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Group Churches

    What Would Jesus Do?

I spoke very recently at an event for the young people of our Diocese on the issue of peer pressure and the way in which it can control and dictate the way in which we live our lives and can indeed consume us and, in extreme cases, destroy us.  Peer pressure is an inescapable reality in the world of today.  The answer to negative peer pressure, I suggested to the young people, is not simple but in Jesus we find someone who experienced peer pressure in the wilderness as Satan subjected him to the temptations.  In Jesus we find someone who knows what it means to go against the flow and to stand up for those within society who have little or no voice.  I suggested to the young people that when faced with peer pressure they should ask themselves the following question; If He were faced with this situation What Would Jesus Do?  Each young person at the event was given a coloured bracelet with the letters WWJD on it as a reminder that Jesus is with us always through the power of His Holy Spirit and to prompt them to perhaps ask that question when they were reaching out with their strong arm to carry out an act motivated by peer pressure.

But I think that this question has a much wider application in the life of a committed disciple of Christ.  For to be a disciple of Jesus means to follow Him at all costs; being a disciple means denying ourselves and taking up our cross and following Jesus (Mt 16: 24).  In the outworking of these challenging words of truth, we need not look to the extremes which clearly do exist in the world.  Such extremes can be seen in those who literally do lose their lives for the sake of the gospel.  But rather we need to look to our own lives and how we treat our children, not only in our families but in our Churches.  Sometimes we should be listening more to what our young people have to say than simply dismissing their contribution. 

We need to look at the way in which we treat our elderly and disabled.  Are our Church buildings places where all feel welcome and able to come and worship the Living God week by week.

We need to ask ourselves what motivates us when we are making decisions in relation to finance and our giving to the Church.

In all things Jesus had the cause of the downtrodden and the marginalised at heart, whether it be a Samaritan woman at a well, little children clambering to get near Him, a group of lepers, a prostitute or a tax collector.  Peer pressure did not determine who he encountered or the shape of that encounter.  The Good News of Jesus Christ is for all people.  Let us consider this truth as we apply the question What Would Jesus Do to our own lives and to the life of our Church. 

           

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News Items

 

Rural Social Scheme

This scheme seeks to provide income support for farmers who are currently in receipt of long term social welfare payments, and to provide rural communities with services that will enhance the social, physical, natural and cultural resources of their locality.
Cavan-Monaghan Rural Development Co-op Society Ltd are currently inviting applications from members of the farming community who wish to seek employment under the scheme.  The success of this scheme is largely dependent upon the number of applications received.  To date there have only been 6 applications for 20 approved posts, so please do give this scheme serious consideration.  Applications are open to both men and women, whether a farmer or the spouse of a farmer, but applicants must meet certain criteria, details of which can be obtained by contacting the rectory for both details of qualifying criteria and application forms. If you think that you might qualify for such a scheme and would like to find out more information then please do not hesitate to contact me for more details without having to divulge details of your personal circumstances.
 

Mothers' Union News

The visitors night in Ballyconnell earlier this month proved to be a great success and was extremely well attended throughout the group.  Thanks for your support and please note that for the month of December our group MU will meet on the second Tuesday, the 14th December, and will be hosted in the Minor Hall, Kinawley.
 

Bereavements

Our group was numbed when we lost a young member of our community on Saturday 23rd October.  Little Ben Mitten, one of the Mitten triplets, was just over 8 weeks old when he died.  But even in such a short life, Ben had made a massive impact in our community.  None of us can understand the sense of loss which Ben's parents, Noel and Naomi, must be feeling at this time, but we do pray as a community that their sense of loss would diminish day by day.  We do give thanks for little Ben's life and uphold in prayer his triplet brothers Joe and Adam as they continue to do well at home.Our deepest sympathies are extended to Gracie Gould of St Peter's, Templeport.  Gracie lost her father in recent weeks as he died peacefully at home.  Gracie and Ivan and their children William, Robert, Nigel, Ashleen, Jonathan and Kenneth remain in our prayers and thoughts at this difficult time.And our sincere condolences are extended to Freddie and Dessie Keyes and Mervyn Foster and their families on the sudden death of their brother-in-law Jim Hanna of Monaghan.
 

