Sunday Services
10.00 Eucharist, St Audoen Cornmarket (parking in Francis Street).
11.30 Eucharist, St Catherine & St James Donore Avenue (service of the Word Second and Fourth Sundays) and Sunday School. Family Service 13 February.
Website
Dave Huber has been constructing a website for the Parish. By the time these notes are published I hope it will be available with an abbreviation of the three Saints’ initials as a name, CJA.Dublin.Anglican.org. I must also make corrections to the Diocesan website. Most people, looking for information, start with the internet, something unheard of only a few years ago! The Parish School, St Catherine’s NS, Donore Avenue, has a website of its own. School resumes on Monday 10 January. We hope to have an opening Service on Tuesday 18 January.
Holy Baptism
Ancient and modern came together at St Audoen’s on Sunday 2 January. The Somerville family came to live in High Street in the seventeenth century, and although they live elsewhere now, they returned for the Baptism of Benedek Thomas Matthew Bellingham Somerville, son of Charles, a confirmed member of the Church of Ireland and Adrienn, a member of the Reformed Church of Hungary, where they live. We have also recently had a Baptism in St Catherine’s and St James’ Church, of Mia Elizabeth, daughter of Aoibhinn and Craig Shaw, of the less distant Rothe Abbey Court, South Circular Road.
Holy Matrimony
All good wishes to Kerel Blood and Jane McCarroll, married in St Audoen’s just before Christmas. Dublin City Council men gallantly shovelled the frozen snow off the steps to allow the bride to walk in without difficulty. Members of the Conservative Club strengthened the singing of hymns and carols. The Office of Public Works kindly allowed the use of the Visitor Centre for the signing of the Church register. Nothing could be done about the deep snow on the roof, which melted sufficiently to run down the walls of the Church and the Belfry!
Gospel Choirs
The members of the Gospel Choirs, both ‘Anthem’ and ‘Unity’, brought to St Catherine’s and St James’ by both Des and Neville Cox, remarked on the participation of the members of the congregation in the singing, a most uplifting experience for both groups. We wish Des and Neville, twins, a very happy joint fortieth birthday on 4 January 2011. Worship has been greatly enhanced by the ministry of musicians and singers alike.
Review
A review of the past year would be difficult, for time would fail me to tell of so much goodness and kindness on the part of so many. Outstanding must be those who have contributed to the offering of worship in both Churches, either to the fore like Bernard Woods, the readers and the musicians; or in the background, like those who provided hospitality after service on so many occasions. Some take care of the Churches, the flowers, and the grounds all year round. A particular tribute must be paid to the Churchwardens, which I have always found to be one of the most valuable features of the Anglican Parochial system. Typing this with one hand as a result of a broken arm, I am also most grateful to those who have helped me make good the deficiency. My arm was in a cast for six weeks until 4 January!
Mark Gardner
