September 2013

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RECTOR’S LETTERDear Parishioner,

NEW INITIATIVES

There was much excitement in the Rectory in the weeks leading up to the launch of BT Sport. Charles and Henry were counting down the days to the commencement of this new television channel. During meal times they often asked these familiar questions: “What would it be like? Who will the presenters be? What sporting

fixtures will be broadcast?” There was a great deal of curiosity! When broadcasting commenced, they were not disappointed. They were impressed with all the hard work and professionalism of the entire team.

The successful launch of a television channel was not the only new initiative being prepared during the summer months! In St. Columba’s we, too, have been busy preparing for the commencement of our autumn activities with the launch of two exciting new parish initiatives:

PARISH HANDBOOK

The publication of our new Parish Handbook culminates in many months of careful preparation and hard work by our Parish Administrator, Karen Patterson, and Columban Editor, Ian Noad. This is an entirely new initiative for our parish and is in direct response to the feedback that has been provided from the Parish Survey. It provides much information about the life and work of our parish in a clearly printed booklet. The main areas covered are:

• Information about church services • Information about parish organisations, including contact details of their leaders • Information about parish committees • Information about financial giving

I hope that this will become an important source of reference for you throughout the year and that it will encourage you to become more involved in the worship and activities of St. Columba’s. Please contact the volunteers listed in the Parish Handbook for further information about their specific involvement. They would be delighted to hear from you and to welcome you to their part of parish life.

The Parish Handbook is being distributed to each home by your Magazine Distributor and copies will also be available at the back of church for those who are considering joining our parish. It is envisaged that this will become an annual publication, ready for distribution in September each year.

I want to express my personal thanks to Karen Patterson, Ian Noad, Wendy McCague, our graphic designer, and all those who have contributed to this new Parish Handbook. They have done an outstanding job in a relatively short period of time to have it ready for this month.

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LAUNCH OF NEW PARISH WEBSITE

Our new Parish Website will be launched on Sunday, 1st September, at the All Age Worship service by our Webmaster, Ivan Roche. The website is an important source of information for members of our parish and visitors alike. It is also a vital source of reference for new residents when they move into our local area. It is therefore essential that we have a parish website which is easy to navigate, friendly and accessible. The website is also an effective source of outreach into our community and one which we must develop even further, using current technology. The new features will include:

• Welcome message • Clearly marked hyperlinks covering parish services and activities • Photographs of recent parish activities • Parish breaking news section • Information about forthcoming events

I am most grateful to Ivan Roche for all his hard work redesigning the parish website and thank him for keeping the information up to date. As someone rightly said, “Old news is no news!” I hope that these new features will be of support to you and that they will also encourage new residents to come along and join our church family.

COMMISSIONING OF PARISH ORGANISATION LEADERS

As we begin our autumn programme of activities, it is important that we seek God’s blessing upon all those who serve as leaders and assistant leaders of our parish organisations. It will be a great delight for me to commission them, along with our Sunday School teachers and Crèche helpers, on Sunday, 1st September, at the All Age Worship service. It would be a source of great blessing and encouragement if they were well supported by all the members of their particular organisation at the service. They will also receive a pack with has been prepared by our Parish Administrator, Karen Patterson. This will contain registration forms and consent forms to be completed for each child or adult who attends their parish organisation in St. Columba’s. I would be grateful if the leaders could distribute these to their members at their first meeting and ensure that they are returned to the Parish Office by Friday, 27th September, at the latest.

I hope and pray that these new parish initiatives, in addition to all the familiar resources that St. Columba’s already provides, will be of assistance to you. May they further inspire and encourage you, as a parishioner or someone who is considering joining our church family, to become actively involved in the life and work of St. Columba’s as we begin this new season.

Yours in His service,

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Back to Church Sunday 2013 is September 29th

Back to Church Sunday has grown beyond all expectations since the first day in Greater Manchester in 2004. It is now the largest single local church invitational initiative in the world, taking place in churches across denominations worldwide.

Speaking about Back to Church Sunday, the Archbishop of Canterbury said, “One to one invitation is not only the most effective way to grow the church, it’s not far off the only way to grow the church.”

Seeking to unlock the potential in personal invitation, Back to Church Sunday is an opportunity to act together each year and take the simplest and shortest step in evangelism – inviting someone we already know to our church.

St. Columba’s is once again taking part in Back to Church Sunday. Some of our parishioners joined St. Columba’s after having been personally invited by a parishioner, family member, neighbour or friend to join them in church on a previous Back to Church Sunday. They then went on to join our parish and are now actively involved in the life of our church. On those occasions, they experienced for themselves these key characteristics about St. Columba’s:

• The warm, friendly welcome that is given to everyone who comes to our services

• The support that is offered by parishioners • The well ordered liturgical services which follow the order printed on the

Pew News sheet • The refreshments after the service • The good fellowship and atmosphere which exists throughout the parish at

every level

Each year, participating churches share their good news stories following Back to Church Sunday. Here are just a few:

• Most of those who came back are now still coming, some weekly • There is now a buzz about the simplicity of inviting others to come Back to

Church. It has been great to see people praying for, and inviting, their friends and neighbours

• One lady who came on Back to Church Sunday has remained with us all year and has become more involved in the life of the church

So what do you have to do to prepare for Back to Church Sunday?

