Church Services
Lectionary Year A
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Free call 116 123
Church Leaders Mark Holocost Memorial Day
To mark this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, the Church Leaders Group (Ireland) held a time of reflection as part of their meeting in Armagh on 27th January.
Pictured from left are:
Archbishop John McDowell, the Church of Ireland
Primate of All Ireland;
Archbishop Eamon Martin, the Roman Catholic Primate of All Ireland;
the Revd David Nixon, the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland;
Bishop Andrew Forster, the President of the Irish Council of Churches and Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe; and
the Rt Revd Dr John Kirkpatrick, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
3 22nd February 2023 10.30 am Ash Wednesday Eucharist
Warrenpoint Church
Old Testament Epistle Gospel Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) Matthew 5:13-20 Genesis 1:1 2:3 Romans 8:18-25 Matthew 6:25-34 Exodus 24:12-18 2 Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9 Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Romans 5:12-19 Matthew 4:1-11 Matthew 17:1 9
10.00 am 11.30 am 5th February The Third Sunday before Lent Holy Communion Warrenpoint Holy Communion Kilbroney 12th February The Second Sunday before Lent Holy Baptism Clonallon Family Service Kilbroney 19th February The Sunday before Lent Morning Prayer Warrenpoint Holy Communion Kilbroney 26th February The First Sunday in Lent Holy Communion Clonallon Morning Prayer Kilbroney 5th March The Second Sunday in Lent Holy Communion Warrenpoint Holy Communion Kilbroney
hours a day … 365
a
days
year
We wish to appoint a Groups and Facilities Co-ordinator to join our team.
The successful candidate will work with and under the direction of the Centre Director to ensure the efficient operation of the Kilbroney Centre and its ministry of welcome to groups on residential and day trips.
This will include: Offering Hospitality to groups/ Housekeeping Duties/ Supervision of Volunteers/ Deputising for the Centre Director as required.
For further particulars (including the opportunity for an informal conversation) please contact Jan Peach, Centre Director: booking@kilbroneycentre.com
Deadline for Applications: Friday 10th February at 5.00 pm.
Clonallon and Warrenpoint Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/warrenpointcoi/ Sunday Services live streamed at 10.00 am.
Kilbroney Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/KilbroneyParishChurchRostrevor/ Sunday Services live streamed at 11.30 am.
Crafters on Wednesdays
This group continues to welcome all folk with crafts of any kind. We gather between 11.00 am and 1.00 pm in the Parish Room.
Tower Bells and Handbells on Thursdays
Tower bells 6:45 to 7:30 pm
Handbells 7:30 to 9.00 pm
Ladies’ Guild 23rd February 11.00 am
Deadline for March 2023
edition of The Pointer is Friday 24th February
Please keep sending in articles and photographs!
Editor: hannamanor15@btinternet.com
Kilbroney Parish Church Prayer Group
Wednesdays 10.00 am to 11.00 am
Ladies Bible Study
Warrenpoint Vestry
Tuesday 14th February at 10.45 am
Everyone Welcome
Compline on Facebook 9.00 pm
Sunday
Kilbroney
Tuesday
Clonallon & Warrenpoint
Badminton
Warrenpoint Parish Hall
All new members welcome Mondays and Thursdays beginning at 5.30 pm
Ash Wednesday Eucharist
22nd February 2023 10.30 am
Warrenpoint Church
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Handbells over Christmas
Kilbroney Handbellers‘ schedule was as busy as ever in the lead up to Christmas with performances at Carrick Primary school Christmas fair, after dinner entertainment for Saint John's Parish Church, Newcastle, dining at Castlewellan Castle, an RNLI fundraising evening in Carginagh Church alongside Kilkeel Silver Band and the first Open Mic evening at an Cuan to be hosted by new member April Feng. (We are an international group now as well as cross community with members from Germany, China and USA.)
hand in setting up their own handbell group with their bells and communication is ongoing with another Church of Ireland Church wanting to set up a group with their handbells. (We advised Dundela Parish Church, Holywood, several years ago too). So our bell ringing ministry is spreading!
Next on the agenda for the team is to perform at Warrenpoint and Newry Feis in their percussion ensemble class to get a professional, musical critique from an adjudicator (I’m really in it for the cup!!)
Onwards and upwards!
Lent
The monk, within his monastery, the ploughman and the lord; would keep the Lent time patiently and keep a simple board.
Christmas performances were to culminate at the Candlelit Nine Lessons and Carols service in Saint Bronach’s but unfortunately a few positive tests for covid in the team prevented that from happening. The team were so disappointed at not being able to perform at our own annual Carol Service especially as we were to be joined by a group of P6 and P7 girls from Kilbroney Integrated, on a second set of descant bells compatible with ours on loan from Saint John’s, Newcastle.
The girls had received six weeks of free handbell workshops after school in the church to perform at the school Carol service hosted in the church on Friday 16th December. They rang magnificently.
Saint Bronagh’s and Killowen Primary Schools also availed of a free handbell workshop in the church while visiting our mini Christmas Tree exhibition. At one point 24 bells were ringing together!
It is our aim to give Saint John’s, Newcastle, a helping
Rich food nor meat could touch their lip just plain and simple fare; dried bread in sauce they could not dip –or face the Parson’s glare!
Today, such things don’t tend to be we’ve left them in the past!
Just those within that monastery who keep the Lenten fast.
But all should come to love anew the treasured time of Lent and spend more time with Father, who rewards such time well spent!
Nigel Beeton
We no more earn heaven by good works than babies earn their food and drink by crying and howling.
Martin Luther
I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be; but I thank God I am not what I once was, and I can say with the great apostle, ‘By the grace of God I am what I am.’
John Newton, former slave trader
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2nd January 2023
Bell Ringing at Saint Bronach’s Visiting Bell ringers with the chairman of NMDDC Michael Savage.
