Dear Beloved Community,
Advent is a time of joyful anticipation as we prepare our hearts for the Christmas season. In the weeks leading up to Christ’s birth, Christians around the world pray, repent, and reflect on God’s goodness and promises. Even in the most challenging times, we are reminded of God’s steadfast love for all creation.
Jesus’ birth is a time of hope (indeed that is the theme of the first week of advent). As the world faces crises of violence, injustice, and brokenness, only God’s redemptive love can truly bring peace and healing. God works through us as Christians when we do our part, through prayer and action, to love our neighbours near and far. We can trust in God’s promises of restoration for the world.
As we reflect on our own abundance, we pray for those who live in situations of great struggle. We bring to mind the horror of the situation in the Middle East. Hope seems far away, but we believe in a transformative God who can bring light out of darkness. Our prayer is grounded in the hope that Christ’s arrival brings God’s promises of restoration.
Blessings
Rob
Service for Sunday 10th December
8:30am: Holy Communion.
9:45: Sunday Morning @ the Gathering Grounds
11:00am: Holy Communion
Note that since the third Sunday is our all-age nativity, we will have communion this Sunday.
7:30pm: Ecumenical Christmas Carol Service in St Mary’s. We will join the folk in St Mary’s Sandyford this Christmas, and hopefully hold it in our church in 2024.
Sunday Sermons Available online
Unfortunately, we don’t have a recording of his Canon Maurice sermon from Sunday. But we have the previous sermons downloaded on https://kilternanparish.ie/talks/
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
Christmas Cards
Christmas Cards 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.
Friday 8th December Corde Chamber Choir: Christmas Oratorio
Kilternan Parish Church, 7:30 pm. €10 for adult and €5 for children. Tickets can be reserved at cordechamberchoir@gmail.com or pay at the door.
Seniors who Lunch: Christmas Lunch
Once a month, a group of seniors go out for lunch after the Sunday Service. This Sunday (10th Dec) they are having a Christmas lunch in the Enniskerry Inn. If you would like to attend, please contact Carol Barry at carolmbarry@yahoo.ie – but do let her know before Wednesday so we can make a table booking.
9th and 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 OWT! Does Church
Brrrrrrrr! It’s cold outside this week so there’ll be less getting ‘OWT!’ this week and we’ll be inside the hall. We’re ‘Celebrating Christmas’ with lots of fun & festive nativity based sensory, messy, loose parts and role play activities. We will be inviting you to join us in the church for the nativity story and singing. Rob will be joining us with his guitar which is always lots of fun for everyone! We still have some spaces remaining which can be booked through the events page on the parish website. For further information contact Lynn 087 695 7061
Kilternan Parish Posada! Mary and Joseph’s Advent Journey
Mary and joseph are looking forward to more adventures this year as they travel around Kilternan Parish and community. Last year they visited the GP where Mary got the all-clear for their long journey ahead. They also enjoyed some time at Play Café and visited the Team Hope warehouse while they have had fun playing with some of the parish children in their homes – and visited some of the classes in KCOINS while also spending some time with some of the residents in the Glebe. 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. If you would like to sign up for Posada, you can do so by adding your name and details to the POSADA ROTA at the coffee bar in the Gathering Grounds. or contact Lynn 087 695 7061.
Bumps & Babes
It’s a joy to see this group growing and the couches filling up each Wednesday, when the couches in the Gathering Grounds are reserved for the Bumps & Babes’ group. If you are a new parent or parent to be, come join us to relax and enjoy a cuppa in company on Wednesday mornings from 10am-11:30am. An informal, friendly meet-up where you can chat and meet others in the community. So, if you’re expecting or have a baby from newborn to pre-walking, come alone or bring a friend. A warm welcome awaits you, no need to book. For more information contact Julie gatheringgrounds@kilternanparish.ie. or Lynn 087 695 7061
Bible Buddies Christmas Reading
We were delighted to see so many of the children bring along their Bible Buddies to church on Sunday as we launched the ‘Christmas Bible Buddy Reading Pack’ for families to use as they make some room among all the busyness to remember the reason for the season. The children spent some time to think about where they will snuggle up with their Bible Buddies to read (or hear) the Christmas story in the coming weeks. If you didn’t manage to pick up your booklet these are available in the Gathering Grounds or can be accessed using the QR code on display.
A gentle reminder that our Bible Buddies aren’t just for Christmas! With this in mind the Bible Buddies will enjoy joining any family who has signed up for The Kitchen Table Project’ which will be launched in January. In the meantime, each family who has signed up and those who might be interested in doing so, will be able to prepare ahead. We have put together a take home sheet. Nurturing faith looks and works differently from family to family. A warm affirming family, where children feel safe, loved and accepted gives a secure foundation for their faith to grow.
Santa Visits Kilternan Parish
Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa Claus is coming to town! We are delighted to announce that he is interrupting his busy schedule to return to Kilternan Parish and join us at our Christmas Market on Saturday 9th & 16th December. The Kilternan Parish elves are excited to welcome you and looking forward to seeing all the families who come to visit Santa in his grotto. Although all bookable family slots are fully booked keep an eye out as we may have some last-minute cancellations. We will 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. You can check for last minute availability here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/santa-kilternan-parish-christmas-market-saturday-9th-16th-december-tickets-761898628307