Limerick City Parish

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Saint Mary’s, Saint Michael’s and Ss John & Ailbe: 1st December 2024 ~ Advent Sunday
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COLLECTS AND READINGS
Collect for the week: Almighty God, Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour
of light now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last
day when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
OldTestament Reading: Jeremiah 33: 14-16
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of
Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice
and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety.And this is the name by
which it will be called:‘The Lord is our righteousness.’
Psalm 25 1-9 (BCP p.617)
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; O my God, in you I trust; ♦︎ let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies triumph
over me.
Let none who look to you be put to shame, ♦︎ but let the treacherous be shamed and frustrated.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord, ♦︎ and teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me, ♦︎ for you are the God of my salvation;
for you have I hoped all the day long.
Remember, Lord, your compassion and love, ♦︎ for they are from everlasting.
Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions, ♦︎ but think on me in your goodness, O Lord, according
to your steadfast love.
Gracious and upright is the Lord; ♦︎ therefore shall he teach sinners in the way.
He will guide the humble in doing right ♦︎ and teach his way to the lowly.
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth ♦︎ to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Epistle Reading: 1Thessalonians 3: 9-13
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night
and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. Now
may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you.And may the Lord make you increase and
abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.And may he so strengthen your hearts
in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
NewTestament/Gospel Reading: Luke 21: 25-36
‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the
roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the
powers of the heavens will be shaken.Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great
glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing
near.’ Then he told them a parable:‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for
yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the
kingdom of God is near.Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and
earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with
dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For
it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the
strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’

Post-Communion Prayer: God our deliverer, awaken our hearts to prepare the way for the advent of your Son,
that, with minds purified by the grace of his coming, we may serve you faithfully all our days; through Jesus Christ our
Lord.

Hymns
Saint Michael’s 135 324 121 128 126 468 132
The Cathedral 126 509 132 129

Services are recorded and may be viewed online on www.churchservices.tv/limerickstmarys and

www.saintmaryscathedral.ie within the following 90 days.After that time recordings will be destroyed; however, exceptions
may apply and recordings could last longer if the Cathedral requires it. Occasional services may be recorded and will be
advertised on www.churchservices.tv and www.saintmaryscathedral.ie other Cathedral communication channels. If you
would like further information on a particular event, please contact the Cathedral office. If you do not wish to appear in the
recording, please advise Churchwardens who will guide you to an area which will not be filmed and will make arrangements
for you to receive Holy Communion there. NRSV (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America; Material in this service reproduced from BCP under licence © RCB 2004; One
License Number:A738650; Use QR code to donate to Saint Mary’s online.

Services & Events

Date Time Event Venue
Sunday 1st Dec. No Service Ss John & Ailbe,Abington
Advent 1
10.00 Holy Communion St Michael’s
11.15 Holy Communion The Cathedral
7pm Advent Procession The Cathedral
Monday 2nd 10.30 Morning Prayer The Cathedral
Tuesday 3rd 10.30 Morning Prayer The Cathedral
Wednesday 4th 10.30 Morning Prayer The Cathedral
Thursday 5th 10.30 Holy Communion The Cathedral
Friday 6th 10.30 Morning Prayer The Cathedral
Saturday 7th 10.30 Morning Prayer The Cathedral
10.00 Morning Prayer Ss John & Ailbe,Abington
Sunday 8th Dec. 10.00 Gift Service St Michael’s
Advent 2
11.15 Holy Communion The Cathedral
 THIS WEEK’S NOTICES
(Where attachments are mentioned, hard copies are available through the parish office upon request)
Congratulations:
- To Sylvia Cowpar on the recent birth of her great grandson
- To Naomi and Kian Guihen on the recent birth of their son
- To Paul Clayton on his marriage to Christina
Every blessing to all of them on these happy occasions
Sympathy: To Dr Tom Peirce and his family on the recent death of his niece. We hold him and the family in our
thoughts and prayers.
Abington Concert: The Slieve Felim Choir are holding their annual Pre Christmas concert in Abington church on
this Sunday Dec.1st at 3pm. €10 admission at the door. Proceeds to a local Leukaemia bone marrow treatment
fund.
Villiers Christmas Fair: Friday 6th December, 1pm to 4pm. Please see attached flyer for more information.
Childrens’ Gift Service: This will be held in Saint Michael’s on Sunday 8th December at 10am. You (adults and
children) are invited to bring a wrapped gift for child (with note on front of gender and age appropriateness) to place
under the Christmas Tree. All gifts collected will be donated to a local children’s charity. Thank you.
Cathedral Shop: There will be a Christmas Table in the Consistorial Area on Sunday 8th December with gifts
suitable for Christmas. Come and look.
Raffle for St Michaels: St Michael's Church is running some fundraisers to assist in ongoing operating costs. The
first is a Preserves/Bake Sale which will be held at the Villiers School Craft Fair on Friday 6th of December and the
second is a Raffle for a hamper. In this regard we are asking for donations of items suitable for a Christmas hamper
e.g. wine, biscuits, chocolates, crackers, pringles, jam, napkins etc. Hamper items can be put in the basket in the church
hall till Sunday 1st of December.
Healer Prayer Group: The next gathering will be at 2.30pm on Thursday 5th December in St Mark's Chapel
(Cathedral). For more information please contact the Dean.
2025 Bible Reading Notes: The Irish supplier of the BRF notes would like to have our order for 2025.
Unfortunately, there will be an increase in the cost of the magazine to €19.50 per year plus postage of €2.50. Could
regular readers please let me know if you don’t want to continue taking the notes. Orders from new readers are most
welcome. Please contact me on 087 2200216. Margaret Schutz.
Batteries for Barretstown: Recycling tubes for your used batteries can be found in each of the three churches.
Christmas Whist Drives: St Michael's Church Hall - Saturday 7th December @ 7.30pm.
Villiers Square - Saturday 14th December @ 7.15pm sharp. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

