Aghavea Parish Church

Hi folks Please find our Prayer and Healing service, first streamed on 30th December 2020.  We continue our mini study on Jonah chapter 2 - Jonah in the belly of the great fish! Service starts on page 458 in the Book of Common Prayer. Regards Johnny

Hi folks This evening's service is Evening Prayer Two, BCP p101.  Tonight we start a short series of studies on the book and character of Jonah, as per our Lectionary schedule. The service is attached below, if you have any issues at all, let me know. Blessings Johnny    

Hi folks Well, now that Advent is behind us, a new season of Christmas has appeared - at lesat until 6th January, when we enter Epiphany. In the meantime, we will work through some of the implications of the first Christmas, looking at how the Scriptures explain and link the birth of Christ to our Salvation. We started this evening with the memory of the Holy Innocents, those young boys who died in the aftermath of Herod being deceived by the Wise Men.  Thankfully an angel had led Joseph, Mary and the baby to Egypt, well out of danger.  We remember the unfortunatel sacrifice of the young boys in our readings each year, safe in the knowledge that "Rachel's children" are in Heaven with their Saviour! The service is attached below, if you have any issues at all, let me know. Blessings Johnny

It is with deep regret and sadness that we announce the death of our dear brother William Rutledge, of Gardner's Cross Road, Maguiresbridge.  The rector, Select Vestry, and all members of our parish wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the whole family in this difficult time. The funeral will be restricted to close family due to the current restrictions.  The funeral will leave the family home around 1230pm, to be at the church around 1pm. Please continue to keep Edna, Linda, Kenneth, Carol and the family in your prayers over the coming days and weeks. Donations in lieu of flowers are going to the Aghavea Building Fund.

Hi folks Please find the Service Sheet for the First Sunday service of Christmas.  The service will be streamed live on Facebook, and then will be added to this post shortly afterwards. You'll meet my friend Timmy - and he will be helping me with the sermon. Please keep safe in the coming days.  Our postcode (BT94) has now been confirmed as the most C19 active in the country - not a great recommendation at all - so please only go out if absolutely necessary. Remember: Hands - Face - Space.  Only visit homes of those in your support bubble.  Don't take any risks at all, and please do not come out to church at any time if you are feeling unwell. I know that Church is a very important reason to be out - but not at a risk to your health or to anyone else's.  If you do test positive, and have been in church recently, please let either the rector or one of the church wardens know immediately. Finally - thank you for your continued patience and support during these dif...

 Hi folks This is the Christmas Day Family Service, first streamed at 1030am on Christmas Day, 26th December 2020. Service sheet is attached for your information. Special thanks to Katie for sharing her presents with us during the service!! Regards Johnny      

Hi folks The First Holy Communion of Christmas. This service was first streamed at 11pm on Christmas Eve, 24th December 2020 in Aghavea Parish Church, Clogher Diocese. The service sheet is also included for your reference. Regards Johnny

 Hi folks In case you missed the Carol Service on Facebook - I've uploaded the video to Youtube and shared it here. Thanks again to all the readers, Myrtle, churchwardens and all who made it a fantastic morning. Just a pity Maguiresbridge Silver weren't there - next year!! Blessings Johnny

Christmas Eve Service on Facebook - now linked direct to our webpage - hopefully!  Facebook recently changed their viewing requirements - so I'm trying to share the service on our webpage from now on! Johnny

 Hi folks! Well, it has almost happened overnight - but Christmas is finally upon us.  This evening we will celebrate the First Communion of Christmas in Aghavea Church at 11pm.  This is a very special service, which sets up the whole of the Christmas period for many, including myself.  This year, as with everything else, C19 has put its stamp on our celebrations, but apart from our hygiene, spacing and only receiving bread - nothing else will change!  It is still very much a celebration! Tomorrow, Christmas Day, we will gather in our Parish Hall to worship the new-born Saviour at our Family Service at 1030am - NOTE THE TIME - and we have told our children (and big children) that they may bring one or two of their presents along!   On Sunday, our celebrations will only be online, as we are not able to use the church buildings so soon - but we will still gather under Jesus' name, and worship the Saviour in our readings, prayers and teachings. Again, it ...

Hi folks As our Carol Service arrives, it is probably one of the strangest services we will have held!   Firstly - because of restrictions in spacing, etc, we haven't been allowed to ask our friends in Maguiresbridge Silver Band to lead our Carol Service!  As everyone knows, I am the most disappointed person in the church - I even played with the silver band in my last parish at our carol service!!   Secondly - the readers will be reading from their seats, as they are not allowed to process through the congregation to the front. Thirdly - we won't be singing all the verses of the carols, but most of them.  I've decided to start with an Advent carol, and we will be connecting the birth of Jesus with his return in glory - a most appropriate stance for any service at this time of year. Fourthly - we will be streaming the service online!  We will also include all the words of the carols and readings on the projections screens, so although you will have a service she...

