Bulletin, 23 March: Welcome to the Aughaval Parishes
Welcome to the Aughaval Parishes
The Third Sunday in Lent, 23rd March 2025
“A man planted a fig tree…” (Luke 13:6)
Hymns
646 - Glorious things of thee are spoken
576 - I heard the voice of Jesus say
647 - Guide me, O thou great Jehovah
Collect
Merciful Lord,
Grant your people grace to withstand the temptations
of the world, the flesh and the devil
and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This collect may be said after the Collect of the day until Easter Eve:
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The First Reading Isaiah 55: 1-9
A reading from the Book ‘Isaiah’, chapter 55:
Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labour for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
The Psalm Psalm 63: 1-9
O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; ♦︎
my soul is athirst for you.
My flesh also faints for you, ♦︎
as in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.
So would I gaze upon you in your holy place, ♦︎
that I might behold your power and your glory.
Your loving-kindness is better than life itself ♦︎
and so my lips shall praise you.
I will bless you as long as I live ♦︎
and lift up my hands in your name.
My soul shall be satisfied, as with marrow and fatness, ♦︎
and my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,
When I remember you upon my bed ♦︎
and meditate on you in the watches of the night.
For you have been my helper ♦︎
and under the shadow of your wings will I rejoice.
My soul clings to you; ♦︎
your right hand shall hold me fast.
The Second Reading 1 Corinthians 10: 1-13
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.’ We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
The Gospel Reading Luke 13: 1-9
At that very time there were some present who told him [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’ Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’
Post Communion Prayer
Lord our God, you feed us in this life with bread from heaven, the pledge and foreshadowing of future glory. Grant that the working of this sacrament within us may bear fruit in our daily lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Collect Of The Word
Eternal God, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death and resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your word and obey it, and bring your saving love to fruition in our lives, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Notices (subject to change)
Please also check the website for up-to-date notices and information: aughaval.tlk.ie
Easter Vestry Meetings 2025 (‘Annual Meeting of the General Vestry’)
The purpose of the Annual Meeting of the General Vestry is to present the accounts and to elect a new Select Vestry. All are welcome to attend, and registered members of the General Vestry are entitled to vote and to be nominated for election to serve on the Select Vestry.
· Turlough Parish Tues 25 March, 7.30pm in the church
· Westport-Dugort Union Mon 31 March, 7pm in St Mary’s
· Castlebar Parish Tues 8 April, 7.30pm in the church
Lent, Holy Week and Easter dates (subject to change)
Confirmation Prep Session 4, Friday 14 March, 7.45pm in the Rectory
Wed 26 March
10.30 am Lent Holy Communion and Reflection, in St Mary’s Westport.
8pm OnlinePrayer https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82781900766?pwd=b2YEVeJHqhnprNxoLHjd5sqg492wbn.1
Palm Sunday, 13 April: The Liturgy of the Passion, with The Mark Drama which is being organised by Kenn McLaughlin, Castlebar Parish, with others from across the parishes. If you are interested in getting involved in this ‘low key’ production, please get in touch with Kenn on +353 85 715 4139.
Maundy Thursday, 17 April
- Last Holy Communion before Easter, 6.30pm in St Mary’s
- Tenebrae, 8pm in Christ Church Castlebar
Good Friday, 18 April
- The Hours – 12 noon in St Mary’s
- Ecumenical Good Friday Walk of Witness, Westport, 6pm
Holy Saturday, 19 April
- 7pm in Turlough, early All-age Easter Vigil and Easter Communion
Easter Day, 20 April
- 10am Christ Church Castlebar
- 12 noon for Holy Trinity Westport, in St Mary’s
- 3pm St Thomas’s Dugort
Easter Monday, 21 April
- Return to Inishbiggle (‘tbc’). Leaving Dorian’s Point Ballycroy at 10am. Please contact the rector if you wish to come along.
Confirmation, Sunday 27 April, 10am in Christ Church, Castlebar. Please plan to come along and support the Confirmands as they are presented to the Bishop and take up their baptismal promises to follow Christ.
Pastoral care and enquiries:
Revd Suzanne Cousins, 083 8003233
Email aughaval@tuam.anglican.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AughavalParishes
