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MARCH 2015
Easter General Vestry
The Annual Meeting of the Easter General Vestry
will be held on Tuesday 10 March at 7.30 pm
in the Huston Hall.
All members of the Parish are entitled to attend but only
those whose names appear in the Register of Vestry
Members may vote on any motion proposed.
Dear Friends
As this magazine goes to print we
are preparing to say farewell to our
Youth Worker Peter Hilton. Peter
has worked in St.Finnian’s for 10
years and has had an incredible
impact on the lives of our young
people, their parents and across the
generations of our church family.
We hope as many as possible will
have been able to attend Peter’s
farewell service and presentation in
the hall. Many people will be aware
that Peter has begun training part
time for the ordained ministry and
during his training he is moving into
a more full time role within the
Leprosy mission.
As we wish Peter, Gemma, Lydia and
Eva well on the next step of their
journey and we say thank you to
them for all they have contributed
to the life of the parish I wanted to
highlight one particularly important
dimension of what Peter has
achieved.
Peter has invested a considerable
amount of time in training and
equipping a new generation of
leaders in our church. In recent
years we have seen those young
people flourish as they led services,
preached and shared their faith
with the congregation. We have
marvelled at what they achieved
together for the community in
running the Easter and Summer
Schemes. They have become a
committed group of Jesus’ followers
and it is part of the DNA of this
group to serve and to help.
One of the tools Peter has used very
effectively to create this culture of
discipleship is the development of
house groups where young people
meet together to study the Bible, to
have fellowship with each other,
build community and to pray for
each other.
We would love to see this culture
being reignited throughout the
whole church. There was a time in
our church’s life when these groups
were very strong and instrumental
in growing and deepening the faith
of many of our members. For
various reasons many of these
groups no longer exist and in this
Year of Mission we would love to
make this a priority to see
opportunities for people to go
deeper in their discipleship
together.
During Lent we will be considering the
Call of God on each of our lives at our
weekly services at 7.30pm on
Thursdays. Colin will be speaking at
our Holy Week Services and after
Easter we hope to run a course over 6
Sessions called Faith on the Frontline
which looks at the issue of following
Jesus and sharing our faith in the
places God has placed us.
We would love to see this as a
springboard to the formation of some
new discipleship groups later in the
year.
During this month of March our Easter
General Vestry will take place on
Tuesday 10th March at 7.30pm. It’s an
opportunity to hear about the
important issues facing us as a church
at this time, to have our accounts
presented and to elect a new select
vestry to serve the church for the
coming year.
As we give thanks to God for the
important contribution Peter has
made to the life of this church over the
past ten years we recognise the
support Gemma and Lydia and Eva
have offered to him to do this
important work.
We also want to assure him of our
prayerful good wishes for his future
ministry.
With very best wishes Yours sincerely
Jonathan Pierce (Rector)
Telephone 02890 793822
Root Soup
This month we will have Root Soup
lunches from 12-1.30pm on
Thursday 12th and Thursday 26th
March. It’s a great opportunity to
bring along a friend or neighbour
and enjoy some delicious home
made soup and meet up with
others.
Suggested donation is £3.50 and
there’s the opportunity to take
some away for the freezer!
BROWNIES &
GUIDES
The Brownies and Guides meet on
Thursdays in the church hall. The
Brownies are for girls aged 7-10 and
meet 6.50 - 8pm, and the Guides are
for girls aged 11-14 and meet 7.45 9pm. Any new members are very
welcome!
From the Registers
Holy Matrimony: 7th February: Alison Kennedy and Stephen Brown
Christian Burial:
30th January:
Alan Gillespie
10th February:
Frances Morrison
Thank You from Dorothy Callan
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jono and Colin for their visits, prayers, reading and Communion which we found most heartening.
Jono thank you for sharing your Teddy Bear Sermon with Desmond and I
know he heard it and it gave him much comfort. My thanks to our friend,
Robert Neill for his words of comfort and all the good things he said
about Desmond.
I would like to say how lovely it was to hear Mark and the Choir leading
the service so beautifully. When I heard the singing of the first hymn I
was very moved.