Hi folks We are now through the first two full weeks of Advent - and already bearing down on Christmas!  Advent weekdays 11 - 15 see our readings from the Gospel according to Luke.  Please join us as we continue through the wonder passages of healings, teachings, miracles, power and sacrifice - all in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ. As before, our lessons this week will be: Monday - Luke 1-5 Tuesday - Luke 6-10 Wednesday - Luke 11-15 Thursday - Luke 16-20 Friday - Luke 21-24 Our services start at 530pm, and will take the following format: Introduction Prayer Reading Pause for Thought Prayer (including Collect of the Day) The Lord's Prayer and Grace   Our weekly service of Celebration of Wholeness and Healing will be on Tuesday morning at 1130am.   

 Hi folks With Covid19 still running rampant through the world, we haven't been able to bring our Sunday School, but they are still very important to our parish.  We were delighted that they were able to help with our Nativity Service this morning by colouring in some pictures for our presentation. They were all brilliant!  As the rector - I am absolutely amazed with the standard of the pictures that were sent back from our Sunday School, and I was delighted to have many of our children with us this morning in church. I have attached the different pictures here, and I hope you think they're as great as I did! Regards Johnny Rector      

Hi folks We are already through the first week of Advent - and already well on our way through December!  Advent weekdays 6 - 10 see our readings from the Gospel according to Mark.  Please join us as we continue through the wonder passages of healings, teachings, miracles, power and sacrifice - all in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ. As before, our lessons this week will be: Monday - Mark 1-3 Tuesday - Mark 4-6 Wednesday - Mark 7-9 Thursday - Mark 10-12 Friday - Mark 13-16 Our services will take the following format: Introduction Prayer Reading Pause for Thought Prayer (including Collect of the Day) The Lord's Prayer and Grace   Our weekly service of Celebration of Wholeness and Healing will be on Tuesday morning at 1130am.  Also note - Thursday evening's service will be at the slightly earlier time of 430pm, to allw me time to take my motorbike for its annual MOT - to keep me mobile on my favourite form of transport!!    

Hi folks The Second Sunday of Advent falls on the first Sunday of December this year, and also falls within the Circuit Breaker lockdown being used by the NI Executive as a means of controlling the infection and treatment of Covid-19.  It is an important means of controlling the number of people being admitted to hospital - and, as such, we must be careful to avoid unnecessary travel and opportunity to contract or transmit the virus that has disrupted so much of our life this year!  Part of the restriction has been to close all religious gatherings in churches throughout the country - and not just in the main denominations, but throughout the whole of the Christian communities. Anyway, as we gather on Sunday 6th December, we will be celebrating Holy Communion.  Despite our obvious physical separation, we have God's assurance that He will send his Holy Spirit to join our hearts and minds as we worship together.  In this way, depite the fact that we cannot all receive ...

 Hi folks Advent has started in auspicious terms this year, heralding the start of the first full week of our second circuit breaker session.  Some shops are closed, others deemed as necessary (garden ornaments in the grip of winter, really?) and we have been advised to stay indoors as much as possible! We are not going to let any legislation get in the way of our daily services, and as planned, they start this evening, Monday 30th November.  This week we will look through the Gospel according to Matthew, reading a few chapters each day as follows: Monday - Matthew 1-5 Tuesday - Matthew 6-10 Wednesday - Matthew 11-16 Thursday - Matthew 17-22 Friday - Matthew 23-28 Our service will take the following format: Introduction Prayer Reading Pause for Thought Prayer (including Collect of the Day) The Lord's Prayer and Grace I specifically want to keep the readings as the most important part of the daily services, as they explain and record Jesus' birth, ministry, passion, death ...

Hi folks The old hymn "Advent tells us Christ is near" is a traditional hymn that we associate with Advent Sunday - the beginning of the penitential period leading up to Christmas.  It is a period of preparation to allow us to examine ourselves. our lives, our values - in preparation to meet the risen Christ when he returns, rather than to prepare ourselves for "Christmas" itself! This year, Advent Sunday will be celebrated in different circumstances.  This year our service will be Online Only , due to the Coronavirus C19 restrictions.  A small team of four people will be in church , streaming via Facebook - myself, David and our wives, Kim and Nuala respectively. Kim is responsible each Sunday for the video and audio in church, and Nuala is a dedicated choir member - and both will read a lesson on Advent Sunday to symbolise the inclusivity of the event - Christ will return for us all.  David, our Parish Reader, will lead the service, as well as the third lesson, an...

