Singing Group –

Next meetings in Old St. Mary’s, Clonmel @ 8.00pm on Fridays 15th, 29th May 2009. New faces & voices welcome!

The General Synod

The General Synod is the governing body of the Church of Ireland and meets once a year. A Synod lasts for three years and this year is the 1st of a new triuum. Holding the Synod over a weekend is an experiment to see if those who have been lobbying in having this are right in thinking that this timing might encourage a better attendance and more people allowing thier name to go forward for election. It is an honour to be a member and to be part of the history of the Church of Ireland. This year we are in Armagh, emergency calls requiring a rector should be made to the Rectory land line, where a number will be available. Having Synod on a Sunday is quite controversial in that there are those who believe that we should not be working on a Sunday it also makes for difficulties in providing worship in our parishes! General Synod this year runs from Friday the 8th to Sunday the 10th of May,

Coffee Time –

This will be a “drop – in” type of morning and new faces are beginning to appear!! Your are invited – all of you – to drop into the Rectory on Saturday, 4th July 2009 between 10.00am – 12.30pm. The idea is to facilitate parishioners meeting each other over a cup of tea or coffee. There will be a biscuit and, if your lucky, maybe a scone and jam! There will be a jam-jar for anybody who might like to make a donation to the Hall Restoration Fund – no obligation! This invitation includes all of all ages.

Fundraising for St. Paul’s, Cahir –

The annual fair of cakes, bric-a-brac etc will take place in the Butler/Charteris Hall, Cahir on Sunday 31st May from 2.00pm. Proceeds will go to the St. Paul’s Church Restoration Fund. It is important that all parishioners support each other’s efforts to ensure the continuation of the worship and life of our parish. If we can’t support and encourage each other as a parish how do we hope to make any impact on the wider community?

Theatre Visit –

Sunday, 17th May 2008 – “Godspell” – a musical based on St. Matthew’s gospel – The setting is a junk yard in New York, the music is very good and the possibilities for production are mind-boggling. I helped produce this show in the 1980s and look forward to seeing somebody else’ take on it. Bookings to the Rector, with €10 per ticket before Wednesday, 6th May – in the White memorial Theatre, Clonmel

Confirmation –

Richard Bailey was confirmed, with his school friends, in Cashel Cathedral on Sunday, 19th April. These young people were joined in making their commitment to the Lord by an older person who had missed his confirmation date through illness many years ago. As I am constantly saying, “It is never too late!”

Bereavement –

We sympathise with John Cumming, his sister, Nuala, and their family on the sudden and tragic death of his niece and her son-in-law.

Training for Sunday School Teachers (& prospective ones) –

Training for Sunday School Teachers (& prospective ones) – Saturday, 16th June in Kilkenny College – for info contact the Rector.

Green Charter –

Seminar on our diocesan Green charter in the Pastoral Centre, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow on Saturday, 23rd May from 2-4pm – the Rector intends going and there will be spaces in my car!

Enrolment in St. Mary’s National School –

It is now time to get application in for enrolment in September 2009. Forms are available from Ms Wallace @ Tel: 052 6127876. The school is St. Mary’s Parochial School, Western Road, Clonmel.

School News –

The new digital projector is proving very useful. It does away with us
disrupting our Assembly on Wednesdays because teacher can now project the words of our songs/hymns unto the wall and so we move smoothly from one part to the other. Mr Tattan has been doing excellent work during his computer lessons – they are concentrating on using the Internet.
The former Dean of Lismore has given the school a gift of a keyboard. It has been assigned to the Junior room, giving Mrs Brennan better opportunity to use music in her lessons. We thank Dean Beare for his generous gift and wish him health and enjoyment in doing the things he really loves in his retirement.

Link Diocese

Our link with the Swedish Diocese of Lund ended in 2008. We have a new link diocese – Sodor and Mann (Isle of Mann). It is a Celtic Church and we share much both as Churches and culturally. Our committee will be made up of those in our diocese who head-up various aspects of our diocesan life. I shall be the co-ordinator of this new link. The committee will be spending the 27th May on the isle of Mann, meeting with their committee and making plans.
It is near enough for day-trips!!

Wednesday, 24th June 2009 –

Put this date in your diary! Because on that day at 8.00pm we will all be in Lismore Cathedral for the licensing of James Mulhall as a priest of the Church of Ireland. In the meantime, pray for James, Suzanne and little Jacob as they prepare to make big changes to their lives – pray for all training for ministry and commit yourselves to be open to the pastoral care provided for you by your Church.

