Dear parishioners and friends,

Firstly, may we wish you all a very happy Easter as we gather this Sunday morning to celebrate the Resurrection Joy. The austerity of Lent is behind us and the Light of Easter lies open before us. Despite this being a world filled with horror and hardship we cannot let the Light and Hope of Easter vanish, and all of us must continue to bring Light and Hope to those who live in the shadows.

Easter Egg Hunt:  On Easter Day the annual Easter Egg hunt for our young parishioners will take place at 11:30 and we hope our young people will go home with plenty of chocolaty treats!

Easter Tree:     You will notice a specially decorated Easter Tree at the door of the church this Sunday. In preparation for our Easter celebrations, you might like to write the name of a sick relative or friend, a loved one living abroad, the name of a departed loved, or a special thanksgiving note on one of the cards by the tree and attach it to a branch. Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection, new life and new hope and this will be a lovely way to remember our loved ones, or a blessing sought or received.

Easter Family Service:     Our Easter Family Service will take place next Sunday 27 April at 10:45 and all children and our young families are warmly welcome to join us. Refreshments will be served in the schoolhouse after the service.

Easter Vestry: The Easter Vestry will take place in the church following the 10:45 service on Sunday 27 April.  All are welcome to join us. Those who do not wish to attend the meeting can go to the schoolhouse for coffee and those attending the meeting can have coffee in the schoolhouse afterwards.

Easter Home Communions:   If you would like to receive Holy Communion at home over Easter Week please let me know and I would be delighted to oblige.

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].  

Lent Compline:        Our sincere thanks to the Revd Lindsay Llewellyn MacDuff for leading our weekly reflections during compline on the Wednesday evenings in Lent. These were very well received and our thanks to Valerie Duncan and helpers who provided refreshments after the services. The Schoolhouse was a lovely venue for these services and talks and we now know that the building works well for such gatherings. We were delighted to welcome also the Revd Steve Brunn and parishioners of Dun Laoghaire to join us.

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