Category: News

News items, can also be used with blog posts

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The Return of the Great #Clontarf Parish Zoom Quiz!

The nights are closing in, not to mention the Level 3 restrictions in place in Dublin, but have no fear- another parish quiz is here!

Join us this Friday (25th September) at 8pm for eight rounds of sunshine designed to lift your spirits. Households can join together to submit answers as a single team if desired and there will be a €30 Just Eat voucher for the team which emerges victorious.

It’s all about the fun and the fellowship – so do join us, the more the merrier. Friends also welcome. Sure why not support one of our local businesses and grab yourselves a take away and a glass of something cheerful to make a night of it.

Here is the link you will need to access the quiz on Friday.

As before, answers after each round will be sent to 087 9091561 via text or WhatsApp.

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Rector’s address, Easter General Vestry Meeting 2020

In normal circumstances you could be forgiven for thinking that my annual address to the General Easter Vestry is somewhat repetitive.

As well as outlining the parish highlights of the year that is past, I always have a long list of people to thank for all the many and varied ways they contribute to the life of this parish and this community. While thanks are indeed due to many people once again, the circumstances of this year’s annual general Easter Vestry are anything but normal. Even the very fact that I’m writing this in September is extraordinary.

READ MORE

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Shortened Easter General Vestry in Church on 2nd September at 8pm

The shortened Easter General Vestry will now be held in the context of a short worship, in order to get the necessary elections completed.

Wednesday 2nd September at 8pm in the Church.

I am asking that all registered members consider if they might be willing to act as a Diocesan Synod Member, Parochial Nominator, Member of the Select Vestry, or People’s Churchwarden. Your parish needs you – don’t make me beg 😉

If you would like more information on any of the above roles contact the Rector on 087 9091561

Thank You!

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Wanted – children/teenagers to write and record a prayer

Wanted – children/teenagers to write and record a prayer to be used at this Sunday’s Family Service.

Please record in landscape mode and forward the finished product to the Rector via WhatsApp if possible (087 9091561) by Friday lunchtime.

This gives our young people an opportunity to take part in the service even if they cannot be physically present, and also cuts down on movement around the church during the service, part of our health and safety protocol.

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The postponed Annual (Easter) Vestry will take place on 2nd September at 8pm

Better Late Than Never…

The Constitution of the Church of Ireland requires that an annual General Vestry meeting be held every year around Easter. This year parishes were obviously unable to fulfill this requirement due to the corona virus pandemic.

Accordingly, new arrangements were put in place and the outgoing officers and Select Vestry members remained in place until an Easter General Vestry Meeting could be convened- many thanks to all concerned!

The rescheduled Easter General Vestry Meeting in our parish will be held, DV, on Wednesday 2nd September at 8pm in the Church.

As this is a triennial election year, Diocesan Synod Members and Parochial Nominators must be elected along with a new Select Vestry, Churchwardens, and Glebewardens.

This meeting is similar in many ways to an AGM, when those present will hear a review of the main happenings of the past twelve months; get a chance to hear and discuss plans for the future, including the ongoing significant challenges posed by Covid-19, and be presented with the parish accounts for year ended 31-12-2019.

The meeting will also elect members to the new Select Vestry (the parish management committee if you like), People’s Churchwarden (assists on Sunday mornings and other events) and Glebewarden (responsible for upkeep of Rectory & church grounds). The Rector will announce her choice for the appointments of Rector’s Churchwarden and Rector’s Glebewarden.

While only those on the official parish general register are entitled to vote (should a vote arise), everyone is welcome to attend and speak.

Normally I encourage as many people as possible to attend and to take an interest in and ownership of the running of our wonderful parish- this year of course our numbers will be limited by the guidelines in place at the time around social distancing and indoor gatherings. Health and safety protocols remain a priority, so the length of the meeting will be shortened and there will be no refreshments afterwards, not even Easter Eggs!

We do however, need people to attend and to be willing to serve in various capacities, and I’m sure I can depend on you to consider seriously how best you can give something back to the parish which we all love.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Lesley

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Family Services are Go!

Tomorrow (25th July) is our first Family Service since we returned to in-church worship and we are excited to integrate both live and recorded content.

View/download the Order of Service for tomorrow’s 10.30 service

The service will be broadcast live via the webcam and can also be viewed later on the recordings tab, or on Facebook.

If you wish to come along in person to either the 8.30 or 10.30 services tomorrow please make sure you have acquainted yourself with the Covid-19 Response Protocols.

As lots of families are away at this time of year, we still have capacity for up to 28 people at the 10.30 Family Service, over and above those who have booked a place. There is currently plenty of capacity at the 8.30 service of Holy Communion also.

We continue to broadcast Morning Prayer each Wednesday morning at 10.30 on Facebook Live and the parish website.

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We’re Back!

As per Phase 3 of the Road-map for reopening our country, we will be opening our doors for worship once again this Sunday at our usual 8.30 service times.

Please make sure you have familiarised yourselves with the updated guidelines and protocols which will be in place.

