Newsletter December 2020

Advent and Christmas

Advent is the season of preparation for Christmas.

It’s a time when we journey through the darkness and towards the light of Christmas Day.

What is the biggest darkness in my life at the moment? Who or what might bring me a sense of light and hope in my life? Advent may enable us and to find the beginning of some answers as we journey towards Christmas.

 

Services over the Christmas period.

All our churches are open again from this Sunday with the exception of St James Dingle which is closed this Sunday(6th) due to the filming of ‘Other Voices’

Didn’t St James looked so well in the news the other night, and what a wonderful resource this is for the parish and the community.

A decision on carol services and Christmas eve and day services will be made this week. We plan to record a carol service in Tralee for the whole parish for circulation on the 20th December. This will only involve those who are taking part in the recording.

It has been proposed that we move the Christmas eve service from Ballymacelligott to St Johns as we can cater comfortably for 50 people as the church is large and airy.

We may have to have two services in Tralee on Christmas Day to accommodate those who wish to come to church.

There will be a service in Dingle on Christmas Eve and in Camp on Christmas Day.

Rest assured that all the proper procedures with regard to cleaning, sanitizing, service sheets and social distancing will be in place.

We may have to use a booking system and again information will be available next weekend.

 

Christmas Fair is cancelled can you help us !

This important community building and fundraising event has been cancelled due to the pandemic. A gofundmepage has been set up to allow those who may wish to contribute.

If you wish to access this page it can be found in a number of ways as follows:

1.On the parish webpage, http://www.traleedingle.ardfert.anglican.org/

2.go online to gofundme and search for ‘Christmas fair cancelled’

3.copy the following into the web browser

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

 

Thankyou to all those who have been supporting our group of parishes in many and varied ways through this time. Many of you have been very generous with your time, your prayers, your words and your resources.

 

Keys of St Johns,

We are about to change the locks on the entrance gates to St Johns.

The current set of locks have corroded and are no longer fit for purpose.

Please let me know if you need a key as we don’t have a complete list of those who have or need keys.

We express our Sympathy To the Blennerhassett family of Ballymacelligott on the death of Sharon Hughes who died in Canada. Sharon was the daughter of Sam Blennerhassett who is commemorated with the seat just inside the gate of Ballyseedy Church. Sharon was born and spent her early life in Ballymac before the family emigrated to Canada.

To the family of George Poff from Killorglin, George’s daughter Chrystal and her partner Padraig and their daughter Mia Mai live in Tralee and to his cousins in Tralee, Ballmacelligott and Brosna.

To the extended Groves and Fitzgerald Families on the death of Olive Perry in Kildare. Olive was the eldest of nine, she was married in Ballymacelligott Church sixty years ago. She was a frequent visitor to Kerry.

To the family of the Rev Trevor Sullivan who served in Camp And Dingle during the late 1970’s

 

School and Teach an tSolais signs. A set of bright new signs were commissioned at the entrance to Teach an tSolais to promote and highlight both the parish centre and St Johns School.

I would encourage parishioners and friends alike to promote both if the opportunity arises.

Meals on Wheels Baile Mhuire (066-7123373) provide Meals on Wheels for a cost of €4 per day & this service can be provided 7 days a week.  Originally it was set up to help the people registered with them, and it has now expanded through the Community Help Line on Kerry Co. Co. This service can be availed of by referral from your GP or Public Health Nurse or by getting in touch with the Community Liaison Officer or directly with Baile Mhuire. Once registered people can then avail of all services that they provide.

 

Advent youtube clip for all the family.

https://youtu.be/6pxPAlw2abo

 

 A Morning Prayer

 Thank you O Lord, for loving me. You are with me always. I thank you for the gift of being alive this morning. I thank you for the sleep which has refreshed me. I thank you for the chance to begin life all over again. Lord, this day is full of promise and opportunity. Help me to waste none of it.

 

This day is full of mystery and the unknown. Help me to face it without fear or anxiety. Help me to be fully alive to it all. During this day may I become a more thoughtful person, a more prayerful person, a more generous and kindly person. Help me not to be turned in on myself but to be sensitive and helpful to others.

 

Let me do nothing today that will hurt anyone, but if I do, help me to get back on track again. I ask you to bless me throughout this day in all I hope to do. Later on when evening and night comes, may I look back on this day without regrets. May I be grateful for all my blessings. I make this prayer in your name. Amen