In the bicentennial of KPC we were fortunate to host the Northern District Practice of the IACR (Irish Association of Change Ringers). We were blessed to have some of the best bell ringers in Ireland participate, and we were graced by the presence of Michael Savage at this event.
This practice will be a warm-up to Saint Bronach’s hosting the competition for the Cunningham Cup, just after Easter next year. It is very fitting in our
bicentennial year that we host this trophy as it was instituted by two of our founding ringers, Charles and James Cunningham. James, unfortunately after service in WW1, died of the Spanish flu in 1919 aged 35 years. His brother Charles, aged 91 presented this beautiful silver cup to be awarded to the ringers with the best timing (striking). Unfortunately he did not live long enough to see his home tower win the trophy, which they did in 1954, 1956 and 1963. In 1954 KPC were the first Northern Team to win the all Ireland championship, the Murphy Cup, and were runners up in 1956 and 1963.
Our current band has a way to go before we emulate those achievements, but we will try.
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Shane and Jacqueline Ryan Clonallon Parish Church
Photo of IACR Northern District Practice 5th December: Eric Thompson IACR, Simon Chadwick District Ringing Master IACR, Olivia Rooney IACR, Michael Savage, Chair NMDDC, Alex. IACR, Denise McLean IACR, Robert Foulis Chair Northern District IACR, Ken Roberts, Don McLean IACR, Paul Cole.
Adam IACR Ballymena, Ken Roberts, Alasdair Garnett, Paddy Jameson and Shelagh Roberts
Covid and Christmas
Over the festive season in Northern Ireland, it was estimated that one in 16 people had COVID, a nine-month high. While many parishioners were not able to be present for some events, and other planned items had to be cancelled, we are thankful that the services of Nine Lessons and Carols, as well as the regular church gatherings, were able to continue. It is encouraging to see that the Covid rates have now reduced again to about one in 40. We urge everyone to continue to take all precautions to keep yourself and other folk safe.
Nollaig na mBan
This is Women’s Christmas and is traditionally celebrated in Ireland. I have been unable to find much about its origins but it is celebrated on 6th January, the eve of the beginning of Epiphany, Old Christmas Day, also 12th Night, Little Christmas, Three Kings Day, the Orthodox Christmas, and the tradition of Wassailing.
As it currently exists it is experiencing a revival in Ireland, women get a day off from family and domestic responsibilities (the men folk are expected to cover all the housework and cooking and childcare) to have a celebration, relax and enjoy each other’s company in a sort of mini Christmas with cake and a drink. Nowadays many men help a great deal with domestic duties and cooking.
My son did Christmas dinner this year and it was a real pleasure to be able to sit down with his family and enjoy the meal and the fun with the grandchildren. It did not stop me from having a Women’s Christmas party of course on the 6th January as I enjoy the company of my female friends, and we all deserve a night off whatever our circumstances.
In the Tudor times, the 12th Night ( of Christmas) was a popular celebration ending the season before the next period in the church calendar of Epiphany. There was a special cake for the occasion and partying when roles were reversed for example, kings became peasants. Truth be told the partying and mischief was pretty wild. This seems close to what happens in Women’s Christmas when the men take over the domestic duties and the women go out for a drink. Please do not read into this that my party, or any other Nollaig na mBan was wild, suffice to say everyone really enjoyed themselves.
Susan Farrell
Solution page 16
7 Clonallon and Warrenpoint Carol Service
A problem with the heating system in the church building meant that Nine Lessons and Carols moved to the Parish Hall … the Anglican Ensemble led the singing.
Afterwards the refreshments provided a festive end to a beautiful service.
Ladies Bible Study
Unfortunately our December Bible Study had to be cancelled at the last minute because of the icy conditions. It was good to be able to meet in January when we continued with our studies of Women who met Jesus. Even though Christmas was over it was still appropriate that we looked at Mary the mother of Jesus.
Our numbers were down, but we were glad that we could meet.
Mary the mother of Jesus.
was at the crucifixion and we read near the cross of Jesus stood Mary his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.
What we do know is that -
She was a virgin and she was engaged to be married (Matt 1 v 18 & Luke 1 vs 26 & 27)
She was the fulfillment of God's plan (Isaiah 7 v14 & Matt 1 vs 22 & 23)
She was highly favoured - in Luke 1 v 28 the Angel told her the Lord is with you and again in Luke 1 v 30 the Angel said you have found favour with God and then went on to tell her that she was to be the mother of Jesus, the Saviour of the World.
She knew the scriptures - Look at her Song of Praise to the Lord in Luke 1 vs 46-55 and compare them to Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2 vs 1-10 ... aren't they similar?
We thought Mary would have been young ... probably a teenager because Jewish girls would have been engaged maybe between 12 and 16.
As we summed up our little study on Mary we saw that:
She was there when He was born (Luke 2 v 7) She was there when He died (John 19 v 25) She was there after His Ascension (Acts 1 v 14)
We are told in Scripture that Mary pondered many things ... so let us ponder -
For nine months Mary carried the One who would carry the world - Isaiah 53 v 4
She carried the One who carries us - Isaiah 40 v 11 & Isaiah 53 v 4
When we accept Him as Saviour He will continue to carry us in and through Eternity.
Our next Bible Study will be Tuesday 14th February at 10.45 am, in the Vestry, Warrenpoint Parish Church. All Ladies will be made welcome, look forward to seeing you.
We pieced together the information we are given in Scripture. We discussed these. So what did we discover?
I think it would be fair to say that she was the first woman to meet Jesus.
We don't really know a lot of Mary or her family. In Luke's Gospel (NIV) Ch 1 v 36 we read she had a relative Elizabeth who was older but in the King James Version we are told that Elizabeth was Mary's cousin. So Mary's parents must have had siblings for her to have a cousin.
According to John 19 verse 25....Mary had a sister. It
Love, God Bless and stay safe.