My thanks also goes to Christina and the Catering Team for such a lovely
spread and how kind they were to all my blind friends. I received many
comments about the tables being so nice and how lovely it was to be
able to sit down and relax.
I would like to pay tribute to you who visited, sent cards, phoned and
sent lovely cakes. I just cannot take it in how many people showed their
love and concern to me not just recently but for many years.
Desmond and I have been blessed by so many good friends and we
thank God for His blessings to us.
Thanks also to Henry and Knox for their waitering skills.
With every blessing to you all.
Dorothy
P.S. Desmond’s Nephews were very impressed by the Service and also
with the friendliness of everyone.
Lent and Holy Week
During the Thursday nights of Lent we will be holding weekly services in the
church looking at the theme of God’s Call on our Lives. These 30 minute
services offer an opportunity for calm and reflection and deepening of our
Spiritual life. They happen at 7.30pm.
This year our Curate Rev. Colin Darling will be leading our Holy Week
reflections each night at 7.30pm as we make that sacred journey with Jesus
towards the Cross and explore its significance for our lives today. We will be
using some liturgies from Bishop Harold’s new publication.
Following the period of 24/7 Prayer in November we are hoping to have
another period of 24/7 Prayer from Monday to Friday during Holy Week to
pray for the parish and the local community and the world around us. Please
sign up on the board at the back of the church to take responsibility for
praying for part of that period. So many people were greatly enriched and
blessed by the last experience of 24/7 prayer it will hopefully encourage
more and more people to seize this opportunity to spend time in God’s
presence. While the room will not be identical to the last time it will provide
a sacred space for people to encounter God and spend time with Him.
Advance notice regarding Connec+:
Many people have been appreciating our more informal service in the hall on
the first Sunday of the month at 10am. As the first Sunday in April is Easter
Sunday and we normally have Holy Communion at services on Easter Day
there will not be a Connec+ Service in April but it will resume in May. This will
also give us the opportunity to prepare for the reception in the hall following
the Confirmation Service on Easter Sunday Evening.
March Services
Sunday 1st March (2nd Sunday in Lent)
8.30am – Holy Communion
10am – Connec+ (in the Parish Hall)
11.30am – Holy Communion
7pm – Evening Prayer
Sunday 8th March (3rd Sunday in Lent)
8.30am – Holy Communion
10am – Morning Worship
11.30am – Morning Prayer
7pm – Evening Prayer
Sunday 15th March (4th Sunday in Lent)
8.30am – Holy Communion
10am – Holy Communion
11.30am – Morning Prayer
7pm – Evening Prayer
Sunday 22nd March (5th Sunday in Lent)
8.30am – Holy Communion
10am – Morning Worship
11.30am – Morning Prayer
7pm- Holy Communion
Sunday 29th March (Palm Sunday)
8.30am – Holy Communion
10am – A Service of Wholeness and Healing
11.30am – A Service of Wholeness and Healing
7pm – Evening Prayer
From the Curate
Mission trip to Bolivia with Divine Healing Ministries
A four man team, comprising
Brother David Jardine of Divine
Healing Ministries, Eric Lewis from
Seymour Hill Parish, Belfast City
Centre Manager Andrew
Irvine, who is also a Methodist lay
preacher and myself will be
travelling to La Paz and
Cochabamba in Bolivia on
10 March.
The Catholic Church has a strong presence in the country but so too does a
sort of folk religion especially among the native American Indian peoples.
We hope, through preaching, teaching and prayer, particularly about Jesus
the great healer, and through the Holy Spirit working through our presence
among people, to help them to meet and know Jesus at their point of need.
I would ask for your prayers for this mission trip, that we will be able to meet
the right people, that we will be protected in the challenging high-altitude
conditions, particularly in La Paz and that by our presence, we will by the
power of the Holy Spirit, be able to help people in their journey of faith and
in their walk with Jesus.
A commissioning service for the team will be taking place in St Anne’s Cathedral on Monday 9 March at 8pm. The music will be led by West Church Bangor music group and the preacher will be the former Dean of Kilmore, Raymond Ferguson. You are all invited to this service.
