Category: St Mary’s Parish Church News

Advent Windows Programme

ADVENT WINDOWS

A St. Mary’s initiative for the whole community

We are delighted to invite you to view the Wenvoe Advent windows again this year. The windows will be decorated from 1st – 24th December, lighting up from 5pm until 9pm. Each evening an additional window is added until all 24 windows are displayed. They begin at 29 Venwood Close (5:00pm), and the Telephone Box (5:30pm). The final window is at St. Mary’s Church on 24th December with help from Gwenfo School. If the weather is fair it is planned to have some carol singing outside the church when the church porch is lit. Please bring lanterns or torches.

All the windows will be numbered and can be viewed from outside the property. Most are within walking distance; however, 3 may need transport (see map below for details). You may need a torch if walking to number 12. Torches are also needed to read the display in the phone box.

We hope you enjoy the windows. We are very grateful to all who are taking part in decorating their windows and inviting us to enjoy them. Maps are available in Springfield Stores, The Wenvoe Arms and the Church Porch.

LIST OF WINDOWS TO VIEW

1st December (a) 29 Venwood Close
1st December (b) Telephone Box, Walston Road
2nd December Springfield Stores
3rd December Wenvoe Arms, Old Port Road
4th December Cresta, Burdon’s Hill
5th December 71 Walston Road
6th December 73 Walston Road
7th December 52 Walston Road
8th December 4 Greenwood Close, Twyn-yr-Odyn
9th December 4 Venwood Close
10th December 9 Walston Road
11th December 15 Old Port Road
12th December 4 Station Terrace
13th December 40 Walston Road
14th December 3 Tarrws Close
15th December 12 Walston Road
16th December 38 Burdons Close
17th December 13 Gwenfo Drive
18th December 24 Old Port Road
19th December 15 Grange Close
20th December 2 Grange Close
21st December Pinetrees, Walston Road
22nd December Gwenfo School
23rd December 6 Walston Road
24th December St Mary’s Church

 

 

 

Thank You For Your Support

Dear All,

I would just like to take this opportunity to say thank you for all your support and encouragement over the last 7 years while I have been the Priest in Charge here of the Parishes of Wenvoe and St Lythans.

I have been most fortunate to serve in such a beautiful place but especially to serve in such a lovely community. It has been a privilege to serve with you and to be involved in different aspects of village life. We are lucky in Wenvoe to still maintain our shop, pub, library, halls and school, and of course all the clubs and societies and What’s On that plays such a wonderful role in keeping people connected. I would just like to make a special mention for Gwenfo School, for the children, parents and staff associated with it. I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed coming and being with you at school assemblies and inviting you into St Mary’s and a couple of years ago leading a pilgrimage to St Lythans.

The last 18months have been difficult for everyone, but the way the community has pulled together and supported each other has been inspiring and thank you to the special people who have done so much for others.

I have many highlights of my time with you all. Christmas is always a special time and having the community gathered together with Vale Village Church was always a favourite moment. As was the Waiting for Jesus gathering we used to have on Christmas Eve with people of all ages coming dressed as angels or shepherds (plus the occasional king!). We have enjoyed the Scarecrow Festivals and of course the Vicar in the Stocks and the Teddy Bear Parachute Jump off the Tower. We have had candidates for Confirmation and recorded two programmes for Radio Wales Sunday Worship Celebration.

None of this would have been possible without the magnificent congregations. I don’t know what people were expecting when I first arrived but we have been on a good journey together. What people outside of the church don’t realise is how much all churches rely on volunteers, and here Wenvoe, St Lythans (and Sully – my other church) are in the Premier League. So a special thank you to our Reader Emeritus and local historian and editor (the list could go on), to all who have served as Church Wardens, the Treasurers, the leaders of the Building Committee, the Secretaries to the PCC’s, all PCC members, the people who put together the weekly Newsletter and edit the Magazine those who lead worship and read in church, my clergy colleagues, the people who provide the music, those who organise the refreshments and the social occasions we all enjoy as a community, the leaders of Pebbles and all who have worked with the children and young people in the past, the fundraisers, the 200 Club and those who donate through the various ways to the Church, the Flower arrangers, the clock winders, the people who sort out Foodbank and charity collections. Those who clean the churches and polish the brasses and those who keep and have kept the church grounds looking so good. I hope I haven’t left anyone out, but if I have, I apologise. It is because of these wonderful volunteers that our churches have stood for 800 years and will continue to go for centuries to come.

It is now time for a new chapter for me, and a new chapter for the churches. As we enter into Autumn, we are reminded that there is indeed

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3.1

With my thanks to you all for the time we have spent together and my continued prayers to the wonderful people of Wenvoe and St Lythans

Blessings

Jon

 

Wenvoe Advent Windows

ADVENT WINDOWS

A St. Mary’s initiative for the whole community

The plans are going ahead for the Wenvoe Advent Windows. Many local people have volunteered to decorate a window to be revealed during Advent on a given day from 1st until 24th December when all windows will be decorated for everyone to view.