Dorothy
While my Primary 5 class was completing a writing exercise, one of the students asked me how to spell "piranha."
I told him I was unsure. To my delight, he went to the dictionary to solve his problem.
That's when I overheard another pupil say to him, "Why bother to look it up? She doesn't know how to spell it anyway."
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Photograph: Maurice McCabe
Pierre Mignard - The Virgin of the Grapes, 1650 Louvre Museum, Paris
Councillor Michael Savage meets Margaret Dowd
Once Councillor Michael Savage, Chairperson for Newry and Mourne Council was told a former Irish National Table Tennis Champion, Margaret Dowd, was in the Parish Room having a cup of tea he was keen to be introduced. Councillor Savage, as can been seen, was delighted and even a little star struck, to meet Margaret and they had a wonderful chat together.
Margaret Dowd is no stranger to Kilbroney Parish growing up in the town beside the Fairy Glen and playing table tennis across the road in the Lecture Hall.
Margaret is also a former Kilbroney Tower Bell Ringer and winner of the Cunningham Cup in 1954 and also later the Murphy Cup that same year. Shelagh Roberts, the People’s Church Warden, was able to show a picture of Margaret and the winning Cunningham Cup team from 1956.
The Christmas Pageant set out from the Fairy Glen and was led by a community choir singing Christmas Carols. Mary, Joseph, a donkey, shepherds and angels were all in the procession up to the square. A community silver band played as the crowd waited in anticipation for the lighting of the Christmas tree and Nativity Lights. Santa also made an appearance before the start of the Truck & Tractor Run in aid of Life and Time
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Father Christmas Visits Rostrevor
Cunningham Cup photograph page 340 in “Celebrating 200 years of Saint Bronach’s, Kilbroney Parish, Rostrevor”
Jesus begins to preach
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali –14 to fulfil what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 ‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles –
16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.’
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’
Jesus calls his first disciples
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus heals the sick
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and illness among the people.
I happened to meet a friend recently and we chatted about holidays. Liam, my son, is wanting to go somewhere that has sand and camels. My friend was telling me that she, her husband, and son Gideon, were going to go to Israel for their holiday. They would spend the first part of their holiday in the general area of where our passage is set, on the shores of Galilee. I had the pleasure of visiting as a tourist when I was 19 years old, that’s 30 years ago now. What an experience and what an amazing age to go! I have been back, yet it is my first visit I remember the best.
When I was thinking over today’s Gospel, memories and emotions of the beauty of the land came back to me. The adventure of it all!
Matthew isn’t just adding detail to fill out his story when he tells us that when John the Baptist is arrested, Jesus leaves his hometown of Nazareth and goes to live in Capernaum by the sea.
Jesus’ move is very important for Matthew’s story.
John has been “handed over,” it is now time for Jesus to take over.
Many would agree that it is good practice to get out from our own communities and cultures and to experience something of other communities and cultures. No doubt many of you have heard that phrase to “broaden our horizons,”
Jesus leaves his close-knit family and friends of his village of Nazareth, and travels to the larger, busier town of Capernaum located by the Sea of Galilee. His mission of teaching, proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom, and curing illness, is not just for his family, the people he knows and feels comfortable with.
Jesus would begin his ministry in the long-troubled, racially mixed region where Isaiah had foretold a light would shine in the midst of gloom. We hear Matthew quoting the prophets in our gospel reading.
There is an urgency in today’s Gospel reading. Jesus appears on the shore and says, “Come after me,” and immediately Simon and Andrew leave their nets to follow him. Jesus walks a little farther and sees James and John mending their nets. He calls. Immediately, they leave their father in the boat and scramble after him.
I find it interesting that Matthew emphasizes the family relationships of the people involved in our story. We are told Peter and Andrew are brothers, as are James and John. In fact, Matthew is so eager for us to note the brotherly relationship of Peter and Andrew, he mentions it twice in the same sentence. He does the same for James and John and underlines for us the fact that they leave their father and their boat in order to follow Jesus.
I am wondering how many who profess “Family First” read this passage? Are they bothered by this Gospel this morning?
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on
4:12-23
nd
Sermon
Matthew
Sunday 22
January 2023
Jesus is telling us that to be his disciples we sometimes need to question the values/worldview of our families, indeed, it might even lead to leaving our families for the advancement of the His Kingdom and Kingdom values.
Researchers tell us that in the 12 months from 1st July 2021 to 30th June 2022: there were 33,186 domestic abuse incidents in Northern Ireland, an increase of 2,026 (6.5 per cent) on the previous 12 months.
BBC Radio Ulster on Wednesday morning last were discussing the major increase in calls coming in regarding domestic abuse in the month of December.
Even in some families who pray together and stay together, in the name of love there can be a lot of control and at times too much smothering love, so that children are not allowed to follow their own dreams, or seek to live into what God may want them to be.
Jesus’ family tried to restrain him from his ministry. In Mark’s Gospel, they were beginning to believe the neighbours who were saying Jesus was insane. His family tried to bring him back home.
Jesus knows the powerful influence families can be in our lives, whether they are working well or not at all, whether they communicate or are strangers to one another. He knows.
The Gospel today speaks loud and clear to us a message that is perhaps hard for us to hear.
The Gospel tells us that the kingdom of heaven doesn’t exist to serve the family; the family exists to serve the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus is always calling us even from what is most secure, most comfortable, most safe in our lives, to something and someone higher.
You may be a parent, child, spouse, aunt, uncle, sister, brother, grandparent but you if you are sincere in the prayers and creeds within our liturgy you are first of all a Christian, a child of God.
This ought to be our true identity.
This is who we most truly are and where our real peace and security will lie.
Once we get this into our hearts and heads, chances are we can survive even the most challenging of situations. I have seen a lot of brokenness within families and communities, and I have seen many who
know Christ as their saviour survive and bring positive change.
