We need to sing again! A message from the Rector

Following the Taoiseach’s announcement yesterday evening, we will once more be singing hymns!

As well as retaining our obligation to wear masks, we will be maintaining our policy of only using every second pew, as we have ample space to accommodate everyone. We will no longer need to collect contact tracing details

Other Covid protocols which we will be continuing to apply in the church to keep us all safe:

  • Please sanitise your hands on arrival.
  • The order of service will be on the screens but books will be available for those who ask.
  • Holy Communion will be administered in both kinds- wafers will be used instead of bread, and individual communion glasses will be used.
  • Collection plates will not be passed around – baskets will be available at the back of the church.
  • Church doors will be left open during the service for ventilation purposes.
  • Pews will be disinfected in between services.
  • PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND IF YOU ARE FEELING UNWELL.

Remember, all our services will be broadcast live on our parish website through our webcam and the 10.30 service will also be accessible later on the website and our Facebook page, so nobody should feel an obligation to attend in person if they are nervous about doing so.

2022 Revision of General Vestry Register

Each January the Diocese asks us to fulfil our annual constitutional requirement to revise the register of general vestry people.

This is a register of all adult parishioners (18+) who are members of the Church of Ireland, and who are not registered in any other parish. Only those on the general register will be entitled to vote at the annual Easter General Vestry Meeting to be held in the Spring, or to serve on the Select Vestry and in some other offices.

If you are new to the parish or have not registered previously, please contact the Rector who will send you the appropriate form.

Thank you.

Christmas Services in Clontarf

Christmas Services will take place on Christmas Eve at 3pm & 11pm, and on Christmas Day at 8.30am & 10.30am.

Please note that places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

To keep everyone safe, please note and adhere to the following:
– SANITISE YOUR HANDS ON ARRIVAL
– MASKS MUST BE WORN BY ALL OVER 9’S
– PLEASE FILL THE CHURCH FROM THE FRONT to BACK
– DO NOT SIT IN THE SOCIAL DISTANCING PEWS
– DO NOT COME TO CHURCH IF FEELING UNWELL- ALL SERVICES WILL BE STREAMED ON OUR WEBSITE
– WRAP UP WARM AND EXPECT LOTS OF VENTILATION!

Outdoor Carol Service at 10.30am on 19th December

Our 10.30 service on Sunday 19th December will be carol singing with some seasonal readings, and will be held in the carpark of the Parish Centre.

Wrap up well!

Limited seating will be available in the Seafield Room of the Parish Centre for those unable to stand for the service or who need to be in out of the cold.

Festive hot drinks will be served after the service.

All welcome.

Please note that this service will not be shown on the website or Facebook but you will be able to watch the 8.30am service live as it happens, or afterwards, on the website and Facebook.

New Youth Club in Clontarf Parish

Our new Youth Club for secondary school teenagers starts on Sunday 17th October in the Parish Centre, 6.30pm-8pm, and will continue to meet on the third Sunday of the month.

This gathering will be a mixture of fun, faith and friendship which is not exclusively for those seeking Confirmation, but anyone wishing to be confirmed next year must attend. The first night we’ll be having pizza, and there will also be a gift pack from the Church of Ireland Youth Department for each young person in attendance. This will be a good way for our teenagers to continue to engage with the parish even if they are otherwise occupied on Sunday mornings, and as always, they are welcome to bring friends from outside the parish.

COVID protocols will apply and masks must be worn when not eating.

Harvest Thanksgiving Service on Sunday 3rd October

On 3rd October, the 18th Sunday after Trinity, both the 8.30 and 10.30 services will be Holy Communion with a harvest theme. The 10.30 service will include some of our favourite harvest hymns.

There will be refreshments in the parish centre after the 10.30 service, but in line with current indoor dining rules, only fully vaccinated adults should attend (accompanying children welcome).

There will be a collection of non-perishable food items for a local homeless charity and a cash collection for Tearfund- please give as generously as you can to either or both.

Easing of restrictions means we can welcome more people to services in church

The recent roadmap for living with Covid announced recently by An Taoiseach now allows religious venues to use up to 50% of the venue’s capacity, subject to social distancing requirements.

For us, this means that the numbers allowed at services will no longer be capped at 50, as our comfortable capacity is 350; so up to 175 people could be allowed at a large service, e.g. a funeral.

It will also mean greater availability of pews as from now on every second pew can be used. We are blessed with a large church that allows plenty of scope to cater for our usual congregation while still maintaining a safe distance between people.

Rest assured that the safety of all who come to worship with us remains our number one priority, and so face masks must continue to be worn and hands must be sanitised on entry.

We look forward to safely welcoming more and more people back to in-person worship throughout the Autumn.

The Parish Centre will be reopening after the 20th September and so hopefully we can reintroduce refreshments after the services at that stage, subject again to all health & safety requirements.

Pet Blessing Service on Sunday 29th August

Thanks be to God and this beautiful spell of weather, we are all systems go for our Pet Blessing Service at 10.30am this Sunday, 29th August. The service will be at the back of the Parish Centre car park and we can increase our allowed number limit to 100 people, plus pets!

Also, because we are outside we will be able to sing some hymns and to serve refreshments after the service! Join us for this joyful time of worship and fellowship.

All dogs to be on leads and any deposits left by any of the animals to be cleaned up.

Any volunteers for set up please meet at the back of the Centre at 10am.