A Confirmation service to include candidates from St Paul’s will take place in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin on Sunday, September 29th, 2024 at 3.30pm.  If anyone from the parish would like to be confirmed at that service, and you have not already been in touch, could you please register your interest by emailing me here. The plan is to start our preparations at the beginning of September.

St Paul’s choir, under the direction of our organist Caroline Barnes, will sing at 11am Choral Eucharist in Christ Church Cathedral this Sunday, July 14th, providing holiday cover for the cathedral choir. Back in St Paul’s the Parish Communion will be a said service in their absence.

St Paul’s choir, with director Caroline Barnes (right), after singing in Christ Church Cathedral on a previous occasion

We were blessed with a fine evening for the young families’ social event last Saturday, June 22nd. More than 70 people gathered to connect and converse over drinks and barbecue food, while the younger children enjoyed an entertainer in the main hall before they had food. Special thanks go to the catering team of Frank Gunning, Linda Gunning and Margaret Woods.

We had a very successful Summer Fair last Saturday, May 25th, raising more than €40,000 for parish funds. Thank you to those who worked so hard and everybody who supported it in any way.

Here is a guide to the stalls for our Summer Fair on Saturday, May 25th and the kind of donations they are seeking. Items can be dropped into the parish centre in the grounds of St Paul’s between 6.30pm and 8.30pm on Tuesday, May 21st to Friday, May 24th.

Clothes: Women’s, men’s and children’s clothes worn less than twice and in good condition.
Teas: Tray bakes, scones, muffins etc needed to feed the hungry hordes.
Books: Every kind of adult and children’s books wanted.
Toys: All kinds of toys very welcome, except soft toys and broken toys.
Deli stall: All sorts of fare such as jams, chutneys, apple tarts, salads etc
Cake stall: Home-baked cakes, biscuits, muffins, pavlovas etc
Garden stall: labelled pots of herbs, veg and flowers. 
Jewellery, Handbags and Scarves: All of the aforementioned items welcome. Single earrings or cufflinks that have lost their partner can also be handed in for selling on.
Recyle art: Paintings, sketches, photographs – anything framed you no longer need.
White elephant: unwanted household items, tools, sports and music equipment etc
New  gifts: All unwanted gifts such as ornaments, vases, household and kitchen items.
Collectors corner: Old glass, chinaware or any curios you might have.
Bottle stall: All unopened bottles welcome, with long use-by dates.
Raffle: Six €10 books of raffle tickets are being distributed to each parishioner for selling  if possible. If you could donate a raffle prize, please contact Fair chairman Mark Finney on Mark@soonerthanlater.com or text/ring 087 284 4777 (after 7pm).
 

There was an encouraging attendance at the Annual Easter General Vestry (A.G.M.) held after the 10.30am service on Sunday 14th April. The following were nominated to serve on the select vestry for the coming year.
The Rector (Chairperson), Geoff Barry (Rector’s Churchwarden); Rita Dalton (People’s Churchwarden); Alan Winter (Rector’s Glebewarden) Frank Gunning (People’s Churchwarden) Margaret Woods; Hugh McNally; Joe Harvey; Sheila Wayman; Stuart Robertson; Philip Thompson; William Earley, Judith Peirce, Mark Finney, and Lynn Wiley.
Thanks go to Roxanna Allen and Paul Hatton, who both indicated prior to the meeting that they wished to stand down, for their time and commitment over their years of service on the select vestry. 
At a short meeting of the select vestry immediately afterwards, Margaret Woods was reappointed as Honorary Secretary and Hugh McNally reappointed as Honorary Treasurer.

Five Church of Ireland parishes from this area will worship together on the evenings of this coming Holy Week at 8 pm (Mon-Thurs) and at 12 noon on Good Friday. There will be the opportunity by way of a retiring collection each evening to donate to the Dublin Diocesan Shine a Light appeal for Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City (see below for more details on this appeal).
 There are also extra daily (Mon-Thurs) services of Holy Communion in St Paul’s at 7.15am and a 2pm service on Good Friday.
 
Mon 25th    7.15 am Holy Communion St Paul’s
                        8 pm St Matthias, Killiney/Ballybrack:    
                        Preacher The Rev Gary Dowd
 
Tues 26th   7.15 am Holy Communion St Paul’s
                        8 pm Christ Church, Dun Laoghaire 
Preacher The Rev Ruth Elmes
 
Wed 27th 7.15 am Holy Communion St Paul’s
                       11 am Holy Communion St Paul’s
                        8 pm St Paul’s Glenageary
                        Preacher Daniel Stanford
 
Thurs 28th    7.15 am Holy Communion St Paul’s
                        8 pm St Patrick’s Dalkey The Lord’s Supper
 
Good Friday 12 noon Holy Trinity Killiney The Stations of the Cross
2 pm One Hour at the Cross, St Paul’s
 
                       

After the great success of last Saturday’s concert in the church by international musicians, we are now looking forward to another musical treat. On Thursday, March 21st, David O’Shea will give a Pipeworks lunchtime recital at 1.15pm (lasting about 45 minutes). His programme will consist entirely of organ works by J.S. Bach, who was born on that day in 1685. Admission is free but donations to St Paul’s fund for Kisiizi Hospital in Uganda would be much appreciated.

Apologies to anybody who was hoping to join in last Sunday’s 10.30am worship through the livestream. A problem with the internet in the church prevented us livestreaming the service. We hope it will be back up in time for next Sunday.