When Matthew first told this story about leaving family and boats and all familiar ways to follow Jesus, it didn’t frighten his congregation. Many who first were listening to these words were those who had been kicked out of their families for believing in Jesus.
When Matthew first told this story, it didn’t frighten people rather it would have comforted them. May Jesus give all of us the strength and the courage to follow him.
Collect for Ash Wednesday
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing that you have made and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may receive from you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Post Communion Prayer
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us both a sacrifice for sin and also an example of godly life: Give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive these his inestimable gifts, and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Congratulation to Kilbroney Parish Church’s Junior Church Warden Anna Farnan. Anna received her Church Warden badge in December from the Right Rev Darren McCartney and People’s Church Warden Shelagh Roberts.
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A Reflection … April Feng
I can't believe it took me a year to sit down and finally write these down at the moment, as oftentimes, things seem either too small to mention or too big to literally describe.
Where is Rostrevor?
'That part of Rostrevor which overlooks Carlingford Lough is my idea of Narnia.' C. S. Lewis
Four years ago I was here the very first time while having a course named Disciple Training School (DTS) with an organisation YWAM (Youth With A Mission), which was also my first time leaving China. I came here for a chance of seeing more of the world but ended up figuring that this is exactly the place I had been dreaming about and where everything started ... After this wildest-dreamlike adventure, I went back to China at the end of 2019, and then came the Pandemic. Like many people around the world, I once in a while sank into a whirlpool of despair and solitude. I was all alone in a studio apartment laying on the tatami with a swollen throat and breathing difficulty.
My consciousness was on and off so I couldn't tell it's day or night. I was asking God: "So this is it?", no answer but I got flashbacks of my walking and hiking in the Mournes of Northern Ireland, seeing the creeks, the moss and everything.
with China's strict restriction - the zero covid policy, which means there's a lockdown if one case showed up. I didn't know how I made it or how God brought me back to this place. I was thinking of a year of retreat but God's plan is way grander than I expected.
I. Guess What? More Art
I used to believe doing art is only about self-expression, a way and portal through which I see and feel about this world. God has been giving me inspirations and the heart to create art through nature, through my own experiences. But when I hear of others' stories, have a look at the pictures they took that are important to them, I feel I have this space and time to listen, to feel what they feel, to grow this empathy meanwhile. It's quite magical!
This place is always on my mind, deep down in my soul, my spiritual home. So when I woke up and had mostly recovered, I started to look through the album on my phone and found this photo, which gave me inspiration to paint and that's my very first time of my life to try using acrylic paint. So basically, Rostrevor is also the beginning of my journey of painting and being an artist. Coming back to Rostrevor was not easy, especially
A friend of mine went there several times leading outreach teams and spending time with people there. At first, I couldn't really understand her obsession about this chaotically random piles of crockery and utensils and clothes, until one day someone was saying: it gives me an impression of satisfactory peace. It's odd and mysterious to name out how each and everyone feels connected to people, places and things. Before I could only easily feel related to sorrow, depression, misery and emotional pain, or some thing blue, bleak and melancholy. But there's way more than that in this life,there'sfun, joy, compassion, peace, understanding, contentment, … and most of all love
II. Join the Handbell Team & What is Handbell?
I had never seen a handbell performance until coming back to Rostrevor early 2021. These lovely folks in the local Parish church are so hospitable, so warm and embracing. I'm not musical at all except for a short term practice of Chinese bamboo flute when I was
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This is a picture of a ghetto in India.
.
much younger. I miss notes quite often, I still can't recognize many songs there, but feel completely accepted and loved by this lovely community and my hand bell family.
All year round, there's plenty of events like Fiddler's Green - an annual local musical event lasting for about a week with different shows, exhibitions and celebrations. So during Fiddler's Green this summer, there's this fantastic event in a local church, it's music for the soul, healing, for bringing people's hearts together after the two-year on-and-off pandemic lockdown. When each performer walked up to the mini stage on the top of a short flight of steps, there's no intro, no host, or even a monologue, it's just very quiet, and then they just started to play, either the traditional Irish harp, a flute, a guitar, or pipes. It's breath-taking. This is holy ground. It's too beautiful to add any comment or even applause. So there's none, It became quiet again after a performance and then until the next performer.
III. Prison Fellowship
I met a lovely lady Molly who has been leading a monthly prayer for Prison Fellowship. What is Prison Fellowship? It actually started with Charles Colson who went to prison because of the Watergate Scandal. And Molly lent me this book Born
Again written by Colson.
I surprisingly feel related to his story of how he became a Christian during the darkest time of his life, how to somehow start a better understanding by reading Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis, and how to deeply assure that old life had gone and a human being had got spiritually born again, got a second chance to live this life.
me to meet Molly and got involved in the ministry at the 40 years' anniversary of Prison Fellowship in Northern Ireland. I am not sure what I may encounter for the coming new year, but these two words redemption and hope just came to my mind, as there's always a second chance.
IV. Open Mic & Stand-up Comedy
Ron the 7-year MC of An Cuan Open Mic, a former sports journalist back in the States and he is also many people's, including myself's: talent scout! With his constant non-stopping encouragement and invitation, I did my own very first stand-up comedy at the open mic, which turned out surprisingly good.
But several months ago, Ron and Donna moved to Belfast, the 7-year open mic got faced with a sudden pause without this fantastic host. After a bumpy emotional ride with nervousness, fear and concern versus again Ron's encouragement, I hosted the first open mic in my life right before Christmas.
Open Mic is my second chance of reviving my talents in the public. I do like the attention lol.
My passion about open mic is to provide a stage for people around the world with different backgrounds to see each other from a new way to listen to each other's stories and for people with different talents especially those who are still exploring new talents, as the open mic stage is a small step forward for everyone to build confidence and to get motivation.
What's Next?
