Reaching Out to New Parishioners
Can you visit?

Our parish is growing at an exciting rate. Every week we are made aware of other families coming to live here. These are the people who let us know they have arrived. Others will not. In their case there is a need to seek them out and welcome them to the area. In the recent past parishioners have visited the new estates and conducted a survey of new families. Those who declare no involvement with the Church of Ireland are welcomed and thanked for their time. Others who declare an involvement or a desire to come and see are given details of what we do. This is the 'Welcome Pack'.

We need volunteers who are prepared to contribute a few summer evenings to welcome newcomers in this way. Parishioners will travel in groups and no one will be left on their own. The response in the past has always been polite and courteous. Some comment that the only welcome they receive to the local area is from the Church of Ireland.

Can you help? This is an essential part of parish growth. Your help now could be the means of bringing others into a full involvement in our parish family. If you can spare the time it will be rewarded.

This type of calling is not meant to replace the role of the clergy in the parish! It will, however, do what clergy could never do - be reaching out quickly and effectively to large numbers of new arrivals.

Yours in His service
Scott

LEPROSY MISSION
If you would like to know more about this mission please contact:
Rosemary Fair at 624 1705

UGANDA METHODIST PROJECT 2002
Three years ago I was involved with a team of 56 people who went to Uganda with the Methodist Missionary Society. We worked in five groups where we built four churches and a community centre. We were also involved in working with the church there, visiting schools, prisons and clinics, and telling people about Christianity.
It had a huge affect on my life and I never forgot
the extreme poverty that those lovely people faced.
This summer I will be going with a group of 14 people, some of whom have been before, to Uganda to start building work on a primary school in a place called Mpumudde. The children value school so much in Uganda but they sometimes can't afford to go to school. If they can go, classes often have over 100 children in them and there are little or no resources. We even saw schools that held classes in the open air because they didn't have enough classrooms.
The project we will be working on is a Primary School with 14 classrooms. This is a major project in Ugandan terms as it will be a two storey building. However, the total cost for the project is about Euro 40,000 - which isn't a huge amount by our standards, but would be impossible for the Ugandan community to raise.
I am looking forward to the challenge again this summer and the chance to experience working with the church and the wider community in Mpumudde and being part of this valuable project.
Raymond Ruttle

Raymond is one of the newer teachers in St Andrew's National School.
He came in January of this year to teach Senior Infants and he will teach
4th and 5th classes in September 2002.
If you would like to contribute to the project or would like more information, there are some leaflets in both churches.

MOTHERS' UNION

Leixlip Union Branch
The Mothers' Union is a world-wide Anglican organisation that is currently celebrating its 125th Anniversary. It's purpose it is to be concerned with all aspects of Christian family life.

The special projects this year are the development of Parenting Programmes here and elsewhere, and Literacy Programmes in Malawi, Sudan and Burundi where 100 workers have already been trained and have taught over 2,000 people, mainly women, to read and count. This has made a huge difference to their lives - not least that they won't be cheated in the market!

For more information about Mother's Union, LEIXLIP
contact Avril Nason (Chair) Tel: 624 9156

Enrolment
The Enrolment Service has been postponed to the opening of the new Season in September. The exact days cannot be settled at the moment but will be circulated in good time.

Mothers Union, IRELAND
For more information about Mother's Union, IRELAND
Visit our website at www.mothersunion.ie

Rossyln Faull
Hon. Sec.