Today's gospel. Plus Reopening of Holy Trinity Westport


A warm invitation:  

A Special Service to celebrate the Reopening of Holy Trinity Church, Westport, will take place in the church this evening, Friday 23 January, at 7.30pm. Preacher, The Rt Revd Bishop Michael Burrows. Followed by refreshments in Carrowbeg House. 



You're welcome!



Today's gospel    Mark 3:13–19

He [Jesus] went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 

Then he went home.


Sacred Space

You can find a gentle prayer guide and thought-for-the-day here:

https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2026-01-23


Christian Art

https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-3-13-19-2025-2/



Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026

You can find daily devotional resources for this WPCU here:



Notices and General Information

Services this weekend in the parishes:

  • Friday, 7.30pm in Holy Trinity Westport - Celebration of the Reopening of HTW
  • Saturday, 7pm in Turlough Parish Church - Holy Communion/ The Eucharist
  • Sunday, 10am in Christ Church Castlebar - Morning Prayer
  • Sunday, 11.30am in Holy Trinity Westport - Holy Communion/ The Eucharist
  • Sunday, 3pm in St Thomas's Dugort, Achill - Holy Communion/ The Eucharist



Confirmation

If you or young person is interested in exploring Confirmation please contact the Rector. The first Confirmation class will be on Saturday 24 January from 10-11am in the Rectory, Westport, with Bishop Michael.  





St Brigid's Cross-making fun workshop

Sat 31 January 2026, 11am - 1pm, in Christ Church Castlebar. This is a free all-age event. All welcome. Contact: John Browne or Jen McCormack - numbers on request.

  

Last year in Castlebar                           


Inter Faith Learning through Scriptural Reasoning 

An opportunity to learn about Fasting in three traditions: Jewish, Christian and Muslim. Tues 3 Feb, 7.30- 9.00pm, online. 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scriptural-reasoning-perspectives-on-fasting-tickets-1979860140978?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

This event is organised by the Church of Ireland's Inter Faith Working Group 
and is highly recommended. 




New Year Social and Fundraiser for HTW repairs:

Table Quiz
Friday 20 February 2026, in the Clew Bay Hotel, 7.30 for 8pm start.Info: Babs Strutt or Henry McKinney. Contact details on request. Donation of prizes for raffle will be much appreciated. Please note that sponsorship from local businesses is invited and will be greatly appreciated!





CONCERTS to look forward to:

  • A partnered concert by Cór Mhaigh Eo and a visiting choir from Competa (near Malaga), Spain, in Holy Trinity Westport, on the afternoon of Saturday 18 April. 
  • A Social and Fundraising Event for St Thomas's Dugort is being planned for Friday 24 April, details to follow. 


A note on behalf of Westport Children’s Choir

"We have 18 children from the Westport Children’s Choir travelling in March from Mayo to Carnegie Hall in New York to perform the world première of Cristian Grasse's new choral suite, alongside several other international children's choirs. 
We currently have a monster spring raffle with lots of great prizes from local businesses, which we will be raffling on St. Valentine's Day, Saturday February 14th, 2026. All support is greatly appreciated." 
To donate, please go to the link, below.





Regular Service Pattern 
in the Aughaval Parishes
(Subject to change)
Turlough

Saturdays Weekly at 7pm:  
- Holy Communion on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month.
- Evening 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 Sundays of the month.

Open church every Friday from 11am - 1pm.

*Christ Church Castlebar is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20206867



Westport  

- Sundays Weekly at 11.30am, in Holy Trinity Westport; Holy Communion or Morning Prayer
- Wednesdays at 10.30am, Midweek Holy Communion, followed by coffee in Cornrue. 



Dugort, Achill 

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

May-September inclusive
- Services weekly at 3pm. Evening Prayer/ Holy Communion



Inishbiggle 

Next service in Holy Trinity Church, Inishbiggle - to be announced



Online Prayer and Bible Reading every Wed at 8pm, via Zoom. Link:

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83306729968?pwd=mVKnDXWs7Npn3aCnRPykJbJK7THANM.1






Giving towards the upkeep of the churches

The work and upkeep of the churches requires ongoing funding to meet costs. Each of our Church of Ireland parishes has charity (CRA) status - please see note below. 

One-time donations
You can securely give towards these costs and the upkeep of the churches using your phone or electronic device using the QR codes (below) which will direct you to the parishes’ iDonate pages. 

Regular giving 
Regular giving can be by means of the weekly envelope system (-information on request), or by standing order. 


Tax refund on donations
If you are a tax-payer, a tax refund on your donation can be made to your parish at no additional cost to you.

For help or more information, please contact one of the Hon Treasurers (contact details on request) or the Rector (details below), or see 

https://aughaval.tlk.ie/2025/11/giving-towards-upkeep-of-churches.html .


Thank-you for your help, and bless you +



Westport-Dugort Parishes 
(Info. Babs Strutt, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request) 



If you would be willing to contribute to the fundraising efforts to cover the cost of the repair work to the ceiling of 'HTW', completed on 16 Jan, please contact Hon Treasurer, Babs Strutt (bstrutty@gmail.com), or use the Westport-Dugort  QR code. All help is gratefully received. 
Thank you for all donations and support received to date. 


Christ Church, Castlebar  
(Info. Trevor Ardill, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)
Christ Church Castlebar is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20206867  





Turlough Parish Church
(Info. Karin Shaw, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)




Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA) 

CRA status of the Aughaval Group of Parishes, United Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe, Church of Ireland: 

Christ Church Castlebar is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20206867.
Westport-Dugort Union of Parishes and Turlough Parish are in process of applying for their own CRA registration numbers. In the interim the parishes are included in the CRA registration of the TLK Diocese, as outlined below by the Diocese: 

The United Dioceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry is registered as a charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority under No. 20015237 and the Revenue Commissioners No. CHY 7241. 

The United Dioceses of Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert is registered as a charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority under No. 20015688 and the Revenue Commissioners No. CHY 7327. On 1st November 2021, the dioceses amalgamated to become the Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe. The Diocesan Councils remain separate.



For further information on the above, please contact Diocesan Secretary, Mrs Lorna Sharpe at limerickdiocsec@gmail.com, or Assistant Diocesan Secretary, Mr Damian Shorten at admin@tka.ie. They will be happy to help you and to answer your questions.




Go raibh maith agaibh go léir!  

A sincere expression of thanks at the start of 2026 for financial support and generosity, plus information - please see here:

https://aughaval.tlk.ie/2026/01/expression-of-thanks-go-raibh-maith.html





Pastoral care and enquiries:  

Revd Suzanne Cousins 
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

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AughavalParishes


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