A word from William……
The 6th February saw Ash Wednesday and the first day of Lent. We have been having weekly Lenten services on Wednesday evenings where we have been looking at the ‘Hard Gospel’. So far, we have covered the subject of Faith and Ethnicity, Faith and Sexuality, Faith and Tradition and Faith and Patriotism and as this goes to print we still have to cover the subjects of Faith and Class, Faith and Young People, Faith and Gender and Faith and Age.
At our family service on 24th February we were delighted to welcome Blessington parishioner Daphne Harvey who is training as a lay reader. She will be with us for three Sundays. Daphne led the service while I preached the sermon. Many of you may be familiar with Daphne, her daughter is St. Maelruain's Parishioner Jenny Devine. Daphne and her family often come to St. Maelruain’s on special occasions like Harvest and Carol services. Thanks to Valerie for working with the Sunday school children in preparation for the song they sang at the service
The family service was followed by tea / coffee provided by our Sunday School in aid of their Lenten project CMS in Kenya. They raised €576.75. Thank you to Sunday School Superintendent Douglas Bailey for organising the event and to Amy who stepped in to help due to the absence of our other Sunday school leaders Thomas and Sourena who were on holiday in India.
Mothering Sunday was on 2nd March, although many may think of it as a ‘Hallmark Holiday’ it is a reminder to give thanks for our Mothers and all that they do. Thank you to Regina Donoghue and Janet Edgely for the lovely posies they made, which were given to the ladies in the congregation.
Normally on Mothering Sunday, in recent years, we have had a Discovery Service here in St. Maelruain's as Mothering Sunday is a big day of celebration in Africa. This year, the African ladies felt it would be insensitive to Annama, one of our leading Indian ladies, as her husband John, our Churchwarden, has been in ICU in hospital since 25th January. So the decision was made to hold a healing Mothers Day service in the Chapel of Tallaght Hospital. It was lovely to see Donald Seale at the service along with his wife Theresa and their neighbours. Donald who for so many years was a faithful worshiper here in Tallaght has unfortunately been in and out of Tallaght Hospital over the last few years.
At the service we also prayed for John. He has been back in Tallaght Hospital following surgery in Beaumont for a couple of weeks and he has now moved out of ICU to the William Stokes Unit. While there has been a weekly improvement in his health, he still has a long way to go. Please remember John, Annama and their children Sharon and Sybil in your prayers. Thank you to Rev Obinna Ulogwara for organising the service, to Valerie for playing the organ and to Amy and Patricia for the refreshments after the service.
While on the subject of healing, as a member of the Diocesan Healing Committee I have been asked to take the lunch-time healing service in St. Anne’s, Dawson Street on the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
I would like to wish all the readers of the Losset a very happy Easter. We look forward to this time of year of renewal with the trees budding, spring flowers blooming and the sound of birds nesting. May Easter also be a time to remind us of our spiritual growth and renewal.
God Bless, William.
