Vol 10.5  

Sep - Nov 2007  

During the Vacancy, in the event that you need to contact the
Rural Dean, The Rev Paul Redfern,
could we please ask that you do this through the
Churchwardens at either
St Patrick’s or St John’s
and not directly with the Rev Redfern.

Please see the Parish Directory for the
Churchwardens contact numbers.

Bowling Club

The Bowling Club re-opens on Friday 7 September 2007 at 7.30 pm. Bowling on Friday evenings from 7.30 pm until 10.30 pm. Monday evenings from 8.00 pm until 9.30 pm.

New members would be made most welcome.

On Saturday 25 August 2007, 28 members and friends travelled by coach to Dunluce bowling club for our ‘Annual outing’ of outdoor bowling. Stopping, once again, at the holiday home of Amy and Reggie Montgomery for afternoon tea and coffee. Our sincere thanks to Amy and Reggie for a lovely start to our afternoon.

We then proceeded to Dunluce bowling club for 3 hours bowling, afterwards we had an evening meal in the Bushtown Hotel, before returning home tired, but well fed.

Plans are afoot for our week-end in September, to Ballina, Co Mayo.

Isobel McCollam (Hon. Sec.)

Communion Rota for St John's

St Patrick’s Church – Cleaning Rota

U R G E N T ! help is required on the cleaning rota .

We would be interested in hearing from anyone male or female, who would be willing, or two to three people who could work together, for one month in the year, cleaning once a week for an hour.

If you can give this commitment or would like to ask about it please contact Mrs I.McCollam.

Thank you.

Organising your wedding

Weddings are very special occasions in the life of any family and in the life of the church. When considering getting married please check possible dates with the Rector before confirming arrangements.

It is expected that couples will make a regular commitment to the life of the church in preparation for marriage.

An annual Rural Deanery marriage preparation course takes place every year in February which 'intending' couples area asked to atttend.

Table Quiz

Thanks to everyone who supported the Table Quiz
in any way.

It was a very successful evening raising £740.00 towards the Kitchen Fund.

Isobel McCollam

Safeguarding Trust

In accordance with the recommendations in 'Safeguarding Trust - The Church of Ireland Code of Good Practice for Ministry with Children', a Parish Panel has been appointed (operating since June 1998) to implement some of the responsibilities identified in the Code.

The Panels responsibilities include:

• interviewing persons willing to serve as workers in the parish
• advising workers on their responsibilities in respect of the Code
• advising the Select Vestry in respect of its responsibilities
• being an immediate contact point for workers when a suspicion, complaint or allegation of child abuse is made about a worker or on parish premises in accord with the procedures set out in these guidelines.

The Parish Panel Members are:-

Saints of the Church

The Birth of the Blesséd Virgin Mary
8 September -- Lesser Festival -- BVM -- White
This festival in honour of the birth of the mother of our Lord is celebrated on this day in both the eastern and the western Churches. Falling just nine months after the feast of the Conception of Mary, this feast acknowledges the preparation by God of his people to receive their Saviour and Lord, putting 'heaven in ordinary' and showing that mortal flesh can be the bearer of Christ to the world.

Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist
21 September -- Festival -- Apostle -- Red
Matthew appears in the list of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to the gospel written under his name, was a tax collector. Mark and Luke called the tax collector Levi, and it has been assumed that they are one and the same. This occupation was despised by his fellow Jews as a betrayal to the occupying Roman force but Christ showed that judging by outward appearance was not what he was about. He ate with Matthew and with his friends, scandalising those around him. Matthew affirmed that his life would now change because of following Jesus, and that he would make amends for any former wrongdoing. This was enough for Jesus, for he had drawn someone back to God. He was forgiven, therefore he was acceptable, therefore he was received.

