Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Services 2009

Thursday December 24th

11.30pm (Midnight service) Holy Communion, St Paul's, Cahir


Friday December 25th

8.30am Holy Communion, Old St Mary's, Clonmel

9.30am Holy Communion, Holy Trinity, Fethard

11am Holy Communion, Tullaghmeelan

11am Holy Communion, Old St Mary's, Clonmel

Signed Munster Jersey

The auction of the signed Munster Jersey raised 401euro. The proceeds of this silent auction will go towards the painting of interior of St Paul's Cahir.

Thank you to all who placed bids.

The Bible Club

The next evening of storytelling and fun on

Friday, 22nd January 2010 @ 7.00pm at Old St. Mary's, Clonmel
– this is for all under 12s

Signed Munster Jersey Auction _ Fundraiser

Charity Auction of a Jersey Signed by the Heineken Cup Panel 2009.

Send your name, contact details and bid to:

munster.bid@gmail.com
or
Text 0863634457

Bids only accepted between:
9am Tuesday the 8th december 2009 to 12 Midnight Friday the 18th December 2009.

Bids received outside these times will not be processed as part of the auction.

Proceeds in aid of the painting of St. Paul's Church, Cahir, Co Tipperary.

Singing Group –

Friday, 4th December@ 8.00pm in Old St. Mary’s –New voices are always welcome –whether you want to sit near the organ or not! We practise well known hymns etc and learn new ones.

Carol Services

Tuesday, 8th December – St Patrick’s, Marlfield @8.00pm

Sunday, 13th December - St. Paul’s, Cahir @ 7.30pm

Friday, 18th December – Old St. Mary’s,Clonmel @ 7.30pm

Sunday, 20th December - Holy Trinity, Fethard @ 7.30pm

“A Christmas Carol”

South Tipperary Rural Arts Group will present “A Christmas Carol” with Mary Flaherty, Soprano and Liz Ryan, mezzo Soprano on Saturday, 19th December @ 8.15pm in St. Paul’s Community Centre, Clogheen.

– Tickets €15 (to include mulled wine and mince pies)
– Tickets from 0876320899/0863667453/0866086638

Messiah –

The Messiah will be performed in St. Mary’s Church, Irishtown on the evening of 12th December @ 8.00pm.

Whist Drives –

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 events contribute to our efforts to meet our Sustentation/Assessment commitment.

Friday, 11th December @ 7.45pm (Christmas Drive)

Newcomers always welcome – beginners are welcomed and treated kindly!

Select Vestry –

The next meeting will take place in Tullameelan Church on 27th January 2010 @ 8.00pm – notices will not be posted to members before hand – so write it in on your kitchen calendar! The Rector will text those whose numbers she has a day or two before – if she does not have your mobile number, text her!

Fas –

With the advice of the Heritage council and the town gardener, three trees in the
churchyard of Old St. Mary’s have been identified as needing to be removed.
The Heritage Council are anxious that we would put together a plan for the future repair, renovation and use of Old St. Mary’s – the use would include ways of bringing in some revenue from visitors.
In these discussions, the Rector plans to include the other churches as part of the package as all of our churches have a very important historical, heritage and architectural importance.

St. Mary’s Parochial School (sometimes called the Model School)

Mr Andrew Colamn of Christian Aid visited the school during the month to talk about Christian Aid’s work in Haiti. His Power point presentation showed the visit of an Irish group to a school in Haiti, which has benefited from funds from Christian Aid. The children had lots of questions for Andrew, who has a particular talent in presenting his agency’s work to children. (his lovely west Cork accent helps!)

The school play will be presented in the G.A.A. Hall, Western Road on 9th December @ 3.00pm

Bible Study –

Thursdays during Advent, 5th, 12th & 19th December @ 8.00pm in the Rectory – subject: The stories of Jesus’ birth in the gospels of Matthew and Luke; based on the book “An Adult Christ at Christmas” – presented by the Rector and curate – all welcome!