New life

I am delighted to announce that there has been another birth in the group!  Rachel Mitten has given birth to Edith Anne and our heartfelt congratulations are extended to Rachel and Roy on this happy occasion.  May you all know the blessing of the Lord in your lives at this time and always.
 

Advent Carol Services

As I write these notes I am recovering from what Air Traffic Controllers would call a "near miss".  When I returned to the rectory this evening, upon entering the darkened rear hall, I stumbled over the Christmas tree which Naomi had lifted out from under the stairs as she was tidying!  Signs of Christmas are all around us as the season stretches as far back as September in the secular world.  I don't know how many shopping days there are left to Christmas but here are the details of our forthcoming Advent Carol Services within the group;

Do make a special effort to come to at least the service in your own parish and invite a friend to come along with you.  Of course visitors are always most welcome.
 

The complete Schedule of Services has been posted on the Parish web site at: www.swanlinbar.kilmore.anglican.org where you can also find pictures of the Templeport Group Service held on 17th October .
If you have photographs of Group Church events in your area we would love to see them here.

 

Prayer points for November/December Prayer matters in the life of a Christian, The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective (Jam 5: 16).  Please pray for the following on the day of the week indicated; Monday That our teachers would know God's blessing in their work with our children;   Tuesday  That those who are bereaved within our community, whether recent or otherwise, might know the loving embrace of our Heavenly Father in the midst of their grief;   Wednesday For those who are known to us within our group who are suffering or in need of any kind, that they might know God's comfort and blessing upon their lives;   Thursday For the elderly in our group, that they might feel that they have a place of value within our communities and churches;   Friday  For the Church in all the world, that it might be an effective witness to the love of God in all things;   Saturday  For those vacant groups within our Diocese and those who faithfully ensure that worship take place week by week;   Sunday For peace in those parts of the world where there is only strife, and for those who seek to bring comfort to those affected by war.

 

I'd love to be ten again

A man asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday. "I'd love to be ten again," she replied.
On the morning of her birthday, he got her up bright and early and off they went to a local theme park. What a day!  He put her on every ride in the park: the Death Slide, the Screaming Loop, the Wall of Fear--everything there was! Wow!
Five hours later she staggered out of the theme park, her head reeling and her stomach upside down. Right to McDonald's they went, where her husband ordered her a Big Mac along with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate shake. Then it was off to the cinema to see the latest Star Wars epic, and hot dogs, popcorn, Pepsi Cola, and chocolate.. What a fabulous adventure!
Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed. He leaned over and lovingly asked, "Well, dear, what was it like being ten again?"
 
One eye opened. The wife said, "You idiot, I meant my dress size!"

The moral of this story is: If a woman speaks and a man is actually listening, he will still get it wrong.

Service Schedule fot the next month

St Augustine's Swanlinbar

St Paul's Kinawley

St Peter's Templeport

TomRegan Ballyconnell

Date

Event

Time

Service

Leader

Time

Service

Leader

Time

Service

Leader

Time

Service

Leader

Sun 28 Nov

Advent Sun

10 am

M.P.

G.W.

-

-

-

11.30

M.P.

G.W.

11.30

M.P.

M.F.

Sun 5 Dec

2 aft Advent

-

-

-

10 am

M.P.

G.W.

11.30

H.C.

D.A.

11.30

M.P.

G.W.

Sun 12 Dec

3 aft Advent

11.30

H.C.

R.T.

-

-

-

8 pm

Carols

G.W.

11.30

H.C.

RT&GW

Sun 19 Dec

4 aft Advent

-

-

-

10 am

M.P.

G.W.

11.30

M.P.

G.W.

7 pm

Carols

G.W.

Fri 24 Dec

Christmas Eve

8 pm

H.C.

DA&GW

-

-

-

10 pm

H.C.

DA&GW

9 pm

H.C.

G.D.

Sat 25 Dec

Christmas day

-

-

-

10 am

M.P.

G.W.

11.30

M.P.

G.W.

Sun 26 Dec

St Stephen's

8 pm

Carols

G.W.

-

-

-

11.30

M.P.

G.W.

?

?

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Service Schedule changes will be posted on: http://www.swanlinbar.kilmore.anglican.org/pages/schedule.htm