Issue
78 CSNL NEWS July/August, 2023.
Parish
Of Celbridge & Straffan with Newcastle-Lyons
Church
of Ireland United Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough
By the
parishioners - for the parishioners
From
Our Rector - Dear Friends ..
By the time you read these words the State exams will
be almost over and many of our young people will be wondering what their
results will be and what lies ahead for the next stage in their lives. Many parents will simultaneously be breathing
a sigh of relief that the exam ordeal is over as in many cases they too feel
all the pressures that build up around these exams. So what do you do in this time of waiting and
expectation? Could I suggest that
parents and students alike try and switch off and forget about it for a while -
rather than worrying about the future enjoy the present moment and appreciate
all that is around you and all the immediate possibilities that life brings.
We are not good at doing this and I think that is why
the Mindfulness movement has become so popular - it addresses one of the most
fundamental flaws in our humanity, our inability to be present to ourselves and
one another. I was very struck by a
photo I saw of the fans at the recent Harry Styles concert in Slane and
virtually every one of his adoring fans were not actually watching the concert
directly but rather watching it via their phone screen as they recorded it to
post no doubt on social media afterwards.
I actually felt rather sad reflecting on this and what
they were missing out on which is the present moment which is all we have! The past is past and the future, who knows
what will or won’t
be? One biblical phrase comes to mind
and it is from the Good Shepherd passage from John’s Gospel chapter 10: ‘I have come that
they may have life, and have it to the full.’
For me that means fully appreciating that life in every waking moment -
treating every day and every hour as a gift and not missing the life that is
already ours.
Yours. Stephen
Today - Sunday, 18th June is Father’s Day and it is
also our Rector’s
birthday - so many happy returns, Stephen!
Newcastle-Lyons
Easter General Vestry Meeting
The Easter General Vestry meeting for Newcastle-Lyons
was held on 25th April in the Church. Rev. Stephen opened the meeting in
prayer and apologies were noted. A pilot
study was conducted over the last few months, whereby on the first Sunday of
the month the service was held at 10 a.m., due to the success of the late service
time, it has been decided to continue indefinitely with a 10 a.m., service on
the first Sunday of every month. The
back to Church service held on 2nd April, 2023, despite the fact it
didn’t
capture the attention of our target audience, it was well attended by some
parishioners with tea and coffee served after the service. Newcastle-Lyons parish has a Columbarium in
the ruins of the old church, which is available to parishioners in Celbridge
& Straffan Parish. Rev. Stephen
thanked everyone for their support throughout the year. He paid a particular thanks to Geoffrey
McMaster as a valuable colleague in ministry. Sandra Doble presented the Treasurer’s Report -
highlighting areas of concern, despite a slight increase in plate collections,
this is the third year we have run at a deficit. A projection of income and expenditure for
2023, also demonstrates a deficit if we see no change in activities. Thanks were also given to our Hon. Secretary,
Maggie Harris, Church Wardens - Elizabeth Waldron & Vivien Bond. He also thanked the Glebe Wardens Mervyn
Eager, Willie Harris & Tony Waldron.
A special thanks to our Hon. Treasurer, Sandra Doble for
overseeing our parish finances and for the considerable work involved in the
preparation of the annual accounts. Finally,
to all vestry members and parishioners for the help and time everyone has
contributed to the smooth running of the Parish.
Annual Elections:
Rector’s Churchwarden Vivien
Bond
People’s Churchwarden Elizabeth
Waldron
Rector’s Glebewardens Willie
Harris & Mervyn Eager
People’s Glebewarden Tony
Waldron
Select Vestry (in addition to the above)
Devon Beattie Claire
Burke Sandra Doble
Willie Doble Maggie
Harris Peter Hildebrand
Andrew Jordan Avril
Kerr
In the Triennial Elections, the following were
elected:-
Parochial Nominators Vivien
Bond & Elizabeth Waldron
Supplementals Claire
Burke & Maggie Harris
Diocesan Synodsperson Geoffrey
McMaster
Supplemental Maggie
Harris
Hon. Secretary Maggie
Harris
Hon. Treasurer Sandra
Doble
Celbridge
& Straffan Easter General Vestry
The Editor apologises for recording
inaccurately the Parochial Nominators - they are:- are Caroline Cummins
& Jos Evertsen and the Supplemental Parochial Nominators are Debbie
Kelly & Ken Denner. At a meeting
of the newly selected vestry, Caroline Cummins was elected Hon.
Secretary and Gordon Bass was re-elected as Hon. Treasurer.