Michael & All Angels
29 September -- Festival -- White
Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are the three named biblical angels, depicted as the belovèd messengers of God. Michael, which means 'who is like God?', is described as protector of Israel and leader of the armies of God and is perhaps best known as the slayer of the dragon in the Revelation to John. He is thus regarded as the protector of Christians from the devil, particularly those at the hour of death. A basilica near Rome was dedicated in the fifth century in honour of Michael on 30 September, beginning with celebrations on the eve of that day, and 29 September is now kept in honour of Michael and all Angels throughout the western Church.

Luke the Evangelist
18 October -- Festival -- Evangelist -- Red
Luke was a dear friend of the apostle Paul, and is mentioned by him three times in his Letters. Paul describes him as 'the belovèd physician' and, in his second Letter to Timothy, as his only companion in prison. He is believed to be the author of two books of the New Testament, firstly the gospel which stands in his name and also the Acts of the Apostles. Luke's narrative of the life of Christ has a pictorial quality and shows the sequential pattern from the nativity through to the death and resurrection. The developed sense of theology that comes over in Paul's writings is virtually unknown in those of Luke but, as a Gentile, Luke makes clear that the good news of salvation is for all, regardless of sex, social position or nationality. Traditionally, Luke wrote his gospel in Greece and died in Boeotia at the age of eighty-four.

Luke describes Jude as the son of James, while the Letter of Jude has him as the brother of James, neither of which negates the other. It seems he is the same person as Thaddæus, which may have been a last name. Owing to the similarity of his name to that of Judas Iscariot, Jude was rarely invoked in prayer and it seems likely that because of this, interceding through him was seen as a final resort when all else failed. He became known, therefore, as the patron saint of lost causes.
The two apostles are joined together on this day because a church, which had recently acquired their relics, was dedicated to their memory in Rome in the seventh century.

All Saints' Day
1 November -- Principal Feast -- Gold or White
From its earliest days, the Church has recognised as its foundation stones those heroes of the faith whose lives have excited others to holiness and have assumed a communion with the Church on earth and the Church in heaven.
Celebrating the feast of All Saints' began in the fourth century. At first, it was observed on the Sunday after the feast of Pentecost; this was to link the disciples who received the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the 'foundation of the Church, with those who were martyrs, giving their lives as witnesses for the faith. In the eighth century, a pope dedicated a chapel to All Saints in St Peter's at Rome on 1 November. Within a century, this day was observed in England and Ireland as All Saints' Day.

Andrew the Apostle, Patron Saint of Scotland
30 November -- Festival -- Apostle -- Red
Though Andrew is named among the apostles in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, it is in John's gospel that most is learned about him. Andrew was a Galilean fisherman, mending his nets, when Jesus called him to follow him, which he promptly did. He then seems to have remained with Jesus until the end. He was there at the feeding of the five thousand and then later, when some Greeks in Jerusalem wanted to see Jesus, Philip brought them to Andrew who told Jesus of their desire. Tradition has him travelling on several missionary journeys and eventually being martyred by being crucified on an X-shaped cross. He became the patron saint of Scotland because of a legend that his relics had been brought there in the eighth century.

Rural Dean

The Rev. Paul Redfern

7 Rectory Road, Doagh, Co Antrim, BT39 0PT

(028 9334 0225    

CHURCH OFFICE BEARERS

Rector's Churchwarden:(St.Patrick's)
Mr S Clendinning, Templepatrick

People's Churchwarden:(St.Patrick's)
Mrs A Millar, Templepatrick

Rector's Churchwarden:(St.John's)
Miss Y.Hutchinson, Doagh

People's Churchwarden:(St.John's)
Mrs M Bell, N'abbey

Rector's Glebewarden:Mr D Mawhinney, Dunadry

People's Glebewarden:
Mr M Cooke, Dunadry

Supplemental Glebewarden:
Mr S Clendinning, Templepatrick

Select Vestry: (Meets 2nd Monday in month at 8.00 pm)
Mrs R.Barnes, Mrs M Bell, Mr H Cinnamon, Mr S Clendinning,
Mr M Cooke, Mrs Y Hutchinson, Dr C Lundy, Mr D Mawhinney,
Mr P McCausland, Mrs I McCollam, Mr S McCollam, Mrs G.McCoy, Mr T Michael, Mrs A Millar, Mr R Montgomery, Mr N Shirley,
Mr A Walbridge, Mrs M Walbridge