Some very generous donations from individuals, along with a much appreciated top-up from the parish for myself, have assisted the funding of our travel costs to Bolivia. If you would like to support this trip financially, as well as
through prayer, we will be taking with us to Bolivia a small amount of money
to bless the church groups we will be among and to thank those people who
will provide us with food and accommodation. Any few pennies will be
much appreciated, but could I stress that donations should be kept to a
smallish level, say, a maximum of £3-£5.
With my thanks and every blessing
Colin
BIBLE IN A YEAR CHALLENGE
Don’t forget – if you have access to it we recommend you follow a similar plan which includes
some reading notes for each passage online here: www.bibleinoneyear.org. Free, easy to use
phone & tablet apps are also available. Full details are also at www.stfinnians.org.
If you don’t have access the plan for March is below:
March
1st
 Numbers 20-22
18th
 Deuteronomy 32-34
2nd
 Numbers 23-25; Mark 7
19th
 Joshua 1-3; Mark 16
3rd
 Numbers 26-28; Mark 8
20th
 Joshua 4-7
4th
 Numbers 29-31; Mark 9
21st
 Joshua 8-10
5th
 Numbers 32-34
22nd
 Joshua 11-13
6th
 Numbers 35-36; Mark 10
23rd
 Joshua 14-15; Luke 1
7th
 Deuteronomy 1-3
24th
 Joshua 16-18; Luke 2
8th
 Deuteronomy 4-6; Mark 11
25th
 Joshua 19-21
9th
 Deuteronomy 7-9
26th
 Joshua 22-24; Luke 3
10th
 Deuteronomy 10-12; Mark 12
27th
 Judges 1-3; Luke 4
11th
 Deuteronomy 13-15
28th
 Judges 4-6
12th
 Deuteronomy 16-18; Mark 13
29th
 Judges 7-8; Luke 5
13th
 Deuteronomy 19-21
30th
 Judges 9-10
14th
 Deuteronomy 22-24
31st
 Judges 11-12; Luke 6
15th
 Deuteronomy 25-27; Mark 14
16th
 Deuteronomy 28-29
17th
 Deuteronomy 30-31; Mark 15
Church of Ireland Men’s Society
The Next Meeting of the 2014/2015 Programme of the Men’s Society is
Thursday 19th March 2015 and starts at 8pm.
Our Special Guest Speaker is
Mr. Paul Clements
Author, Journalist & Broadcaster
His Subject: “The Life and Time of Richard Hayward 1892 - 1964
All Gentlemen, Friends of the Parish and Members of other Men’s
Societies are welcome
Derek Catney.
Hon. Secretary.
FLOWER DONATION
ROTA
MARCH
1st Mrs I Hay
8th Mrs M Saunders
15th Mrs M Corbett
22nd
29th Men’s Society
The Mothers’ Union meet this month on Thursday 5th March at 8.00pm.
Our speaker will not be Leslie Harvey as stated in the programme (due to
a secretarial error) but Leslie will speak at a later date. Instead our
speaker is Nicola Clements who will give a talk about the work of
Traidcraft which is an organisation helping farmers and workers in
developing countries to fight against poverty and earn money so that the
whole community can benefit. All ladies of the parish are welcome.
Also this month we have received an invitation from Cregagh PW to their
meeting on Monday 2nd March at 7.30pm. Their speaker is Leanne
Spence who will talk about Vintage Handbags. Leanne happens to be the
speaker for our May meeting. So if anyone wishes to attend Cregagh
please contact myself as they require numbers for catering purposes.
Carole McGladery Hon Secretary
The Women’s World Day of Prayer
The WWDP is Friday 6th March. This year’s Service has been written by
the Christian women of The Bahamas with the theme: Jesus said to
them, “Do you know what I have done to you?”
Belfast City Service will be held in May Street Presbyterian Church at
11.00 am. Our Local Service will be held in Willowfield Parish Church at
8.00 pm.
Everyone will be most welcome at these services.