The windows will be lit each day from 5pm until 9pm and can be viewed at a safe distance so that no one need go onto someone’s property. Some will have a collecting box for their specified charity that will be emptied each evening.

A map with the plan of all windows will be included in the next Wenvoe What’s On, with maps available in the Church Porch and, with their permission, in the Village Shop and the Wenvoe Arms. The first window to be revealed on 1st December is at the home of Glenys and Mike Tucker at 29, Venwood Close.

There are a few spaces left if you would like to join in to make sure Advent this year is as enjoyable as in 2020.

Please get in touch if you would like further information or would like help by decorating your window.

Jude Billingham

judebillingham@yahoo.co.uk 07516112897

 

 

Farewell to the Rev. Jonathon Ormrod

Rev. Jonathon Ormrod

By the time you are reading this we will have already said farewell to the Rev. Jonathon Ormrod, our parish priest for the last seven years. Jon, as he wished to be called has accepted the position of Priest in Charge of the church of St. Martin’s in Worle, outside Weston super Mare, and we wish him and his family every blessing in his work there. During his tenure here, together with the parishes of St. Lythan’s and Sully, much has been achieved under his shepherding, the congregation has swelled, our “Pebbles” group has grown, and during the past 18 months with the COVID-19 virus, he has been a rock to so many people, and he leaves the parish of Wenvoe in a better state than when he and Sheonagh arrived. Jon did not wish for any “fuss” when he left, no presentation was his wish, for he realised that in today’s uncertainty of the rising costs of living, he would rather people give to far more worthy causes than his leaving for another parish. So it was with a final tea party at Sully and his final services on the 30th October he bade us farewell.

The parish will be in the care of the Area Dean, the Rev. Andrew James of Dinas Powis, who with our assistant curate the Rev. Kevin Barry will be the Ministry team until we enter the “De Morgannwyg” Ministry Area on the 1st January 2022. During this time which is now called a Vacancy, other priests will be brought in to lead services until a time when a new priest will be appointed to serve in the Ministry Area, with responsibility for the churches of St. John the Baptist in Sully, St. Bleddian’s in St. Lythan’s and St Mary’s in Wenvoe.

The Harvest Festival services took place over three weekends and were well attended following the Welsh Government’s “Zero” zone recommendations. There is now no need to book to attend services, but the sanitizing of hands and the wearing of face masks remains mandatory, singing is now allowed and we have reverted to using the hymn books once again. The appeal for tinned or dry goods brought in a huge response and was taken to the Food Bank in Barry. A collection for the Christian Aid Harvest appeal was also taken in all three churches which amounted to £326.00. The Churchwardens wish to thank all who decorated the churches and brought the gifts of food etc and also supported the collection for Christian Aid. Well done. Da iawn

Remembrance Sunday

This year we will resume the commemoration at the Village War Memorial at 10.55 on Remembrance Sunday14th November. There will be no service in St. Mary’s prior to the service at the War Memorial, and a procession will leave the church to be in place at 10.55 am. The Vale of Glamorgan Brass Band will be in attendance and those organisations in the village who wish to lay poppy wreaths are asked to assemble at the church to join the procession. Order of Service leaflets ae being printed and will be available on the day. Donations for the work of the Royal British Legion, which has celebrated its centenary this year, can be posted in the letter box in the church porch or in the church hall.

The Tower Appeal

The Tower Appeal remains open, and we are near to reaching our target figure of £61.000, then we have to face the cost of repairing the church clock on the tower, so we are very grateful to all who have donated money towards the repair and upkeep of the church fabric to make it fit for purpose for the next 100 years. The church officers have for some time been concerned at the continuing failure of the lighting system in the church. The present installation needs constant attention and it is thanks to a generous lighting engineer, who has always replaced and tweaked the system when necessary, who has kept it going at no cost to the church. Church lighting experts have been called in to inspect and suggest a lighting scheme that will enhance the architectural features of the interior and will be an added aid to worship. The demonstrations have shown how light when directed at specific areas, and the shadows thrown up can really lift the soul, and the realisation that we have a lovely church in Wenvoe, and it can be made more lovely with a suitably designed lighting system using the very latest LED fittings and lighting tapes.

Keep safe God Bless

Parry Edwards

 

 

October News Update

October News Update

The church is now open for worship without the need to book your place in the congregation. We are still required to sanitise our hands on entry and leaving, to wear a face mask and keep social distancing.

This last condition is probably the most difficult to adhere to, for when any congregation gathers, having been prevented from doing so for such a long period of time, it is the most natural thing in the world to greet and converse, taking time to catch up on all that has gone before. Singing is now allowed, wearing a face mask, and somehow we raise our voices in praise, so we are getting back to a new kind of normality. Come and experience this for yourselves. You will be very welcome.

