Tralee and Dingle Group of Parishes

Christmas 2020

Wishing you all a Joyful Christmas
and a happy new year.

                                               Christmas Services.

This year to comply with HSE guidelines on COVID-19 -19 we will hold the Christmas eve and Christmas day services for the Tralee, Ballymacelligott and Ballyseedy end of the parish in Tralee Church. 

Services will be as follows in St Johns Ashe Street:
Christmas Eve 8pm                    Booked out
Christmas Day 9.30am              Spaces available  Susie @ 087 9362732
Christmas Day 11.15am            Booked out

Services in Camp and Dingle as follows:
Christmas Eve, St James @ 7pm      Spaces available, contact Rev Phyllis
Christmas Eve, Kilgobbin @ 9pm     Spaces available, contact Rev Phyllis
Christmas Day, Kilgobbin @ 10am   Booked out

St Stephens Day in Ballymacelligott                @ 11am
27th December in Tralee (Feast of St John)   @ 10.45am

The Carol Service for our Group of parishes was recorded thanks to Sean from Truemedia in St Johns Tralee. It will be circulated later this evening or tomorrow morning. Many thanks to all who prepared the church and participated in the service, which took almost  five hours to record from start to finish. It can be found on the parish facebook page or at http://traleedingle.ardfert.anglican.org/onlineServices.html

Services will resume as normal on Sunday 3rd January in all Churches.
The number of Services will be slightly reduced over the holiday period in an effort to minimise risk and to keep social contacts to a minimum.
We will make this slight sacrifice in recognition of our gratefulness on been able to have our Christmas services.

 Reflection the year that is coming to a close.
When I reflect on the year that is now coming to a close, a couple of things come to mind, firstly the upset that the Covid-19 has brought to so many people. Those who lost their lives to the illness, those who have been bereaved, those whose health has been affected and those whose livelihoods have been damaged.

We also witnessed the resilience and creativity of so many in business as they tried to adapt their businesses, some enterprises proved adaptable but it was very difficult for all who work in hospitality and leisure. In the midst of this darkness, we saw the wonderful creativity of the human mind which has delivered vaccines that give such hope.
I believe that this creativity springs from the creative energy of God that works in and through all of us whether we recognise it as such or not.

What an appropriate time for this to happen as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and his light which shines in the darkness,

We have witnessed much generosity in our communities and I would like to thank you for your faithfulness and generosity to the parish through this difficult year.
The Christmas Fair had to be cancelled this year and we were wondering how to raise funds when a gofundmepage was suggested, the response has been amazing and many of you who are not online have also donated to the parish. I would like to thank you one and all.
The page will be kept open through the Christmas period.


          Our Christmas has been cancelled- Can you help us?
Link to gofundmepage
https://www.gofundme.com/f/27ecill280?sharetype=teams&member=6971046&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&rcid=1bfe5ae59cec45f0acf07152fde0afeb

As we look to the New Year.

Sometimes we spend the early days of January walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives…not looking for flaws but for potential.’ ~Ellen Goodman

New year’s resolutions all evolve around correcting what’s negative. It’s little wonder that they don’t last. Of course, it’s important to check in on what needs improving but so often we concentrate only on the negative.
As we begin this New Year why not check in on all that’s good and positive in our lives. This is a great starting point. We can use all that’s good and positive as areas of growth and potential.
When this happens, the negative begins to be squeezed out.
The message of the gospels reminds us that it won’t all happen today, but most certainly will over time.

Thankyou also for your support of the clergy during the year.
Rev Phyllis and I are very appreciative of it.