CHURCH OF IRELAND MEN’S SOCIETY
“REACHING FOR THE STARS”
The twentieth Century was an extraordinary hundred years in the history of
mankind. Two World Wars were the most devastating and the bloodiest ever
to have been waged. Those wars ended abruptly centuries of European
colonial rule. In 1932 an Irishman, Ernest Walton, with his colleague John
Cockcroft, split the atom and thereby ushered in the Atomic Age. There were
other features of this Century which made it unique. Two of those
immediately came to mind, the Digital Revolution and the ability of humans
to fly. In 1903 two brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, built a machine which
could take to the air. Six years later a Frenchman, Louis Bleriot, flew across
the English Channel. As the Century grew older flying has come a long way
and has led inevitably to Space Exploration.
Mr. Ernie Cromie, a lifelong aviation enthusiast and for many years Chairman
of the Ulster Aviation Society, was guest of the Men’s Society on the evening
of January 15th. Addressing one aspect of flying as it became an important
component of modern warfare Mr. Cromie reviewed for the members the
role Northern Ireland played in those two World Wars. It all began when on
the 1st of September 1913 five aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps landed on a
beach near the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle as part of military aviation
manoeuvres. From that truly historic event of those frail biplanes landing on
a beach in Co. Down Mr. Cromie went on to describe the progress of Military
Aviation in Ulster.
In the 1st World War there were 23 airfields in Ireland but in the 2nd World
War Northern Ireland alone had 25 airfields. In fact Northern Ireland had
become a vast aircraft hangar with planes stored and camouflaged all over
the Province.
In places like Langford Lodge aircraft would be flown in from the American
factories and there equipped and made ready for the various theatres of war.
Northern Ireland was a staging post and also a vast aircraft carrier. In this last
capacity it was vital in the Battle of the Atlantic where victory was essential
for survival and without which the war would have been lost. Mr. Cromie
returned again and again to this crucial theatre of the conflict. From Nutts
Corner Liberators flew out on Atlantic patrol and from Lough Erne Sunderland
and Catalina flying boats set out on the same Mission. In fact it was a
Catalina which first spotted the Bismark when it broke out into the Atlantic
from its previously safe anchorage.
In those war years Northern Ireland was a scene of frenetic energy and
activity. One wonders if mankind, might someday, devote the same energy in
the pursuit of peace.
Dr. Roddy Evans January 2015
You will have read about
our Table Quiz and Auction
of Talents in our February
Magazine.
This is taking place on 8 May at 7.30 pm in the Lower Hall. Put the date in
your diary now. Not only is it a chance to raise some funds to assist with our
mission objectives, but it also is an opportunity to invite folk who either are
not St Finnian’s members or whose attendance at church and church events
has slipped.
We need people to volunteer talents that can be auctioned off. Have you got
a talent you could use to help someone and in return they will donate an
amount to church funds?
There is a list of possible things you could do at the back of the church.
Please consider putting your name down against one or more of these. Or
add your own talent to be donated. Or speak to any member of the events
committee.
Here’s a sample of just 5 possible talents;
Gardening services – cutting grass while homeowner is on holiday, or
hedge-trimming for a summer.
Taxi – lift to and from airport for summer holiday.
Bake a birthday cake, or made-to-order pie.
Dog-walking
Paint a room of house.
Parish Communication Group
In line with 2015 mission aspirations, it was
recognised that the parish could improve how it communicates with its
members and the wider local community we serve.
To address this, a small group was established to review St Finnian’s current
communication arrangements and develop a draft strategic
communications plan to meet future needs.
The Communications Group is both committed to keeping members
informed about any future developments and also is keen to obtain input
from any parishioners on the various ways the parish
communicates with its members.
The group members are listed below. They would be happy to
provide you with more information on this project on request, or take any
suggestions, or ideas you might have on how we could improve our
communications.
Group Member:
Roy Bell Linda Leonard Gillian Stevenson
Gillian Walker
Chris
Colin Darling
Aimee Cunningham
Sanlon
Update of Parish records
One of the things the Communications Group would like to do is ensure we
have the correct contact details for all parishioners. The last time we
updated records was during the Parish Census in 2011 and many more of
us now have mobile phones and use email than even 4 years ago.