I just got a three-year visa (minister of religion) right before Christmas. The day I got the email from the embassy I felt so strange, calm and emotional. I didn't know what to do at that very moment, so I walked in front of the Lough and only recognized again ( even if with thousands of time's recognitions before), God is so faithful, even though most of the time I don't even have faith as big as a mustard seed.
I personally got drawn to the Fellowship because my dad went to prison about 5 years ago, with a 15-year sentence. Even though we are not very close but he has always been on my mind. I wrote letters to him but only with one letter back when he sounded quite delusional and then when I sent him a second letter, he told me not to write anymore. So I feel very grateful how God in some random occasion brought
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April Feng
To mark Chinese New Year on st January April treated Kilbroney Parishioners to celebratory dumplings.
Dear Molly,
(and C-W and K Parishioners, Hundreds of hamper boxes, hundreds of groceries and presents, and some seventy pairs of hands went into action in November and December to ensure that 564 families and 720 children received a hamper, toy parcel, and personal message. It’s a lot of work and dedication from Prison Fellowship staff and volunteers. So why do we do it?
Behind the statistics, logistics, and the form filling, you will find the passion of our staff and volunteers to see lives transformed by Jesus, the generosity of churches, community groups and friends like you from Clonallon and Warrenpoint with Kilbroney who want to help bring some hope to prisoners’ families, and stories of parents and children experiencing the joy of being brought closer together.
The responses from those who have received through your sacrificial giving has been phenomenal, and the following are just some examples of how the Christmas Hope makes a difference at the most difficult time of the year.
Here’s what one parent in prison said to us: “Thank you so much for sending a present to my children. It has helped me keep in touch, and for us to maintain contact.”
A Mum struggling on her own: “Thank you so much for the Christmas hamper and the kids’ presents. It was all so greatly appreciated and needed. We were very touched to receive these gifts and be thought about.”
An ex-prisoner: “The hamper is more than a practical Christmas gift. To some it is a necessary touch of luxury for the festive time. For me it is one of very, very few gifts, and sometimes the only gift received. It brightens up the period and goes deeper than just a food hamper.”
Thank you for all your help, for blessing these families, and for showing them God’s amazing love.
Wishing you his peace, joy and hope for 2023.
Just a little reminder to all our parishioners regarding giving to church funds. It is important that you keep up to date with offerings so that we can plan our expenditure. In last month’s Pointer both treasurers wrote asking all to consider an increase in giving to cover rising costs of printing, electricity etc. For the benefit of Clonallon - Warrenpoint parishioners I set out bank details once again. To those that have already responded many thanks.
DANSKE BANK Clonallon & Warrenpoint Parish Church
FWO account 95044041008552.
Regular transfers can be made online
For graveyard contributions please insure you include your surname and ref CPCGF
Clonallon/Warrenpoint Parish Church No2 a/c 95044091006134
Danske Bank, Hill Street, Newry
Maurice McCabe
21 Jemeson’s Court, Warrenpoint. BT34 3TE
Lost and Found
Lost and found, what a wonderful sound to a little dog like me, I slipped my lead, I gave no heed it felt so good to be free.
It’s getting dark, I’m lost in the park it’s cold and starting to rain, I should have stayed and never strayed. I’ll never do this again.
Footsteps I hear, ‘please do come near’ on my collar they see my name, I’m put in a car, we’re travelling so far, will life be ever the same?
A knock on the door, kisses galore, cuddles and pats on the head, no more will I roam, I’m now safely home and warmly curled up in my bed.
Megan Carter
(Maybe this could apply to humans as well)
14 Parish of Clonallon and Warrenpoint
Great Northern Hotel Days
Captain Vesey, a bachelor was an elderly ex-army man of habit who lived in the prestigious Great Northern Hotel as a few older people of independent means did in those days. Captain Vesey’s father, in his day, had been the local doctor in the village so when the good Captain retired from the Army he returned to his native Rostrevor.
The Northern Ireland Road Transport Board, NIRTB bus service Number 39 ran between Kilkeel and Newry (it’s still Number 39 and run by Translink!) and continues to stop at Rostrevor Quay beside where the still sadly missed hotel used to stand.
Captain Vesey used to travel to Newry every Friday on the mid-day bus where I’m sure he had some important business to conduct, enough to keep him occupied and have time for some liquid refreshments before boarding the three thirty bus home to Rostrevor.
In those days before the different schools had their own busses for transporting children to and from school, children used the normal bus services. This meant that usually there were lots of young people racing and scrabbling to get on the bus first before the other passengers arrived to board.
Captain Vesey always liked to sit on the third row seat on the left hand side of the bus. I was one of the wee girls who all liked to sit near the back, so it didn’t matter to us where the gruff old man sat.
One wet Friday in Newry the bus was almost ready to pull out when the Captain appeared at the door of the bus, banging on it with his walking stick to open up and let him in. When he was finally aboard he found that a young boy was already sitting in his favourite seat. He demanded that the boy stand up and give up his seat, the boy pretended that he couldn’t understand and didn’t move. The Captain, a large man, got quite angry and sat down on top of the boy who squirmed but couldn’t move over!
“I’ll teach the brat manners“ the Captain repeated the whole way to Rostrevor, while still sitting on the unfortunate lad.
Don’t think it would be allowed to happen nowadays!
Joan Toase
In Praise of Scotland!
Do you have toast and marmalade for breakfast? The first recorded recipe for marmalade is credited to a Mrs. Keiller of Dundee. After breakfast we might put on a raincoat patented by Charles MacIntosh from Glasgow.
Out we go to walk along a road which is surfaced by tarmac, invented by John Loudon MacAdam of Ayr. Or we might drive a car which is fitted with pneumatic tyres, patented by Jon Boyd Dunlop, of Dreghorn, Scotland. Sometimes we may travel by train which is powered by a steam engine invented by James Watt of Greenock.