Parish
Outing - Kilcar Gardens & Tea Rooms
Thursday, 25th May was a sunny day and
perfect for the visit of 22 parishioners and friends to Kilgar Gardens in
Kilcock. We were particularly lucky to
have been met on arrival by Paula Byrne, who owns and built up the
gardens, who took the time to show us around all the various parts of her
garden, explaining what she was trying to achieve, her choice of plants and the
challenges she faced. The highlights
included the beautiful rose garden, with its variety of colours and textures,
and the very peaceful meditation garden. The visit to the garden was followed
by tea, coffee and cakes for everyone, all baked by Paula. It was lovely to see the results of such an
ambitious project, a labour of love, and sit in the peaceful garden
afterwards. Thanks to Rebecca Taylor
& Esther Lougheed for organising the trip.
Wedding
James Huddleston & Rebekah Forster, both
from Straffan parish were married in Straffan Church on Saturday, 29th
April. It was a beautiful day and a very
happy parish celebration. The reception
took place at Poulaphouca House in Wicklow.
We wish James & Rebekah every blessing and happiness in their
marriage.
Congratulations
.. to Tony Waldron - recipient of Person of the
Year award at the opening of Celbridge Camera Club’s annual exhibition in Castletown.
Straffan
Market & Car Boot Sale Report by Jos Evertsen
The 2023 season started on 20th May, a bit
later than usual, but started with a bang.
Booked to near capacity with over 60 cars. The Tea Stall broke a new all time record
taking in €525 and
brought a big smile on the faces of Iris Fox & Valerie Byrne! A great result. The two events to date have brought in just
over €2,800 which
is equally divided between our Parish and the Straffan Community Hall. On 17th June we are hosting our
third event but with a difference. As a
Community Event, we are hosting and supporting the Straffan Community First
Responders group (SCFR). This group of
Community volunteers was recently set up to serve the Straffan Community. We are providing the group with two stalls to
facilitate their fundraising and ‘life-saving’ demonstrations. Their fundraising goes towards the purchase
of specialised equipment. Community
First Responders are volunteers who are trained to attend certain types of
emergency calls in the area where they live or work.
Their
aim is to reach a potential life threatening emergency in the first vital
minutes before the ambulance crew arrives.
Their
role is to help stabilise the patient and provide the appropriate care
including CPR & defibrillation, until the more highly skilled ambulance
crew arrives on scene to take over the treatment.
Our Market & Car Boot fund raising event is now in
its 11th season. It is based
on a great Team of Volunteers who are flexible and generous in giving both
their time and contributions. On behalf
of the Parish, thanks to all involved.
Your participation makes a difference in the liveliness and strength of
our local community and to our parish finances for the maintenance of our
church building. The dates for the
remainder of the 2023 season are:
July 1st, 15th & 29th. August 12th & 26th. September, 16th & 30th. In September we are skipping the 9th
September due to the Golf Irish Open when traffic through Straffan will be very
limited. Bookings are taken 7 days
before the event date. Text to mobile -
089-2797200.
Castletown
Wanderers
The second event will hopefully take place in the next
few weeks and will be announced through the usual social media channels.
Articles
Published By Our Rector & Two Parishioners
Organise Your Skills At Monkstown. James Pasley, organist in Christ
Church, Celbridge wrote a report in The Church Review this month
on an organ workshop in Monkstown in May, which was attended by aspiring
organists from across the dioceses. Led
by organ tutor, David Adams, each student played a pre-prepared piece of
their own choosing. The workshop was an
entertaining, productive and encouraging experience for everyone present. David improved the playing of every
student. www.churchmusicdublin.org to
learn more of future events for organists and singers.
Bullying Should Never Be Tolerated. Rev. Stephen wrote a powerful article
in this month’s Church
of Ireland Gazette on this subject.
For six years he endured daily and relentless bullying in a large fee
paying Protestant school in Dublin. He
was the target being the new boy, the fat kid, the rector’s son - spat upon,
mocked .. one teacher even encouraged the bullies. Bullying was not taken seriously by those in
charge of his welfare. It took him years
to get over it and two years of intensive counselling before he was truly able
to move on. Ironically, it was in
schools of other Christian traditions that he experienced the proper pastoral
care and support that was so lacking in a school that purported to uphold a ‘Protestant Ethos’. He goes on to say that we have a long way to
go and the advent of cyber-bullying has brought a whole new and sinister
dimension to bullying that has prematurely ended so many young lives. The article was written in response to the
frenzied assault on a young schoolboy by fellow pupils in Navan.
