Vol 7.5  

Sep - Nov 2004  

Dear Friends ,

I hope you’ve had a pleasant summer although the weather was mixed. As we look to the autumn with the resumption of term time activities beginning in September we look forward to successful programmes for members of our parish organisations. Without dedicated leaders of course these programmes would simply not take place. I would encourage you to think again at this stage in the year of joining an organisation that most appeals to you and hopefully in which you will find enjoyment and friendship. In addition if you feel you have some leadership ability that you’d like to put to good use or re-employ after a gap of some years, please speak either to me or one of the organisation leaders. We’d be very happy to hear from you.

Study Course
Those who would like to explore their faith more fully within the context of the Church of Ireland are invited to be present at this course. It will also be suitable for those thinking about adult confirmation. A set of leaflets for each person will provide a springboard for discussion on the six topics which are: The Bible; The Eucharist; Mary:Virgin and Mother; Irish and Universal; Clergy and People; Protestant and Catholic. The course will last for six weeks and will be held in the Church Rooms starting at 7.30pm. The course will run on consecutive Wednesday evenings during and including Wednesday 22 nd September and finishes on 27 th October.

In Christ

Stephen Fielding

Bowling Club

The Bowling Club will re-open on Friday 3 September 2004 at 7.30 pm and on Monday evening from 8.00 pm to 9.30 pm.

On Saturday 14 August 2004 we had our ‘Annual’ outing to Dunluce outdoor Bowling Club by coach, stopping on the way for afternoon tea and coffee at the holiday home of Amy and Reggie Montgomery. Our thanks to them for a lovely start to our afternoon. After bowling for 3 hours, 30 members and friends had a meal in the Causeway Hotel.

Plans are afoot for our trip to Galway in September 2004.

New members would be made most welcome, come along and enjoy the friendly fellowship, even if you have never bowled before.

Isobel McCollam (Hon. Sec.)

Communion Rota for St John's

Safeguarding Trust News
An article for a parish magazine to raise awareness of Safeguarding Trust

What is Safeguarding Trust all about?

Each week thousands of children use Church of Ireland premises for worship and other activities like Sunday Schools, youth organisations and clubs. We have a Christian duty and legal responsibility to be sure that they are protected from all kinds of abuse and also to promote their general safety and welfare.

Our children’s ministry is also only possible because of the commitment of adults who are prepared to work with children. They need the safeguard of guidelines which help them feel confident that their practices are good and that they are protected from unfounded allegations.

Safeguarding Trust provides such assurances for children and leaders in our church. It is a vital resource for all those involved with children throughout the Church of Ireland. It is also a public statement of our Church’s concern for the care and protection of children and leaders.

Approximately every three years each parish undergoes an evaluation of how well it is implementing Safeguarding Trust. Here are a few of the questions which are asked of the Parish Panel and Select Vestry:

• Are notices displayed in church premises about Safeguarding Trust giving names of Panel members?
• How are Parishioners / young people being made aware of the role of Panel Members?
• Is a filing system of records of leaders / workers with children / young people in place?
• Are attendance registers, consent forms and completed accident and incident books and documents related to recruitment etc kept securely?
• In new appointments of volunteers and workers in the parish, were the procedures of Safeguarding Trust followed?
• When were the premises being used by young people last inspected on behalf of the Select Vestry with their safety and welfare in mind?
• Have you an evacuation procedure? Where is the accident/incident book kept?
• What on-going training for leaders is being provided by the parish?

It is the responsibility of the Panel and Select Vestry to ensure that the parish can answer these and other questions in a positive way.

Safeguarding Trust helps us set high standards of care. Parents have a right to expect these standards as they entrust their children to the Church; children have the right to be protected from harm and leaders have a right to be secure in safe practice. For all these reasons Safeguarding Trust is a vital part of our church’s ministry.

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.

Rector

The Rev. Stephen A Fielding B.Sc., B.Th. M.A.

The Vicarage, 926 Antrim Road, Templepatrick, Co.Antrim,

BT39 0AT

(028 9443 2300    E-mail: templepatrick@connor.anglican.org

CHURCH OFFICE BEARERS

Rector's Churchwarden:(St.Patrick's)
Mrs M. Walbridge, Templepatrick

People's Churchwarden:(St.Patrick's)
Mr B McMeekin, Antrim

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 R Barnes, 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)
Mr R.Barnes, Mrs R.Barnes, Mrs M Bell, Mr H Cinnamon,
Mr S Clendinning, Mrs M Coe, Mr M Cooke, Mrs Y Hutchinson, Mr J Jones, Mr C Lundy, Mr D Mawhinney, Mr T Michael, Mrs I McCollam, Mr S McCollam, Mr B McMeekin, 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:
Mrs P. MacKean, Loughanmore

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

Parish Organisations and their Leaders:-

Choir Practices on Thursdays at 8pm.

Organist and Choirmistress Mrs M.Irvine, The Rectory, Killead

Sunday School Coordinators: Mrs G McCoy, Mr B McMeekin. Leaders: Mrs V Brady, Mrs D Gaffney, Miss R Laird. Helpers: Miss C Lucas, Miss S McCollam..

