Category: St Mary’s Parish Church News

ST. MARY’S PARISH CHURCH NEWS

It is good to be able to report that St. Mary’s was opened for public worship at the beginning of September, in accordance with the Welsh Government and the Church in Wales COVID regulations. To comply with “social distancing” the church can only allow 15 people to be present at any one time, so parishioners are asked to book their place and they are then allocated a numbered pew for the service. This situation is likely to be in force for some time and is now known as the ‘new normal’ for church worship. Hand sanitising is available and masks can be worn during the service. As an extra precaution Vicar Jon also wears a visor during the communion, when the bread is distributed to those present in the pews. Music is allowed but NO singing, so every service is Said. The church is open on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. The opening regulations require that the church is cleaned before and after each time the building is used and that 72 hours must elapse between services. The churchwardens are overseeing that this is done and a big ‘thank you’ to them and the other volunteers who help to keep the building safe to use during these worrying days.

During the month we welcomed Kevin Barry who has joined the parishes as an Ordinand. This means that Kevin has been selected to train for the Priesthood. His first year with us will be as a student whilst his second year will be as an Ordinand Deacon. Kevin admitted in the Parish Magazine that he is a young 66 year old, and full of life and vigour which at times drives his family mad. He is now living in Llancarfan after a lifetime spent in the Navy, which included a posting with NATO in Portugal. In civvy street he worked with regional newspapers in England and Wales, and in recent years has been involved in a charity called Boathouse. It is a performing arts charity for children and young adults who have learning disabilities. He is a Cardiff boy and we wish him well in this latest change of career. We know that the parish will make Kevin’s two years with us as happy and blessed as we can.

It is with great regret and much disappointment that we have found it necessary to revise our arrangements to celebrate Harvest Festival 2020 outdoors in the church grounds. We have decided that the weekend of the 10/11th October will be an opportunity to bring gifts of dry goods and tinned foods (no fresh vegetables or fruit, thankyou) to the Churchyard Cross. This will be decorated with a harvest theme. Please bring your harvest gifts on Saturday 10th October between 11.00am and 3.00pm and these will be then be taken to the Food Bank in Barry. The Sunday 9.30am service will continue the Harvest celebrations and the online 10.30am service from St. Mary’s will include children and others with readings and prayers. Come ye thankful people come, bring the song of harvest home. The farming community tell us the yield will be much lower this year due to weather conditions earlier in the year. Christian people the world over are

thankful for whatever the harvest yield is. So we look forward to your support in receiving your gifts on the Churchyard Cross on Saturday between 11.00am – 3.00pm.

This will be a Harvest Celebration like no other, please remember to maintain ‘Social Distancing’ at all times when in the church grounds.

2021 Church Maintenance Programme

The Church Architect has been to inspect the church tower for signs of rot and damage as a result of the last church inspection and to formulate a programme of work for 2021. Maintenance of the building takes a high priority and we need to keep on top of any signs of work that needs attention. We are also awaiting his suggestion and idea for the replacement of the glazed doors to the tower vestry that were damaged earlier this year. The 200 Club contributions provide the funds that enable us to carry out the work of keeping the building ‘fit for purpose’ for the years ahead

Wenvoe Building Fund 200 Club

The Wenvoe 200 Club is now in its 17th year, with almost 300 shares issued. We have again given out 84 prizes to a total value of £1800 and given the same amount to the building fund. Once again your contributions have helped pay for essential maintenance, including the restoration of the churchyard lantern arch and pillars, and the refurbishment of the of all the external doors to the church. Inside the church the damage to parts of the plaster has been replaced which involved applying five layers of lime plaster one at a time and then the chancel was redecorated. The biggest project in the year has been the painstaking restoration of the historic Victorian tiled floors in the church to its original glory.

We are always looking for new shareholders and now is the time when existing faithful shareholders are asked to renew their shareholding. Please contact Dickon Oliver on Tel.0292076910.

Plans to convert The Old Rectory into 10 apartments have been given approval. This grade 2 building is now under conversion to multiply accommodation and we are pleased to report that the Sundial has been safeguarded for the future. The sundial which was provided for the house by Rev. Thomas Davies, Rector of Wenvoe in 1793 has suffered over the years from theft and other mishaps. We look forward to seeing the house and sundial restored and await to welcome the new residents to the community.