Just invite a person that you would like to accompany you to our church services in St. Columba’s on Sunday, 29th September.

It really is that simple! The Rector

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SERVICES IN SEPTEMBERSunday 1st The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity (Green) 8.15am Holy Communion Reader Ronny Martin Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16 Gospel Clergy Luke 14: 1, 7-14 10.30am All Age Worship & Commissioning of Parish Organisation Leaders followed by refreshments The new Parish Website will be launched by Dr. Ivan Roche Reader Andrew Kelly Luke 14: 1, 7-14 7.00pm Choral Evensong Reader Patrick Wilson Isaiah 33: 13-22 Reader Patrick Wilson John 3: 22-36 Occasional Karen McAlpine Prayers

Thursday 5th (Green) 10.30am Holy Communion followed by refreshments in the Choir Vestry

Sunday 8th The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary (White) 8.15am Holy Communion Reader Carol Willis Galatians 4: 4-7 Gospel Karen McAlpine Luke 1: 46-55 10.30am Holy Communion Reader Jennifer Johnston Galatians 4: 4-7 Gospel Clergy Luke 1: 46-55 Intercessions Karen McAlpine 7.00pm Compline Reader Jennifer Pyper Luke 11: 27-28

Thursday 12th (Green) 10.30am Holy Communion followed by refreshments in the Choir Vestry

Sunday 15th The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity (Green) 8.15am Holy Communion Reader Muriel Arndell 1 Timothy 1: 12-17 Gospel Clergy Luke 15: 1-10 9.30am Family Communion Gospel Karen McAlpine Luke 15: 1-10 10.30am Morning Prayer Reader Murray Hunter Jeremiah 4: 11-12, 22-28 Reader Ross Thompson Luke 15: 1-10 Occasional Clergy Prayers 7.00pm Holy Communion Reader Elizabeth Miller Isaiah 60 Gospel Clergy John 6: 51-69

Thursday 19th Saint Matthew (Transferred) (Red) 10.30am Holy Communion followed by refreshments in the Choir Vestry

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PARISH PRAYERGod, our Heavenly Father, make the door of our Church wide enough to welcome all who need human love, fellowship and a Father’s care;

but narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and hatred. Here may the tempted find help, the sorrowing receive comfort and the penitent be

assured of your mercy. And here may all your children renew their strength and go on their way in hope and joy; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

Bishop Thomas Ken 1637-1711

Readers and Intercessors: If you cannot read or lead the prayers on the appointed day, please arrange a swap with someone else on the rota and let the Churchwardens know. We are always delighted to add new names to the rota of Readers and Intercessors. If you would wish to serve your church in this way, please contact Muriel Arndell (9065 5500).The readings are from Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary and are printed on our parish website:

www.coiknock.org

Sunday 22nd The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity (Green) 8.15am Holy Communion Reader Michael Davey 1 Timothy 2: 1-7 Gospel Karen McAlpine Luke 16: 1-13 10.30am Holy Communion Reader Robin Haldane 1 Timothy 2: 1-7 Gospel Karen McAlpine Luke 16: 1-13 Intercessions Elizabeth Leonard 7.00pm Evening Prayer Reader Anella Gallen Ezra 1 Reader Anella Gallen John 7: 14-36

Thursday 26th (Green) 10.30am Holy Communion followed by refreshments in the Choir Vestry

Sunday 29th Saint Michael and All Angels (White)Back to Church Sunday

8.15am Holy Communion Reader Trevor Buchanan Revelation 12: 7-12 Gospel Karen McAlpine John 1: 47-51 10.30am Songs of Praise 7.00pm Healing Service with the Laying on of Hands Reader Billy McAlpine Revelation 5

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SEPTEMBER SIDESPERSONS’ ROTASunday 1st ....................................................Charles and Henry Auchmuty

Sunday 8th ....................................................Lilias Smith and Pauline Darke

Sunday 15th .................................................Rosemary and Ivan Coffey

Sunday 22nd .................................................Dawn and Garth Macartney

Sunday 29th .................................................Irene Gray and Margaret McConkey

CLERGY PARISH VISITINGIt is always a great privilege for the Clergy to visit parishioners in their homes. If you would like to request a Clergy Visit, please telephone the Rector (9047 1517) or the Assistant Priest (9145 8706). In addition to requested parish visiting, the Clergy will be visiting the remaining households where the surveys have not yet been returned. They will bring copies of the survey for completion during their visit.

ALL AGE WORSHIP TEA AND COFFEESeptember really is the month for everyone getting back into their routine after the summer break, and tea and coffee will be back after the All Age Worship service on Sunday, 1st September.

Hope to see all the regulars and perhaps some new faces. Your contributions this month will be going to the Royal Institute for the Blind.

See you then. Roberta

SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTESJust a reminder that Sunday School will commence

again on Sunday, 8th September, at 10.30am in the church hall. All girls and boys between the ages of 3 and 14 (not confirmed) will be welcome to come down from 10.20am and

we look forward to seeing many new children in the 3-5 year old class.

On Sunday, 1st September, the teachers of each Sunday School class will be available at the back of church to meet any new girls and boys, and to show parents some of the interesting teaching material used in their classes.

