Parish of Newcastle and Newtownmountkennedy with Calary

Rector:
Archdeacon Ross Styles
087-9892941
Email: [email protected]

Diocesan Lay Minister:

Caroline Tindal
086-2553001

Parish Office:
085-1640133
01-2819300
Email: nandnparishoffi[email protected]
Open Monday to Friday

Parish Websites:
www.newcastleparish.org
www.newtownmountkennedyparish.org
www.calaryparish.org
Dear friends,

As I sit and write this, Advent Sunday is not far away, a time of year I
really love. Advent Sunday is the first Sunday in December this year and
this Advent we are holding three Advent reflections, at 8pm in the Parish
Centre, on Wednesday 4th December, Wednesday 11th December and
Wednesday 18th December, where we will explore scripture through the
light of Advent, with accompanying refreshments!

We are having a Christmas Communion Service in Calary, followed by

lunch in the church room, on Wednesday 11th December at 11.30 am. This
is an opportunity to attend a Communion Service before Christmas and to
bring along anyone who may not always be able to come to church on
Sunday mornings with a social element of a festive lunch afterwards!

On Wednesday 11th December, at 7pm, we are starting guitar lessons in the

Parish Centre. These lessons will be led by Mark Leeson. The lessons are
aimed at young people and they will be free of charge. Our hope is that
through these music lessons we will develop and nurture a group of
musicians, who can play at our monthly youth services which will return
early in the new year. For more information, please do contact me!

Friday December 13th marks a sad day in the parish, as it will be Karen’s
last day as Parish Administrator. Karen’s knowledge and efficiency has
kept the Parish Office, CastleKidz and Parish Centre on an even keel for
many years and I would like to thank her on behalf of the parish for all that
she has done, but also personally for all that she has done for me over the
last nearly four years! Thank you!! You will be sorely missed! We wish you
every blessing in your retirement and we are relieved to hear that (secret)
play writing continues for our next spring performance!

It is always wonderful to gather as a community to celebrate this special

time of the year. At 5pm on Sunday 8th December, our Community Crib,
which was built by our Junior Youth Club, is returning to Newcastle
village, with community carol singing, treats and hot chocolate! On
December 15th, we will have a united service in St. Matthew’s church at
11am for the Christmas Story, with Carols, when we narrate the story of
Christmas! We will have our candlelight carol services - in Calary on
Friday December 20th at 7.30pm and in Newcastle on Sunday December
22nd at 7pm both followed by festive refreshments. All are warmly
welcome!
Many people find Christmas a difficult time, perhaps because of
bereavement or illness or for many other personal reasons. On Sunday 22nd
December, we will have a Quiet Christmas service in Calary church, at
9.30am. This is a quiet and reflective service. All are very welcome to
attend.

Increasing numbers of families really struggle at this time of year, with all
the financial pressures and rising costs of living. As in previous years, we
are collecting festive and essential food items at the the back of St.
Matthew’s and Newcastle Church. This produce is donated to the
Storehouse, in Crinken Church, who provide a fantastic facility to help the
wider community. My thanks to Jane O’ Herlihy for all that she does to
coordinate our collection.

Senior Youth Club met on Sunday evening, 24th November. This year they
are supporting a charity that provides the details for people in care homes
who have no immediate family. We have been given the contact details for
a man and a woman. We will be putting together a parcel for each of them,
with cards and gifts. An Post then facilitates the posting of these parcels.

Advent is a season when we concentrate on the coming light of our world.

As the days draw closer and the evenings get darker, the brighter a light
shines. That light is the coming of our Lord. Advent is a season of faith,
hope and new beginnings. On Sunday 17th November, two new journeys of
faith began, as friends and family gathered in Newcastle church for the
baptism of Mia and Caolan Smith. We wish them and their family every
blessing as they begin their own journeys of faith.

In this season of Advent, may we progress in expectation to the joy of

Christmas, the great gift that we receive in the birth of our saviour Christ,
the light of the world. Let us reflect that light, that love and that joy into all
aspects of our lives and our community. Jesus is the bearer of that light, his
love is there for all, it is up to us to open the door and let it shine into our
lives, into our world and into our communities.