We ask for your patience and understanding as we get  used to the new normal, particularly as we have no idea how many people will wish to attend worship. Regardless, a maximum of 50 people can be allowed in the church at the one time, and only 33 pews are available for seating. 

In the event that more than 50 turn up, unfortunately the excess will not be able to come in. If this happens, we will have to introduce a booking or rota system for the time being. But the good news is that after Phase 4 comes in on 20 July d.v. the overall capacity should increase, though not the number of available pews.

The other good news is that the 10.30 service will be available to view live or recorded on our parish website.We will be continuing to broadcast Morning Prayer at 10.30 on Facebook Live, Monday to Friday up until 20 July. After that, Morning Prayer will be broadcast on Wednesday mornings only.

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Lights, camera, action!

Dear Friends,

Greetings. I hope you are coping in whatever circumstances you find yourselves in during these trying times.  As the weeks go by I’m sure that those of you who are on your own or cocooning must be finding the time lying very heavily on your hands. Yet all of us who remain healthy have so much to be thankful for. 

Despite the numbers of new cases and  tragic deaths being announced daily there are encouraging signs in the figures being given to us, so let’s take heart and look forward to a gradual easing of the restrictions in due course and to better days ahead. In the meantime, please look after yourselves and reach out if you are feeling down, anxious or lonely.

And now, for some exciting news!

Our webcam in the church is up and running and so all services are being streamed live across the world via our parish website www.clontarf.dublin.anglican.org and the Church Services TV website https://www.churchservices.tv/

Please let friends or family know of the availability of this facility. This will be an invaluable asset not just while we cannot meet together for worship, but also when things get back to normal.

Imagine friends and relatives on the other side of the world being able to watch Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals in our beloved parish church. We were very fortunate to be able to afford the installation of this technology thanks to a legacy left to the parish by the Late Harry Poole.

Harry was in his 104th year when he passed away last year, was a Naval veteran of WW2 and a beloved and valued member of this parish. His memory will be honoured in this wonderful new opportunity for outreach that his generosity has provided for us. Thank you Harry.

I will continue to also broadcast the daily services on Facebook until such time as we can welcome parishioners through the doors again.

Tomorrow’s Service of Holy Communion can be viewed/downloaded here https://mcusercontent.com/40b848beaf6e089437429b684/files/df9b1c8b-3044-4da2-9ea1-ad7a5620e618/Sunday_Service_19_April_2020.pdf

Be sure to get in touch if you need anything – we are stronger together!

Stay safe and God bless,

Lesley

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Easter Greetings from the Rector

Dear Friends,

On the eve of this rather surreal Easter Sunday, I greet you in the name of the Lord.

While observing the liturgies of Holy Week on my own in the church has been strange, it has also been a real privilege, and I’m thankful to live on site, thankful for the technology which allows me to connect with others through the internet, thankful for all the people who joined me in prayer from all over the country and indeed the world, and who posted kind comments or sent encouraging messages. Mostly I’m thankful to God for the faith that assures us that even though times are very difficult and even if we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with us.

It is my prayer that all of you feel that assurance and that presence in these anxious times, especially those of you who may be alone and feel very lonely, vulnerable or isolated.

But despite all the challenges of this present time, Easter is a time which testifies to life, not death; to victory, not defeat; to light, not darkness; to hope not despair, and to new beginnings rising from the ashes of shattered dreams and expectations.

So take heart my friends, better days lie ahead. For now we need to keep each other and ourselves safe by following all the advice and directives we have been given. Please continue to pray for all who are sick or suffering; for all whose lives or livelihoods have been affected by this coronavirus; for all who work puts them at risk; for those who are tasked with leading us or finding effective treatments and a vaccine against Covid19, and for all who are lonely or anxious. And as the Lord often answers our prayers through us, please reach out by phone to those who might be glad of hearing a friendly voice or an offer of help.

Please feel free let me know if you need shopping arranged, or if you find yourself in financial difficulties due to loss of income or increased expense. You can also send me prayer requests to be shared in confidence with our Prayer Group, which meets on Tuesday evenings  via Zoom.

Tomorrow, I will be celebrating Holy Communion for Easter Day at 10.30am, which can be viewed live or later on our parish Facebook page or online at: 
https://www.facebook.com/clontarfparish/

The service sheet can be viewed/downloaded here:
https://mcusercontent.com/40b848beaf6e089437429b684/files/516b2350-9660-4f0c-b674-77421e22aee0/Easter_Day_Service_2020.pdf

From Monday onwards I will resume daily services of Morning Prayer at 10.30am.

Finally, tonight at 9pm we are all being encouraged to Shine a Light in our windows to honour all who have died in Ireland and around the world from Covid 19, all those who are sick, and all our healthcare and front line workers. I intend to place the Paschal Candle in the Rectory window and will be lighting it from the Easter Fire outside the church at 8.45pm tonight – you can join me on Facebook for that short ceremony also if you wish.

May I wish you and all your loved ones a blessed, peaceful and safe Easter.

Much love,

Lesley