Thank you for reading this God Bless us in these worrying times

Parry Edwards

 

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ST. MARY’S PARISH CHURCH NEWS

St. Mary’s remains closed at present, except for private prayers on Tuesday afternoons between 4.00 and 6.00pm, and this has been used by parishioners who find things difficult as the COVID19 continues to affect their normal lives. We now hear talk of something called “new normal”, and how this will be the pattern for some time ahead until the virus is really under control.

So while things may be quiet at the church, and it is August, a time when traditionally church activities, are also taking a holiday, there is much going on in the wider church of which we are all members. Llandaff cathedral has opened for two Eucharist Services on Sunday mornings. Places have to be booked, and there is a “Track and Trace” system in place, so take a pen with you. Places are limited in number and if the church is filled to its allotted numbers you may be turned away. This is the reason why we have not followed their example and decided to remain closed for the present. The cleaning regime before and after the church is open is quite onerous, and we felt it was simply asking too much of our elderly volunteers to carry out such additional work.

The commemorations for the VJ75 anniversary on 15th August was not marked in Wenvoe, and the Cathedral hosted the Wales National Service under the strict guidelines of the Welsh Govt. it was a memorable and thoughtful service aired on Facebook. The UK National ceremonies were held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, again with the strict 2 metre guidelines in place, and was a fitting celebration of all the lives lost and lives altered for ever.

The National Memorial Arboretum

 

The evening music and light show broadcast live from the Horse Guards Parade in London was a brilliant spectacle, and a fitting tribute to the “Forgotten Army” that the Burma campaign has been called. The treatment the Japanese army gave to the allied soldiers was horrific and was not glossed over, and we will and we must never forget the lives lost in the campaign, which only ended with the dropping of the two Atom bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. This year when we gather at our village war memorial, the anniversaries of WWl, WWll , VE75 and VJ75 will be remembered on November 8th.(Remembrance Sunday)

At the moment there is doubt in church circles that the collection plates will ever be used during church services when we are in the “New Normal” phase. And to that end parishioners have been encouraged to switch to the Direct Giving Scheme sponsored by the Representative Body of the Church in Wales for each parish. The payment is taken from your bank account and is credited to your local church account with any gift aid contribution added if you are a taxpayer. The congregation in Wenvoe have taken this to heart and many have signed up and that is helping to keep us financially sound at the present time. Parishioners and friends of St Mary’s who have not signed up, are asked to consider doing so.

The benefits are, no white envelopes to use (they are costly to purchase), no need to count and bank the cash given and your contribution to church finances are always there in the church accounts, until the time comes when you may wish to revise the payment or stop it. PLEASE GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THIS…We remain very grateful to the many donations we have received during the pandemic, and the church officers thank you all for keeping the church available for the better times ahead.

We are aiming to celebrate the harvest with a special service towards the end of September, so watch this space and the church noticeboard for more details when these, and the risk assessment have been worked out.

God Bless us all and of course KEEP WASHING THOSE HANDS

Parry Edwards

 

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MARY’S PARISH CHURCH NEWS

There is some ‘good news’ to bring to you since the last church report in ‘What’s On’. Churches can now be opened for private prayer. This is subject to social distancing being observed and many other regulations being put in place to keep everyone as safe as possible, with hand sanitising, and the pews in the nave clearly marked as to where you can sit.

At a recent Zoom meeting of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) Vicar Jon presented his Chairman’s report and he has kindly agreed for it to be included here for wider readership within the Wenvoe community.

“Since the last PCC meeting, places of worship have now been placed in to the Red Phase by the Welsh Government. St Mary’s Church opened for the first time for private prayer and reflection between 4.00pm and 6.00pm on Tuesday 7th July. It has been decided that in the first instance we will open just once a week and monitor the number of visitors to see if there is a demand to open it again at another point, which would probably be on Saturday morning. This would allow at least 72hours from the church building being closed and then opening again. This is to fall in line with Welsh Government Guidelines and avoid us having to do a thorough clean between sessions rather than a “tidy up” clean that we will do ensuring surfaces and pews are cleaned from where people may have sat and touched things. I would like to thank those who have helped me prepare the church to be opened and also those who have volunteered to steward during the opening hours. Four people came to St Mary’s on Tuesday 7th July for prayer, and it was wonderful to welcome them. This number coincides with the numbers that have entered Sully Church and churches of my colleagues. So it is my current intention to remain with opening once a week at present.