In the office we will send mail bearing adhesive stamps invented by John Chalmers, of Arbroath, and make frequent use of the telephone, an invention by the famous American, Alexander Graham Bell, who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland!
On Sunday we may dine on traditional roast beef from Aberdeen angus, raised in Aberdeenshire, and then watch a programme on the television, an invention of John Logie Baird, of Helensburgh, about John Paul Jones, father of the United States Navy, who was born in Kirkbean, Scotland.
Perhaps for leisure we’ll read Treasure Island written by Robert Louis Stevenson, born in Edinburgh, or ride a bicycle, an invention of Kirkpatrick MacMillan of Thornhill, Scotland.
Trying to avoid all things Scottish we might turn to the bible, only to find that the first person mentioned in the good book is a Scot, King James VI, who authorized its translation from Latin to English.
It would drive you to drink, but then, Scotland makes the finest whisky in the world.
If we happen to take sick we could find ourselves injected with penicillin to prevent infection, a discovery made by Sir Alexander Fleming, who was a Bacteriologist from Darvel, Scotland. Hopefully we’d not be given Chloroform, an anaesthetic first used by Sir James Young Simpson, of Bathgate, Scotland.
Out of the anaesthetic we might hear the surgeon say that we are safe as the Bank of England which was founded by William Paterson of Dumfries, Scotland.
"Hey Alexa, can you check my bank account and see what Apple product I can afford to buy?"
Alexa: "Apple juice."
When I moved into my new igloo my friends threw me a surprise house-warming party. Now I'm homeless!
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Symbols used in Churches
A number of symbols and monograms may be seen in our churches … what do they mean? Some are pretty obvious, others, not so much. In this series we’ll examine some of them, beginning with IHS.
Sometimes this is adorned with a cross and/or a crown.
Languages, and the way they are written, go through many transitions over time. This is particularly true when one language takes much of its substance from another; for example, Latin took much of its substance from Greek. This transformation from one language to another is part of the problem with IHS.
There is most likely a misunderstanding when the Christian religious culture moved from Greek to Latin. The letter “S” for example, while the sound is the same the way it is written is different:
Greek (Sigma): Σ
Latin: S
The letter H is an even greater problem … it looks the same in both Greek and Latin, but it sounds totally different. In Greek it is an “e” sound and in Latin it is “h”.
The Greek Name of Jesus, when written in all capital letters is “ΙΗΣΥΣ.”
Transliterated into the Latin alphabet, that turns out to be IESUS. The Divine Name was usually shortened to a 3-letter symbol for use in church decorations. In Greek it became “ΙΗΣ.”
When the symbol was adopted by Christians of the Latin-speaking Western Roman Empire (Greek and Latin were the two official languages of the Empire), it took on the Latin letters. The symbol went from “ΙΗΣ” to “ΙΗS.” In the Latin Church IHS was sometimes adopted as shorthand for the name of Jesus, even though it makes no literal sense. (The first three letters of the Latin spelling should be IES.) The misunderstanding seemed to win out as the symbol IHS became the accepted way of writing the name of Jesus
It is possible that there is another reason for the IHS symbol. Maybe it wasn’t a corruption of the Greek symbol for the Divine Name. It may have an entirely different symbolic value in Latin and this difference is close enough to the Greek to cause the confusion. We go back to the early fourth century. Following the death of Emperor Diocletian in 306 AD four men were left in charge of the Empire – two for the Greekspeaking East and two for the Latin-speaking West.
After Constantine was proclaimed Caesar, a power struggle ensued between him and his rival Maxentius. This culminated in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, outside Rome, in 312.
On the night before the battle, Constantine received a vision. As he looked up in the sky he saw the symbol of a cross and heard the following words spoken to him: “In this sign, you shall conquer.” He immediately directed all of his soldiers to paint the sign of the cross on their shields. And the rest is history!
Why is this story important? Because the Latin version of the phrase, “In this sign, you shall conquer,” is in hoc signo vinces. The three-letter acronym for “in hoc signo” is, of course, IHS
So, in conclusion, the IHS mystery could either be the matter of a simple misunderstanding which occurred when the Greek symbol for Jesus morphed into its not-technically-correct Latin equivalent, or, it could be the three-letter symbol for Constantine’s victory at Milvian Bridge, which gave the Church freedom of worship. Either way … when you spot IHS around the church buildings … it is a reference to Jesus.
"You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby.
But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand."
Margery Williams The Velveteen Rabbit, 1923.
When I was a youngster I was sent to the shop with a ten shilling note. I'd come back with some potatoes, two loaves of bread, a bottle of milk, a block of cheese, a packet of tea, and half a dozen eggs. You can't do that now far too many security cameras.
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I Go to Sing
I might be exhausted and the children might be cranky,
but I will be going to church on Sunday. Don’t know who is preaching, doesn’t matter –the sermon may be helpful or not, holds my attention or doesn’t –
it’s the singing.
I go to sing.
I get up, get clean, get dressed, possibly get mad (at not-ready kids, at empty coffee pot, at traffic) get going, get there, get seated, get comfortable, get focused and when the music starts, get saved. It’s the singing.
I go to sing.
It’s the willingness to stand if you are able, the common agreement on page number, the voluntary sharing of songbooks with people on your row,
even ones you rode there with – but most of all, it’s the collective in-breath before the first sound is made,
the collective drawing upon the grace of God, the collective, if inadvertent, admission that we are all human, all fragile, all in need of the sustaining air, freely dispensed, all in need of each other to get the key right and not sound discordant –it’s the hidden life-celebration in the act of making a joyful noise, all together. We don’t even have to sound that good. Singing together still brings home the we-ness of worship, the not-alone-ness of life in God, the best of all we have to offer each other. When we are singing, I think that I might actually be able to forgive you for being so terribly human, and you might be able to forgive me for being so terribly not there yet, and we might be able to find peace now, not postpone it for some heavenly hereafter but live and breathe it today, drawing in the grace of God, voicing out our need and hope and gratitude and longing.