Parish Diocesan Synodsmen:
Mr E Cinnamon, Mr H Cinnamon

Diocesan Synodsmen:
Mrs M Bell, Mr R Montgomery

Honorary Secretary:
Mrs M Bell, Newtownabbey

Honorary Treasurer:
Mr N Shirley, Templepatrick

Honorary F.W.O. Recorder and Envelope Secretary:
Mrs I McCollam, Templepatrick

Covenant Secretary:
Mr M Cooke, Dunadry

PARISH PANEL:-
The Rector; Mrs M Bell; Mr S Clendinning; Mr M Cooke

Parish Organisations and their Leaders:-

Choir Practices on Thursdays at 8pm.

St Patrick's Organist and Choirmistress Mrs D.Martin, Parkgate

Sunday School Coordinators: Mrs G McCoy, Mrs V Brady
Helpers: Miss C Lucas, Miss S McCollam, Miss C McCollam

Crèche (Sundays) Mrs Judith Collister, Mrs Julie-Ann Logan

Youth Group Mrs Valerie Brady

Sacristan: Mrs R Barnes

Hall Secretary: Mrs I McCollam

CofI Gazette Secretary: Mrs M McConnell

Bible Study Notes Secretary: Mrs D Lucas

Christian Aid Secretary Mrs L Lynas

Parish Webmaster Mr Alan Walbridge

Magazine Producer Mrs Gail McCoy

Youth Organisations

Choir Practices on Thursdays at 8pm

Rainbow Guides (4-7 years): Tuesday 2.15-3.15pm
Mrs D Reid

Brownies (7-10 years): Wednesdays 6.00-7.30pm
Miss Elaine Lamont, Mrs A Millar

Guides (10-14 years): Wednesdays 7.30-9.00pm
Mrs Ann Forsythe

Squirrels (4-6 years): Thursdays 4-5pm
Mrs C Michael

Beavers (6-8 years): Mondays 6.30-7.30pm
Miss K Shirley

Cub Scouts (8-10years): Tuesdays 6.45-8.00 pm
Mr Alan Martin

Scouts (10+ years): Mrs Kim Gleave

Parents and Toddlers Group Wednesdays 10.30am-12pm Mrs Geraldine McIlroy

Adult Organisations

Choir Practices on Thursdays at 8pm

Indoor Bowling Club : Fridays 7.30pm
Secretary: Mrs I McCollam

Ladies Fellowship 3rd Tuesday in the month, 8pm.
Secretary:Mrs D Young

Parish Ramblers meet occasionally

RCL
Full texts
available

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

RCL
Full texts
available

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

RCL
Full texts
available

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

RCL
Full texts
available

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

RCL
Full texts
available

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

Amos 6: 1a, 4-7
146
1 Timothy 6: 6-19
Luke 16: 19-31

Matins - Harvest Festival

RCL
Full texts
available

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

All Age Worship

Evensong - St. John's
Harvest Festival

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

Parish Eucharist

RCL
Full texts
available

First Reading
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

RCL
Full texts
available

First Reading
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

All Age Worship

RCL
Full texts
available

First Reading
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

RCL
Full texts
available

First Reading
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

RCL
Full texts
available

First Reading
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

RCL
Full texts
available

First Reading
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

Harvest Services

St Patrick's, Templepatrick

Sunday 7th October 2007
8.30am Holy Communion
11.30am Harvest Festival Matins

The 11.30 am service will be followed by Lunch in the Parish Hall.

St Patrick's Church will be decorated on Saturday 6th October from 10.00am onwards.
Please bring you contribution that morning and stay to lend a hand if possible.