Fiona, Ben, Ava and I would like to wish you, and all whom you love, a
blessed and a peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year, with every
blessing for 2025.

May the light of the Christ Child fill you with joy and peace.
God bless,
Ross
Carol
Singing
 We’re going out
for

Christmas Lunch
at

The Glenview Hotel

Glen of the Downs
on

Tuesday 10th December

Book your place with Karen

087-2866889 ASAP!
 Junior Table Tennis
Mondays 7 - 8pm
at the Parish Centre.
All aged 9 and over
very welcome!
Thursdays at 7.30pm
in the Parish Centre. Bowls Club

TABLE TENNIS

Mondays 8pm Parish Centre

 Come join our friendly group.
We sing for special events
and at regular monthly
Holy Communion services.
ALTOS particularly welcome.
Practice on Mondays at
8pm in the Parish Centre.
Contact Andy at 0861591873

Parish Choir
Po Up
Tearoom

We’re feeling ‘Christmassy’

in the Tearoom!
Friday mornings
in the Parish Centre
10.30 am to 12.00 noon
Everyone very welcome!

Come and enjoy a mince pie and a chat

Wednesday 11th December
Holy Communion for Christmas with lunch afterwards in the Church
room. (See poster) Everyone welcome but please let us know if you are
coming for lunch for catering purposes.
Phone Charlotte 086 8354394 or Ethni 086 8092211 to reserve a place
on or before Sunday 8th December.
There is no charge but if you wish you may make a donation to “Fields
of Life.”

Decorating the Church for Christmas.

Thursday 19th December from 10am. Join us and help make the
Church festive looking for the Carol service and over the Christmas
period.
 PINS
If you would like to receive PINS by post please forward
€14 to the Parish Office. Remember you can receive
PINS by email/whatsapp if you have given permission to
be contacted in this way, or you can check it on the parish
website if you are not in a position to pick up a hard copy

Monthly Church Review

As usual Pauline will be collecting the annual
subscriptions in January for the Church Review.
From 2025 the cost will be €45.
If you would like to be included for next year’s issues
please contact Pauline at 087-9535981

Monthly Church Envelopes

If you would like to join the monthly envelope scheme for your
giving in church please contact Jean Harris at 085-7738218.
Offerings given in this way can be recorded (in confidence)
and are eligible for a tax rebate which the Parish can claim.
Alternatively, if you do not wish to be included in the scheme
for 2025 please let Jean know so that she can remove those
envelopes from the order and save on costs to the Parish.

Newcastle Church
Thursday 19h December at 10am
Junior Youth Club 1st Nov.

Sunday Club 3rd Nov.

Junior Youth Club 15th Nov.
Sunday Club 17th Nov.
 Goodbye from Karen
Dear everyone,
It is with a mixture of emotions that I retire as parish administrator. It has
been the greatest honour and privilege to work in and serve the parish
over many years and I will miss it enormously.
I have a kaleidoscope of memories which I will treasure. So many events
over the years - Christmas fairs, summer fairs, balls, concerts, dinner
dances, travelling suppers, BBQ’s, fashion shows, summer parties,
garden trails, flower festivals, car treasure hunts, and, of course, the
theatre dinners. I loved organising them all.
There were day trips, lunches out, and trips away. I won’t forget Prague,
Waterford or Carrickfergus! We had carriage rides in Dublin, a boat ride
on the Liffey, lunch on a ship, and a go on the big wheel. There were a
lot of Christmas shopping trips and visits to the panto and several
musicals.
Clodagh Jennings and I started the weekly coffee mornings, the monthly
lunches and the breakfasts for parents before the monthly school
assemblies in the church. Those events moved with us from the cottage
to the Parish Centre, which I was lucky enough to be involved with from
the very start on the building committee.
I was also lucky to be on the committee which launched Castle Kidz
Childcare - it has grown to be an invaluable service for parents in the
school and parish. I will miss the daily banter with the wonderful staff
there.
And I did manage to squeeze in some administration!
Outside of the administrator role I got to be part of other aspects of parish
life. I did my stint running both junior and senior youth clubs, helping in
the creche during church services, ten years as a church warden, many
years on the Select Vestry, a couple of years as Treasurer, and I have
been to many synods, and selected a rector.! I have also had the
privilege of being part of ministry in the parish, leading bible studies and
organising family services.
So I feel blessed indeed and grateful for all the opportunities afforded to
me. But one thing I won’t be giving up, and that’s writing plays, so I will
see you all at the next one in 2025!
God bless,
Karen
 Childcare
Playschool
Open 9am to 12 noon
5 days a week
Full-time and Part-time places
ECCE and non-ECCE
Excellent facilities indoors and outdoors

