Aughaval Group of Parishes

Worship in the Aughaval Parishes on Sunday 28 December Castlebar 10am in Christ Church Castlebar, Morning Prayer read by Susie Fry and Jenni McCormack (LLLMs/Parish Readers). Preacher, Rev’d John Wesley. Westport 11.30am in Holy Trinity Westport, Morning Prayer read by Benita Stoney  (LLLM/Parish Reader). Everyone welcome! Please scroll down for today's gospel and devotional resources, plus notices and more information.  Christmas Eve on Achill,  at St Thomas’s Church, Dugort  Today’s gospel    Matthew 2:13-15,19-23 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’    Then Joseph  got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt,and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the pr...

  Please scroll down for notes, notices and invitations. The Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist 27 December Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist Codexaureus 25 Public domain, via https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=108039 Today's gospel      John 20:2–8 So she [Mary Magdalene] ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”    Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.    Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a plac...

The Feast of Saint Stephen, 26 December Today’s gospel     Matthew 10:17-22 [Jesus said] Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Saint Stephen Stephen's Day coming hot on the heels of Christmas, and the story of his faith and his persecution and death by stoning, act as a blunt reminder that for people of many faiths, the reality of persecution is never far away. Perhaps Ste...

  Prayerful good wishes to all readers this Christmas Day.  Christmas Day, The First Communion of Christmas     -  Christ Church, Castlebar, 9am      - Holy Trinity Church, Westport, 11am The Nativity of Our Lord Nativity Artist unknown, 1380  Formerly attributed to Antonio Veneziano.  More recently attributed to Spinello Aretino Public domain, via  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7368927 Today's gospel      John 1:1-18 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life,  and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so th...

Please scroll down for notes and notices. Today's gospel      Luke 1:67-79 Then his [John's] father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,    for he has looked favourably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty saviour  for us    in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,    that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,    and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,    to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness    before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;    for...