When we are singing, I can feel the better world coming, and if I get to be a part of it, you do too . . . so sing with me, and we’ll make our way down that blessed road together, collectively better than we ever thought possible.
Lindy Thompson
Saint Brigid's Day is celebrated on 1st February. The new Irish Bank Holiday will take place on the first Monday in February each year, except where Saint Brigid’s day happens to fall on a Friday, in which case that Friday 1st February will be a public holiday.
Brigid's cross is a cross woven from straw or rushes. It has some variations, but the most popular designs feature a woven diamond or lozenge in the centre.
Brigid's cross is typically woven on 1st February, her feast day. Hanging Brigid's cross from the rafters of a house was believed to bring the blessing and protection of the saint for the remainder of the year.
Historical facts about this first abbess of Kildare (died around 525) may be scarce, but her ‘Lives’, written from the 7th century, tell many anecdotes of her kindness and miracles which over the centuries have become deeply rooted in Irish folklore. Brigid came from a village near Kildare, born of parents of humble origin, and is said to have been baptised by Patrick and became a nun at an early age.
The miracles attributed to Brigid show her to have been a woman of great compassion and generosity. There are stories of how she could multiply food, especially butter, for the poor. Other stories tell of her changing her bathwater to beer, in order to satisfy the thirst of unexpected visitors. Even her cows gave milk three times the same day, to enable visiting bishops to have enough to drink.
Saint Brigid is patron of poets, blacksmiths, and healers. She is usually depicted with a cow, which recalls her phase as a nun-cowgirl.
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Ladies Guild
Our 2023 meetings have started with a visit from the PSNI sharing useful information on burglary, cold callers, rogue traders and scams.
Starting with burglary, there are a number of cost effective measures which can be taken and reduce the risk by 70%.
• Lock your doors
• Leave a light on in an active room not just in the hall
Keep the minimum amount of cash for the minimum amount of time
Keep all your doors locked as burglars may talk to someone at the front door while an accomplice can nip around the back. If you have a safety chain use it, but it is better to shout out and find out who it is before opening the door.
If you are out, don’t just leave the hall light on but also leave a light on in an active room, for example a room visible at the front of the house which looks like it could be a living room. Another idea is to use a tv simulator which sounds like a tv is on in the room.
Cash and jewellery are the two items burglars commonly look for as they are small, easy to put into a pocket and easy to use or sell. For this reason it is recommended to only get cash out on the day or day before you need to pay a bill. It is also beneficial to photograph your jewellery as this will help to identify it in the event of a burglary. Auto intruder alarms and lights are expensive further measures which can be taken to protect your home.
Cold callers may be delivery men, someone asking for directions, people collecting for charity, representatives from BT, gas or electricity companies, NI Water, Openreach etc Some tips to deal with cold callers are:
• Ask for identification
• Use a ‘No Cold Calling’ sticker
Before letting a person into your home, ask them to wait for 5 mins while you ring police 101 and ask for ‘Quick check’ scheme. They will check with the company to find out if the person is genuine.
When someone who is not legitimate hears that you are going to call the police to check they will usually leave, while those who are legitimate will stay and wait.
Think about whether a request is reasonable or not. One example is that someone from NI Water will not
ask you to turn on your tap just to check if there is a problem with the water.
Rogue traders are face-to-face scammers. They will come to your door and advertise to fix your roof or to tarmac your drive etc. One man paid out £17,000 to people who had come to his door and highlighted some broken roof tiles. They kept coming back to do more “repairs”.
It is important to notify the police if a rogue trader does come to your door as the police may be looking for them and it may also prevent them from moving onto to other community members. Some rogue traders take victims in their van to go to a cash point. Only use tradesman that you know, have been recommended by family or friends or that you have researched.
Scams. A scam is not a recognized term in the criminal code. A scammer is a “criminal” and if caught they are convicted of “fraud”. Most people who have been scammed tell very few and feel that they were somehow to blame. Yet if someone stole your handbag as you walked down the street you would tell someone. If it’s a scam make sure to tell someone!
Be wary if
• It seems too good to be true
• You are contacted out of the blue
• You are asked for personal or bank details
They ask for money (bank transfers, gift certificates, vouchers)
One example is if you got a text on your phone to say that HRMC owes you £6,000 you know that it is very unlikely to be true. Many texts or emails tell you that you have won something and this is often a tactic of scammers. Scammers try to give people a distraction which is usually bad news which brings fear, or good news to bring excitement. These are both distractions to hook people into reading or taking further action. Being contacted “out of the blue” means that it may be a person or company that you have a link with but are not in regular contact with. Think of your normal routine and people with whom you are usually in touch. HRMC, for example, do not phone people, the first contact is by letter. There is a recent scam called “Hi mum” which pretends to be the receiver’s son or daughter who has lost a mobile and needs to borrow money urgently. Scammers try to apply time pressure and make something appear to be urgent. Never feel pressurised into paying. Ask a friend or family member
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to check if it is legitimate before acting.
Before disclosing any personal information stop and think. Ask “who did you say you were” and why they need to know this information. Ask for a name and reference number so that you can check. Caller ID may be helpful although there is also number spoofing where a computer can match the call with a local number.
Always use your credit card when shopping online. Some scams ask for money for tv licensing, rates and parking tickets. Current news items are common areas for new scams, for example, money for fuel. Missed parcel deliveries and Amazon Prime accounts are other common scams.
When contacting the police use 101 when reporting something that has happened and 999 when reporting something that is currently happening. Also see the Action Fraud website or phone 0300 123 2040.
At a naval barracks the enlisted men were being given their injections prior to going overseas. One lad, having received his whole series of injections, asked for a glass of water. "What's the matter?" asked the doctor. "Do you feel light-headed?"
