Today's Gospel, 12 Oct.

 Please scroll down for today's Bible reading plus notices.



Jonah and the Whale, sculpture by Samuel Rothbort, ca. 1930s, 
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Ida Rothbort, daughter
https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/jonah-and-whale-35110


Today's Gospel    Luke 11:29-32

When the crowds were increasing, he [Jesus] began to say, ‘This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgement with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!




Sacred Space



Christian Art

Recommended watching




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


Notes and Notices
Subject to change

THANK YOU to everyone who helped make Harvest Thanksgivings in each of the parishes so special and joyful. 


Please note that there will be no midweek service this Wed in Westport, due to Diocesan Clergy Conference. 


CONFIRMATION 2027
If you or your young person would like to explore the meaning of Confirmation, with a view to being confirmed in 2027, please let the rector (083 800 3233) know, preferably before the end of Monday, 12 October. Thank you. 


In the TLK Diocese 

Diocesan Synod - Sat 17 October

For any Diocesan Synodspersons who cannot attend, Please let the Rector and Hon Sec of the parish know (asap) in order to allow the Supplemental Synodsperson to substitute. Thank you.



Bishop Michael's Big Confirmation Day - Sat 24 Oct, Limerick. 
Highly recommended for all those confirmed in 2025 and 2026. 
If your young person would like to go along, please email Valerie at udyc.info@gmail.com


In the Aughaval Parishes


Advent is coming!

Advent Sunday is this year on 29 November. The guest preacher on that date will be Ruth Cooke (Christian Aid Ireland) and the collection in the parishes will be toward the work of Christian Aid. 
  • First Sunday of Advent: 29 November 2026 (Start of Advent and the new liturgical year)
  • Second Sunday of Advent: 6 December 2026
  • Third Sunday of Advent: 13 December 2026 (Gaudete Sunday)
  • Fourth Sunday of Advent: 20 December 2026

For the diary:
Friday 18 December in Holy Trinity Westport, 7.30pm: 
An Evening of Carols with James Kilbane 
- a Christmas Concert in aid of St Thomas's Dugort 


St Thomas's friends, Tom, Carolyn, Pony, James and Stuart
 after Harvest Thanksgiving 2024 in Dugort

A bit about Biggle, from the IT



The Irish Times, 10 Oct 2026, p5



Present pressing needs and opportunities to serve 
in the Aughaval Parishes

Help is needed and invited in these specific areas in the parishes:

Fundraising and Social
Westport-Dugort Union of parishes is in need of volunteers to help with Fundraising towards the funding of ministry and the upkeep of all the churches and graveyards. 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.St Thomas's Dugort is in need of an indoor cleaning session. 
  • Holy Trinity Inishbiggle is in need of a party of volunteers to undertake an indoor cleaning session. 
Health & Safety
  • Westport-Dugort parishes are in need of people with an eye for H&S to help us meet safety standards at each of the churches and or churchyards. 
Flowers!

Do you have a love of flowers and floral decorations to beautify the churches? 


If you can give some time and energy to any of these areas, please contact the Rector (aughaval@tuam.anglican.org / +353 83 800 3233) or any of the church wardens - numbers on request:

- Shirley Larkin or George Keegan (HTW)
- Kirsty Sweet or Willem van Goor (St Thomas's Dugort)
- Tom Fabby or Tom Kitterick (Knappagh)- Christine Gibbs (Inishbiggle)

  Thank you.


Regular times of Services
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 below. Please message us (+353  838003233) if you need the Meeting ID and Passcode.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82781900766?pwd=b2YEVeJHqhnprNxoLHjd5sqg492wbn.1

Meeting chat link
https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/82781900766



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. 

https://www.idonate.ie/donate/cause/WestportDugortParishes


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  

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


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 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  diocesansecretary@tlk.ie, 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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