Today's Gospel, 16 Oct. Not one sparrow is forgotten by God...Do not be afraid.

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



Today's Gospel    Luke 12:1-7

Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered in thousands, so that they trampled on one another, he [Jesus] began to speak first to his disciples, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops.

‘I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

 

Comment

We may at times find parts of a reading such as today's gospel unsettling. What did Jesus mean? Who was Jesus addressing and referring to? A look at the context of the gospel - the time and place in which it was written, and the social and historical factors and influences - can be helpful. If you find you would like assistance in better understanding this or any other of the readings posted on this website, please contact us. (Contact details below.)


Sacred Space

You can find a gentle prayer guide here:




A Sacred Song

for the young and the young at heart

'Hundreds and Thousands' by the International Staff Songsters





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


Notes and Notices
Subject to change
Please note....
  • SUNDAY CLUB will resume on Sunday coming, 18 October, starting in Holy Trinity Church, Westport, at 11.30am. Info - Steffi, +353 89 941 8165 


Sunday Club restarts on 18 October
Photo: Westport Sunday Club team members and leaders,
 Paul, Steffi and Shirley

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



Please note that there will be no Midweek service on Wed 21 Oct in Holy Trinity Westport. However, the Online Prayer and Bible Reading will take place as usual, at 8pm, via Zoom, link below. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82781900766?pwd=b2YEVeJHqhnprNxoLHjd5sqg492wbn.1

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

Please message us (+353 83 800 3233) if you need the Meeting ID and Passcode.


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, as soon as possible. 

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


Pioneer Ministry Day, Meath - Sat 21 November
For all who are interested in learning more about Pioneer Ministry across the Church of Ireland. Details to follow. 

In the Aughaval Parishes

Please note this invitation from the Ferris family: "Memorial fundraiser in honour of the late Christy Ferris in The Buckfield Inn Kilmeena on Friday 30th October at 8.30pm. Raffle and card game on the night. All proceeds go to Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation. Please join us."

Coming up

Remembrance Sunday, 8 November 
- Remembrance Services in the parishes and in Turlough Parish Church on Sat 10 November. Details to follow.

Castlebar Community Remembrance Event, Wed 11 November
10.30am at Mayo Peace Park. (Details to be confirmed with organising committee.)

Turlough All-age Service, Sat 28 November, 7pm in the church


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:
  • Community Carol Service, Castlebar, Monday 7 December
Traditional Christmas Carol Service ('Nine Lessons and Carols') for all in the Community, with Castlebar Concert Band, Monday 7 December. (Time to be confirmed.)
  • 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
  • Christmas concerts by Chapel Street Gospel Choir, Sun 20 Dec, 5pm & 8pm in Christchurch Castlebar

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
(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.

*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 (unless notice is given) from September-June inclusive, at 8pm, via Zoom, link below. 

Please message us (+353 83 800 3233) 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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