Quick Fire Interview. In this month’s issue of Aspire - the
Diocesan Magazine for Meath & Kildare, Dee Huddleston, Church &
Community Team with Christian Aid Ireland was interviewed by Rev. Alan
Melbourne. Dee has had a
long time interest in Christian Aid, working voluntarily in the office before
her new role. Dee spoke on
Sunday, 11th June in all three churches on the work in Malawi
(formerly Nyasaland) about pigeon peas - a versatile, low-cost, protein-rich
and drought resistant crop that is changing the lives of people in Malawi. Making bread and selling it in order to
support their families and with the co-operative set up by Christian Aid’s local partner
getting fair prices. There was a
retiring collection for the work. In the
interview, she spoke about the privilege of going to India in 2017 to see the
work first hand.
Church
Services
Sunday Newcastle
9 a.m* Straffan 10.15 a.m. Celbridge 11.30 a.m.
1st Holy
Communion Service of Word Holy Communion
2nd Service
of Word Holy Communion Service of Word
3rd Holy
Communion Morning Prayer Holy Communion
4th Morning
Prayer
Holy Communion Morning Prayer
5th (30/07/2023) United Service. Holy Communion. 11.30 a.m.
Christ
Churcb, Celbridge.
*Services will continue in Newcastle at 10 a.m., on
the 1st Sunday as a permanent change in the Sunday timetable.
On Going Events
Craft
& Chat: The Group continues to meet on Tuesday
afternoons at 2.30 p.m., in the Slip Hall.
All are welcome to craft, chat and have a cuppa! The Group will take a break in July and
August.
Whist Drives. Our second and final Whist Drive before the
Summer break was on Friday, 12th May and again was a very enjoyable
and successful evening. Thanks to Rebecca
Taylor, James Taylor & Esther Lougheed for organising everything.
We look forward to returning on September, 29th
at 8 p.m., in the Slip Hall. (Last
Friday of each month unless otherwise announced.) New players are always welcome.
Confirmation
Our four candidates, Anni Leach, Kaelan Brooks,
Robyn Kerins & Olivia Lanigan were confirmed on Pentecost Sunday, 28th
May in Christ Church Cathedral - it was a glorious day and they were among 50
candidates from throughout the United Diocese to be confirmed that day which
made for a packed cathedral and a great sense of occasion as is fitting for
such an important day in their lives. We
wish all the newly confirmed God’s richest blessing.
WhatsApp
Groups
WhatsApp group continues to be very active. There are also groups specifically for
Newcastle and another for Straffan notices – together they provide a very
effective means of contact in the parish.
United
Service - 30th April - Straffan Church
The service of Holy Communion concluded with Hymn 456
- Lord, you give the great commission:
Each verse concluded with the words “with the Spirit’s gifts
empower us for the work of ministry.” This was very appropriate coming
after the Easter General Vestries. As Rev.
Stephen was heading off to the Isle of Skye the following day, Jackie
Taylor asked Jenny Shaw to play “Spirit of God
unseen as the wind” as the voluntary,
whose tune is the Skye Boat Song. This
was appreciated by the congregation and especially our Rector!
Bereavement
Our thoughts and prayers are with Olive Shaw and
her family on the death of her sister, Eileen Hill in Shercock, Co.
Cavan on 19th May.
Thanks
Thanks to Geoffrey McMaster, Dee Huddleston &
Cynthia Lang who took the services on 7th May when our Rector
was on holidays. Also to all maintaining
the grounds of the churches over the summer.
Primrose
Hill National School
The school will close for the summer on Friday, 23rd
June after a closing service in Christ Church, Celbridge at 11 a.m. We wish all pupils and teachers a happy
holiday and for those leaving for secondary school .. all the best for your
future education.
Calendar
Of Events
June
Sun 18 Father’s Day!
July
Sat 1 Straffan Market & Car Boot. Straffan
Sat 15 Straffan Market & Car Boot. Straffan.
Sat 29 Straffan Market & Car Boot. Straffan.
Sun 30 United Service. 11.30 a.m.
Celbridge.
August
Sat 12 Straffan Market & Car Boot. Straffan.
Sat 26 Straffan Market & Car Boot. Straffan.
Mon 28 Closing date for material for CSNL NEWS.
From
The Editor … Enjoy The Summer!
Who’s Who
In The Parish
www.cs-nl.org celbridgestraffannewcastlelyns@gmail.com
Rector: Rev.
Stephen Neill 01-6288231 087-2328172
www.paddyanglican.com stephen.neill@gmail.com
Keep up to date on
www.cs-nl.org
&
https://www.facebook.com/CSNLParish & www.Dublin.anglican.org
Church
Of Ireland General Synod - Wexford, 12th & 13th May
Members of Synod unanimously passed a Private Members
Motion calling on Synod to acknowledge the impact of anti-refugee and migrant
hatred in our communities.
iPod? iPad?
Try iPray …. God is listening!
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