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November Newsletter 2020
All Saints Tide
November is the month of remembering and today is All Saints Day when we remember the big names of the early church, Paul, Peter, Mary, James, Patrick, Columba and Brigid and many others.
But some churches also celebrate the feast of All Souls and that includes our loved ones who have passed from this world, they too were saints in that they demonstrated that faith in their love and care for us. We will remember them and those who died in the parish area in the last twelve months or so in our service today.
There are also many modern-day saints and they don't always have the prefix St before their name. I think of people like Hugh O' Flaherty. he was a priest from Kerry and a senior official of the Roman Curia. During World War 11 he was responsible for saving 6,500 Allied soldiers and Jews. His ability to evade the traps set by the Gestapo earned him the nickname of the scarlet pimpernel of the Vatican ". People like Florence Nightingale and Rev Martin Luther King and many more whose Christian faith inspired them to go the extra step to help their neighbour.
During November people make that special effort to visit a grave and say a prayer of thanks. All Saints tide gives many of us the
opportunity to remember and give thanks for family, friends, fellow parishioners, work colleagues and those who influenced us
and made life easier for us.
In our service today we will remember,
Glynn Handley,
Elizabeth Jenkinson,
Denis Costello
Pauline McKee
Karen Morrison
Dave Kearney
Jennifer O' Callaghan
Arthur Parkinson
Molly Sheehy
Eleanor Prestage
Nancy Caird
Rev Trevor Sullivan , Rector of Camp and Dingle in the 1970's
We express our sympathy and support to all their loved ones.
Prayer (All Saints and All Souls)
Loving God, we give thanks for the communion of saints. May their witness inspire us, and their fellowship sustain us.
We give thanks for all who have quietly
witnessed to Christ through the quality of their
lives and the depth of their love.
We give thanks for the courage of martyrs and
all who suffer for their beliefs.
We give thanks for our loved ones who have
guided us at different stages of our lives and for the inspiring memories that we carry of them in our hearts. May they rest in peace. Amen
We will continue the theme of remembering during the month as we remember those who served and those who died in WW1 and WW2 and in the many other wars that should never have happened. Many of these people are commemorated and remembered in our churches.
It was lovely and very inspiring to share time with some of those in our parish at our service last week who were volunteering with organizations in the area that help and support those who are vulnerable.
Camera Tripod and Selfie Stick.
If anyone has a spare or old camera tripod or selfie-stick or some other means of keeping a phone stable while recording services, please let me know, (Jim)
Thank you to all those who are continuing to support the parish with your prayers and through your financial contributions. Some of you have asked about continuing your contributions during level 5. There are a number of options.
Envelopes can be dropped through the office door as the church gates are open during school hours.
Belinda and Phyllis are available to discuss other options with you too, or you simply email the parish office at stjohns.ashestreet@gmail.com
Local Businesses. I am very mindful also at this time of those whose businesses have had to close and the people who are dependent on them for their income.
Let us hold them in our hearts and support them when the restrictions ease again. I think it was Tommy Bowe who said that it’s the name of local businesses that we see on club jerseys and its local business that sponsor and support community events and not the big online warehouses that are based overseas.
I like the sentiments expressed in this prayer.
Eternal God and Father,
You create us by your power
And redeem us by your love:
Guide and strengthen us by your spirit,
that we will give ourselves in love and service to one another and to you,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