Beth Cairnduff

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HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICESSUNDAY, 6th OCTOBER

8.15am: Holy Communion

10.30am: Informal Recital by Members of the Music Group

11.00am: All Age Worship followed by Harvest Lunch in the church hall

Preacher: The Very Reverend Kenneth Hall Dean of Clogher and Enniskillen

The children are invited to bring a Harvest gift to present during this service

7pm: Choral Evensong

Preacher: The Revd Canon Dr. Ian Ellis Editor of the Church of Ireland Gazette

DECORATING THE CHURCH FOR HARVESTSaturday, 5th October, from 10.30am – 12.30pm

No flower arranging skills necessary!

Willingness to help is all that is required.

Children and young families will be particularly welcome to help with the decorating.

Refreshments in the Rectory!

ST. COLUMBA’S PARISH HARVEST LUNCHDon’t forget our Harvest Lunch on Sunday, 6th October,

immediately after Morning service. Our soup lunches are always very popular and tickets will be available during September, so pop it in your diary now and bring the family

along for a nice lunch and at the same time support, by voluntary donations, the Church Hall Refurbishment Fund.

Roberta

MUMS & TOTSHi Everyone,Hope you had a great summer! Just to remind you that we start back on Friday, 6th September, at 9.45am. We look forward to you joining us for play, fun and laughter!See you then,

Patricia

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Autumn has arrived – or is about to do so soon. I hope that every reader of The Columban will have had time to relax and enjoy the summer, which lived up to its name this year!

PAUSE continued for those of us who were at home on one, or both, of the dates in July and August.

Our next PAUSE will take place on:

Thursday, 19th September, at 1.00pm - Lunch at Hillmount Garden Centre

If you are free on that date, we would be delighted to see you there! If you require transport, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Eileen (9020 3684)

PAUSE

Hello Ladies,

Mothers’ Union will meet again for our Annual Service on Tuesday, 1st October. We have also been invited to the Gilnahirk Area Service in St. Dorothea’s on Wednesday, 11th September at 7.30pm. It is hoped that as many as possible will be able to attend.

I hope you all had a very pleasant summer and look forward to seeing you at Mothers’ Union again!

Sandra

DOVESDoves recommence on Friday, 13th September, at 6.30pm. We would love all children aged between 3 and 6 years to come and join us!

Karen

LADIES BOWLINGLadies Bowling will recommence on Monday afternoons at 2.30pm on September 23rd. We look forward to an enjoyable season of pleasant afternoon meetings and also our usual visits to and from other church clubs.

We invite any ladies to come along and “try their hand”. It is an easy game to pick up and enjoy!

Phyllis Newton

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BROWNIE NOTESBrownies will recommence on Friday, 13th September, at 6.30pm and we look forward to welcoming new members - girls from 6½ to 10 years of age.

The first evening will be a fun filled games night and we will also plan the programme until Christmas, with the girls suggesting ideas of their favourites

things they would like to see included. Remember – the more girls there are, the more fun we will have every night!

Beth Cairnduff

APPEAL FOR NEW CHOIR MEMBERS The choir is seeking new members from September. Would you be interested in joining us - even on a trial basis? If you can’t read music, don’t worry! All that is required is to be able to sing ‘in tune’ and a commitment to attend as regularly as you can.

The commitment is as follows:

• Attendance at Sunday morning services and on the first Sunday evening of each month (excluding July and August). If you can join us on other Sunday evenings, that would be great!

• Attendance at choir practice on Thursday evenings (7.30pm - 9.00pm) as often as you can.

We welcome people of all ages and are looking for recruits to all four sections of the choir. Please help us to maintain the choral tradition at St. Columba’s by joining us. There will be no better time than September, as we begin to prepare music for the Christmas Eve Carol Service.

Interested? Then please contact the Parish Organist and Choirmaster, Gerald Hill, after any service or telephone 07954 273755. Alternatively, speak to any choir member.

We really need YOUR help!

Thank you.

TUESDAY MORNING BADMINTONAfter another successful year for Tuesday morning badminton,

we ended last season with dinner at Coast in Holywood and, I’m glad to say, really enjoyed the food and chat! Our new season starts on Tuesday, 10th September, at 10.30am and we would welcome old as well as new members. If you don’t wish to play, join us for a chat and

coffee, we really are a friendly lot!Vi Dowie (9067 1051)

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THE BEST POSITION FOR PRAYERThree eminent theologians sat at a conference centre discussing the best position for prayer, while a telephone repairman worked nearby.

“Kneeling is definitely best”, claimed the first and backed up his claim by quoting a number of texts on humility in Greek.

“No”, contended the second, “I get the best results standing with my hands outstretched to Heaven.” He quoted a few texts on praise in Latin.

“You’re both wrong”, the third insisted, “The most effective prayer position is lying prostrate, face down on the floor.” He quoted a few lines on penitence in Hebrew.

The repairman could contain himself no longer. “Hey, fellas”, he interrupted, “The best praying I ever did was in English, hanging upside down from a telegraph pole!”

TUESDAY AFTERNOON BADMINTONOur new season starts on Tuesday, 3rd September at 2.00pm.

New members are especially welcome to join our twelve chatty members! We average seven players each week so there is plenty of

play and also the opportunity to indulge in some table tennis.We don’t just sit, We aim to be fit!

