Dear Parishioners,
August
If you are planning to have a holiday during the month I do hope you will have a very pleasant, restful and relaxing time. It would be lovely to think that we might be able to enjoy some nice weather as we did in the latter part of July. Above all, I hope you will keep safe and well. At the beginning of September the children will be returning to the National School for the beginning of the new school year. The Secondary Schools will also be reopening and we would like to wish the children, young people, teachers and staff everything good for the new year. Hopefully the new school year will be free from any of the disruptions that occurred during the last year.
Church and Coffee – Sunday 15th August
Olive and I would like to invite everyone to join us for coffee in the Rectory garden on Sunday 15th August after the 10.00 a.m. Service in All Saints’. We will hold a United Parish Service at 10.00 a.m. on that Sunday and it would be lovely to see a good number of parishioners attending although I imagine many will be on holiday. The Rectory garden has been looking very colourful with the blooms of the different plants and flowers and we look forward to welcoming you there.
Kilbixy
In last month’s Union Notes I mentioned that Kilbixy had been awarded a grant of over £54,000 to undertake the continued work of restoration on the Leper Hospital located in the churchyard. We are hopeful that the work of restoration will be able to commence this month in order that the work can be completed before November this year. I would like to thank David Miller for all his work in helping to co-ordinate the programme of work that needs to be undertaken.
Confirmation
We hope to hold the Confirmation Service on Sunday 24th October. I would be very grateful if those who wish to be confirmed could let me know if it is their intention to attend the Confirmation Classes which will begin next month. The young people preparing for confirmation will be from 1st Year in Secondary School upwards. To date just one young person has put their name forward for confirmation. I can be contacted on 087-7870985.
Bereavement
We would like to offer our deepest sympathy to Lesley and Richard Denniston following the death of Lesley’s father on Friday 16th July. Lesley’s father, Cyril, had borne Parkinson’s Disease for a great many years with considerable courage and dignity and was held in very high regard and with deep respect in farming circles. The funeral service took place in Blessington Parish Church on Monday 19th July. We also offer our deepest sympathy to his wife Evelyn, whose care of him throughout his illness was simply wonderful. Evelyn grew up in Kilbixy Parish and we also offer our deepest sympathy to her family there, remembering her sisters Fran and Annie. Cyril was a person of great faith and we pray that, now in the fuller presence of God, he may rest in peace and that all his family may be comforted by their lovely and heartfelt memories of him.
Canon Lawrence
I would like to thank Canon Lawrence very much indeed for kindly taking the Services while I was away for two weeks in July. We are enormously privileged to be able to avail of his ministry and it is a delight that he and his wife Anne live in the Parish. I know that, as parishioners, you very much appreciate Canon Lawrence’s fine preaching and his taking of the church services. I am so appreciative of Canon Lawrence’s ongoing support and friendship.
Church Services
I am delighted that it is possible to hold Services in each of the four churches every month and I would again like to both invite and encourage parishioners to attend. The wisdom we find in the Bible and in the Gospel we proclaim is of continued relevance and is so needed to help us cope with the many challenges we face in God’s world today. Christians have such an important witness to make and each of the four churches has an important place in the communities in which they are situated.
I hope that you will continue to keep safe and well and, as I have mentioned before, I am always available if you ever need to contact me at any time. The best telephone no. to contact me on is 087-7870985.
With God’s blessings,
Rev. Alastair Graham