"No, just checking to see if I'm still watertight."
Ukraine – one year on
On 24th February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine without warning. Ukraine had been part of the Soviet Union 1922-1991. In 1932 millions of Ukrainians were deliberately starved to death in a famine, contrived by Joseph Stalin. This genocide, or Holodomor, is commemorated every year on the fourth Saturday in November.
The area had been overrun for centuries by successive external forces, until absorbed by Russia. In 1991, when the USSR was dissolved, Ukraine voted for independence, by a huge majority. There are still pro-Russian minorities in the East of the country, as there were in Crimea before 2014, when it was annexed by Russia.
Me: {sobbing my heart out, eyes swollen, nose red) "I can't see you any more. I am NOT going to let you hurt me like that again!"
Trainer: It was a sit-up. You did one sit-up.
I received another letter from the electricity company yesterday. It had "Final Notice" written on the envelope. Good. They won't be bothering me anymore.
At the end of a pre-Lent sermon, the Rector suggested, as an example to the rest of the community, that the congregation should worship in an unheated church for the whole of Lent. As they made their way into the chill Sunday air the Rector addressed one member of the congregation, asking what she had decided to give up for Lent. “Church,” she replied firmly.
During a church service a little girl had to go outside, as she did not feel well. She returned a few minutes later and admitted: ‘I have been a little sick. But it doesn’t matter, there’s a box at the door marked ‘for the sick’.”
My goal for 2023 is to accomplish the goals of 2022 which I should have done in 2021 because I made a promise in 2020 and planned in 2019.
In the last 12 months, one-quarter of the civilian population of Ukraine has been displaced, with 5+ million refugees escaping for temporary sanctuary in other countries. 95% of them are women and children. They have had to learn new languages (and a new script), find jobs and schools, and become accustomed to foreign cultures. When it seems safe, they want to return home and some have already done so.
The UK government, in partnership with County and District Councils, launched the Homes for Ukraine scheme last year. Would-be homes were inspected, and prospective hosts checked out for suitability and safety. A young Ukrainian woman lived in my home for six months before returning to Kyiv. In that time my fridge made room for bulgar wheat, lots of mushrooms and Salo, which is the name for slabs of cold cured pork fat, and much tastier than it sounds!
Most Ukrainians count themselves as Christian, including a number of Greek-Catholics, but the majority belong to what was the Russian Orthodox Church, and is now the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The two churches separated after the Moscow patriarchate backed President Putin.
The Archbishop of Canterbury visited Kyiv in December and had to take cover in a bomb shelter when air raid warnings were sounded. He said the people of the West needed to realise the costs of this war were not short term, adding “there must be no way in which we force peace on Ukraine … Peace is always better than war. But there are times when justice demands the defeat of an evil invasion.”
the Ven John Barton
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Do you believe in Angels?
The world-renowned preacher Billy Graham, who died only a few months before his 100th birthday, described this book as 'one of the most fascinating studies of my life'. In it, he explores the biblical basis of what angels are, and the crucial role they play in our lives.
Today's interest in the supernatural often seems to put the emphasis on demons, ghosts and other evil powers. But what about the forces of good? Angels are thought by some to be purely the province of song lyrics, fairy tales and also popular mythology, yet they are mentioned nearly three hundred times in the Bible and are in fact a very real source of comfort and strength for many people today.
When a child says, “Daddy, I want Mammy,” that’s his/her version of, “I want to see your supervisor.”
Wee John
Good grief!! Am I THAT old?
Saw an obituary in today’s newspaper of a wee fellowIusedtoplaywith. Yep,I’vereadobituariesof folk whom I knew before but this one really shook me. WeeJohnwasaright nuisancewhen wewere playing games at our seaside holiday homes at KillowenPoint,alwaysgettinginthemiddleofthings that he had no need to be involved in. With his skinny wee legs, well worn shorts, much loved fair isle jumper and a perpetual runny nose he had a protectiveolderbrotherJim,whowasourage,great funandwedidn’twanttofalloutwithhim. Jimhad quiteafewbrothersand sistersbutWeeJohnwas alwaystheflyintheointment.Notthathewasreally bad, he just had the knack of making a nuisance of himselforcausingthingstogowrong!
You know the kind of child, the one who damages thebestfootballinthemiddleofagametoseewhat kindofleatherit’smadefrom,puncturesitorkicksit into the sea by mistake, or puts a stone through Mrs What’sHerName’s window and gets us all chased from playing in the field next to her house.
Wee John came from a large family, the children were all good playmates except him because we never knew what would happen next if he was on our team! He was always asking questions Why is that? What’s that for? and mostly, Ah, but what if … ?
We didn’t know the answers. Silly us.
I remember hearing in our recently grown up years that Wee John was doing awfully well at University … University? Wee John?
Life goes on, we were all busy with our own problems, careers, marriage, children, health but now and then thoughts go back to those carefree days at Killowen Point, when we swam, caught eels under the stones when the tide was out and we didn’t want Wee John to be on our team!
Today’s newspaper tells me of Wee John’s death. A half page relating the life and achievements of a highly respected and prominent member of university life in Dublin, professor of chemical engineering, professor emeritus. Imagine that! Wee John! How I wish we had tried to find the answers to his many questions.
R.I.P. Wee John
Joan Toase
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Christmas Tree Festival
Thank you to the dozens of folk who made the Mini Christmas Tree Festival such a success. Schools, groups, individuals so many people contributed trees to create an impressive display. Mens Shed provided scaffolding (literally) on which to display the trees, and a team of parishioners ensured that the exhibition could be open for eight consecutive days, and we continued to display them until the Epiphany. We had almost one hundred trees, not counting the tiny hanging examples on the parish tree. These photographs are just a small sample of the creativity demonstrated with all kinds of materials, especially toilet roll tubes!
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Church Street, Rostrevor.