The choir is honoured to be invited once again to sing services in St Patrick’s Cathedral on a summer Sunday when the resident choir is on holidays.  Under the direction of St Paul’s director of music Nathan Barrett, and accompanied on the organ by Matthew Breen, organist of St Patrick’s Dalkey, the choir will sing at 11.15am Choral Eucharist and 3.15pm Choral Evensong on Sunday, July 30th. The music will include anthems God so loved the world by Stainer andGloria in excelsis deo by Vivaldi.

Book now for our Parish Outing to Kilkenny on Saturday, September 9th as remaining seats are being offered to people in the “cluster” parishes, to ensure we have a full bus. Highlights of the day will include guided tours of St Canice’s Cathedral and Kilkenny Castle as well as a “road train” tour of the medieval city itself.
 The all-in price of €50 a head for the whole day also includes a two-course lunch at the renowned Langton House Hotel, morning coffee and scones during a stop at the Arboretum Garden Centre in Leighlinbridge on the way and, of course, door-to-door transport from St Paul‘s to Kilkenny and back. The bus will leave St Paul‘s at 8am sharp and is expected to return at approximately 7pm. Places are limited so please arrange to buy tickets straight away with John White:  jnewportwhite@gmail.com or on 087 259 4729.

In a new scheme both to encourage young church musicians and support the choral tradition at St Paul’s, we are advertising for five choral scholars, as well as an organ scholar, for the academic year 2017/18.
 The student singers will join the existing members of the choir at the weekly Wednesday rehearsals and Sunday morning services, as well as other special services. Under the guidance of music director Nathan Barrett, they will assist in the production of high quality music at all morning services and special events.
 The new organ scholar – in succession to Matthew Breen who was the first person to take up this role a number of years ago and is now organist at St Patrick’s Dalkey – will play for services and accompany the choir when required.
 More details on the scholarships here.

Bookings are now open for our parish outing to Kilkenny on Saturday, September 9th. Highlights of the day will include guided tours of St Canice’s Cathedral (pictured below) and Kilkenny Castle, as well as a “road train” tour of the medieval city itself.
 The all-in price of €50 a head for the whole day also includes a two-course lunch at the renowned Langton House Hotel, morning coffee and scones at the Arboretum Garden Centre in Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow, on the way and, of course, door-to-door transport from St Paul‘s to Kilkenny and back. Places are limited so please arrange to buy tickets early with John White: jnewportwhite@gmail.com or on 087 2594729.

The rain came in Biblical proportions for our Summer Fair but, against all the odds, the gross takings for the day were €24,719 – just €2,000 down on last year. Congratulations to the exceptionally hard-working committee, led by Dominic Galvin, who worked for months on this. Particular credit is also due to everybody  who cheerfully worked on outdoor stalls, despite the rain seeping in, under and over the canvas.
 Thanks to all parishoners who supported this annual, communal fund-raising effort in any way, big or small. The huge team effort generates more riches than can be counted in euros and cents.

This week’s times for delivery of donated goods for the Summer Fair to the Parish Centre are as follows:  Wednesday, May 24th, Thursday, May 25th and Friday, May 26th, 7pm-9pm each evening. Here’s a reminder of what some of the stalls are looking for:

• New Stall: Handbags/ Scarves/ Gloves.Nola 087 688 9845 or Di 087 127 0342.
• Plant Stall: All kinds of plants – if you have the time to label them too it would be great. Sarah and Paddy, Lesley and Deborah.
• Collectors Corner: Glassware, china, paintings or any curios you might have hiding in your attic or under the stairs! Roxanna 087 668 8289 or Pauline 087 237 3587
• Worn Only Once Clothes Stall: women’s, men’s and children’s clothes in good condition.
• Rector’s Bottle Stall: Anything in a bottle. Spirits, wine, beer, soft drinks, bubble bath, etc Gary or Pamela 2801616
• White Elephant Stall & Furniture Stall: Unwanted gifts / prizes (e.g. engraved glass / ornaments), tooling, musical equipment, sports equipment, household paraphernalia, accoutrements, etc. .
• All unwanted furniture (but strictly no sofas or bed mattresses). Collections can be arranged: John Lambert 087 255 7452 or Stuart Robertson 087 666 2724.
• Food Street: Cake Stall, Deli Stall and Teas/Coffees would be very grateful for home-baked goods.
• Book Stall: All kinds of reads needed – to be laid out in church as usual.
  

The Sunday Club is hosting a soup and roll lunch in the Parish Centre after the 10.30am service this Sunday, May 14th, and parishoners are encouraged to attend if they can. All proceeds will go towards Focus Ireland, a charity which children in the Sunday Club and their parents have been supporting all year.

A relaxing, social get-together at which no parishoner has to work on the night is the idea behind the St Paul’s Spring Dinner this Friday, May 5th, at 7.30 pm in the Royal Irish Yacht Cub, Dun Laoghaire.  Some tickets are still available, until noon this Wednesday, at €25 per person (drinks not included). Dress code: smart casual.  Contact John White 087 259 4729 or email jnewportwhite@gmail.com. 

There is just one new face on the incoming Select Vestry (or parish council) for the coming year, which was elected at last Sunday’s Easter General Vestry. That is James Danaswamy, who has been singing in the choir since last autumn. Existing Select Vestry member Paul Hatton has the added responsibility of being Rector’s Glebewarden, after Erica Pickering stepped down.
 The rest of the Select Vestry, chaired by the Revd Gary Dowd, is as follows: Geoff Barry (Rector’s Churchwarden), Rita Dalton (heading People’s Churchwarden rota of eight people), Frank Gunning (People’s Glebewarden), Margaret Woods (Hon Secretary), Alan Lowther (Hon Treasurer), Joe Harvey, Stuart Robertson, Roxanna Allen, Mary Heseltine, Fiona Arnold, Sheila Wayman and Lynn Wiley.
 There were also elections for parochial nominators and diocesan synod persons, which come around every three years. And these are as follows:
Parochial Nominators
Margaret Woods; Roger West; Michael Webb; Robbie Grier
Supplemental Parochial Nominators
Deridre Moppett; John Lambert; Mary Heseltine; Lynn Wiley
Diocesan Synod Members
Michael Webb; Mary Heseltine; Sheila Wayman
Supplemental Synod Members
Robbie Grier; Michael Knatchbull; Jill Steer

Please come to listen, talk and vote at the Easter General Vestry meeting (Parish AGM), which will take place this Sunday, April  23rd in the main hall of the Parish Centre immediately after a shortened 10.30am service of morning prayer.