Parish News

Please consider renewing or beginning your financial commitment to Killiskey Parish by way of Planned Giving. By doing this you can maximise the amount of money received by the Parish and greatly assist the Parish

to meet its financial commitments. Planned Giving is making a pledge to donate an amount of money regularly over the course of the year whether weekly, monthly, quarterly or by a single donation. Under the tax regulations, the Parish, as a registered charity, can obtain a tax refund from the government for recorded donations from taxpayers (PAYE and Self-Assessment) who contribute a minimum of €250 in the tax year. This is the equivalent of €4.81 per week. The parish can claim a further approx. 45% of the amount donated from the government. Cash donations on the plate, while very gratefully received, are not eligible for a tax refund. If you are contributing more than €250 over the course of the year through this method, you might like to consider Planned Giving.

Planned Giving can be done in any one of the following ways:

*The envelope system enables parishioners to donate regular cash amounts which can be recorded for tax refund purposes. Envelopes can be obtained from the churchwardens.

*By setting up a standing order with your bank for a minimum donation of €5 per week (or monthly or quarterly equivalent).

*A donation or donations totalling at least €250 can be made directly to the Parish Treasurer, Scott Golden, Malvern House, The Glebe, Wicklow Town.

We need more help with cleaning and arranging flowers for the church and with organising tea/coffee for the end of services. We are very grateful to those who help the church in these ways but would like to spread these tasks more widely. Rotas are posted on the church notice board in the porch and beside the font. Please sign up if you can!

Widespread drought has been of particular concern this summer. In Ireland we need to take decisive action NOW to ensure that we have adequate supplies of water and food in the future. In addition to national strategies (re water supplies, increasing the diversity of crops we grow), we can all play our part individually. Storing water in rainwater barrels and not wasting water both have immediate positive effects. Growing our own fruit and vegetables is hugely beneficial, both in terms of the quality of food we eat and of our weekly grocery costs; additionally, it reduces food miles (the distance food is transported). Buying local food is possibly where we can have the largest, positive impact. As supermarkets continue to import cheap food from abroad, so Irish suppliers are being priced out of the market. To ensure continued food security, that trend needs to be reversed, as many countries now supplying us with food are facing increasingly unfavourable growing conditions. Cheap food is often bought in bulk and so wasted; paying slightly more for high quality, local produce that will all be consumed is more sustainable. Organic farmer and artist Lisa Fingleton has challenged us to eat only Irish grown food for the month of September. If this is too difficult to achieve, try it even for one meal each day.

In response to the Eco Tips section of an announcement sheet issued earlier this year, a reader pointed out that there is a lack of allotments in Wicklow. If you have land which could be used for allotments, please let Revd Ken know. One thought is that it could be used to grow vegetables and the excess sold in The Hub.

Archbishop Michael Jackson has appointed Revd Ken as Rector of Narraghmore, Timolin, Castledermot and Kinneagh with effect from next January. Ken comments:

“I feel like a schoolboy about to leave national school and move on to secondary school. I have enjoyed my time so much with the wonderful parishioners of Killiskey parish for the past eleven years. They have been so supportive and kind that it will be hard to say goodbye to the, even though I know I will continue to see many of them regularly. I am grateful to the Archbishop for giving me a new challenge in Narraghmore, Timolin, Castledermot and Kinneagh with its lovely churches. It is a fine parish with committed people with whom I look forward to ministering with great anticipation.”

Ken and Lesley will continue to live in Ashford and Lesley plans to continue to be involved in The Hub.

The Harvest service is scheduled for Sunday 2nd October and will be led by Canon Neil McEndoo.

Girls’ Brigade starts back on Saturday 1st October, 11am for Explorers and 12.30pm for Juniors/Seniors. New members welcome! For further details, please contact Lesley Shepherd (087-9646763) or Amanda Spencer (087-6792243).

The next get together will be on Monday 19th September from 11am to noon in the Wicklow Methodist Hall. Further information available from Linda Walsh: 086 8228378.

This year’s animal blessing service takes place on Sunday 18th September. We give thanks to God for our working animals and our pets who are so good for our mental health. All reasonably well-behaved animals and their owners are welcome!

Church Music Dublin has organised a workshop with vocal coach Suzanne Chadwick in Monkstown Parish church (Eircode: A94 HH97) on Saturday 17th September from 10am—12:30pm. The cost per person is €10, payable at the door. All are welcome.