10.06.2013
West Glendalough Children Raise the Roof at Annual Choral Festival
Jonathan Swift National School in Dunlavin hosted this year’s West Glendalough Children’s Choral Festival on Friday June 7. Children from Blessington No 1 School, Donoughmore National School, Timolin National School, Athy Model School and Jonathan Swift National School took part in the event which began with a service filled with wonderful singing in St Nicholas Church, Dunlavin, and was followed by great excitement at the sports day in Dunlavin GAA Centre.
The service was attended by Archbishop Michael Jackson and focused on the theme of ‘The Gathering’. Rector of Donoughmore and Donard with Dunlavin, the Revd Olive Henderson welcomed the children, their teachers and parents to the church. She paid tribute to the pupils of Jonathan Swift Ns for their work on the preparation of the service.
The sermon was given by the Revd Ian Cruickshank, Rector of Ballygawley, County Tyrone. He said that the Church needed fresh expressions and new wine.
Indicating to the children who filled the church he said: “We are in the middle of new wine. Please encourage these young ones in their expression of God and in their songs and stories. Let us silver haired ones, when we’re getting tired, let these young ones in and when it comes to being church outside these buildings we need to take the lead from the young ones. Kids I want to encourage you to speak to your rectors, teachers and parents because you are the new wine of the church. Badger them and badger your Archbishop. Please let us older ones allow this new wine burst forth.”
Concluding the service Archbishop Jackson thanked everyone who had helped to make the service so enjoyable. He wished the children well in their sporting endeavours later in the day and encouraged them all to live joyfully as children of God.
A collection was taken up in aid of the LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.