Kyleen Clarke (9079 7155)

MEN’S CLUB NOTESHello Everyone,

I hope you have all had the opportunity to take full advantage of our most unexpected summer and are fully refreshed and ready for the resumption of indoor activities! The Men’s Club will resume on Monday, 2nd September, at 7.30pm. A full programme for the 2013/14 season will be available that night and we would hope to be able to welcome some new members. Anyone wishing to have more information about what we do, or about our forthcoming programme, is welcome to contact me at any time at the telephone number below (or in the new parish handbook). The Committee has made some changes to our meeting format for the coming year and we are hopeful of enhancing the interests of our members by broadening the scope of our activities!

Look forward to seeing you all.Geoff Launchbury (9028 1204)

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LADIES GUILD NOTES Dear Ladies,

Welcome to September 2013 and our new season - although it will be hard to say “good-bye” to the wonderful summer that we have enjoyed! Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, 18th September, at 7.45.pm when we will have a talk from Rae McMillan on Lifestyle for Women. She comes from Waringstown and talks to women’s groups in clubs and churches all over the province, and I hope will be an informative and interesting speaker.

Looking ahead to October, we have invited Joe and Sadie Law to give us a talk - Mission Impossible - on their work with the street children of Colombia which is reported to be a very sad, yet also uplifting, story.

Our Committee have organised a varied programme for the coming season and we look forward to seeing all our old members, and hopefully some new ones!

Lilias (Hon. Sec.)

M.U. ACTIVITY GROUPThere is no doubt that when the sun shines we can get outdoors either to do those jobs in the garden, or just sit and relax in the sunshine! Whatever way you have relaxed this summer, I hope you will feel refreshed and ready to start a new season of badminton and scrabble.

Our opening night will be Tuesday, 17th September, at 7.30pm in the church hall. I look forward to catching up with you then.

Maureen

RATHLIN ISLAND – TAKE 2What a difference a day makes!

Sunday, 4th August, will be remembered as the day we managed to get to Rathlin Island! A day of fellowship, food and fun for the group of parishioners from St. Columba’s who visited the island to join in worship with the congregation of St. Thomas’ Parish Church.

The day began with a speedy journey to Ballycastle. While the group gathered to await the ferry, the sun shone, the sea was calm and the signs were good for a pleasant boat ride to the island. As the ferry approached its destination, the scenery was spectacular! Arriving on Rathlin, we had an hour before the service was to due to start. Some folk availed of the local coffee shop while others just took time to embrace the peaceful surroundings. The bell rang and a much larger congregation than usual made its way to the church.

We were warmly welcomed by Julie-Ann McMullan, the Churchwarden, and her three lovely daughters. There was a wonderful sense of fellowship and friendship as we worshipped together at the service of Holy Communion, led by our Rector. In his sermon, he reminded us that different congregations within the Church of Ireland

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have in common a faith that sustains them in everything they do and, in coming together, offer each other great support. After the service, as parishioners mingled, there was an opportunity to learn more about the church and the island from the residents. Members of St. Thomas’ church were delighted to have a full congregation and expressed their great appreciation of our presence at the service.

In keeping with tradition, we headed off after church for Sunday lunch, safely stored in well stocked picnic baskets! A very pleasant spot beside the beach was located for the group and the picnic benches were quickly taken. The next stage of our visit, to enjoy each others’ company in the beauty and calm of this rugged island, was well underway. The only sounds to disturb nature were the rumbling of Bert’s Puffin Bus as it passed and the munching of sandwiches!

With appetites sated, important decisions needed to be taken. Was it to be a left turn for the Puffin Bus or a right turn for the bicycle hire and Rue Lighthouse? In the end, there was no wrong decision as people set out to ramble across fields or spy on the puffins who had delayed their departure, some said, just for the parishioners of St Columba’s! The puffin bus collected its passengers and returned them to the harbour for ice cream, while a hardy few opted for the healthy option of walking the four miles back to the harbour... for an ice cream!

All too quickly it was 5.30pm and time to board the ferry for Ballycastle. On the return journey it was abundantly clear that the day had been a great success. As a group, we had been able to develop friendships within our own parish whilst offering support to the islanders, a fact that was much appreciated by the Priest in Charge of St. Thomas’, the Revd Patrick Barton, and our Rector.

Linda Wilson

The Revd Patrick Barton writes...I am delighted that the Rector and parishioners of St. Columba’s, Knock, came up with this innovative idea to join in worship with the parishioners of St. Thomas’, Rathlin Island. I believe our small community was greatly encouraged by this gesture of solidarity and that both congregations have been enriched by the experience. May the people of St. Columba’s be the first of many to come over and experience this peaceful holy place.

For more information on how you might do this, please contact the Priest in Charge, the Revd Patrick Barton, on 028 2076 8155 or email: patribart@aol.com

The Rector writes…It was a joy and delight to have been given the opportunity by both the Priest in Charge and the Bishop of Connor to conduct the Sunday morning service in St. Thomas’ Church on the day of our Parish Outing to Rathlin Island. The church was clearly identifiable to us all from the ferry as we made our way over to the island from Ballycastle. I am most grateful to the Churchwarden, Julie-Ann McMullan, for her most generous welcome and all her assistance. It was a source of great blessing and encouragement that there was a large congregation of islanders, holiday makers and parishioners from St. Columba’s, Knock, in the beautifully restored church for the Holy Communion service that day. It was a real privilege to begin our Parish Outing by sharing in worship with the local community before going on to explore the island in the afternoon. This was a most memorable day, enriched by wonderful fellowship, calm ferry crossings and brilliant sunshine!