Notice of the annual revision of the register of vestry members: Notice is hereby given that a meeting of
the select vestry of this parish has been arranged for Thursday the 30th day of January, 2025, to revise the register of
vestry members, by adding the names of any qualified persons, and removing the names of those no longer qualified,
since the last revision of the register.

Parking Bollard: As many readers will be aware this has recently been installed in the Cathedral grounds. It will not
be in action until the NewYear. More details attached.

Choir Supervision: The Dean and Organist are looking for volunteers to help with supervision (a panel of adults
that can be present in the room to adhere to Safeguarding guidelines) of the Junior Choir. Enquires to either individuals.
Sunday Club: If any post primary children would be willing to help out with children’s activities, please speak with
the Dean. Sunday Club meets during the 11.15am Service in the Cathedral on the First and Third Sundays of the
month with vacation breaks. Normally on the First Sunday of the month it takes the form of Godly Play. It is open to
primary school going children.Preschoolers are welcome if accompanied by a carer and the assistance of post primary
schoolers would be greatly appreciated.

Cycles of prayer: Diocese: A new liturgical year dawns …we pray for grace to cast away the works of darkness and
to put on the armour of light. We pray for those who find these weeks difficult and ‘blue ‘ … the lonely, the cold, the
homeless, those who dread Christmas because of its apparently inevitable economic demands. Porvoo: Scottish
Episcopal Church: Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland: Diocese
of Porvoo. Anglican: Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan.

Remembrance Book: Linda O’Donaghue, Patsy, Alice Hanley, Edward McCorkey, Jonathan White, James Howes,
Stuart Gray, Olive Casey, Robert Evans and Carol Cable.

Prayers for the Sick: Terry Gibson, Martin Hogan, Jerry Murphy, Sarah B, Mary Alicia Downes, Kathleen Leddin, John
Sparling, Pat & Mary O' Donnell, Patricia Bourke, David, Elayne and Hilary Noonan, Hazel, Mac, Dean Sandra Pragnell,
Pascal and Karine Egan.
NOTE: If you wish to place a name on the list, please email it to limerickcityparishnews@gmail.com. Under GDPR please ensure
you have the consent of the named person(s). For confidentiality reasons the clergy would appreciate NOT being asked on the
status of people. Whilst we appreciate people are showing care and concern, it can compromise the relationship between pastor
and parishioner. Thank you.

ROTAS
1st Dec. 8th Dec 15th Dec 22nd Dec 29th Dec
REFRESHMENTS
Trevor &Tracey Richard & Sheila
St Michael’s Justin & Edel O’Connor Daire McNamara Lyttle Gillian Cheatley Allen
Cathedral Lillian Okechukwu Alyson McHugh Keith O’Neil KarenWilson Cathedral
READERS
Stephen
St Michael’s SV Readers Margaret Brickenden Annabelle Griffen Fairbrother Oliver Deegan
David Tamasin
Cathedral Lindsay Boyle Thompson Paul Cabel Plowman Tony O’Connell

CONTACT DETAILS
TheVery Rev’d Niall J.W. Sloane (Dean): The Deanery, 7 Kilbane, Castletroy
Email: dean@limerick.anglican.org;Tel: 061-338697. Day off: Friday
Clergy Emergency Number:Tel: 087-3524046. (Strictly Emergency Calls Only).
The Parish Office: Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Bridge Street, Limerick,V94 E068.
Email: cathedral@limerick.anglican.org;Tel: 061-310293. www.lcp.limerick.anglican.org
Limerick City Parish ~ Weekly Newsletter – Deadline for notices 12 noon every Wednesday.
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