne’s, Shandon); and Sunday 15th October at 3.00pm in St Mary’s, Doneraile (at which the preacher will be the Reverend Abigail Sines, Associate Priest in the Carrigrohane Union). Each service will be followed by refreshments and all are very welcome.
SUMMER FÊTE Torrential rain on the day of our annual Summer Fête could not dampen spirits or the hard work of everyone who gave their time and energy to prepare for a very enjoyable day and welcome those who came to St James’s Church, Mallow. This annual event, in support of the mission and ministry of this Union of parishes, always draws a good crowd who come to enjoy the atmosphere, the refreshments (including a barbecue) and the array of produce and crafts on sale. Thank you to everyone who made it such a pleasurable occasion.
ECUMENICAL WORSHIP The regular monthly meetings for prayer and fellowship for Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Methodists and people from other Christian traditions recommenced after the summer break at the end of September. We meet on the fourth Sunday of each month, in the hall at the rear of the Convent of Mercy, Main Street, Charleville. The next occasion will be Sunday 22nd October at 7.30pm.
SYRIAN ORTHODOX CYCLISTS St James’s Church in Mallow is also home to North Cork’s Syrian Orthodox community. During August, many of them undertook a cycling pilgrimage from Cork to the shrine in Knock. They invited the Rector to send them off from Mallow with a prayer and blessing as they continued their journey to County Mayo.
OUR YOUNGER WORSHIPPERS After a break for the summer, our group for our younger worshippers has resumed meeting at 11.30am in the Parish Hall in Mallow. They have an opportunity to explore the Scriptures with craft activities and story-telling, before rejoining their parents and carers towards the conclusion of worship in church.
ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS By longstanding tradition, when there is a fifth Sunday in the month, there is one act of worship in the Union. On Sunday 29th October, there will be a celebration of the Eucharist in St James’s Church, Mallow at 11.00am when we will anticipate the feast of All Saints, followed by a parish lunch. On the following Sunday, 5th November, there will be a Service of Remembrance and Reflection, in which we celebrate our faith in the resurrection, and recall with thanksgiving those we loved who are parted from us by death. It is a service to which the recently bereaved are especially welcome and, as we are discovering, is meeting a very real pastoral need.
FARMERS’ MARKET A reminder that the market continues to offer a wide range of local produce, including bread, fish, eggs, poultry, vegetables, preserves, handmade crafts and more on Friday mornings in the grounds of St James’s Church, Mallow from 9am to 1.00pm.