Church Review notes June 2011

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 (during School term).

Family Service

The feast of Pentecost will be marked by 11.30 Family Service led by the children of the Sunday School at St Catherine and St James Church, Donore Avenue.

Sunday School

We will be finishing Sunday School on Trinity Sunday 19 June and the Sunday School excursion will be on Saturday 25.  This year we will be visiting the newly opened Tayto Park in Ashbourne.

World Book Day

This year St Catherine’s National School celebrated World Book Day in style! The Parents’ Association invited all the children to dress up as their favourite character from a book for the day. They also held a cake sale and a second hand book sale. This sale raised approximately €400 for the school. All the children received their €1.50 World Book Day voucher. Lots of them were able to redeem these vouchers while purchasing books from Setanta Book Club and Puffin Book Club catalogues which in turn helps the school.

Meningitis Trust

Five years ago our son Adam was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with Pneumococcal Meningitis. This was a horrific time in our lives, one that we will never forget. Since then I have tried to repay some of the kindness, generosity and support shown to our families by working closely with and for the Meningitis Trust. This charity helps families and individuals who have been touched in any way by this devastating disease. On Sunday 8 th May the Vicar and parishioners of St. Catherine’s & St. James kindly allowed me to host a fundraising coffee morning in the Transept. I was overwhelmed by the generosity and support shown. It raised a staggering €278.66, for which I am truly delighted and grateful. The monies raised on the morning will go directly to the charity and will provide many services for many people. For more information on Meningitis or the work of the Meningitis Trust please contact them on www.meningitis-trust.ie

Karen Jordan

Easter Vestry

The Easter Vestry was held on 28 April with the Dean, the Very Rev’d Dr Robert MacCarthy, Incumbent, in the chair. He appointed James Kilbey as his Churchwarden for St. Audoen’s, Brian Honer for St. Catherine’s and Mrs Margery Bell as Glebewarden. Ms Irene Hayes was elected as Peoples’ Churchwarden for St. Audoen’s and David Hackett assisted by Mrs. Margery Bell for St. Catherine’s. Mrs. Isobel Gray, Mrs. Valerie Halford, Mrs. Doris Brooks, Mrs. Olga Walshe, Mrs. Margaret Lawton, Alan Johnston and Bernard Woods (Lay Reader) were elected to the Vestry. Mrs. Margery Bell was re-elected as Hon. Treasurer, assisted by Mr. Frank Beattie and Mrs. Margaret Lawton was elected as Hon. Secretary.

The triennial elections followed with Alan Johnston, Brian Honer, Bernard Woods, Mrs Margery Bell, Mrs. Isobel Gray and Mrs. Margaret Lawton elected to the Diocesan Synod with supplemental members James Kilbey, Irene Hayes and Mrs. Doris Brooks. Alan Johnston, Mrs. Isobel Gray, Mrs. Margery Bell and Mrs. Valerie Halford were chosen as Parochial Nominators with supplemental members Ms. Irene Hayes, Brian Honer, Anthony Collins and James Kilbey.

Fame or infamy?

On a recent visit to Christ Church Cathedral, I was intrigued to find a greeting card waiting for me, addressed to ‘Mr Mark Gardner, c/o Christ Church, Dublin 2′. An Post took some trouble to deliver that one to the right place! I was reminded of the time when a letter addressed to ‘All Saints Dublin’ was delivered to the Ven RGF Jenkins in Grangegorman, and not to his friend Canon RJJF Maconkey at All Saints Blackrock, much to his delight.

Estonian Lutheran Church

The Revd Kalmer Kesküla , a Deacon of the Estonian Church, resident in Glasnevin, who is normally one of the assistant clergy at Christ Church, conducted service in the Estonian language at 17.00 on Saturday 4 June at St Audoen’s.

Concerts at St Audoen’s

On Tuesday 17 May a very lovely concert was performed at St Audoen’s, called ‘From Polka to Polska’ with Olov Johansson (nyckelharpa), Tom Morrow (fiddle, viola), Gerry O’Beirne (guitars, ukulele, vocals), Conor Byrne (flutes, guitar, vocals). This event was supported by the Office of Public Works, which saves the Parish from bearing the burden, and promoted by Music Network, which in recent years has highlighted a number of traditional instruments. On this occasion they featured Olov Johansson, first world champion of the traditional Swedish nyckelharpa or “key harp” and a founder member of the Swedish group Väsen. We are grateful for every event which puts St Audoen’s on the map! Another concert, also supported by OPW, is anticipated on 7 October, with Adrian Crowley, a well-known singer-songwriter who lives in Dublin, and the folk singer James Yorkston. The event is being organised by Note Productions.

Mark Gardner