Photographs kindly provided by Linda Wilson

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In May, parishioners were invited to contribute their thoughts and ideas to help us improve St. Columba’s Parish, to update our records and to encourage more people to join in. Thank you very much to everyone who took the time to respond.

83% of the people on our database have now responded. It has taken a great deal of time and effort on behalf of the Clergy and organising committee to obtain this, and we will be continuing to obtain responses from those who have yet to return their surveys. The data analysed so far is detailed below for your consideration. Not all of the questions were answered on each survey, so the results are based on the responses to each question and not on the full number of surveys returned.

97% of those who responded agreed that they were members of St. Columba’s. This has enabled us to remove those families who have moved away from the area in recent years. It is always helpful if you can remember to contact the Parish Office with any changes of personal details as they occur, as it is now essential to maintain our records accurately.

81% of the responses indicated that they receive their copy of The Columban parish magazine promptly each month. 16% receive them (although not promptly) while 3% are still not receiving them within a useful time scale. This issue will be addressed in future months as work is under way to ensure that everyone will receive their magazine promptly. The updating of the database presents a great opportunity to simplify magazine distribution lists and this will be undertaken in the coming weeks.

99% of responses indicated that they thought The Columban parish magazine was a good source of information. This is very encouraging and sincere thanks to Ian Noad, Wendy McCague, our graphic designer, Ream, our printer, and all who kindly contribute articles, for their hard work in helping to produce this essential parish magazine.

74% of responses agreed that there was a broad range of activities that suited them in the parish. There were also some suggestions for new groups. Ideas included a running/exercise and/or walking group; requests for Guides, Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts or BB to be re-established; Silver Surfers classes to be re-started; a snooker club, bridge club or reading group; a “friendly visiting” group for housebound parishioners and those with no close family; and a group to study the Open Christianity Network. If anyone would like to join or help

PARISH SURVEY REPORT

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PARISH SURVEY REPORT

set up one of these groups, please contact Karen Patterson in the Parish Office. It will, of course, depend on numbers whether we can progress any of these great ideas. Please also contact the Parish Office if you would like to lead any of these groups and the necessary paperwork will be arranged for you.

90% of respondents agreed with the statement, “I feel welcome and comfortable when attending church”. We are continuing to explore further ways of ensuring that everyone feels welcome and comfortable when they attend our church.

Finally, church attendance details are as follows: 45% attend weekly, 14% attend monthly, 5% attend quarterly, 3.5% attend annually, 16% attend on special occasions only and 16.5% answered as “other”.

Many surveys requested more information on the current parish organisations. In response to this, a new Parish Handbook has been created to answer your questions and to provide contact details of our organisational leaders, as well as more information on parish life. This annual publication will be distributed for the first time in September, along with The Columban parish magazine. We hope to update it each year as we build our parish, and will be requesting each organisation that has any new details to forward them to the Parish Office in June for the following year. We hope that the new handbook will be of interest to those visiting our parish and may encourage them to join in - after all, the more the merrier!

There was also much useful feedback on other aspects of the parish, some of which will be implemented in coming months. The Hall Committee is exploring funding options and is seeking professional advice to ensure that the best decisions are taken for the future benefit and development of the parish. Regular updates will be provided in The Columban parish magazine.

Once again, thank you all for your time and efforts involved in all of this work. We hope that St. Columba’s will constantly evolve to meet the changing needs of our parishioners, but we can only do this with your help!

Karen Patterson, Parish Administrator

The Rector writes...I am most grateful to Brian Gillespie who chaired the Parish Survey Committee and those parishioners who generously gave of their time to serve their church on this important project.

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CHURCH ENVELOPESThe Parish Office is now the contact for Free Will Offering (FWO) and Charity & Mission envelopes (C&M). Households who have

regularly used their envelopes WILL receive new ones at the end of the year.

In preparation for the annual distribution of the envelopes at the end of the year and in response to the survey information received at the Parish Office, some households may not receive envelopes for 2014. This information is based on giving for the previous two years and if envelopes have not been used during this time, we will not be issuing new ones. This will help reduce the cost of sending out envelopes each year which are then not used.

However, should you wish to contribute at any time, please contact the Parish Office and we will be delighted to arrange for you to receive FWO envelopes or a Standing Order form.

Our preferred method of receiving money is by Standing Order and we can supply you with the relevant forms and information on how this works, on request. A form is also available at the back of our new Parish Handbook, for your completion.

Without charitable giving, St. Columba’s, like all churches, cannot function. We would like to express sincere thanks to everyone who does contribute regularly to the parish.

Karen Patterson (Parish Administrator) Tel: 028 9065 6891 Email: office.knock@down.anglican.org

Office Hours: Mon – Fri. 9.00am – 1.00pm

ST. COLUMBA’S CRAFT AND HOBBY CIRCLEWe look forward to welcoming old and new friends to our group commencing on Monday, 2nd September, at 10.30 am. Initially, we will meet in

the kitchen in the church hall and, depending on how many turn up, we may descend to the lower room next to the parish office downstairs. Bring your craft along as we work at our individual pieces while we chat, eg, card craft, tapestry, embroidery, knitting, sewing or whichever handicraft you enjoy – or just come for the company!

