Issue 174  “UNION NEWS” October 2024

MULLINGAR UNION OF PARISHES

Dear Parishioners,
We have had two very enjoyable Harvest Services in September. Thank
you to all in Killucan who beautifully decorated St Etchens and a huge
thanks to Richard Tansey for conducting the service which was very
well attended. Everyone was treated to a delicious morning coffee
spread afterwards, thank you to all for this.

A most enjoyable evening Harvest was held in Almoritia. Thanks to all
the team there who decorated and served a delicious evening tea
afterwards. A special thank you to Catherine Gibson Brabazon for
taking the service. We look forward to Harvest Services in Kilbixy and
All Saints’ in October with visiting preachers.

Holy Communion Harvest service conducted by
Rev William Black (Seaman’s Mission).

The Sunday 20th October services will be a united parish day in All Saints’ with the
morning Holy Communion Harvest service conducted by
Rev William Black (Seaman’s Mission).

In the afternoon at 4 pm there will be Harvest Songs and Prayers with a retiring collection in aid of St.
Dominic Meals on Wheels.  Please support this event which will feature
lovely harvest songs, anthems and readings by the Young leaders.

Congratulations and good wishes to all the young people of the Parish
who have moved on to third level courses in various colleges around the
country.

Harvest Decorating
Kilbixy Saturday 5th October at 10am
All Saints’ Saturday 19th October 10am.
All welcome to come along and help on both of the above dates,
especially any young members of the congregation. There will be lots
of items in the hall for the displays but if you have any flowers,
greenery, fruit and/or vegetables please bring along on the day. There
will be light refreshments served afterwards.

Hospice Coffee Morning
Thank you to all who supported this event. We are delighted to have
raised €1131.70 for the Hospice.

Vestry Meeting

-The next meeting of the Select Vestry is on Tuesday
19th November at 7.30pmin All Saints’ Church Hall.

Whist Drives
Thank you to all who attended the Whist refresher evening in
September and we look forward to seeing you for an evening of Whist
again soon.
Whist Drives restart for the season on Friday 4th October at 8pm in All
Saints Church Hall, all welcome.
November Whist Drive, Friday 1st November, 8pm All Saints Church
Hall.
If anyone would like to give a prize or has any unwanted gifts they
would like to donate please give to a Church warden or bring along on
the night.

Youth Activities
Sunday School, 6th October at 10am
The Hub, Friday 18th October 7.30pm – 9pm
Board Games Saturday, 20th October 2pm – 3.30pm
We offer congratulations to Patrick Pilkington on his recent election to
the presidency of Mullingar Choral Society. We wish Patrick every
success in this role and we are sure his wide experience in choral
singing will greatly benefit the Society.

Parish Rectory
We are delighted to welcome Luke and Esther Hawkins into the
Rectory as caretakers during the vacancy. They moved in during the
past week and we are pleased to see the lights on again in the house.
Luke has taken up a new role as Diocesan Youth and Children’s
Ministry Officer and is also supporting the parish with his monthly
services and Sunday School.

Parish Vacancy
The vacancy was recently advertised by the Bishop and the nominators
are scheduled to meet with the Bishop towards the end of October to
start the process. Once this commences the nominators will only be able
to speak with each other in confidence on the matter. We wish
them well with this important task.

Food for Thought
“ I was three miles East of Rochfortbridge when it started to rain”.
So read the first sentence of an essay entitled ‘Rain’ from our primary
school English reader in 1958. I have not been able to discover who the
essay-writer was except that when he had passed Rochfortbridge all
those years ago, and had not discovered the name of the smaller village
of Milltownpass, three miles east, -it rained either heavy rain or
prolonged rain so that he remembered it and deemed it deserving of
being written down in an essay.
I know how the writer felt. The summer season just past has seen rain,
not so much in amounts- since gardeners testify to having dusty flower-
beds- but in continuity which has been irritating if not annoying to
families who had been looking forward to something of more summer-
like weather for holiday enjoyment here at home. Summer was not to
be. The only two consecutive really hot days occurred, typically, just
after the schools had re-opened for the Michaelmas term.
I hope families and individuals did enjoy something of a happy holiday
during the school holiday time. And even if it ‘rained on your parade’ at
least that you had a time for rest and play either at home or away so as
to refresh your body and soul for the winter months ahead.
“Everybody needs a little time away”, so sang Peter Cetera from the
band Chicago. Time away from routine is so important in order to
refresh ourselves. The body and mind can be allowed to drift into sterile
and mindless monotony if not given ‘a little time away’.
The same can be said about Sunday observance. For Christians of the
reformed tradition, Sunday was a day of ‘Don’ts! Don’t do any work;
Don’t go to the cinema; Don’t go to football matches; even Don’t do
any knitting! Our perceptions of Sunday observance have changed
somewhat with the years, but like taking a holiday in summer, we do
well to follow the Fourth Commandment ‘Remember that thou keep
holy the Sabbath Day’. The Revised form reads ‘Remember the Lord’s
Day and keep it holy’. The Christian girl or boy, woman or man, like
the summer holiday, deserves the holiday of rest and recreation that
Sunday provides, giving an opportunity to come with God’s faithful to
Church and ‘Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness’. P.L.

Emergency Pastoral Care 
During the vacancy Canon Patrick Lawrence is available for emergency
pastoral care. His contact details are 0449222109 or 0860562944

October Church Services

Sunday 6th October Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
All Saints’ 10am Holy Communion & Baptism
Killucan 11.30 Holy Communion
Kilbixy 4pm Harvest Service Rev Marion Keating followed by tea.

Sunday 13th October Twentieth Sunday after Trinity
All Saints’ 10am Morning Prayer
Killucan 11.30am Morning Prayer

Sunday 20th October Twenty First Sunday after Trinity
All Saints’ 10am Harvest Service with Rev William Black
All Saints’ 4pm Songs of Praise Harvest Music

Sunday 27th October Fifth Sunday before Advent
All Saints’ 10am Morning Prayer
Kilbixy 11.30am Morning Prayer

Sunday 3rd November Fourth Sunday before Advent
All Saints’ 10am Holy Communion
Almoritia 11.30am Holy Communion

Holy Days
There will be Holy Communion in All Saints’ at 11am for the following
two dates:
Friday 18th October -St Luke’s Day and the Laying of Hands
Friday 1st November, Feast of All Saints.

Parish Website –
www.mullingarunionofparishes.net