Afterschool
Open 1.20pm to 6pm
5 days a week
Full-time and Part-time
Limited places available
For information and booking:
Phone Joanne or Nicola at 087-7216929

Merry Christmas
from Joanne, Nicola, Irene and Mia
 DATE CHURCH TIME ? SERVICE READING
Sunday Calary 9.30 HC Jeremiah 33: 14-16
1st United All Age Psalm 25: 1-9
1st Sunday RS
Family 1 Thess. 3: 9-13
of Advent Newcastle 11.00 Communion Luke 21: 25-36
Sunday Calary 9.30 Baruch 5: 1-9
8th Canticle: Benedictus
2nd Sunday St Matthew’s 10.45 RS
MP Philippians 1: 3-11
of Advent Newcastle 12.00 Luke 3: 1-6

Wednesday HC & Isaiah 40: 25-31

Calary 11.30 RS Psalm 103: 8-13
11th Christmas Lunch
Matthew 11: 28-30
Sunday Calary 9.30 Service of the Word Zephaniah 3: 14-20
15th RS United All Age Psalm 146: 4-10
3rd Sunday Service ‘The Philippians 4: 4-7
of Advent St Matthew’s 11.00 Christmas Story’ Luke 3: 7-18
Friday Calary 19.30 RS Carols by
20th Candlelight
Sunday Calary 9.30 Quiet Christmas Micah 5: 2-5a
22nd RS Service Canticle: Magnificat
4th Sunday Hebrews 10: 5-10
Newcastle 19.00 United Carols by
of Advent Luke 1: 39-45
Candlelight
Tuesday Isaiah 52: 7-10
24th Newcastle 23.15 RS HC Psalm 98
Christmas Hebrews 1: 1-14
Eve John 1: 1-14
Wednesday Calary 9.30 HC Isaiah 9: 2-7
25th HC Psalm 96
Christmas St Matthew’s 10.45 RS Titus 2: 11-14
Day Newcastle 12.00 All Age Luke 2: 1-14
Family Service
Sunday 1 Samuel 2: 18-20,
29th Calary 9.30
26 Psalm 148
1st Sunday CT MP Colossians 3: 12-17
of St Matthew’s 11.00 Luke 2: 41-52
Christmas
 DATE CHURCH TIME ? SERVICE READING

Sunday Calary 9.30

Isaiah 60: 1-6
5th
Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-15
2nd Sunday St Matthew’s 10.45 RS HC Ephesians 3: 1-12
of Christ-
Matthew 2: 1-12
mas Newcastle 12.00
Sunday Calary 9.30
Isaiah 43: 1-7
12th
Psalm 29
1st Sunday St Matthew’s 10.45 RS MP Acts 8: 14-17
after the
Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22
Epiphany: Newcastle 12.00
Baptism of

Sunday Calary 9.30

Isaiah 62: 1-5
19th Service
Psalm 36: 5-10
2nd Sunday St Matthew’s 10.45 RS of the 1 Cor. 12: 1-11
after the Word John 2: 1-11
Epiphany Newcastle 12.00
Sunday Calary 9.30 Service of Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6,
26th Wholeness 8-10
3rd Sunday St Matthew’s 10.45 RS and Healing Psalm 19
after the 1 Cor. 12: 12-31a
Epiphany Newcastle 18.00 Youth Service Luke 4: 14-21

Holy Communion is celebrated every

Wednesday, with prayer for the sick,
at 10.30am in St Ma hew’s
Everyone is welcome to tea/coffee
in the McLean Room a erwards