If we have up-to-date contact details, this will allow the parish to
communicate important issues using more immediate and effective
methods.
So what is happening?
Within our April Magazine, you will receive a ‘Contact Details Update
Sheet’. Please would you complete this by the end of April and either
bring it to church, leaving at the back in the box provided, give to
someone else to take for you, email or drop in to the parish office or post
back. Or maybe your magazine distributor could collect it for you.
Please be assured that these details will only be used for parish
purposes. Thank you for your co-operation.
Burns Supper
On Friday 6 February, a number of tartan-clad parishioners got together
for a night of Scottish fun which began with Laird Johnston piped in. As
the revellers tucked in to their haggis, with tatties and neeps (courtesy of
Mash Direct), they were served by our own bunch of gorgeous Scottish
lassies.
Scottish cheesecake was enjoyed before tea, coffee and shortbread
finished the feast. An entertaining time of Scottish dancing rounded off
the evening with dance instructor and expert caller Lucy displaying a
kindly and sympathetic tone towards the St Finnian’s slightly less than
championship standard dancers.
A huge thank you to all those who came and supported this event. The
Events Committee also greatly appreciates all the donations towards the
meal and the raffle which helped keep costs down and increase our
takings. And of course an enormous thank you to the members of the
events committee who planned, prepared and worked tirelessly on the
night. After expenses have been paid, an amount exceeding £1100 was
raised.
LADIES OPEN DOOR FRIENDSHIP
GROUP
Open Doors is a new friendship group formed in November for members
of our own parish and any other ladies over 60 in our community.
A committee was formed, with Iris Hay agreeing to lead the group for the
first year. Office bearers are: Joan Logan (Secretary), Betty Brennan
(Treasurer) and Dixie Dillon, Irene Ireland and Margaret Rankin
(Committee Members).
We meet on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month, from 2pm until
around 4pm usually in the Sextons’ room, by the lower hall.
So far, we’ve had a variety of wonderful speakers and activities. Barbara
Carlisle talked about her extensive nursing career, Sharon Hay explained
the artistry behind her hand-crafted wedding bouquets, Heather Stuart
instructed us how to keep fit – the ‘easy’, fun way and we had a lighthearted quiz afternoon.
Then in a ‘craftee’ afternoon, we received tuition in a number of skills
like crocheting and knitting together, loom band making and I-pad basics.
And Joan Logan gave a reflection on ‘seasons of the church year’ as
shown on hand-crafted banners.
The following is a list of events planned for the remainder of the season:
March 4th
March 18th
April 1st
April 15th
May 6th
May 20th
Witty and relevant teaching on one of the 10 Commandments – Canon J John DVD, introduced by Colin
Card making demonstration and then we all have a
go
No meeting – Holy Week
Aiden Campbell, author of books on the history of our
local area, will present on Cregagh
As spring is sprung, Anna Lemon will guide us on
flower arranging. Followed by AGM
Summer outing
If you and your friends would like to come to any of the forthcoming
meetings, you will be very welcome. Remember the Door is always
Open.
Magazine
CONTACT DETAILS
Rector:
Telephone 028 90793822
Please send articles for inclusion in
the APRIL Magazine to
[email protected]
or telephone Parish Office 90792793
by NOON on
Thursday 19th March
Curate:
Telephone 028 90796193
Mobile 07925 672340
Don’t forget to check out the
church website:
Church Office Hours
www.stfinnians.org
Tuesday 12 noon – 5 pm
Thursday 8.30 am – 1.30 pm
TELEPHONE 028 90792793
[email protected]
Events Committee Members
Judith Armstrong
Karen Bell
Roy Bell
David Cairns
Barbara Carlisle
Colin Darling
Chris Geoghegan
Heather Harman
Sadie King
Heather Leckey
Adam & Sarah
McBurney
Trevor Smyth
Find us on Facebook!
Facebook.com/StFinnians