03 December 2018

Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin
notes in ‘Newslink’ December 2018

Beatrice Susan Langford and Chloe Dorothy Langford were baptised in Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, on 21 October

Rathkeale & Kilnaughtin Group of Parishes

Rathkeale, Askeaton, Castletown and Kilnaughtin

Priest-in-Charge: Revd Canon Patrick Comerford,
The Rectory, Askeaton, Co Limerick.

The autumn celebrations of Harvest and the November commemorations of the saints and the dead have come and gone. We are entering Advent and preparing for the coming of Christ, not only as the Christ Child at Christmas but once again as the King of Glory.

Recent Baptisms:

We recently welcomed two first cousins into the Body of Christ and as members of the Church. Beatrice Susan Langford, daughter of Richard and Claire Langford, and Chloe Dorothy Langford, daughter of William and Karen Langford, were baptised in Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, on 21 October.

‘We will remember them’:

Gerald Griffin laid the wreath at the World War I memorial in Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, during the Remembrance Sunday Service on 11 November, and the church bells tolled at 11 minutes past 11, marking the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that brought an end to World War I.

The service included a minute’s silence, reading the names of parishioners on the memorial, and three poems by war poets with links with this diocese. The Sunday School children made poppies, and the service was part of the Parish Eucharist.

Ministry, Mission and Hospitality:

Priests and readers in Co Limerick were welcomed to a ‘Ministry Lunch’ in the Rectory in Askeaton on 14 November. The clergy and readers in the diocese are being encouraged to find ways of working closer together in Ministry, Mission and Hospitality, in identifiable areas or districts. A number of meetings have taken place in both the bishop’s house and the dean’s office in Limerick.

CME in the Rectory:

The Revd Rod Smyth of Nenagh was in Askeaton recently to lead workshops for clergy and readers at Saint Mary’s Rectory in Askeaton, Co Limerick, on 12 November. He looked at the choice of hymns, canticles and music for worship, and how to develop skills and confidence in this area.

Tommy Fleming Concert:

The evening with Tommy Fleming in Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, on Saturday 8 December promises to be an exceptional evening of music and song. This is a fundraising concert in aid of Rathkeale Number 2 National School. Tickets are still available from Rathkeale House Hotel at €30 each, or can be bought through Seamus Hogan or Linda Donovan in Rathkeale.

Rathkeale No 2 National School:

Thursday 20 December: Christmas concert and party, 1 p.m.., including some of the folk dances taught by Ita and Larry Southard.

Friday 21 December: end-of-the term children’s carol service, 12 noon.

December, Christmas and January Services:

Sunday 2 December (Advent 1): 9.30 a.m., Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, Holy Communion; 11.30, Saint Brendan’s Church, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), Morning Prayer.

Sunday 9 December (Advent 2): 9.30 a.m., Castletown Church, Kilcornan, Holy Communion; 11.30, Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale.

Thursday 13 December: 7 p.m., Tarbert Carol Service, Saint Brendan’s Church, followed by refreshments in Tarbert Community Centre.

Sunday 16 December (Advent 3): No morning service in Askeaton; 11.30, Kilnaughtin, Holy Communion. 3 p.m., Carol Service in Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, followed by refreshments in the Rectory.

Friday 21 December: 12 noon: end-of-term School Play and Carol Service, Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale.

Sunday 23 December (Advent 4): 11 a.m., United Service (Holy Communion), Castletown.

Christmas Eve, Monday 24 December: 8 p.m., Kilnaughtin (Christmas Communion); 10 p.m., Castletown (Christmas Communion).

Christmas Day, Tuesday 25 December: 9.30 Askeaton (Christmas Communion); 11, Rathkeale (Christmas Communion).

Sunday 30 December (Christmas 1): 11 a.m., United Parish Communion, Saint Brendan’s Church, Kilnaughtin, Tarbert.

Sunday 6 January 2019 (The Epiphany): 9.30 a.m., Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, Holy Communion; 11.30, Saint Brendan’s Church, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), Holy Communion.

Sunday 13 January (Epiphany 1): 9.30 a.m., Castletown Church, Kilcornan, Holy Communion; 11.30 a.m., Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale.

Sunday 20 January (Epiphany 2): 9.30 a.m., Askeaton, Morning Prayer; 11.30 a.m., Kilnaughtin, Holy Communion.

Sunday 27 January (Epiphany 3): 9.30 a.m., Castletown, Morning Prayer; 11.30 a.m., Holy Communion, Rathkeale.

The Sunday School children made poppies for the Remembrance Day Service in Rathkeale

These parish notes are published in the December 2018 edition of ‘Newslink,’ the magazine of the Church of Ireland United Dioceses of Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert

Praying in Advent with USPG
and Lichfield Cathedral
(3): 3 December 2018

The High Leigh Conference Centre in Hertfordshire … the venue earlier this year for the USPG Conference, ‘All Things Are Possible’ (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2018)

Patrick Comerford

Throughout the season of Advent this year, I am spending a short time of prayer and reflection each morning, using the prayer diary of the Anglican mission agency, USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), and the Advent and Christmas Devotional Calendar for 2018 being used in Lichfield Cathedral.

USPG, founded in 1701, is an Anglican mission agency supporting churches around the world in their mission to bring fullness of life to the communities they serve.

USPG is the Anglican mission agency that partners churches and communities worldwide in God’s mission to enliven faith, strengthen relationships, unlock potential, and champion justice.

Under the title Pray with the World Church, the current USPG prayer diary (7 October 2018 to 16 February 2019), offers prayers and reflections from the Anglican Communion.

We are in the middle of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, and the USPG Prayer Diary began this week with an extract from a speech given at this year’s USPG Conference, ‘All Things Are Possible,’ in High Leigh by Jessica Richards, co-ordinator for Campaigns and Advocacy in the Church of South India.

The USPG Prayer Diary:

Monday 3 December 2018:

Pray for an end to attitudes in India and around the world that label women and girls as inferior to men.

Saints above the door of the south transept in Lichfield Cathedral on a winter night (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2018)

Lichfield Cathedral Advent and Christmas Devotional Calendar:

Lichfield Cathedral’s Advent and Christmas Devotional Calendar for 2018 suggests you light your Advent candle each day as you read the Bible and pray. It suggests setting aside five to 15 minutes each day.

Buy or use a special candle to light each day as you read and pray through the suggestions on the calendar. Each week there is a suggestion to ‘eat simply’ – try going without so many calories or too much rich food, just have enough. There is a suggestion to donate to a charity working with the homeless. There is encouragement to pray through what you see and notice going on around you in people, the media and nature.

The calendar is for not only for those who use the Cathedral website and for the Cathedral community. It is also for anyone who wants to share in the daily devotional exercise. The calendar suggests lighting your Advent candle each day as you read the Bible and pray.

Today’s suggested reading is Matthew 8: 5-11.

The reflection for today suggests:

Pray for the gifts of insight and compassion. Hold before God all in desperate need today. Listen to world news with special attention.

Readings (Revised Common Lectionary, the Church of Ireland):

Isaiah 2: 1-5; Psalm 122; Matthew 8: 5-13.

Collect:

Almighty God,
Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light
now in the time of this mortal life
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion Prayer:

God our deliverer,
Awaken our hearts
to prepare the way for the advent of your Son,
that, with minds purified by the grace of his coming,
we may serve you faithfully all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Yesterday’s reflection.

Continued tomorrow.