St John's, Donegore

Sunday 14th October 2007
3.30pm Festival Evensong

The 3.30 pm service with be followed by refreshments in the nave.

Harvest

There's a seedtime up in Heaven
There's a harvest here on earth.
There's a growing in the Spirit
When amazing love gives birth.
There's a boundless joy in giving,
There's a peace that's too profound
For our human understanding
When the Lord prepares the ground.

There are roots made firm by patience;
There's a goodness straight and tall,
Loyal and assured in meekness
Answering the Saviour's call.
There's a flow'ring of the spirit
Disciplined by self-control,
Gentle kindness branching outwards
In a fellowship of soul.

There's no limit to the freedom
Jesus offers to his own,
Rooted, nurtured by His Spirit,
Fruit to bear divinely grown.
There's rejoicing up in Heaven
At the harvest here on Earth,
Souls to feed and life fulfilling
When the love of God gives birth.

© Doreen Simm

Can you help?

40 Sinclair Road North Bangor
Co Down
BT19 1PX

14 June 2007

Dear Sir

I am researching the life of my great uncle George McConnell who was born in Carrick in 1864. He served as a missionary with the Chinese Inland Mission and he was martyred, along with his wife and young son, during the Boxer Rising in 1900. George's father was James McConnell who came from Tobergill in Donegore Parish. His mother was Jane (nee Gibb) who was also from Tobergill. She attended 1st Donegore Presbyterian church. They were married in 1853 in St.John's CI Church in Donegore.

I would like to get in touch with any unknown relatives which I may have in and around Antrim and Donegore . I know that there are many McConnells living in these areas and possibly some Gibbs also.

Would it be possible to include a short item on this in your church magazine? This might enable me to get in touch with relatives or other people with whom I could share info on George and his family. I would like to write his biography if I could gather enough information. I could also provide my phone no. and email address if necessary.

I would appreciate it if you would consider doing this and I look forward to hearing from you soon. I have already looked up various official records but now I have reached the stage when I need to make contact with people!

Yours truly,

Rocking the boat

And in the year 2007, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in the United States, and said: ‘Once again the earth has become wicked and overpopulated, and I see the end of all flesh before me.

Build another Ark and save two of every living thing along with a few good humans.’

He gave Noah the blueprints, adding: ‘You have six months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights.’

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard – but no Ark.

‘Noah!’ He roared, ‘I’m about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?’

‘Forgive me, Lord,’ begged Noah, ‘but things have changed. I needed a building permit. I’ve been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system.

My neighbours claim that I’ve violated the neighbourhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the Development Appeal Board for a decision.

Then the Department of Transportation demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions to clear the passage for the Ark’s move to the sea. I told them the sea would be coming to us, but they wouldn’t hear of it.

Getting the wood was another problem. There’s a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince the environmentalists I needed the wood to save the owls – but no go!

And when I started gathering the animals, an animal rights group sued me. They insisted I was confining wild animals against their will.

They argued the accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space. Then the EPA ruled that I couldn’t build the Ark until they had conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.

I’m still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many minorities I’m supposed to hire for my building crew. Immigration and Naturalisation are checking the green card status of most of the people who want to work.

The trade unions say I can’t use my sons. They insist I have to hire only union workers with Ark-building experience.

To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets, claiming I’m trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.

So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take ten years for me to finish this Ark.’

Suddenly, the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and asked: ‘You mean you’re not going to destroy the world?’

‘No.’ said the Lord. ‘The government beat me to it.’

Technology - Six of the Best

For example although we regularly play the same CDs are there other artists or songs similar to those we like?

www.pandora.com
This is a must for anyone bored with their music collection. Visit Pandora, enter the name of a song or artist you like, and the Musical Genome Project searches its huge databases for similar tracks, based on what other users have recommended. The interface is good, and sound quality is commendably high at 128Kb/sec. But within seconds after arriving at Pandora, you'll be playing music you're all but guaranteed to like from artists you've never heard of.

