Today's gospel, Sunday 5 October: "Increase our faith!"

 Please scroll down for service times and notices.



Sunday 5 October, The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

World Communion Day



The Collect of the Day


O Lord, 

Hear the prayers of your people who call upon you; 

and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, 

and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them; 

through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



Today's gospel    Luke 17:5-10

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’”

Illustration of the Parable of the Mustard Seed
by Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, 1894
CC BY-SA 3.0, 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18886350



Christian Art


You can find a reflection on the gospel and a painting by Van Gogh here:


https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-17-5-10-2025/




You can also find an interesting reflection by the late Henri Nouwen, using mustard seed imagery, in Some Salt and a Mustard Seed, here:

https://samco89.wordpress.com/2016/01/27/some-salt-and-a-mustard-seed/




Image from 'Some Salt and a Mustard Seed',
in Bankrupt Without Love
 January 2016, at
https://samco89.wordpress.com/2016/01/27/some-salt-and-a-mustard-seed/





A few notices
(Subject to change)

  • Wed 8 Oct, morning: Please note that there will be no midweek Holy Communion this week (usual time is 10.30am). However, St Mary's side chapel will be open for private prayer, and a few people will meet for coffee as usual from 11am in the Clew Bay Hotel. You're welcome!
  • Wed 8 Oct, evening: 8pm, Online Prayer (Compline of A Late Evening Office) this week will be led by Parish Reader, Barbara. Link to follow.
  • Turlough Select Vestry meeting, Sat 11 October, after the 7pm service.
  • Diocesan Synod, Sat 18 October, at Hotel Woodstock, Ennis, Co Clare. Registration from 9.30am. Holy Communion at 10.30am.
  • Inishbiggle Harvest Thanksgiving, Sat 25 October. 
Meet at Doran's Point, Ballycroy at 9.30am, for 10am departure. Returning around 2.30pm. Everyone is warmly invited and welcome but please let us know (083 8003233) if you wish to book a seat in the boat (currach) or if you need more information. Recommended: Bring a packed lunch, water, sturdy footwear, warm weather-appropriate clothes, and 10 euros towards the ferry cost. 


A Special Weekend of Sacred Music, 24-26 October  

The Choir of St Philip's and Sandford, Dublin, led by Mr David O'Shea, will be with us in Westport for a series of musical events including, all in St Mary's Church, Westport:

    - Compline on Friday 24 Oct at 8pm (please note amended time);
    - Fundraising concert for Holy Trinity Westport on Sat 25 Oct at 4pm;
    - Contribution to worship (Holy Communion) on Sunday morning (12 noon);
   -  Sung worship on Sunday 26 Oct at 3.30pm in St Thomas's Dugort, Achill. (Rehersal from 3pm. You are welcome to come early, observe and enjoy.) 

Please save the dates and spread the word!



Christmas musical event, Friday 5 Dec, 8pm 

- A special evening of Christmas music by the Roscommon Solstice Choir, with guests appearances, in St Mary's Church Westport. 

This is a fundraising event in aid of imminent repairs to Holy Trinity Church, Westport. Details to follow. Please save the date and spread the word!



Regular Service Pattern in the Aughaval Group of Parishes:

Turlough
Saturdays Weekly at 7pm:  
Holy Communion on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month.
Morning Prayer on 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month.

Castlebar
Sundays Weekly at 10am: 
Holy Communion on 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.
Morning Prayer on 2nd and 4th.
Open church every Friday from 11am - 1pm.

Westport
Sundays Weekly at 12 noon.
Wednesdays at 10.30am. 
Services are n St Mary's RC Church, South Mall, Westport, until further notice while Holy Trinity Church is closed for safety repairs.

Dugort, Achill: October - April inclusive
2nd and 4th Sundays of the month at 3pm. Evening Prayer/ Holy Communion



Pastoral care and enquiries:  

Revd Suzanne Cousins
Rector, Aughaval Group of Parishes 
United Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe, Church of Ireland 

Tel. 083 800 3233  
Email aughaval@tuam.anglican.org
Aughaval Parishes' Website  aughaval.tlk.ie




*Christ Church Castlebar is a registered charity: 
Registered Charity Number  20206867



Popular posts from this blog

In memoriam: Linda Bourke

Image
  "Safe in the arms of Jesus." It is with great sadness that we share with you the news of the death of our friend and sister in Christ, Linda Bourke, faithful Westport parishioner (Holy Trinity Church), on Sunday 9th March, peacefully in Mayo University Hospital.  May she rest in peace and rise in glory.  Notice and arrangements can also be found here:   https://rip.ie/death-notice/linda-bourke-mayo-westport-587759 The death has occurred of Linda Bourke, Riverside, Clogher, Westport – peacefully.   Predeceased by her parents Alex & Frances & infant sister Elizabeth.   Deeply regretted by her sister Iris, extended family, relatives, neighbours, friends & her Westport Country Market Community.   AT REST   Reposing at McGing's Funeral Home (F28 RX58) on Tuesday (Mar 11th) from 11:30am until 12:30pm. THE PUBLIC QUEUE FOR ENTRY INTO THE FUNERAL HOME WILL NOW BE FROM THE SHOP STREET DIRECTION.   Funeral arriving to Holy Trinity Cemeter...
Read more

Return to Inishbiggle, Sat 15 February 2025

Image
  It was especially joyful for a few of us from mainland Mayo to step foot again on Inishbiggle on 15th February, having been prevented by the weather from sailing on our last attempt at the end of November 2024. While on this occasion it was lashing in Limerick, wet in Westport, and raining cats and dogs in Castlebar, the sun was splitting the clouds gloriously on the approach to beautiful Biggle. Also uplifting was to arrive at the church and on entering to find it looking, if not transfigured, transformed - for example, with its newly-stripped and repolished pews, clean floors, doors, harmonica and walls, and a close-to-spotless vestry into the bargain. Hats off and enormous thanks to the church wardens for the hours of painstaking work - truly a labour of love for this precious and important place of gathering and worship, emanating from a sincere love for God and his people, of all faiths and persuasions. Holy Trinity Inishbiggle conveys the message “Come on in! There’s plenty...
Read more

Inishbiggle: Images, and an article on the history of the Church of Ireland on the island

Image
  A few more images taken on Inishbiggle on Sat 15 Feb 2025, thanks mainly to Jim Waters, Westport, and an informative article (2013), below, by Patrick Comerford, on the history of the Church of Ireland on the island.  You can read the full unedited article, with images, here:  http://www.patrickcomerford.com/2013/05/a-history-of-church-of-ireland-on.html .  Shared with thanks to the author.     The freshly decorated interior and beautifully restored pews A history of the Church of Ireland on Inishbiggle  You can read this informative article  by Patrick Comerford,  in full, unedited, with images, here:  http://www.patrickcomerford.com/2013/05/a-history-of-church-of-ireland-on.html From a lecture by  Patrick Comerford  in Holy Trinity Church. Inishbiggle Island, given on Sunday 6 May 2013, as part of a guided walk on Inishbiggle Island led by Sheila McHugh during the ninth Annual Heinrich Böll Memorial Weekend 2013. It wa...
Read more