The fundraising for the repair of the tower is gathering apace, with the results from a number of fund-giving bodies expected during the month. We are extremely grateful for the response from those who have already donated. The work is being delayed until next spring when the lime mortar can be applied without the risk of any frost. The recent appeal for old and unusable IT appliances to be recycled brought a great response and filled the church hall kitchen to overflowing. We await to hear whether this will bring in funds for the appeal. We must also thank Mike and Glenys Tucker for organising their “stones for the tower” appeal. Do support them; fund raising is a thankless task, and as a well know multinational grocer, puts it “every little helps”.

However, like many things in life, we now have an additional problem with the church clock. Time is standing still on the Wenvoe clock. For some time the hands were stopping at ten to three each day. The clock people, Smiths of Derby who installed the clock in 1883 and have maintained it ever since, have examined the linkage etc and their report is likely to say that somehow the hands of the clock are fouling each other, causing the stoppage. Their report has been received, and the cost of repair is likely to be in the region of £16,000 inc VAT. Funding will be sought from recognised fund holders for church clocks, and the work will be carried out at the same time as the scaffolding is on the tower next year.

We have been opening the church on Saturday afternoons for visitors to see the freshly painted walls and chancel ceiling, and also to see the renowned wall monuments to the Thomas/Birt/Jenner families of Wenvoe Castle. These monuments are among the finest in South Wales and date from 1636-1824. The carved and gilded reredos at the altar was designed by the renowned church designer and architect Sir John Ninian Comper and was gifted to the church in 1901. The restored Victorian tiled floors complete the image of the church that the church restorers of the 19th century wished us to see. Although at the time, the restorations and improvements did not meet with general approval. But times change and we are the grateful inheritors of much that has gone before.

Our children’s “Pebbles” group has been meeting since early September and what a joy it is to see the youngsters back in church. It has been 18 months since they were last in church, and how some of them have grown! We welcome new faces as they join in the activities in the church hall under the guidance of the leaders and the parents. “Pebbles” is from 9.30am each Sunday morning during term time. There is always space for new faces. All are welcome.

We continue to support the work of the Food Bank in Barry and wish to thank those who make regular weekly donations to the food boxes in the church porch. The donations are collected from Wenvoe and Sully every Thursday morning, and they are most gratefully received for the families in the Vale who find themselves in difficult circumstances beyond their control. So, thank you for your help and support. Please keep the donations coming. Diolch.

The work towards the setting up of the Ministry Area, nine churches united to bring Jesus’s love to the Community, continues with the introduction of a weekly bulletin for the Ministry Area which is known as De Morgannwg. These are available in all nine churches, setting out the times of services and what is happening during the week. We are now nine months into the preparations and setting up of the various groups to bring us all into one large Christian family when the Bishop’s Decree is signed on 1st January.

A great welcome is assured to all from our Parish Priest and Churchwardens.

Parry Edwards

 

 

Advent Windows 2021

ADVENT WINDOWS

A St. Mary’s initiative for the whole community

Following last year’s success, we are inviting you to take part in lighting up your windows this Ad-vent. The Advent Windows 2021 will encourage us to wrap up warm and get out to view them throughout December. There will be a new one to see each night leading up to Christmas Eve when there will be 24 all on display. This community fun event will run from the 1st – 24th December, with the final window at St. Mary’s Church. We would like you to take part; there is no entry fee, it’s not a competition and adults and children can be involved.

We need a minimum of 24 participants to decorate their windows. Participants will be allocated a date to light up their window for the first time and continue lighting up each day until 24th. From 1st December a new window will be lit up to go and see so that by 24th December there will be 24 windows to view.

The windows can be designed and constructed from any media e.g. lights, mobiles, cut-outs. They can be as simple or technical as your artistic tendencies take you. They can be internal or external displays as long as they involve decorating your window. All the dis-plays should relate to Advent/Christmas and can be humorous, artistic or topical. Last year there was variety in size, content, both humorous and stately, with modern and traditional designs.

The windows will be lit from 5.00pm – 9.00pm each evening. Each house participating will be asked to:

  • display a number (corresponding to the date their window is ‘opened’) to differentiate from other residents who will have their own Christmas decorations.
  • keep their window a surprise as far as is possible before the designated big reveal evening.

If you want to participate you need to:

  • live in a house that has a window (upstairs or down) that can clearly be seen from the street without people coming onto your property.
  • be happy to keep the window illuminated each evening after it is ‘opened’ until December 24th.

We are aware that many people give their time and money to support a host of different charities. If you would like to put a charity box outside your house you would be most welcome. Just make sure you empty the box each evening.

