Rector The Pointer The Rt Rev Darren McCartney 028 4175 3497 September 2021 [email protected] The Magazine of the Church of Ireland Parishes of Clonallon & Warrenpoint with Kilbroney in the Diocese of Down and Dromore A lesson from nature and phrase sounds familiar it may be because you have from the mouths of children. heard it read from Holy Scripture, Jesus in fact quotes these words in Matthew 21:16. The above phrase or thought has continued to be in my thinking these last few days. There is much that is Last Sunday evening, Liam and I were travelling back happening in our world. The news is filled with much from the direction of Leitrim carpark towards that would cause us to be anxious. Rostrevor. There is much that seems to want to pressure us to be As we were driving along, Liam points out the window busy or to be in a rush. I have found myself looking at towards the mountain, and exclaims “the church”. nature and what is happening around us. Liam was pointing up to a large cross on the side of a hill that we had climbed together a few months back. The word autumnal was mentioned on the weather forecast two weeks back and then last week we have I smiled to myself and thought how wonderful, he is had what could be called beautiful summer days. getting it. The significance of the cross and its Reflecting though on nature; I see nature slowly, ever relevance to church. Christ’s love for the world so slowly, beginning a process of adjustment to the manifested in the Cross. changes of weather and the coming season. Slowly, ever so slowly, preparation and change. What place does that kind of love have within the church today? Within our churches and the Please don’t feel the pressure to spring back to the communities that we live in? “For thy Church for way you were before the Pandemic. Take the time to evermore lifting holy hands above, offering up on adjust and not rush, allow yourself the time needed every shore her pure sacrifice of love” verse 5 of a to readjust and don’t feel pressured. hymn we sang at our Drive-In service in Warrenpoint. Perhaps you could also take a moment to reflect and That’s a short reflection on nature and change but then “reflect” in its truest sense. what about the second part of the phrase “From the Blessings mouths of children”, if you think this part of the +Darren Pray for Afghanistan Clonallon and Warrenpoint O God of mercy and of peace, we hold before you the Facebook peoples of Afghanistan. https://www.facebook.com/warrenpointcoi/ Be living bread to those who are hungry each day. Sunday Services live streamed at 10.00 am. Be healing and wholeness to those who have no access to Compline at 9.00 pm each evening. health care amidst the ravages of pandemic. Be their true home to all who have been displaced. Kilbroney Facebook Be open arms of loving acceptance to those who fear because of their gender, ethnicity, religious or political https://www.facebook.com/ views. KilbroneyParishChurchRostrevor/ Be peace to those engaged in armed conflict and those Sunday Services live streamed at 11.30 am. who live within its shadow. Compline at 9.00 pm each evening. Turn our hearts and minds to your ways of just and gentle peace, Open our eyes to see you in all acts of compassionate care. Clonallon & Warrenpoint with Kilbroney Strengthen our hearts to step out in solidarity with your suffering people and hold us all in your unfailing love. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself of all but love in order to bring life in all its fullness. Amen This prayer was written by Ramani Leathard, Christian Aid's Head of Region for South East Asia and Afghanistan. Prayer for Haiti Eternal God, send forth your Sprit to encourage and strengthen the people of Haiti in these difficult times. We pray especially for those impacted by the recent earthquake. Encourage and strengthen those who help and support others. In your mercy, receive the souls of those who Why do we have to wait until night to call have died; comfort their families and loved ones. it a day? Surround with your presence the sick and suffering. Aid the work of those who still search and rescue. Empower the medical and aid workers and all who labour to heal. Likewise, inspire and empower the resolve of the nations Lots of images of the and peoples of the world to be your instruments of help Holiday Bible Club on and healing. pages 6 — 9 and even more photographs on Stir up the might of your love and compassion among the the notice board at nations to rally resources and stay the course until the the back of Kilbroney humanitarian job is accomplished. Parish Church. Lastly, enfold and uphold the people of Haiti—from the youngest newly born to the oldest among us—in the arms of your love and the strength of your might. