A new informal worship service at 5.30pm in the Parish Centre last Sunday attracted many families with children and we look forward to the next one on Sunday, October 16th – same time, same place.

There will be a short informal all-age worship service in the parish centre this Sunday, September 18th, at 5.30 pm, followed by refreshments.  Hopefully this will develop and grow over the coming months to become a regular feature of parish life. 

We’re hoping for a favourable weather forecast for our outdoor service and barbecue, which is now scheduled for this Sunday, September 11th, starting at 12 noon. All welcome. Donations will be welcome on the day to defray the costs of catering. Please note this service will not be livestreamed.

Very regrettably, due to the forecast of heavy rain over the weekend combined with strong wind on Sunday, the outdoor service and barbeue has been postponed until the following Sunday, September 11th, at 12 noon, when we hope the weather will be more favourable. An early decision had to be made during the week as the order for large quantities of fresh food needed to be confirmed.
This Sunday, September 4th, A Service of the Word will be held at the usual time of 10.30am in the church. Then on Sunday, September 11th, all being well, we will have our outdoor service at 12 noon, followed by the barbecue. The winners of the tallest sunflower competition will also be announced then.

We have been informed that a Confirmation service to include candidates from St Paul’s will take place in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin on Sunday, October 2nd at 3.30 pm.  If anyone from the parish would like to be confirmed at that service and has not already been in touch with me, please register your interest by emailing me here.  The plan is to start preparation classes in early September.
Gary Dowd

David Barrett of Killiney Hill Road, who died on Saturday June 18th, was an engineer who had lived and worked at Kisiizi Hospital in south-west Uganda of behalf of St Paul’s since 2001. His funeral service took place in St Paul’s on Thursday, June 23rd, and was followed by burial at Deans Grange Cemetery. We extend our sympathy to his son Ross, daughter in law Yvonne, his extended family Una, Peter, Margaret, Sam, Mervyn, and a wide circle of friends both at home and abroad. 
 David was instrumental in the construction of a new Maternity Ward, Children’s Ward, and a suite of Operating Theatres at Kisiizi, all of which are now used 365 days a year to provide patient care. These facilities have also been a great encouragement to staff, with improved working environments and space compared with the previous structures.
 Construction methods in Uganda are basic.  When the operating theatres were being built (completed in 2011) the only mechanical piece of equipment on site was a concrete vibrator, everything else had to be done by hand.  Despite this, construction standards were higher than those generally deemed acceptable at the time. David was always inventive and creative, finding solutions to problems that others may have deemed insurmountable.  He used local labour and local products if possible, which was a huge boost to the local economy.  He turned his team of local labourers into skilled tradesmen, bricklayers, and carpenters. His ingenuity meant that the money donated by the people of this parish went a lot further and enabled us to provide far more in terms of infrastructure at a fraction of the cost of using a general contractor from Kampala.
 In addition to his engineering input, David also administered an orphan programme, which helped vulnerable children and students, a life-changing scheme for many of them.
 All this was made even more remarkable by the fact that after being thrown from a horse in 1983 he broke his neck and was quadriplegic.  The future looked very bleak until miraculously one day a slight tremor in his left toe was a rarely seen indicator that maybe there was a way back after all.  Over nine months the exceptional care he received at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, combined with his deep spirituality and determination, gradually meant he would eventually walk again, drive a car, and do the most menial tasks once more, even if it meant overcoming some new challenges.
 We are very grateful for all that David did on behalf of St Paul’s at Kisiizi, a place he loved.  His was a remarkable life dedicated to the service of others.
Rev Gary Dowd

We plan to establish a regular short, informal all age service in the Parish centre on the third Sunday of each month, beginning on September 18th at 5.30 pm.  This service will be followed by food or snacks.  We hope this will be a suitable gathering time for families, as a typically hectic weekend for those with children draws to a close.  With the support of those who are usually unable to get to worship at traditional church times, this service could develop and evolve to become a regular and vibrant part of parish life.
The 7pm evening service in the church will continue as usual.
 Gary Dowd 

We had perfect weather for the return of our Summer Fair on Saturday, May 28th. Huge thanks to all the helpers and everybody who came along on the day to support us,

The Parish Centre is open from 6.30pm-8.30pm this week, Monday to Thursday, for donations of items to be sold at our Summer Fair this coming Saturday, May 28th.

Rogation is a church tradition that has pre-Christian roots, dating back to a Roman agricultural procession honouring a deity invoked to protect the crops from mildew.  Nowadays on three days before Ascension Day (Thursday, May 26th this year), the church offers prayers for God’s blessing on the fruits of the earth and on human labour.   
 To mark Rogation Sunday this Sunday, May 22nd, sunflower seeds will be offered to anyone in the congregation who wishes to take them. You are encouraged to plant these and nurture them at home over the coming weeks.  On Sunday, September 4th, at our outdoor service and barbecue, a prize will be presented for the tallest one.
 The sunflower or “soniashnyk” is Ukraine’s national flower so as your sunflower grows it will also be a reminder of the current plight of Ukrainian people and a symbol of our hope that sunnier days are coming for them again.