18.12.2024
Advent Hope in D&G – Leap of Faith Provides Space for Parish and Community
Join us throughout Advent 2024 as we explore signs of hope of the Spirit at work in Dublin and Glendalough. During this time of watching and waiting, we are celebrating the life of parishes in the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough – urban and rural, large and small. We are sharing stories of people in parishes who are working with dedication to reach out to people who are new to their communities, to those who have moved to the many new housing developments springing up or those who come to the country seeking sanctuary from war. There are stories of people exploring how to share the Good News of the Gospel with people who haven’t heard it, or who have forgotten about it. There is news of people carefully preserving their parish churches and buildings so they can continue to provide facilities to parishioners and the whole community and there are rural ministries which provide a focal point for their communities. You are encouraged to reflect on these good news stories but also invited to share stories from your parishes so that we can continue to communicate the joy of parish life and fellowship with others.
By Archdeacon Ross Styles
Each year we celebrate Harvest in our churches, as we give thanks to God for the bounty of creation, for the gifts that we enjoy, for the seed that is sown and harvested. Many ideas start with a seed of inspiration, a small idea that can grow into something so much bigger.
The parishes of Newcastle, Newtownmountkennedy with Calary stretch from the mountains to the sea, from its border with Blessington parish in west wicklow, eastwards over the Sally Gap to the sea at Newcastle. A mix of rural, suburban and urban, with farming still at it’s core but also including fast growing towns and villages such as Newtownmountkennedy, Roundwood and Kilcoole.
Over 10 years ago, the select vestry of Newcastle and Newtownmountkennedy and the rector at the time, the Revd William Bennett, took a very brave decision – to repurpose the existing Rectory into part of a much larger parish centre. In order to do this, they created a new road into the glebe land, sold several sites on this road and used this funding to build a new rectory and the building of the parish centre. This leap of faith must have seemed a huge risk at the time, yet they followed through with it. So what has been achieved and why?
As Christians, we are called to follow Christ’s example and provide the ideal conditions for others so they can grow and develop their lives and faith and bring about the Kingdom of God here on Earth. Sometimes all it takes is a small seed, an individual or a word that is the seed for a life of faith. We can all look back and remember people who were hugely influential on us as we grew up. As parents, we try to provide the ideal conditions and environment for our children to grow and develop. Yet we should do the same for each other, following Jesus’ example of service and growing our communities, helping the marginalised, lonely and disadvantaged, sowing the seeds of love and faith, helping to improve our world. As St. Paul said, may we be strengthened and grow in our faith, through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings about growth but this growth must be rooted in that which must be central to our lives as Christians, in love.
The seed that was sown 10 years ago has given us a space where we can help to grow, nourish and sustain faith, where all in our community can be welcomed, supported, fed, entertained, educated and loved, where we can sow seeds of faith that will last a lifetime. The parish centre hosts our own pre–school, CastleKidz, a music venue for our national school, our after school facilities, our two youth clubs, Sunday Club, Bible and prayer groups, Alpha courses, junior choir, senior choir, book clubs, mother and toddler group, music lessons, coffee mornings, bowls club, table tennis club, fitness and dance classes, sports groups, theatre performances, concerts, parish dinners and refreshments, senior lunches and so much more! Without that leap of faith, none of this would be possible.
So, in recognition of all this, Friday 27th September 2024 was a special day, as we celebrated our Harvest Festival in Newcastle church but also marked, to the day, the 10th anniversary of the parish centre. My sincere thanks to the Archbishop, who preached at our service. He also rededicated the parish centre and dedicated a bench in memory of Mervyn Garrett, a former glebewarden who was a driving force behind the building of the parish centre.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who made our service so special. To all those who decorated the church so beautifully, to those who prepared the delicious refreshments, to readers, church wardens, our choir, our organist Sheila, and to everyone who joined us, as we gathered to give thanks and praise for the blessings and bounty that we enjoy. It was wonderful that, not only could we worship together, but that we could gather together as a community of faith, as friends, to share food in fellowship and enjoy each others company, to give thanks for the previous 10 years of the parish centre but also to look forward to many more. I would also like to thank all those who had the faith and vision to make that leap of faith and build our parish centre. Thank you!
You can read Archbishop Michael Jackson’s reflection on the Church of Ireland census figures and his appeal to people to rekindle their connection to their parish here: https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2024/11/22/why-go-to-church-a