Today's Gospel, 8 Sept. Emmanuel, 'God is with us.’
Welcome! Please scroll down for today's Gospel reading, notes and notices.
Today, 8 September, the Church commemorates The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This week:
- Wed - Midweek Holy Communion in Holy Trinity Westport, 10.30am, followed by coffee in the Clew Bay Hotel. You're welcome!
- Wed - 8pm, Online Prayer and Bible Reading. Link below, or contact us. (aughaval@tuam.anglican.org / +353 83 800 3233)
Today's Gospel Reading Matthew 1:18-23
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.
But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’
Sacred Space
Opportunities for service in the Aughaval Parishes:
Fundraising and Social
Westport-Dugort Union of parishes is in need of volunteers to help with Fundraising. This work has a strong social and community-orientated aspect to it.
Maintenance
Westport-Dugort Union of parishes is in need of volunteers to help with light and occasional tidying and maintenance work, in the church grounds and graveyards.
If you can give some time and energy to these please contact us (aughaval@tuam.anglican.org / +353 83 800 3233). Thank you.
Thanks to everyone who helped and took part in this year's Back to School Services, with Blessing of the Schoolbags and their Bearers, in Turlough, Christchurch Castlebar, Holy Trinity Westport and St Thomas's Dugort.
Outdoor service at Knappagh - a few photos may be seen here:
https://www.facebook.com/AughavalParishes/posts/pfbid0kGw95s8GBu3HNZdkroF38HbZnHAwuEZhb66uBvLRPYpp33x4cusV4cgUfG92hwnDl?wa_status_inline=true&ref=1
In memoriam
The Funeral of Olive Fair, faithful Turlough Parishioner, took place at Turlough Church on 3 September. We keep Olive's family in our prayers and thank everyone from the parish and wider community who have shown kindness to Olive's family over the last few days, and previously, to Olive herself.
- Friday (evening) 11 Sept, 8pm
- Saturday (afternoon) 12 Sept, 2pm
- Sunday (afternoon) 13 Sept, 3.30pm
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).
Friday 18 Sept Culture Night Concert, by Mist, in Holy Trinity, Westport, at 7pm.
"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).
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 God's church and people.
- Castlebar 10am - Guest preacher, Diocesan Reader, Alan Cousins
- Westport 11.30am - Guest preacher, Revd John Wesley
- Dugort , Achill 3pm - Guest preacher, Revd Carole Reynolds
- 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, 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
- 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
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83306729968?pwd=mVKnDXWs7Npn3aCnRPykJbJK7THANM.1
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 +
Westport-Dugort Union of Parishes
Westport-Dugort Parishes*
(Info. Babs Strutt, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)
Christ Church, Castlebar*
(Info. Trevor Ardill, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)
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.
Tel. +353 83 800 3233 / +44 77 1303 7447