Crèche (Sundays) Mrs Judith Collister, Mrs Julia Fielding

Youth Group Dr Philip Lusty, Mrs Valerie Brady

Building for Generations & Swedish Link Rep: Mr S Larid

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 Ann Forsythe, Mrs D Reid

Brownies (7-10 years): Wednesdays 6.00-7.30pm
Miss Elaine McConnaghie

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
Mrs C Michael

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

Scouts (10+ years): Contact Mr P Lawther

Parents and Toddlers Group Wednesdays 10.30am-12pm Mrs Hayley Cunningham

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 A Kerr

Parish Ramblers meet occasionally

All Age Worship

RCL
Full texts
available

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

RCL
Full texts
available

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

Parish Eucharist

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

Harvest Festival Matins -
Lunch in the Parish Hall in aid of the Sudan Crisis and Parish Funds

RCL

Old Testament
Psalm
Epistle
Gospel

All Age Worship

Harvest Festival Evensong - St. John's

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

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

7.30 pm

Harvest Services

St Patrick's, Templepatrick

Sunday 3 October 2004
08.30am Holy Communion
11.30am Festival Matins

St Patrick's Church will be decorated on Saturday 2 October from 10.00am onwards.
Please bring you cotribution that morning and if you can, stay to lend a hand.

St John's, Donegore

Sunday 10 October 2004
3.00pm Festival Evensong

Harvest Appeal 2004

This year your contributions will support both the crisis in Sudan and Chad through UNICEF and will also make a valuable contribution to Church Funds. You are invited to come along to the Harvest Lunch which is run annually in support of this appeal following the 11.30am Harvest Festival Matins service on Sunday 3rd October.

Darfur (Sudan/Chad) - Region in crisis
UNICEF in action

Action
Current UNICEF Chad activities to assist both Sudanese refugees and local Chadian communities include: distribution of blankets; measles vaccination and Vitamin A campaigns; delivery of school-in-a-box kits; supply of Arabic school books from UNICEF Sudan to support education activities; provision of basic school materials; distribution of family water kits; delivery of mid-wife kits; supply of therapeutic milk; hygiene education; monitoring of separated children; water and sanitation activities; and, the supply of recreational materials for play.
© UNICEF/Page

The Internet

Did you jump on the broad bandwagon? If so I’m sure that like me you have found using the web is a much more enjoyable experience making it much more useable. Text and pictures appear almost instantaneously and files download in realistic times. It is very much appreciated by others that the ordinary phone line is available while you are connected to the Internet. If you are having problems with the Internet you can phone someone and sort things out whilst staying connected. But it is not all good news.

Unfortunately there are people who wish to gain access to your computer, perhaps just to show that they can, perhaps to cause damage to your machine by deleting or changing files and even perhaps to gain control of your machine so that it dials out to a premium rate number and so provides you with a phone bill of hundreds of pounds. Before your 24-hour always-on connection, this possibility was still there. However you usually downloaded a file with a virus that infected your machine, and of course your virus checker with its updated virus definitions kept you safe. There were still people trying to get into your machine but it was made difficult for them because you were not connected all the time and every time you reconnected you had a different address. With broadband their task is made much easier due to 24-hour connectivity and a permanent address.

You need to take control of what information is allowed to come into your computer and what is allowed to go out. You need a FIREWALL. Your personal firewall is a program that controls the flow of information once you have told it what to allow in and what out. There are free Firewalls available, but you get what you pay for and removing them, if you decide to try a different one, is not always as easy as it should be. If you are not using a Firewall then I would suggest you disconnect when you aren’t using your machine until you have it installed.

So what can you do with your new broadband connection? A site worth visiting is one that we have had on our Links page for a long time, a site run by the Methodist Church called the Ship of Fools, which you will find at http://www.shipoffools.com

You can pick your character and wander around the church, all in 3D. If you meet others you can chat to them and exchange views. The Church is always open to walk around in, but you will only be able to meet people and talk to them if a Churchwarden is present. They are members of the Smite club and are there to enforce the rules. All very different characters as you will see if you read their responses to a questionnaire.

Bored with Big Brother then try The Ark. This is the world's first Internet reality gameshow, created by shipoffools.com – where Big Brother meets the Bible. Twelve biblical heroes, controlled on computer by contestants in their own homes and linked up via the Internet, battle it out to stay on board for 40 days and 40 nights. Only one can avoid the dreaded plank. He or she steps onto Mt Ararat to claim a cash prize of biblical proportions. Really worth a visit no matter what your age and whilst Broadband is not necessary I would not try to visit without it.

We had a disaster on our Website in that the people who ran our Guestbook have seemingly disappeared, taking with it all past entries. As we now have our own Church of Ireland server I have written our own Guestbook program that is now up and running – but very short of entries. If you would like the Guestbook to be able to do other things that you may have seen when visiting other sites let me know and I’ll see if it can be done .

Alan

Bible Puzzle - Word Search

People from the New Testament