It is important to note that the church is open for private prayer and reflection only. The Church in Wales is now allowing weddings and funerals in church under very tight regulations. It is unlikely that there will be any weddings now in 2020. However, there may be occasions that a family would like to use the church for a limited number of people for a funeral. Before we can offer this as an option, I have to submit a Risk Assessment which needs to be agreed with the Archdeacon. I am currently in the process of doing this.

Also, at the time of writing we are still in the Red Phase, unlike places of worship in England which is a phase ahead of places of worship in Wales. As a result, you may have heard of several news items of churches now opening for limited acts of worship to restricted numbers of congregation. Below are the details as issued by the Welsh Government for the next phase – the amber phase.

I would also like to thank our Wardens, Treasurer, Secretary and Reader Emeritus and all members of the PCC for your continued service to the Church and for all you are doing to keep St Mary’s functioning and holding its presence in our community during these difficult times”

The current situation is that we are now in the “amber” phase and the possibility of holding services in church was discussed at the PCC meeting. The maximum number of people we have in St. Mary’s, to allow for 2 metre “social distancing” is eight, and places would have to be reserved in advance. The meeting decided that this is not a practical proposition and for the moment no further action will be taken.

Weddings and funerals can now be held in church, with the same stringent regulations of numbers attending, no singing allowed, the bride to walk down the aisle by herself, hand sanitising during the exchange of rings etc. It is anticipated that there will be no weddings in St. Mary’s Wenvoe this year, and any funerals will be arranged as and when the family concerned and Jon will have discussed the arrangements.

Keep safe during these trying times, continue to be kind and considerate to neighbours and those who are elderly in the community and above all KEEP WASHING THOSE HANDS. God Bless.

Parry Edwards

 

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ST. MARY’S PARISH CHURCH NEWS

The Twelfth Week Of The Lockdown

The church building remains closed in this the twelfth week of the lockdown in Wales. As we await the latest decision of the Sennedd Government on relaxing the conditions aimed to prevent the spread of the pandemic virus we have come to know as COVID-19. During this time the Parochial Church Council (PCC) has been meeting on ZOOM sessions, together with a smaller group to discuss church matters and to attend to essential church business. At a recent meeting of the PCC the question of our response to this year’s Christian Aid Appeal was raised. In recent years the combined fund raising from the “House to House” collections by our three churches has raised £3000 for the charity. CA like all charities has been severely affected by loss of income during this time and their work abroad in Africa and other places has been under even greater strain than normal, as the virus is also among the people there.

Our own income has also dropped, with no Sunday services our weekly collections have dried up, and many of our members have converted their weekly giving to the Direct Giving scheme organised by the diocese. Others have opened Standing Orders with their bank and with the generous donations we have received we are just about keeping our heads above water in meeting the monthly bills. The Church in Wales has recognised the difficulties many parishes are in and has given a rebate of 25% against the Fair Share payment we make in the current quarter. This is very welcome and totally unexpected and gratefully received. From this money the PCC resolved to send £200 to Christian Aid as a gesture that we still wish to commit to help them and that we will organise a fund raising service once things get back to some normality and we can meet as a congregation once again.

The church may be closed but the WORK of the church goes on. Members of the congregation have been kept in touch by the Contact Groups with telephone calls during the week to ensure that all is as well as can be expected in these trying times. Loneliness can be as much a killer as any disease, boredom is another. Telephone contact has been much appreciated and a chat is welcome and the assurance is there should there be a need for help and support.

The church community and others were shocked and saddened by the recent passing of Mrs Margaret Morant so soon after her husband Philip died. Margaret was a strength in the community and was involved in the life of the village, and most especially with the W.I. She supported Philip in all the interests he had in the village during his life, and we offer our condolences to her two daughters, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. May she rest in peace, now united with Philip in glory.

As for the immediate future, we are awaiting the latest decision of the Welsh Government as to when churches may be open for private prayer and meditation. The conditions for this to happen will be under the most strident arrangements. Hand cleansing, social distancing, continual cleaning within the building, clearly defined sitting areas in the pews and other “dos and don’ts”. Whether all these things will be conducive to private prayer is another matter, but it will be a step on the way to full opening of the church for public worship.

Jon will continue his Sunday morning acts of worship on our Facebook page for some time to come and they are followed and appreciated by very many people. Life goes on and as HM the Queen said recently “we will meet again” let us hope it is not too far away, but in the meantime keep WASHING THOSE HANDS. God Bless

Parry Edwards

 

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