Lockdown 2.0 - at least that's what some are calling it!   With many of the small, independent businesses being closed for a two week "circuit breaker", it seems unfair that the many larger businesses are allowed to open - often using loopholes to class themselves as essential businesses. Similarly, while we could meet inside a supermarket or inside a large shopping centre, it does seem very strange that we have to close our places of worship!  It may be that many will feel that the devil is getting his way in closing churches - be clear, we are not closing CHURCHES , but places of worship .  Jesus clearly identified the Church as the people of God, not a particular building or location!!  Church buildings may close, but the Church is more open than ever! This year has forced us to look at the way we conduct church.  Personally, I believe that the previous year, that we spent in the Parish Hall while the renovations were being carried out, has helped our pa...

Hi folks We often remember the great times we've experienced with God, and treasure them.  We often yearn for them, particularly when times are rough - much like most of 2020!! Here's a different take on things.  I came across this poem shortly after I started Trinity College, and was missing my family during the week, then had a very serious accident on my motorbike - and all was getting to me.I was starting to feel like I had been abandoned by God - but when I read this poem, it gave me a renewed strength to keep going. As a result, I printed this poem and it hung on my noticeboard in my room for the three years I was there. I actually still have that original copy! I hope it gives you some encouragement in your dark hours too! The poem is "In the Valleys I grow" by Jane Eggleston. God bless you all. Johnny

 Hi folks Last year, we observed Advent by reading a chapter each day of the Gospel according to Luke, which conveniently took us through to Christmas Eve 2019.  I don't know about anyone else, but I found it quite difficult - only that I wanted to read on each morning/evening! With that in mind, and also that our circumstances are completely different this year, I'm setting us all another Advent Challenge!  I want us all to read a "Gospel a Week".  Don't panic, it's very achievable if we break it down into smaller parts.  In fact, I've prepared a poster for that very objective! Each day throughout Advent, our daily service will take a different form that our usual Morning or Evening Prayer.  We will start with a prayer, read our passage, a very short reflection on the passage we've read that day, then finish with a prayer/prayers.  This simple format will concentrate our thoughts upon the Gospel - the Good News - of Christ without the distraction arou...

Hi folks Well, here's a first for me! In normal years, I would normally write a letter and circulate it with the Church Envelopes for next year, but as they are already out, my letter will be circulated separately.  While our parishioners will receive a "hard copy", I trust that our many friends will be satisfied with the digital one! Our Christmas letter highlights some of the different achievements in the parish throughout the year, and this year's letter is no exception.  There's no surprise that the pandemic is mentioned, and it's effect on our parish - but it's not all negative! Please have a look, and I'd like to thank everyone - throughout our parish, and throughout our new Facebook friends - for all the support and encouragement you have all been to me, my family, and to our parish this year! May God receive all the glory! Johnny Rector

Hi folks The Sunday before Advent marks the end of our Liturgical Year.  This year most of our Sunday Gospel lessons have been from the Gospel according to Matthew.  The last Sunday before Advent is also known as Christ the King Sunday.  We had been challenged by the Bishop to use the opportunity to use the occasion as a Mission Sunday, looking at the work of a missionary or Christian society - but our Covid-19 restrictions put paid to most of our early plans.  I had hoped to have a representative from the Bible Society with us, but that can wait until another time. Our service this week is also our last for two weeks due to the Government's plans for a circuit breaker.  The infection levels in Northern Ireland are steadily increasing, and the bed occupancy rate in our hospitals in at or over the full capacity.  It makes sense to have a circuit breaker, although having it in October when the schools were off might have made more sense!  I'm just deligh...

Hi folks Apparently the Oxford English Dictionary has made “lockdown” its word of the year - and with the circumstances this year, I think that any word connected to the “Coronavirus” “Covid-19” “pandemic” “restrictions” could make sense to use as the Word of the Year!  The reality is that any of the words above are difficult to live with. The news that was announced on 19th November will result in our church (and all other places of worship) being closed for two weeks.  Much as this is disappointing news, it brings us into line with our brothers and sisters in the Republic of Ireland who haven’t met as congregations in many weeks. I hope that we can understand the reasoning behind our obedience to the rules that were announced.  Our region in Northern Ireland is one of the most badly hit areas at the moment, and it makes sense that we should face the same restrictions as the rest of society. The church building will be closed on 29th November and 6th December - the first...

 Hi folks Our Sunday services continue this Sunday with the parable of the "Talents of Gold".  It's a particularly challenging parable, so it's worth coming along to our service at 11am, or watching live on Facebook at www.facebook.com/johnny.mcloughlin If you'd like to follow along in your Book of Common Prayer, the service will start on p101 - alternatively, you could print out the first two pages shown here. The next pages are colouring pages for our Nativity Service.  I'm hoping as many young people (or indeed, young at heart people) will colour the pages and send them back to church by 6th December.  You could always scan and email them, take a photo with your phone, or just pop them through the rectory door.  MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOUR NAME ON THEM!!! God bless you all. Johnny