Confirmation -

I have four names for Confirmation in 2010 – classes will begin
immediately after Christmas. Parents and candidates should be aware of the rule recently introduced in our diocese that you are confirmed where you attend preparation classes – ie. Preparation in school leads to confirmation in school and preparation in your parish leads to confirmation in the designated church in your parish/diocese. There will be no option to do otherwise. The bishop would not be prepared to confirm where adequate preparation has not been undertaken. Once again, let me remind you that adult confirmation has become part of many Confirmation services in our diocese – so if you lost out in your earlier years, it is never too late. Adult Baptism has also become quite usual in the context of the “Confirmation season” – in this instance, it is the Bishop who baptises.
If you would like to be confirmed, please speak to me personally or by phone as soon as possible. I do prefer that young people ask to be confirmed themselves – after all, they are going to make the vows themselves – confirmation is so much more than an occasion that ,sometimes, appears to be regarded as a “social” occasion that must be done with no further consequences. – we need to move away from that kind of thinking.
Confirmation will take place in St. Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore on Sunday, 27th June 2010 – the early classes are due to plans already in place by the families concerned

The Tourist Office –

Dr Martin Mansergh, Minister for the Office of Public Works will officially open the Tourist Information Office at the Mainguard, Clonmel on Friday, 27th November.
Meanwhile the Secretary and Outreach Worker of the Tourism and Fisheries CE Scheme, of which we are part in Clonmel work in the former tourist office and ensure that Old St. Mary’s is open to the public for much of the week; Monday –Friday. We do have an arrangement for a contribution to heat and light.

Coffee Time –

Saturday, 16th January 2010 - 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 etween 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

Bible Club –

Our first session went well but numbers were small ( The weather did not help!!) – we hope for growth in the future!

Next evening of storytelling and fun on Friday, 22nd January 2010 @ 7.00pm – for all under 12s.

Cashel, Waterford & Lismore Clerical Society –

This group met for worship in Old St.Mary’s on 19th November. The special speaker after lunch was Mr George Kidd, a Diocesan Reader, who spoke about his ministry
– very interesting.

Changes of Personnel –

We will be having changes of personnel in the diocese in the coming weeks:
Canon Nancy Gillespie will leave her position as Rector of Stradbally, Co. Laois and become part-time assistant to the Rector of Carlow – this move has been facilitated by the new rule on interchange between part-time and full-time ministry.
The Rev Susan Green (Orr) will take up her appointment as chaplain to Kilkenny College – a part-time appointment.
The Rev Olive Donohoe, at present Rector of Mountmellick, will take up her appointment as Priest-in-Charge of Stradbally Parish (Co. Laois) – this parish will cease to have a Rector at this time.
The Rev Stella Jones will leave Clonenagh Parish (Mountrath) and return to the Diocese of Cork.
The Rev Gunilla Alquist will leave Wexford Parish to return to Sweden after serving as Curate for a number of years.
Dean Norman Lynas has left Kilkenny Parish to take up a three-year contract ministry in Bermuda.
We pray for these clergy as they move into new situations and for the people of hte parishes who will experience change.

St Mary’s Hall –

All the rubbish has been cleared out of the hall and the fas workers have given it a coat of paint – it looks great, but there is no heating. The radiators and pipes are there – we need a boiler if we are to use it during the winter months. The roof needs replacing, but the building is safe for use. Any ideas? We don’t have the cash to do the needful at the moment.

Munster Jersey –

A generous donor has presented a Munster jersey, signed by the team, to be either raffled or auctioned in aid of the redecoration of St. Paul’s Church, Cahir.

Further details will be available at the weekend – there should be quite a number of parishioners or others who would like to own this or give it as a Christmas present! Thank-you donor!!

Baptisms -

Conor Thomas Whelan, infant son of Tommy & Emma, brother of Callum and Victoria and grandson of Marion High was baptised in Old St. Mary’s, on Saturday, 14th November.

Baptisms in our parish normally take place during Sunday morning worship and, usually, in the context of Holy Communion. To make arrangements, telephone the Rector. For adults and children old enough to answer for themselves, preparation classes are provided.