Carol (9079 9997 / 07831 345560) Email pchwillis@hotmail.co.uk

US HOLIDAYA couple with three young children went on holiday to America and eventually ended up waiting in a queue at San Francisco’s Pier 41 to purchase tickets for a boat trip to Alcatraz. Tourists watched with varying degrees of sympathy and irritation as the young children fidgeted, screamed and punched each another. The frazzled parents reprimanded them but to no avail. Finally, they reached the ticket window.  “Five tickets, please”, the father said, “Two round trip, three one way.” 

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Proceeds for the Church Hall

Refurbishment FundPlease sign the sheet on the

church noticeboard if you can:«Participate in the Scavenger Hunt

«Attend the BBQ only«Provide transport for those wishing to participate in the Scavenger Hunt

ALL AGE PARISH SCAVENGER HUNT AND BBQ

SATURDAY, 14TH SEPTEMBER MEET AT CHURCH CAR PARK AT 3.00PM

(Transport will be provided for those without cars wishing to participate in the scavenger hunt)

BBQ AT ST. CoLUMBA’S AT 5.00PM(for those wishing to attend the BBQ only)

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MEETING OF MEMBERS AND PARENTS to plan the programme for 2013/14

in the Choir Vestry

On Saturday, 14th September

(immediately after the Parish Scavenger Hunt and BBQ)

New members (aged 11-15 years) and their parents will be particularly welcome at this meeting

BE A MESSY GARDENERThis autumn, don’t clean up your garden too much for the winter – leave some messy bits. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds fears that ‘sterile’ gardens, where nature cannot survive, are contributing to the decline in wildlife.

Instead, build ‘homes for nature’, urges the RSPB: leave some weeds and garden debris, let the grass stay long, don’t cut all the nettles, leave the odd log to rot and cut a hole in your fence for the hedgehogs. You can also fill a bucket with woodchips, soil and rotten branches for insects. Or fill up an old washing bowl with water and gravel to create a ‘mini pond’.

Many celebrity gardeners applaud this approach. Monty Don of the BBC’s Gardener’s World recently tweeted: ‘Do not strive after tidiness’. The RSPB campaign is in response to a report that 60 per cent of species in the UK have suffered a decline in the past few decades. Our sparrows, starlings, frogs, voles and badgers need our help to breed, move around and survive.

Mike Clarke, chief executive of the RSPB, says: “Nature in the UK is in trouble. Gardens provide a valuable lifeline for species like starlings, toads, hedgehogs and butterflies which are struggling to find homes in the wider countryside. Although the overall problem is huge, the solution can start on a small scale. Our aim is to provide one million homes for nature across the UK, because if there is no home for nature, then there is no nature – it really is that serious.”

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ALL THE ANGELS, LED BY ST. MICHAEL

What is an angel? Easy, people think. A shining figure with glorious wings who

appears from time to time to do some mighty work for God or bring a very special

message from him.

Well, that’s right in one sense (apart from the wings, which owe more to stained glass windows than the Bible). But the

fact that not all ‘angels’ in the Bible are ‘glorious’ or ‘shining’ should make us hesitate to categorise them in this spectacular way. After all,

the three apparently ordinary men who visited Abraham and Sarah to tell them that she would have a son, even though she was long past child-bearing age, had none of those outward embellishments. Nevertheless, Abraham recognised them as divine messengers.

The Bible is full of angels, from the early chapters of Genesis to the last chapter of Revelation, and they often played a key role in crucial events. It seems, from just two instances, that Michael was their leader, an ‘archangel’. In stained glass he’s often seen with a sword because in a vision in Revelation he led the angelic host who fought and defeated Satan and his army.

In the Gospels, an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah in the Temple to tell him that his elderly wife was to have a son, the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist. An angel - Gabriel - appeared to Mary to tell her that she would be the mother of the Messiah, the Son of God. An angel appeared ‘in a dream’ to Joseph, the village carpenter in Nazareth, to tell him to go ahead and marry his fiancée, Mary, and later - also in a dream - warned him not to go back to Bethlehem. A ‘young man’, whom we take to have been an angel, was sitting in the empty tomb on Easter morning, waiting to tell the startled women that Jesus wasn’t there - he had risen! (Mark 16:5).

Without going into every biblical reference to angels, the above should be sufficient to show that the word covers an enormous diversity of experience. Letter to the Hebrews speaks of those who practice hospitality as sometimes ‘entertaining angels unawares’. Sometimes people recognised angels for who they were, and sometimes they didn’t. Angels, quite simply, are God’s agents or emissaries, messengers and ministers of his will. Sometimes they are human; sometimes they seem to be spiritual beings.

Perhaps we could even say that anyone, in any situation, who is at that moment God’s ‘messenger’ to us, or serves us graciously, is an ‘angel’. When we say, ‘Oh, be an angel and pop up to the chemist for my prescription’, we may be nearer the heart of the matter than we think!

David Winter

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“You didn’t tell me he couldn’t swim...”

WAYSIDE PULPITJennifer Johnston writes...

We are all familiar with wayside pulpit messages

displayed outside some of our local churches. I read this one near Tamarindo beach while

on holiday this summer in Costa Rica.

