Helping Others –

*****Change of date*****
St. Mary’s Church Ballintemple (Dundrum) recently had their tower
re- roofed as an emergency safety measure. They are a very small rural congregation and I and the Rev Carter have a special interest in it!
Gospel Choir Concert in St. Mary’s Church, Ballintemple (Dundrum) on Wednesday 11th November @ 8.00pm – Booking to the Rector.

Tullaghameelan Harvest Resheduled

Tullaghameelan Harvest Resheduled because of the World Military Cycle Championship to Sunday, 18th October 2009 @ 3.00pm
No Service in Tullaghmeelan on 13th September as roads are closed in that area from 6am – 6pm on that day – restricted traffic in Clonmel on that day also.

“Sunday Life” on Tipp Fm –

“Sunday Life” on Tipp Fm –The Rector will next broadcast on 24th September @7.00am.

Whist Drives –

Yes!, the new season is upon us! The 2nd Friday of each month from Friday, 9th September – 9th April 2010 @ 7.45pm in the school hall across the street from Old St. Mary’s is the place to be on those nights! Donations of prizes for the raffle and contributions to the supper, both in help and food, most welcome! These eventscontribute to our efforts to meet our Sustentation/Assessment commitment.
Friday, 11th September @ 7.45pm
Friday, 9th October @ 7.45pm
Friday, 13th November @ 7.45pm
Friday, 11th December @ 7.45pm (Christmas Drive)

Theatre Evening-

“Robinson Caruso” @ Strand Theatre, Carrick-on-Suir on Sunday evening, 25th October – Tickets €10 – booking with Rector.

Church Missionary Society Roadshow –

Model School, Kilkenny (beside entrance to Kilkenny College), Thursday, 1st October @ 7.30pm

Sunday, 28th September –

The Service on this, the fourth Sunday of the month, is a Service of the Word that is oriented towards family worship. The children of our Parochial School more-or-less conduct the Service with parents taking an active part as well. We have many children in our parish who do not attend the Parochial School and it is the Rev James and my hope that more of these families would join in this service particularly. In order to spread participation wider than the school, I need you, the parents, co-operation in organising the Service. If I might have names of children who might read or lead prayers, take up the collection or do other things, please, ring me – if you get the answering machine leave a message and I will get back to you or use my mobile number.

Teenagers –

“Anois”, the Church of Ireland Youth event in Kilkenny College on Sunday, 25th October 2009 – details later.

Singing Group –

New voices are always welcome – we usually practise on the 1st & 3rd Fridays of the month at Old St. Mary's, Clonmel. If you don’t want to sit with those who are making a huge commitment to leading worship, do open your hymn book and sing! Our small group does not pretend to be very professional, but appreciation of their efforts rather than criticism of their small failings does encourage them to continue. If we want perfection, we must contribute to it!

Harvest Thanksgivings –

These special occasions owe some of their appeal to the church decorations. In recent years contributions of flowers vegetables, fruit and greenery and help in actually doing the decorating has not been good. The same is true for Christmas and Easter.
Where the service is on a Sunday, Saturday would be the day for decorating – probably in mid-afternoon and for a weekday, during the day, up to 4.30pm approx would be suitable. And don’t forget the dismantling – we don’t have anybody to do this for us and many hands really do make light work!

Select Vestry –

The next meeting will take place in the Butler/Charteris Hall,
Cahir on Wednesday, 7th October 2009 @ 8.00pm – notices will not
be posted to members before hand – so write it in on your kitchen calendar!

Fas –

The new arrangement at Old St. Mary’s is going very well. There are 5 participants, but when the scheme to which they have been assigned rolls over at the end of October, one of these men will end his time with Fas. His replacement will be chosen from Cahir and will work at St. Paul’s and Kilcommon under a Cahir scheme.
There is no Fas scheme in the Tullaghmeelan area.

