Today's reading, 27 August. Words of encouragement

 

Welcome!  Please scroll down for today's Gospel reading, notes and notices.



Today's New Testament reading    1 Corinthians 1: 1-9

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.


Notes and Notices

Prayer needs and requests: If you have prayer requests, please email us at aughaval@tuam.anglican.org. 





Congratulations 
to Isaac and Maisy 
who were married in Holy Trinity, Westport, 
on 22 August, a very happy and special day!



Faith in Bloom


Sat 29 August  
Faith in Bloom: Church Return to Nature Conference
at Knock Shrine, 10am - 3pm. Details here:



September

Select Vestry Meetings (- as above):

  • Castlebar, Tues 1 Sept, 7.30pm in the church
  • Westport-Dugort, Thurs 3 Sept, 7.30pm in the church (HTW)
  • Turlough, Sat 5 Sept, 8pm (/following the 7pm service) in the church



Sat 5 Sept, 3.30pm, 
An 'Indian Summer' 
Outdoor Service at St Thomas's, Knappagh 
with Bishop Michael Burrows,
and music by our good friend James Kilbane. 
Ecumenical visitors are invited and welcome.


Sat 5 Sept and Sun 6 Sept: 


         Back to School Blessing of Schoolbags, Backpacks and their Bearers

  • Sat 5 Sept at 7pm in Turlough Church of Ireland
  • Sunday 6 Sept at 
    - 10am in Christchurch Castlebar
    - 11.30am in Holy Trinity Westport
    - 3pm in St Thomas's Dugort

Services are "all-age" and will be followed by refreshments.




  

Coming up

Westport Festival of Chamber Music, 2026, in HTW:
  • Friday (evening) 11 Sept, 8pm 
  • Saturday (afternoon) 12 Sept, 2pm
  • Sunday (afternoon) 13 Sept, 3.30pm

Booking is online through the WFoCM website.



 Sat 12 Sept  A warm invitation to Turlough Church


Turlough Harvest Festival of Flowers, church open from 4pm 

and Turlough Harvest Thanksgiving Service, 7pm, with guest ecumenical preacher, Fr Charlie McDonnell, Athenry (formerly Westport).


Details to follow nearer the date. If in the meantime you'd like to offer help please contact our Hon Sec, Fiona Kelly, fionafairkelly@gmail.com, or Heather Fair (number on request. The above poster by Heather.)




Friday 18 Sept   Culture Night Concert, by Mist, in Holy Trinity, Westport, at 7pm. 


Mist will be back with us in HTW to perform on the evening of Friday 18 Sept, for a very special Culture Night concert. A note in advance, from Mist's director, Ian Leslie (pictured): 

"This will be a unique opportunity to support diversity and inclusion in our community and we are delighted that Holy Trinity will be the first to host such an important event in Westport."


              


Photos: Ian Leslie director (right), and members of Mist.



Sunday 20 Sept    Commissioning of new Diocesan Readers


Bishop Michael will be commissioning new Diocesan Readers on 20 Sept at 5pm in St Flannan’s Cathedral, Killaloe. Amongst those to be commissioned is Alan Cousins (LLLM - Lay Local Liturgical Minister, pictured below). This will also be the occasion for the Certificate in Christian Studies Graduation. This course has recently been completed by Barbara Sheppard (LLLM) and by Alan. Congratulations to them both, and may God continue to bless and use them to bless and nourish his church and people.

 

If you are interested in exploring the Certificate in Christian Studies, or are interested in exploring training to serve in the grouped parishes as an LLLM (previously known as Parish Reader ministry) or in the diocese as a Diocesan Reader, please make an arrangement to speak with the Rector by emailing aughaval@tuam.anglican.org. 


Thursday 24 September, at 8pm.
Chamber Choir Ireland, 'Forgotten Peoples', concert in Holy Trinity Westport. 


Friday 25 September
Youth Pizza and Bowling Night, 7pm, Castlebar. 
Details to follow. 
  


Friday 2 October - Save the date!
Quiz Night and Auction in aid of Holy Trinity Church, Westport, funds. 
In Clew Bay Hotel, Westport. 


Sunday 4 October  Harvest Thanksgiving Services  
        Guest preacher, Diocesan Reader, Alan Cousins 
  • Castlebar 10am 
  • Westport  11.30am
  • Dugort  3pm 
  • Westport, 7pm, A Harvest of Praise - see below

Sunday 4 October       
YOUTH PRAISE Night - for the Young and Young at Heart!
7pm in Holy Trinity, Westport. 






Comhghairdeas! 

Congratulations to the team and management, to all the players and their families, on Mayo's win of the All-Ireland Senior GAA Football Final in Croke Park, Dublin, on Sunday 26 July 2026, Reek Sunday, after a 75 year wait. Special congratulations to our own Rory Brickenden, Westport (pictured), and to all his family and friends who supported him. 

Rory raises the Sam Maguire cup, in Croke Park.
Photo, Holy Trinity N.S. Facebook page, 27 July 2026.


Thanks



 
Thanks to the team (pictured) who led Sunday's Five-Minute-Muddy Church
at Christchurch, Castlebar: The next Castlebar Five-Minute-Muddy Church is planned for Sunday 6 Sept during the 10am service. 


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.

*Turlough COI Parish is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20207056.
 

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, September-June inclusive, 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, September-June inclusive        
Every Wed from September-June inclusive, 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 - their own or that of the Diocese (of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe) - 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 +

QR codes and links

Westport-Dugort Union of Parishes
- includes Holy Trinity 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 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


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

*Turlough COI Parish is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20207056.

Congratulations, thank you, and well done to the Turlough CRA team who succeeded in obtaining this important status for the parish. 



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 is in process of applying for its own CRA registration number. In the interim the parish is 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. 



Pastoral care and enquiries:

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


Tel. +353 83 800 3233  / +44 77 1303 7447 

Email aughaval@tuam.anglican.org

Aughaval Parishes' website  aughaval.tlk.ie

Facebook page for the Aughaval group: https://www.facebook.com/AughavalParishes 
Facebook page for Holy Trinity, Westport    https://www.facebook.com/
Facebook page (new) for Christ Church, Castlebar: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61592320012165
 

 


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