You Tube Link for live streaming services: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw9yjPMe6ExEvlB8ycfktCg/videos?view=57
Dear parishioners and friends,
Our cover photograph of an old print shows the old Monkstown Church c.1835 at the top of Carrickbrennan Road in Monkstown. Abandoned in the late 18th century, it was replaced by the new church in the village, which itself underwent a number of rebuilding projects, to give us the building we know and love today. Normally we celebrate the history and heritage of Monkstown Church every summer with open days and Summer of Heritage but unfortunately this will not be possible this year. We do hope to open the building on Culture Night in September and hopefully this will be an evening of fun in the life of the parish. We certainly need such events to brighten these uncertain days.
I am also mindful today of the St John’s connection with the parish and the many parishioners who moved down to the village when St John’s closed in the 1980’s. Our ‘St John’s family’ lost another of its members this week with the death of Pauline Woods. She was a wonderful person, full of fun and a real zest for life. She had been a resident in Ashford House Nursing Home for the past couple of years where she received wonderful care and spoke so highly of the staff who looked after her. We remember her family and friends at this sad time and pray that they may be comforted by the fact that Pauline meant so much to so many and that her wonderful legacy to us all will live on. May she rest in the peace of Christ. Pauline’s funeral will be live-streamed from the church on Wednesday
28 July at 12 noon and the YouTube link to watch the funeral is https://youtu.be/FR13bR2Y6-o
Our thanks to our Safeguarding Trust Panel for all their hard work which culminated in our triennial audit last Tuesday evening. It was an extremely successful audit and we had all our policies and procedures in place. An ‘on-site spot check’ will be organized after current Covid-19 restrictions are lifted and hopefully we will pass that section also. Our policies for child protection, health and safety and welfare in our parish are all on display in the robing room in the church. We remind our parishioners that in the case of a fire alarm activation in the church the assembly point is the footpath outside Cosgrove’s Pharmacy and that people should not block the main gates into the church yard. It is important that the church is vacated quickly but safely and that all in the building move to the assembly point.
Our appeal for items for both the parish sale and the auction has met with a very generous response and every week donations are arriving. The number of books continues to rise and it is interesting to see the remnants of ‘lockdown’ reading materialize with multiple copies of some books in abundance! At this early stage we probably have nearly 100 lots put by for the auction including china tea sets, collectables, pictures, ornaments, glassware and jewellery. Please do continue to collect things for us and we would be delighted to hear from you if you are clearing out your attic or house clearing for a
friend or relative. Amongst the things we have no use for are modern magazines, electronic and electrical goods unless new, unused and boxed or else vintage and collectable, black bags of old jumble (we will take fur coats and collectable vintage clothing for the auction), half used or open cosmetics, televisions and television stands, old sheets and blankets (unopened in packets are suitable). Amongst the items we require for the auction are silver, silver-plated ware, vintage kitchenalia, antique furniture, jewellery, coins, stamps, pictures, prints, printed ephemera, garden statuary, designer goods, architectural salvage.
The parish has registered to participate in Culture Night on Friday 17 September when we plan to have the church open from 4pm to 11pm. We hope to have organ music and also our self guided tours in place. Do keep the evening free if you would like to help welcome visitors to the church.
Work is continuing on the schoolhouse project and we hope to have the contracts for the restoration project signed in the next few weeks. We think we have everything in place to allow the contracts to be signed and hopefully this will proceed without much further delay.
Thank you for your continued generosity which is helping to keep the parish on a sound financial footing. Offertory envelopes and donations may be left in the baskets at the doors of the church or dropped through my letterbox for Olwen our treasurer. We greatly appreciate your continued support and kindness.
Please continue to take care of yourselves and one another and contact me if you need me.
With love, prayers and my very best wishes, Roy