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry Presiding Bishop and Primate The Episcopal Church Free call 116 123 24 hours a day … 365 days a year 2 Church Services Lectionary Year B 10.00 am 11.30 am Old Testament Epistle Gospel 5th September Warrenpoint Kilbroney Proverbs 22:1- James The Fourteenth Sunday Mark 7:24-37 Holy Communion Holy Communion 2, 8-9, 22-23 2:1-10 (11-13) after Trinity 12th September Clonallon Kilbroney Proverbs James The Fifteenth Sunday Mark 8:27-38 Morning Prayer Family Service 1:20-33 3:1-12 after Trinity 19th September Warrenpoint Kilbroney Proverbs James The Sixteenth Sunday Mark 9:30-37 Morning Prayer Holy Communion 31:10-31 3:13-4:3, 7-8a after Trinity 26th September Clonallon Kilbroney Esther 7:1-6, 9- James The Seventeenth Sunday Mark 9:38-50 Holy Communion Morning Prayer 10, 9:20-22 5:13-20 after Trinity 3rd October Warrenpoint Kilbroney Hebrews 1:1-4, The Eighteenth Sunday Harvest Job 1:1, 2:1-10 Mark 10:2-16 Holy Communion 2:5-12 after Trinity Thanksgiving Christian Burial We extend our prayerful sympathy to all who mourn, especially to the family and friends of Mrs Joyce Jessica Alexander 12th April 1927 – 22nd August 2021 Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. They are blessed indeed, says the Spirit, for they rest from their labours. Revelation 14:13 Compline Peace, perfect peace Each evening at nine o’clock. This alternates between the Lord Jesus Facebook pages of Clonallon and Warenpoint When we pray for your help and and Kilbroney and is available on both! blessing, we remember the words, “be The text is on Page 154 in the BCP, or on the Church of Ireland Website, or in the still in the presence of the Lord’. Fill us Daily Worship App on your mobile phone. with the peace of mind and serenity which only you can give, and restore us Deadline for the October edition of once again. The Pointer is Friday 25th September 2021. May we remain safe and content, Please keep sending in articles! knowing your peace will continue to Thanks again to Christine Annett dwell in us. for meticulous proof reading. Terence Trimmer 3 Sweepers on the Roof! The pictures tell the story! Having a flat roof means that debris gathers and then blocks the gutters. One fine day recently Shelagh Roberts and Liz Farnan joined forces and tackled this problem on the Parish Room. When you do jobs around any of our church buildings … do take pictures and send them to The Pointer. Lots of things happen unseen! An Ivory Tower "The artist needs an ivory tower, not as an escape from the world, but as a place where he can view the world and be himself. This tower is for the artist like a lighthouse shining out across the world." Charles Koechlin, composer Though his reputation as a composer has remained rather isolated in the decades since his death, Charles Koechlin enjoyed a prominent place in the French music scene in the first half of the twentieth century. Born in Paris on November 27, 1867, Koechlin began formal musical studies at the Paris Conservatory in 1890. His teachers included Massenet and Fauré. 4 Sunday, 29th August … Drive in Service What a beautiful worship space! Warrenpoint Church It seems that more people than ever joined in worship, was the setting for the United Service … so we gathered not counting those who followed on the live stream we along their tree lined avenue for Morning Prayer. use on Facebook. This autumn, Bishop David is calling us to gather Agapé Prayer Gathering: Down Cathedral on Tuesday 21st September, St Matthew’s Day. together to pray and seek God’s presence for our lives and churches. The Bishop writes … Prayer Breakfast: Bangor Abbey on Saturday 23rd October, St James’ Day. “To gather from around the diocese for times of . special prayer is our incredible privilege as we Diocesan Prayer Service: Dromore Cathedral th emerge out of lockdown and the restrictions on on Tuesday 30 November, St Andrew’s Day. our meeting together. We hope that you will also be encouraged to make prayer gatherings a Booking will open soon … details: Diocesan priority in your local parish setting. website. www.downanddromore.org 5 The first Holiday Bible Club experience for young people in Saint Bronach’s held during the third week in August.