Dear Beloved Community,
It’s a wonderful time of the year. We give thanks for the blessings of this season, the carols, the decorations, the mince pies, and Christmas trees. We saw it all on display at our Christmas Market on Saturday, which was a great day -well done to all involved. If you missed it, we have part 2 this Saturday.
We recognise that Christmas can also be a difficult time. For many of us there is a sadness underneath the turkey and tinsel that needs to be expressed. It might be due to a bereavement, a change of circumstance, a loss of independence. Maybe this is the first Christmas with the children away, or your first Christmas away from home. Whatever the reason may be, our Blue Christmas service (information below) is an opportunity to give space to acknowledge it. So, lets be prayerful and mindful of one another.
Blessings
Rob
Service for Sunday 17th December
8:30am: Holy Communion.
11:00am: All Age Pop-Up Instant Nativity. This will be all together worship in the Gathering Grounds. We will be using resource by the Bible Society called Festive Fred Finds the Greatest Gift. We would love for you to be a part of it, so children (of all ages!) are invited to join us dressed up as one of the nativity characters. Whether you, or your little one, has craved the role of Mary, has got fed up playing a shepherd and would like to be a Wiseman (or Woman!), feels angelic or just simply wants to be the Star, wear your own costumes, or borrow one of ours. All are welcome to join in the fun as we celebrate the Christmas story All2gether Listen to the story and join in when it’s your turn to pop up and make noise. We recommend you get to us a little bit earlier to pick up a costume or prop.
Sunday 17th December 7:30pm: A Blue Christmas.
At our blue Christmas we will read aloud the names of those who have died from the parish in the last 5 years. If you would like the name of a loved one read aloud, no matter when they died, please let me know. There will be a list available to write names at the morning service.
Sunday Sermons Available online
We are now starting to upload an audio of the Sunday sermons onto the website. So, it you missed it on Sunday, or if you want to listen again or share with a neighbour, you can access them here – https://kilternanparish.ie/talks/ The Sunday sermon will be uploaded the following Tuesday.
What’s On
The best way to keep in touch with what is happening is on the website. Details here:
Click to view our Upcoming Services
Click to view the full Parish Calendar
Click to view all Upcoming Events
Notes for this Week
Tuesday Midweek Service at 11:45
Our midweek service meets on Tuesdays. Note a slightly later starting time of 11:45 am.
Home Communions
Every Christmas we offer communion to those who may be house bound and unable to attend church. If you know of anyone who might value this over the Christmas season, please let us know.
Christmas Cards
The clock is ticking on our Christmas Cards. They will be on sale in the Gathering Grounds and in the Parish office this week. They are €2 for a single card or €10 for 6. If you have not seen them already, I’d encourage you to have a look. They are stunning images of three of the church-stained glass windows.
16th December: Christmas Market
The Gathering Grounds is delighted to be holding the Christmas Market on two Saturdays this year! The 9th and the 16th of December from 12pm – 4pm. It will be wonderful to share Santa’s Grotto, the market stalls, and a festive atmosphere with our community!!
If you would like to book a market stall to sell your goods, there are tables available on the 16th of December. Julie or email gatheringgrounds@kilternanparish.ie
Play Café Gets OWT (Outdoors with Toddlers)
We will be inside in the hall again this week which will be full of ‘Seasons Tweetings.’ Come and get ready to celebrate Christmas with lots of fun and festive sensory, messy and loose part play activities. We are fully booked, so if you have booked a space and find you are unable to attend, please let me know so I can offer it out to someone else. If you wish to join the cancellation list, contact Lynn 087 695 7061
Bumps & Babes
We now have a WhatsApp group up and running for Bumps and Babes. We are thankful to have Jeamie Deacon taking the lead on this. Jeamie, along with Candice Sainsbury, have established the group for us this year. Each week they welcome new parents and their babies to the couches in the Gathering grounds. New parents, and parents to be, are invited to come join and enjoy a cuppa in company on Wednesday morning from 10am-11:30am. It is an informal, friendly meet-up, a space to relax, chat, share your niggles, worries and joys, while meeting others in the community. So, if you are expecting or have a baby from newborn to pre-walking, come alone or bring a friend. A warm welcome awaits you.
Kilternan Parish Posada! Mary and Joseph’s Advent Journey
There’s still time to sign up and host our parish Posoada. Mary and Joseph have had a slow start to their journey this year. They are still enjoying their adventures though, spending longer period of time with each family. This year the couple are joined by a flock of little knitted sheep, thanks to the Knit and Knatter group! Families are encouraged to keep a sheep as a reminder of the time they spent hosting Mary and Joseph. Mary and Joesph can visit any type of family/household in our parish family – large or small families, older couples or those living alone. There are still some dates available if you wish to host Mary and Joseph for an afternoon and night. Pick them up from the Gathering Grounds and drop them back the next day. You can sign up by adding your name and details to the POSADA ROTA at the coffee bar in the Gathering Grounds. or contact Lynn 087 695
Santa Visits Kilternan Parish
Santa came to our Christmas Market on Saturday and will be back again this coming Saturday. The Kilternan Parish elves look forward to having more fun as they welcome families to visit Santa in his grotto. We have had a few cancellations and, in a position, to open some more slots for this Saturday. Keep an eye out from Tuesday on the Eventbrite page. We will also have a limited number of on -the-day spaces available from 14.30 until 15.15. Please make sure to come to the grotto on arrival to the Market to book these spaces as Santa is on a tight schedule!
The event is free, but we hope you might choose to donate on the day to for our chosen charities of St. Vincent de Paul and Bernardo’s Children’s Charity, Ireland. Suggested donation €5 per child which can be made using Cash or the parish Revolut (please reference ‘GROTTO’). https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/santa-kilternan-parish-christmas-market-saturday-9th-16th-december-tickets-761898628307.