Finding a daily newspaper worthy of being read each day can be a difficult task, try The First Post.

www.thefirstpost.co.uk
Stylishly eschewing the current trend to cram as much as possible onto the homepage, The First Post achieves the rare distinction of being both superbly designed and written. Dubbed an "online daily magazine", The First Post combines original, thought-provoking features with a diligently compiled digest of daily newspapers. Waffle isn't tolerated from the site's impressive roster of writers: articles are considerately concise and rarely short of acerbic opinion. The striking photo features are worth a visit alone.

With the soccer season about to burst upon our screens, how can you ensure that you are fully informed on what is happening in the English and Scottish leagues?

www.soccerbase.com
Soccerbase is football's Wisden, a site bulging with enough stats to keep John Motson delirious. Ideal for settling those arguments about who scored the winning goal against Luton in the classic 1958/59 Cup run, Soccerbase offers an inexhaustible barrage of data and, thankfully, it's as easily accessible as West Ham's penalty area. The individual player data is particularly detailed, giving you a match-by-match breakdown of the player's contribution over the season - at both domestic and international level.

Many of us are not really happy until we know how something works, be it a car, a cell phone or even a woman. Help is at hand with all of these and many more.

www.howstuffworks.com
It must be a common question, as one of the most popular articles on this website is "How Women Work" and, credit where credit's due, it makes a decent attempt at answering this eternal conundrum. But it's the more prosaic areas where HowStuffWorks truly shines: if you want to know how cable modems work, why avalanches happen and why you shouldn't go swimming after you've just eaten, this is the site to visit. The writing is clear, concise and seems to be accurate.

At the moment the Ulster museum is closed until Spring 2009 for major redevelopment. You can look at some of its objects by visiting its site, to be found at http://www.ulstermuseum.org.uk/

However for a real museum experience without the need to walk around the galleries why not visit the British Museum?

www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/compass
The British Museum's vast online exhibition is a magnificent way to watch an afternoon disappear. Whether it's plotting the changing design of British banknotes (did you know our current Queen was the first monarch to appear on Bank of England notes?), viewing computerised tomographic scans of mummies or flicking through Michelangelo's sketches, there's a hoard of high-resolution images accompanied by clearly written descriptions.

Of course shopping on line is great attraction, but where can you find out all about the latest gadgets without being overwhelmed with technical specifications?

www.shinyshiny.tv
Shiny's selling point is that it's one of a handful targeted at women. This doesn't just mean pink borders; Shiny Shiny is designed to be accessible to those interested in the latest gadgets - whether that be a vacuum cleaner or 42in LCD screen - without being desperate to know all the tech specs. Shiny's chief attraction is its video reviews, which are full of personality, enthusiasm and a cosy amateurishness.

Alan

Bible Puzzle

The "I AM" sayings of Jesus Christ

Across
2. Ruler of a country. ( _ _ _ _ , John 18:37) (4)
4. Not false, "I am the _ _ _ _ vine." (John 15:1) (4)
6. Jesus said, "I am the _ _ _ _ _ of Life." (John 6:35,41,48) (5)
7. Greek word for Messiah. ( _ _ _ _ _ _ , John 4:25-26) (6)
9. "The _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ lays down His life for the sheep." ( two words, John 10:11) (12)
10. "I am _ _ _ - _ _ _ the truth and the life." (two words, John 14:6) (6)
11. Opposite of death. ( _ _ _ _ , John 11:25) (4)

Down
1. Not a lie. ( _ _ _ _ _ , John 14:6) (5)
3. God is Christ's Father. Therefore, Jesus is _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ . (two words, John 10:36) (7)
5. Given physical life after death. ( _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , John 11:25) (12)
8. It shines bright in darkness. ( _ _ _ _ _ , John 8:12) (5)
9. A place to enter, like a door. ( _ _ _ _ ) (4)