For more information ring: Sandra and Brian Jones: 02920594248. Glenys and Mike Tucker: 07922 109721. Jude and Nige Billingham: on 02920594708 or 07516 112897.

Please let Jude Billingham know by email judebil-lingham@yahoo.co.uk, phone or text by October 16th if you want to decorate your window by supplying your name, address, email, telephone number, and any date preference you have.

Please be aware that in agreeing to participate you are also agreeing to have your address identified on the windows map that will be made available so people can look for your window. No names or email will be shared without your permission.

 

 

September News Update

September News Update

It was with great sadness the news that the Rev. Jonathon Ormrod, our Priest in Charge, has decided to leave the parishes of Wenvoe with St. Lythan’s and Sully to take up a similar position at St. Martin’s church in Worle near Weston super Mare.

During his 7 years here he had endued himself as a wonderfully caring priest and a friend to all and we wish him and his family every blessing in his new post. Jon’s last service here will be on the 31st October.

We were able to be back in church on Sunday 1st August after a mammoth task of cleaning, and placing back things where they should be. We consider the church has never looked as good as it does at the present moment. The painting and plaster repairs have been most professionally carried out, and the standard of work from our craftsman, Mr Mike Mather, is to be commended. We opened the church on Saturday afternoons during August to let church members see for themselves, and this brought others in from the community to see how well cared for the church has been. The Saturday afternoon openings will continue in September to harvest time when the church will be decorated for the Festival.

The glass doors to the tower vestry have been taken away for re-glazing with hardened glass and the glass sculpture above is being investigated as to how we can illuminate it so that the colours in the glass features of the vine leaves and bunches of grapes, together with the Madonna and child, can be more clearly seen. This sculpture and doors, designed by the Penarth artist, Frank Roper, installed in 1981, deserves to be cherished, as his work is gaining the respect it deserves, and we have an excellent example of the “lost wax casting in aluminium” as a major feature in the church and one of our “treasures”

Recent research into listing of the church as grade 2* listing, made the church officers aware of the inclusion in J.Newman’s book “ The Buildings of South Wales”of our church building. In his opinion, “the wall monuments in the church are what makes the church worth visiting, three hanging monuments, outstanding in the county” He is referring to the two Thomas family monuments in the nave and the Peter Birt/ Jenner monument near the altar. The William Thomas monument of 1636 is almost of metropolitan quality and strongly influenced by Nicholas Stone (1587-1647). He was an English sculptor and architect. In 1619 he was appointed master mason to James 1 and in 1626 to Charles 1 He was responsible for many notable public buildings, including the Banqueting House in Whitehall, London

We have continued with the patterns of worship set under the guidelines of the Welsh Government and the Bench of Bishops. Recent discussions have taken place with the result that as from Sunday 21 August there was no need to book your seat in the church, and you can now sit in any pew, allowing for sensible spacing between worshippers. Masks are still required to be worn, and hand sanitising will continue. It is hoped that our “Pebbles” group will be able to meet from the 5th September in the Church Hall. Also at the same time a member of the congregation will be able to read the O.T. lesson and epistle from the Lectern. Hymn singing will also be introduced wearing masks. The celebration of the Harvest Festival will be on the 26th September at 9.30 am. and will be as in pre-Covid times, that is an All Age Service with the children taking part.

The Tower Appeal is being responded to in a number of ways. We need to raise £60,000 for the work required on the tower at St. Mary’s. You can donate in a number of ways, on line at http//StMappeal.com or alternatively drop a donation in the letter box in the church porch. Or donating your old IT equipment where Electric Amnesty will strip it down and we get 50% of the value of the raw materials recovered. For the youngsters join the “Everest Climb”, or support the Tucker family in their “Stones for the Tower” appeal. Thank you to those who have already donated to the appeal and to the continued support of the St. Mary’s 200 club. The work on the tower has been delayed until next Spring, while we raise the necessary funds and also the pointing of the stonework with lime mortar can only be applied in frost free conditions.

We continue to support the Vale Foodbank in Barry with deliveries made every Thursday from the collecting points in the churches at Sully and Wenvoe. This has been a difficult time for families during the school holidays so a special plea for support. Items currently in short supply include tinned potatoes, coffee, peanut butter, bars of soap and treats for children would be welcome.

The last eighteen months have been a very difficult time for everyone with the threat of Covid-19, and especially for places of worship. We have been fortunate that our faithful congregation has held firm in these troubled times, and despite many experiencing personal losses of loved ones during this time, the fellowship and caring qualities of the church has been wonderful to see and experience. Now we need to reassure everyone that a welcome awaits you at St. Mary’s, things are not quite as normal, as in pre Covid times but we are getting there

Sadly we have to announce the passing of two members of the congregation. Mr Gareth Davies and Mrs Muriel Andrews; both will be sadly missed and our prayers are with their families at this time.

Thank you for reading the church news. God Bless

Parry Edwards

 

 

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