‘Exercise every day. Walk with My Son.’

God

The Cambridge PrinceNational joy! She’s had a boy! Three Cheers for Duchess Kate! A healthy son, a healthy mum;

A very healthy weight!

So after all the stories tall, There’s no more need to guess.

No fingers still as newshounds fill The pages of the press.

And then we glimpse the Cambridge Prince Within his mother’s arms,

Protected by his mother’s eye, The world falls for his charms.

His name is George, and he will forge The future royal line;

And so we cheer, for George is here – The future’s looking fine!

By Nigel Beeton

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This was written by an eight year old, Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista, California, for his third grade homework assignment – could any of us have done much better?

GOD EXPLAINEDOne of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grown ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.God sees everything, hears everything and is everywhere, which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista. At least, there aren’t any who come to our church.Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles, and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them, and God said O.K.His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth, so he told him he didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in Heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing which things are important for God to take care of, and which ones he can take care of himself, without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important. You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out, so one of them is on duty all the time. You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God! Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun, like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides, the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon, anyway.If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.But... you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.And that’s why I believe in God.

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ADVANCE NOTICE OF CHANGE OF MAGAZINE DATES NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER/JANUARY

PARISH MAGAZINESPlease note that both the November and the combined December 2013/January 2014 parish magazines will be available to parishioners and magazine distributors at the back of church one week later than usual, ie:-

November magazine – will be available on Sunday, 3rd November (instead of Sunday, 27th October)

December 2013/January 2014 magazine – will be available on Sunday, 1st December (instead of Sunday, 24th November)

It is hoped the above changes of dates will not cause any undue inconvenience to parishioners or magazine distributors alike. There will be no change to the October magazine which will be available at the back of church on Sunday, 29th September.

HOSPITAL VISITINGThe Clergy would appreciate being informed if parishioners are in hospital, going into hospital, are being transferred or if they have been discharged, and will be pleased to offer them pastoral support. Do not assume the Clergy already know the information as situations have occurred recently when they have not been informed. Please telephone the Rector (9047 1514) or the Assistant Priest (9145 8706) to enable them to take careful note of the details.

Saturday, 14th September (pm) All Age Parish Scavenger

Hunt and BBQ

Sunday, 6th October Parish Harvest Soup Lunch

Wednesday, 6th November (7.30pm) War on Want Flapper Fashion Show

(1920’s & 30’s)

DATES FOR

YOUR DIARY

MARk IT

OR MISS IT!

PARISH OFFICE HOLIDAYSPlease note, the Parish Office will be closed on Wednesday, 21st August, and will reopen on Monday, 9th September. Any emails pending within these dates will be dealt with on my return.Many thanks.

Karen Patterson Parish Administrator and Premises Convenor

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OCTOBER MAGAZINEPlease note, any articles or photographs for publication in the October parish magazine should be handed or e-mailed to the editor by 6.00pm at latest on Sunday, 15th September.

Many thanks

FROM THE REGISTERSOur Joys

Holy Baptism Sunday, 28th July Emily Ruby Ruth Stanex 31 Clarawood Park

Marriage Saturday, 3rd August Claire Helen Porter 63 Lisavon Street and Stuart Alan Graham Mason 63 Lisavon Street

Our Sorrows

Christian Burial Monday, 8th July Violet Maria Jeffers 184 Barnetts Road

Thursday, 18th July Margaret (Peggy) Ruddock Cregagh Nursing Home

Thursday, 8th August Anne Caroline Thompson Hawthorne House Hawthornden Road

FLOWER ROTA FOR SEPTEMBERSunday 1st ................................................................................. Dianne Gibson

Sunday 8th ................................................................................ Moranne Noad

Sunday 15th .............................................................................. Paddy Nesbitt

Sunday 22nd ............................................................................. Carol Willis

Sunday 29th .............................................................................. Maureen Fleming

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SUNDAY

10.30am Sunday School (2nd, 4th, 5th Sundays)

Bubbles (3-5 years) Louise Craig 9047 2512 Patricia Wilson 07712 593773

Splash (5-8 years) Joyce Stevenson 9058 3381

X-treme (8-11 years) Alan Boyd 07833 391945

The Grid (11-14 years) Beth Cairnduff 9087 4047

8.00pm Beatitudes Choir David Beattie 9028 5868

MONDAY

10.30am Craft & Hobby Circle Carol Willis 9079 9997

2.00pm Ladies Bowling Phyllis Newton 9048 2113

2.30p.m. Afternoon Group (2nd Monday) Joy Montgomery 9029 5427

7.30pm Men’s Club Geoff Launchbury 9028 1204

TUESDAY

10.30am Ladies Badminton Vi Dowie 9067 1051

2.00pm Ladies Badminton Kyleen Clarke 9079 7155

TUESDAY (continued)7.30pm Activity Group (except 1st Tuesday) Maureen Irwin 9079 51558.00pm Mothers’ Union (1st Tuesday) Sandra Lowe 9080 8755

WEDNESDAY6.30pm Templemore Swimming Club 7.30pm Bible Study Group The Rector 9047 15147.45pm Ladies Guild (3rd Wednesday) Lilias Smith 9059 2039

THURSDAY 9.30am Art Club Bob Killen 9079 02107.30pm Choir Practice Gerald Hill 07954 273755

FRIDAY9.45am Mums & Tots Anne Clarke 9065 14123.45-4.30pm Toddler Soccer 3-5yrs Tim Wareing 07740 1207886.30pm Doves Karen McAlpine Email: readercolumba@gmail.com6.30pm Brownies Beth Cairnduff 9087 4047

Youth Etc (11-15 years) (Monthly outings as arranged) Aaron Wilson 9076 1040Young Families Group (Social events as arranged) The Rector 9047 1514

PARISH ORGANISATIONS SOMETHING FOR YOU?

