Daily Post and Gospel, 7 May: Love, joy, and staying close to Jesus

 

Please scroll down for today's gospel reading, notes and notices. 



Coming very soon to Westport: 
Louisburgh Voices 
 A concert for Holy Trinity Westport, 
in Holy Trinity Westport, on
Wed 27 May, 7.30pm.


Today's Gospel reading    John 15:9-11

[Jesus said] As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.


Sacred Space

You can find a helpful prayer guide here:

https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2026-05-07


Thought for the Day

Recommended BBC Radio 4 Thought for the Day, 5 May 2026, by Revd Lucy Winkett, on the sculpture (image below) attributed to Banksy:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0njl916


Statue: Man Marching, Blinded By The Flag

Photo: Architecture & Design, architecturendesign.net


Christian Art

https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-15-9-11-2026/



Notices and information
Subject to change

Four of a number of parish-based events 
coming up in May and June in the parishes:

- 24 May, 'Be Still and Know'

- 27 May, Louisburgh Voices Concert in Holy Trinity, Westport

- 28 May, Thanksgiving Service for Westport Country Market

- 14 June, Confirmation 

- 16 June, End-of-School-Year Service for Holy Trinity N.S.

Details below.


To note and pray for....

General Synod of the Church of Ireland, 2026, from 7-9 May, in Newcastle, Co Down. To follow online, see https://www.churchofireland.org/synod/2026/welcome .


Youth and Children's Ministry

  • End-of 

    School-Year Service     for Holy Trinity National School, 16 June at 9.30am, in Holy Trinity Church, Westport. Family, friends, neighbours and members of the school's Board of Management are all warmly invited!

  • End-of-Year fun event for all the children and young people of the Aughaval Parishes, plus families and friends, on Sat 20 June in Westport. 

    Please save the date! Details to follow.



Bringing faith to life through Muddy Church 


‘Muddy Church’, ‘Messy Church’ and 'Forest Church' are fun yet serious all-age faith-building innovations, tried-and-tested in other parishes and places over many years.  With the help of our Youth and Children's Ministry team, we are introducing variations and aspects of these expressions in the parishes, as occasional and supplemental to traditional services in these summer months, for the benefit especially of our children and young families. 


Please continue to pray for our young people, and, 'Watch this (outdoor) space!'


  • Sunday Club  

Our next Sunday Club get-together will take place on 10 May, starting in the service at 11.30am in Holy Trinity Westport. Information: Steffi Jabaraj,  +353 89 941 8165


  • Confirmation preparation

Our next two sessions will be on Sat 23 May and Sat 6 June at 10am in the Rectory, Westport. Parents, please see Confirmation WhatsApp Group for notes and resources.  

The Confirmation service is planned for Sunday 14 June at 3pm in Holy Trinity Church, Westport. The Rt Revd Michael Burrows, Bishop of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe, will preside and confirm.  




'Be Still & Know': Contemplative Prayer and A Time to Heal


Sunday 24 May, 3pm in St Thomas's Dugort, Achill

You are warmly invited to this special spiritual tourism event run by the Church's Ministry of Healing, Ireland (CMHI). Approximately an hour and a half long, including tea in St Thomas's Hall. Info., aughaval@tuam.anglican.org.
     

Concerts coming up in Castlebar and Westport  
  • Louisburgh Voices in Concert: Wed 27 May, 7.30pm. A fundraising concert for Holy Trinity Westport, in Holy Trinity Westport. Please spread the word!


  • Carra Singers, concert Thur 4 June at 7.30/ 8pm, in Christ Church, Castlebar. 
  • Bella Capella, Sat 6 June in Christ Church, Castlebar. Details to follow.
  • Blue Jazz Festival 'Gospel Hour' Service, Sun 7 June, 11.30am in Holy Trinity Westport. Bring your family and friends along for this uplifting time. 
  • Westport Children’s Choir end-of-year concert, Friday 109 June at 7.30pm in Holy Trinity Church, Westport. Come along, enjoy the music, and encourage Eriko and the children at the close of a very special year which included the choir performing in Carnegie Hall, New York. Congratulations to all! 
  • Westport Comhaltas Concert, Sat 20 June, in Holy Trinity Westport at 7pm.
  • Scoil Acla Annual Recital Concert: evening of Wed 29 July, in St Thomas's Dugort. Details to follow.
  • Westport Festival of Chamber Music: Concerts on Friday (evening) 11 Sept, Saturday (afternoon) 12 Sept, and Sunday (afternoon) 13 September, in Holy Trinity Westport. Details to follow. 


Thank you!
Thank you to Cór Mhaigh Eo and Coro de Cómpeta (Spain) and to everyone who supported the Voices of Iberia & Eire concert on 18 April, in Holy Trinity Westport. You can listen to an extract from the concert here:


The cushion rentals on the day raised €206.40 towards Holy Trinity repair funds.  



Regular Service Pattern in the Aughaval Parishes

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, followed by tea/coffee.
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, followed by tea/coffee.

- Wednesdays at 10.30am, Midweek Holy Communion, followed by coffee (from 11.05am)  in the Clew Bay Hotel. These gatherings are valuable and uplifting times of fellowship and friendship. You're welcome to drop in!


Dugort, Achill 
April - September inclusive:
- Services weekly at 3pm. Evening Prayer/ Holy Communion

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

Services are followed by tea/coffee occasionally. 


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 and restoration 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 link or 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 and bless you +



Westport-Dugort Parishes: includes Holy Trinity Church Westport, St Thomas's Dugort, and Holy Trinity Inishbiggle


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

*Westport-Dugort Union of COI Parishes are registered as a charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority under the Tuam, Killala and Achonry charity No. 20015237 and the Revenue Commissioners No. CHY 7241.

Sponsorship invited: If you are able and willing to contribute to the fundraising efforts towards the next stage of repair works to 'HTW', or if you would like information on the project, please contact the Rector (aughaval@tuam.anglican.org) or the Hon Treasurer (bstrutty@gmail.com), or use the link or Westport-Dugort QR code (above). 

Thank you for all donations and support received to date. 



Christ Church, Castlebar  


Christ Church, Castlebar*  
(Info. Trevor Ardill, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)

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




Turlough Church of Ireland Parish Church

https://www.idonate.ie/cause/TurloughChurchofIreland

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

*Turlough Parish Church is registered as a charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority under the Tuam, Killala and Achonry charity No. 20015237 and the Revenue Commissioners No. CHY 7241. 



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, 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 for financial support in 2025 towards the churches and their upkeep can be found here:



Pastoral care and enquiries:  

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

Tel. +353 83 800 3233 

Email aughaval@tuam.anglican.org

Aughaval Parishes' website  aughaval.tlk.ie

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


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