Dear parishioners and friends,

Family Service:         Our July Family Service takes place this morning and we welcome especially Rebecca and Gareth who have brought their children Rhys Patrick and Dylan John Connolly for baptism. We also welcome their Godparents, Jessica and Alan, and wider family to this special occasion. Following the service there will be refreshments in the Schoolhouse so please feel free to stay behind and join us.

Heritage Week: Jean Boydell has prepared a volunteer sheet that can be signed by those who are willing to volunteer during Heritage Week. The church and schoolhouse will open for visitors in the afternoons of Heritage Week, and we need help to welcome our guests. This year Heritage Week runs from Saturday 16 August to Sunday 24 August and Monkstown Church and Schoolhouse will be open from 3:00pm to 5:00pm on those days for visitors. In the church, information panels will be in the vicinity of many of the monuments and windows with treasure hunts available for children. In the schoolhouse, we will have a recreated period classroom at one end of the hall as well as memorabilia, educational artefacts and photographs of school pupils on display. For any queries, please contact Jean at 087 2657708.

Art & Craft Exhibition: Our annual art exhibition will take place in the Schoolhouse from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 August. This is always a joyful and fun filled event where the artistic talents of parishioners and friends take centre stage. There are enormously talented local artists in the area, and we encourage you to exhibit with us this year. Application forms are available in the Schoolhouse or in the current edition of Monkstown Voice. Completed application forms must be with Liz in the parish office by Wednesday 7 August. Further details from Liz or as printed in Monkstown Voice.

Buildings Beo: You may remember that during the Schoolhouse restoration project ‘New Departures Media’ was commissioned by TG4 to follow the restoration of six historic buildings, including Monkstown Schoolhouse. New Departures Media attended many events in the parish and carried out interviews and site inspections. The series has now been completed and will be broadcast on TG4 from 18 September at 9:30pm. Monkstown Schoolhouse will have a complete programme to itself and feature in episode 5. The publicity for the series states: ‘Buildings Beo celebrates six historic buildings as they are lovingly brought back to life. Part architecture, part history and anecdotal stories, this original series taps into the heartbeat of Irish communities and explores the notion that breathing life back into a forgotten building may ultimately resuscitate a whole town.

Blessing of the Animals: Our annual pet blessing service will take place in Monkstown Church on Sunday 31 August at 3:00pm. The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Blue Cross Animal Charity will join us. Please do come along, with your pets and join us for this celebration with all its associated chaos and fun!

Mission Sub Committee: In 2024, the Mission Sub Committee of Diocesan Councils committed to developing a mission plan for the diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. This will help us identify our mission priorities in our dioceses and will enable us to resource and support effectively. To do this well, it’s important that as many voices as possible are present at the table. This is an invitation. We hope that at least 3 people from your church, might join us for a 2 hour session on Saturday 20th September from 11:00am – 1:00pm at Crinken Church. The Revd Tom O’Brien and Derek Neilson have been asked to lead a group that includes clergy and parish representatives from Booterstown and Mount Merrion, Dun Laoghaire, Glenageary, Monkstown and Stillorgan with Blackrock. You can bring as many people as you wish. Please let us know in advance so we can facilitate hospitality. The members of the Mission Sub Committee are facilitating this. Our role is to listen. If you have any questions please give me a call or email me. Many thanks for your support with this important initiative. Every blessing Tom O’Brien and Derek Neilson (Mission Sub Committee). If anybody from Monkstown would like to attend this meeting, please let Liz know in the parish office.

Schoolhouse Coffee Dock:      The coffee dock area in the schoolhouse is now open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10:30 to 12.30 and you are warmly invited to drop in and have a cup of tea or coffee and a chat. It is also open on Wednesday and Sunday mornings after the 10:45 services. Pamela Iyer Friel would be delighted to hear from any parishioner or friend of the parish who would like to help on the volunteer rota and she can be contacted on 0876624514 or [email protected].  . 

The Sick:  We continue our prayers in the parish for all who are unwell and the recently bereaved. We also remember those who are in hospital currently and those who are recovering at home from serious illness. Our hearts go out to all who are in need of our continued prayers and support, and we pray that you may have a real sense of the love that surrounds you.

On-line Banking: It would greatly assist our parish treasurer if you would please fill in the line describing what your donation is for and your name also. Sometimes donations are given online without any information provided and it is very difficult to work out who the donor is.

General Financial Support: Thank you for your continued financial support of the parish and for remembering that our work of ministry continues week after week and year after year. We appreciate your generous and supportive giving. There is a collection at every service in the church. Donations to parish funds may also be posted by cheque made payable to ‘Monkstown Parish Church’ to me here at Winton Lodge if you do not have access to online banking. Our Bank of Ireland bank details are: Account Name: Monkstown Parish Church Business Current Account. Account no: 86014381. IBAN IE 17 BOFI 9011 8386 0143 81. If any of our envelope subscribers wish to talk to Ruth Carnegie, she may be contacted at 087 4339367. We now have a direct payment button on the parish website for those who would like to utilize this facility

With love and prayers  Roy