Please note, requests for the occasional use of church halls must first be submitted to the Parish Administrator & Premises Convenor,

Karen Patterson, on 9065 6891 or email: office.knock@down.anglican.org (Monday-Friday: 9.00am-1.00pm).

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WHO’S WHO IN ST. COLUMBA’SPARISH WEBSITE: www.coiknock.org

RECTORThe Revd John R. AuchmutySt. Columba’s Rectory29 King’s RoadBT5 6JGTel 028 9047 1514 Email johnauchmuty@btinternet.com

ASSISTANT PRIEST The Revd Canon Ken Smyth3 Mount RoyalBangorBT20 3BGTel 028 9145 8706

PARISH READERKaren McAlpine10 Old Quay CourtHolywood, BT18 OHTEmail readercolumba@gmail.com

DIOCESAN LAY READER (EMERITUS)Bryn Harris22 Dalton GladeGlen RoadComber, BT23 5SZTel 028 9187 8816

RECTOR’S CHURCHWARDENJohn Little14 Barnetts LodgeBarnetts Road, BT5 7FSTel 028 9080 8755

PEOPLE’S CHURCHWARDENMark Wilson7 Finchley ValeBT4 2EUTel 028 9076 1040

JUNIOR CHURCHWARDENSZac Elkin, Rebecca Burns

RECTOR’S GLEBEWARDENJim Stevenson44 Casaeldona RiseBT6 9RATel 028 9058 3381Mob 07973 392448

PEOPLE’S GLEBEWARDENMark Reid54 Knocklofty ParkBT4 3NDTel 028 9028 4367Mob 07810 648167

SELECT VESTRYRector, Churchwardens, Glebewardens, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Asst. Hon. Treasurer, Helen Donaghy, Victor Dukelow, Jill Gillespie, Patrick Good, Elizabeth Leonard, Moranne Noad, Ivan Roche, Roberta Rogers, Gillian Sadlier

HON. SECRETARYAlan Rogers50 Cabin Hill GardensBT5 7AQTel 028 9065 6183Email alanrogers53@gmail.com

HON. TREASURERJosephine Kelly15 Manse RoadBT6 9SBTel 028 9079 6658

ASSISTANT HON. TREASURER GIFT AID SECRETARY MAGAZINE DISTRIBITOR CO-ORDINATORRonny Martin8 Gillycourt Manor309 Gilnahirk RoadBT5 7SLTel 028 9079 0821 Mob 07526 396838Email ronny.martin@sky.com

PAROCHIAL NOMINATORSTrevor BuchananPatrick GoodElizabeth LeonardMoranne Noad

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DIOCESAN SYNOD MEMBERSVictor DukelowPatrick GoodElizabeth LeonardMoranne NoadRoss Thompson

ORGANIST AND CHOIRMASTERGerald HillMob 07954 273755

ASSISTANT ORGANISTBrian Clements150 Sandown RoadBT5 6GXTel 028 9079 3641

READERS & INTERCESSORS CO-ORDINATORMuriel Arndell18 Kinedar CrescentBT4 3LYTel 028 9065 5500

SIDESPERSONS’ ROTA CO-ORDINATORRosemary Coffey44 Thornyhill RoadKillinchyBT23 6SJTel 028 9754 2198

CRÈCHE ROTA CO-ORDINATORMichelle Jamison11 Richmond GardensGlengormley, BT36 5LATel 07533 871166

MAGAZINE EDITORIan Noad36 Shandon ParkBT5 6NXTel 028 9079 3704Email noadfamily@hotmail.com

PARISH WEBMASTERIvan Roche49 Richhill ParkBT5 6HG Tel 028 9514 0141Email ivan.roche@me.com

C of I GAZETTE DISTRIBUTORMoranne Noad36 Shandon ParkBT5 6NXTel 028 9079 3704

BIBLE READING FELLOWSHIP NOTESEvan Preston12 Carrowreagh GardensDundonaldBT16 ITWTel 028 9048 9884

CHURCH FLOWERSPaddy Nesbitt30 Knockhill ParkBT5 6HYTel 028 9065 0716

SAFEGUARDING TRUST The Rector, Select Vestry and Parish Leaders are committed to upholding good practice in the parish’s ministry with children and young people. Should you have cause for concern or suspicion regarding child welfare in the parish, please contact a member of the Parish Panel below, or any of the statutory agencies. The Rector 028 9047 1514 Patrick Good 028 9065 6908 Elizabeth Leonard 028 9065 3162

ST. COLUMBA’S PARISH OFFICEPARISH ADMINISTRATOR PREMISES CONVENOR FINANCIAL GIVING SECRETARY Karen Patterson

Office Hours Monday to Friday: 9.00am – 1.00pm

Tel 028 9065 6891 Email office.knock@down.anglican.org