New Life –

Congratulations to Eoin and Wendy Hislop on the birth of Peter, a very welcome brother for George, Alice and William and a new grandson for Granddad and Granny Cunningham.

Our School

St. Mary’s Parochial School (sometimes called the Model School) – The children, teachers and staff returned to school on 1st September. We welcome Ms Kenny, the new pupils and the Ruttle family back into our school. After many years of trying to sort out our position regarding lease and trustees we now know that we need put no new procedures in place.

Organ Marathon –

Bishop Michael player “Come ye thankful people, come” on all but one of the organs in our parish. Kilvemnon was not visited as there has been no service in the church for many years and is effectively closed for Public Worship.
Thank-you to those who turned out and sang along. We will be sending our donation towards the three charities who are to benefit form this diocesan effort; Protestant Aid, which assists in helping members of our Church who are in need of finacial assistance, Our diocesan Outreach Project in Soul, South Korea, which assists in the ministry to Anglicans in the that areas by the Ven. Paul Mooney, former Archdeacon of Ferns and Bishops Appeal, the Church of Ireland aid agency.

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, 10th October 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

Walled Town Day –

In spite of the rain both venues in South Tipperary enjoyed success. The events at old St. Mary’s had to be confined to the church, but a goodly number of people enjoyed Banna Cluain Meala and varius activities.
Fethard is light years beyond Clonmel! On the Saturday night the conservation plan for the walls of Fethard was launch. On the Sunday our church was open all afternoon and the visitor numbers were greatly increased on last year – thanks to the rain! As usual the streets and riverside was alive with activity.

Shrapnel Fund -

I hope you haven’t forgotten about the shrapnel fund which is part of our initiative to pay off our debt. We have aked that as many of you as possible would put your loose change into a jam jar and give the proceeds to us to help with our effort to get rid of the debt. Shirley Clooney has taken charge of the counting etc. Over €1,000 has now been given in this part of our project.

Tourist Office Website-

The minister for State for the Office of Public Works, Dr Martin Mansergh TD launched the Clonmel Tourist Office website on 26th August at Old St. Mary’s. Mr Simon Molloy presented a powerpoint presentation on the reopening of the salmon runs on the river Suir and Barrow. It was very interesting to see how this work was carried out using, in particular, old methods; such as willow wattling. The ladies in the tourist office treated their guests to a sumptious lunch.

The Tourist Office –

The tourist office, which has been housed in Old St. Mary’s for the last four years will move to the Mainguard, Clonmel at the end of this month. The Secretary and outreach worker will remain in the church and this will greatly assist us in keeping Old St. Mary’s open to the public.
Those of you who have been at Old St. Mary’s will see the improvements that have been made in the grounds.

Parish Treasurer –

Caroline Quaid has take over as Parish Treasurer. We thank the Rev James Mulhall for all he has done in this post during the recent past – there are few who can boast that they volunteered for this job!

Marriage Registers –

The Rector has met with the Civil Registrar and the process of checking that each entry is registered is in progress. The parish will retain one copy while the second copy will be kept by the Office of the General Registrar.

Baptisms, Marriages & Funerals –

The correct procedure for arranging these is to contact the Rector. The Rev James will not be added to the state’s List of Solemnizers until he completes his 1st year of ministry – he cannot officiate at weddings until such time as he is added to the list

Christian Burial –

Kenneth (Ken) Reid died in Australia in June 2006. A Funeral Service was held in Old St. Mary’s on 29th August, conducted by the Rev Arthur Carter. Friends and family joined in giving thanks for his life. His ashes were interred in the churchyard of St. Patrick’s, Inishlounaght.
May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

****Tullaghameelan Harvest Resheduled ****

Tullaghameelan Harvest has had to be Resheduled because of the World Military Cycle Championship, It shall now take place on Sunday, the 18th October 2009 @ 3.00pm
No Service in Tullaghmeelan on 13th September as roads are closed in that area from 6am – 6pm on that day – restricted traffic in Clonmel on that day also.