I have gradually come to realise that the Sunday service times we have among our four parishes do not work as well as perhaps they did at one time. Adare, being at 12.00, is too late for having a Sunday school, and people are often rushing home for Sunday dinner. The optimum time for church seems to be at 10.00 or 10.30, but even these times can be difficult for some.

I have been talking with the Lay Readers and with each of the Select Vestries about making some changes to the usual schedule. Last year we had some changes in Croom and Adare on one Sunday per month. But it is a bad idea to change just one Sunday: then no one knows when to come to church. (I imagine conversations such as the following: “Do you know what time church is today, dear?” “I really don’t know. Was it the third or the fourth Sunday that they changed it to a different time?” “I forget. Why don’t we stay home today.”)

So beginning in November, the services every Sunday will be at the following times:

Croom: 9.15am (the only one that doesn’t change)
Adare: 9.30am
Kilmallock: 10.45am
Kilpeacon: 11.00am

Obviously, Kilmallock and Kilpeacon are each a bit later than they have been. Adare is much earlier. The only times this will change will be for special services, such as Carol Services near Christmas.

I will also change how I group parishes together on a Sunday. Again, beginning in November, I will go to Croom and Kilmallock on two Sundays per month and Adare and Kilpeacon on the alternate Sundays. November and December are each different, because of special services, so I will announce the usual schedule in January. This will mean that Adare has Morning Prayer twice per month rather than once.

This will be a trial. We will try this combination from November through June (the end of the school year). We will then evaluate this schedule to see whether we wish to continue it.

Thank you for your patience as we try out this schedule!