Sunday 28th June 2009 –

This will be James’ 1st Sunday as a member of the Church of Ireland clergy and his 1st as our parish NSM. Such occasions are normally celebrated with the “newcomer” celebrating the Eucharist, followed by a parish get-together. Yes, we will have been in Lismore on Wednesday evening and this is a parish event of major proportions. But the following Sunday event is also a parish event. So. The new, Rev Mulhall, will celebrate the Eucharist at 11.00am and it will follow with a buffet lunch in the school hall afterwards. And who is gong to provide the food?- you the parishioners! This is a major landmark in your parish for all sorts of reasons and deserves to be celebrated in the most joyous way. Preparations for this event will begin immediately after Easter.

Whist Drives –

The season ended on a high note with 10 tables. A big thank-you to all who helped during the season at the suppers, helping with the raffle and prizes and to Bob,Anne and Jimmy who are “front-of-house each night. We look forward to next season, which begins in September. Contributions to the supper, prizes and raffle are always welcome.

Select Vestry 2009 – 2010

Churchwardens:
Old St. Mary’s, Clonmel –
Rector – Mr R. Savage
People – Mr R Clifford

St Paul’s, Cahir –
Rector – Mrs P O’Keeffe
People – Mrs H Carter

Holy Trinity, Fethard –
Rector – Mr B Palmer
People – Mrs T Griffith

Glebewardens -
Rector – Mr K Harris
People - Mr D Levie

Mrs H Bailey
Mrs J Butler
Mr J Mulhall
Mr M Duncan
Mrs C Quaid
Mrs J Bridge
Mrs D Stokes
Mrs S Clooney
Miss Y McClintock
Mrs J Nash
Mr J Chamney
Mrs A Harte

Treasurer – Mrs C Quaid
Secretary - Mrs S Mulhall (Ex-Officio)
Auditor – Mrs J Simpson

General Easter Vestry –

The attendance was average, but when the apologies are counted the interest is seen to be increasing. Interest in what, you might ask? In parish life. We have new people on our new Select Vestry and some old hands. Those elected have taken on the responsibilty of being responsible for the three Fs for the next year – Finance, Fabric (buildings & land) and Furnishings (everything contained in our buildings). Nothing should be done in any property in the parish without the permission of the Select Vestry, and, if necessary, the diocesan Council and Representative Church Body.
When you look at the finances of last year you see that giving for the live ministry (assessment/sustentation) is our highest giving, but needs more subscribers to do what it is supposed to do. Donations towards repairs/renovations etc were extremely high. But giving towards the day-to-day running of the parish (light, heat and maintenance) is almost non-existent. In other words, we do not have a parish “life”. And this must be addressed if we are to be able to pay all our bills and, more importantly, become a place where people want to worship and share time with each other as real committed and lively Christians. Sunday collections are low and this is providing a sequence of – low funds to inadequate heat to poor attendance to low funds etc in at least one of our churches. There are other factors for low attendance at worship and they also need to be addressed and, once again, there are the sequences that perpetuate our problems – “nothing for the children in worship” to Rector prepares material to no children to etc. We need more volunteers for Youth Work. Maybe what I have said on page one might give some people ideas of what they might do to improve what I find a frustrating situation!
Select Vestry Meeting – Monday, 11th May 2009 @ 8.00pm in Old St. Mary’s,

Ordinations –

Ivan Dungan & Christine Smyth will be ordained Deacon in Waterford Cathedral on Monday, 8th June. Both will serve in the Non-Stipendiary Ministry. Our diocese is one of the few which has students in the Theological Institute constantly. It is very encouraging that have people doing the Foundation Course and in the Fellowship of Vocations and others investigating whether they have a vocation to ministry at the moment.

Welcome –

To the Rev Andrew Orr, his wife, the Rev Susan Green and their family who return to the Diocese to the Parish of Tullow Group. Andrew was formerly Rector of Castlecomer and his wife was our first Diocesan Youth Officer. The Rev Susan will continue in her work as a chaplain in Tallaght Hospital.

The Christmas Tree that became the Cross –

One of our parishioners told us about something she saw in an English parish some years ago. The parishioners had turned a Christmas Tree into a cross for Holy Week and Easter. We salvaged a tree from last Christmas, removed most of the branches, except the ones that would form the crossbars. During the week, the cross was bare with a crown of thorns on it and a purple cloth on Good Friday. On Easter morning it had become a cross of glory covered in daffodils. Thank-you John, Debbie and Sam for the chopping and decorating!

Holy Week & Easter –

Most of our services were well atended. The clergy of Clonmel met, with a good number of people, at Old St. Mary’s on Easter Eve to light the Paschal candles for the individual churches of the town. The Chairman of the County Council, Tom Ambrose, lit the torch from the fire and from it lit the paschal candles. . They were then carried to the various churches by the clergy and the Easter vigil followed with the church bells ringing throughput the town. The fire this year was the miniature gas beacon that was used to light the Olympic flame at the Special Olympics last year. As usual, the scouts do the honours. Our churches were beautifully decorated for Easter this year. Thank-you to the arrangers.