Category: St Mary’s Parish Church News
October200 Club Draw
A Remembrance Day Like No Other
A Remembrance Day Like No Other
A headline in my newspaper said it so well ‘It was a Remembrance Day like no other’ and the same could be said for the year we have been living through in 2020. Nothing has been the same as we have had in what we call a normal year, and now we have to talk of a new normal way of living in the shadow of the COVID virus. There is much talk of a vaccine which will offer some protection against this terrifying disease, but when will it be ready for the general public, or will it be reserved for those at most risk? Let us hope that it will come soon and prove to be effective.
Remembrance Sunday was marked with a memorable service on line, with Jon bringing in members of our congregations and the school children from Wenvoe School, as we joined in with the national service from Whitehall marking the 100 years since the Unknown Soldier was buried in Westminster Abbey. I had not seen the old Pathe news reel in black and white. It was most moving, as was the pilgrimage Her Majesty the Queen made to the grave in the Abbey in the week prior. On Armistice Day following on the 11th, Jon had welcomed the children from Wenvoe School to mark the two minutes silence and laying of wreaths. So despite all the restrictions imposed on us during the second lockdown, honour was given to those brave young men who gave their lives for King and Country in WWI and the wars since then. Also remembered were the doctors and nurses in the NHS who have also put their lives on the line in fighting the virus in our hospitals and nursing homes.
Wales came out of the second lockdown on the 9th of November and St. Mary’s. with all other churches in Wales during this period had remained closed, which meant that commemorations of All Saints and all Souls Days were held as virtual worship online. The 10.30am services on Facebook on Sunday mornings attract not only members of our congregations, but also have an international following, with worshippers logged in from Ireland and Spain. The use of Zoom for holding meetings has been a boon in these strange times. The Annual Vestry Meeting, which had been delayed from earlier in the spring of this year, was finally held on the 9th November, when all officers were confirmed in their present positions until Easter of next year.
The Diocese of Llandaff has decided to put in place the recommendations of the Harris Report of a few years ago which stated that the way forward was to form all the parishes into Ministry Areas, each consisting of three clergy and a greater involvement of the laity in the organisation and running of each church. We will be joined with the parishes of Porthkerry, Rhoose and Penmark by Bishop’s Decree by January 2022. There has been discussion between the churches as to how we can make this work for the benefit of all, so that each church knows that their voice is being heard in any decision making. We have to accept that while the management of the parishes will change, the ‘man/woman and child’ in the pew will not see any difference in the services we have been used to. Jon will still be our parish priest as well as being the Leader of the combined Ministry Area, and will have a lay person to head up the combined Council under his leadership. Our prayers are with Jon as he takes on this role and I am sure we will give him as much support as we can to make his task that much easier. The six churches in our present grouping were joined by the churches of Porthkerry, Rhoose and Penmark in a Zoom ‘Road Show’ chaired by Bishop June on the 11th November, which gave everyone an opportunity to question the senior officers of the diocese about what the new Ministry Area will be like. Both the legal status and the financial status of the new enlarged grouping were laid out; this has given all a great deal of thought and raised many questions. To that end a transitional group will be set up under the leadership of Jon to make sure that everyone will be singing from the same hymn sheet. The year of 2021 will be an interesting year for many reasons, and the church council here, has pledged to give Jon as much support as we can to help him achieve the results the Bishop and the diocese expect of all church members.
By the time you read this we will have entered the Season of Advent, and the first of the Wenvoe Advent Windows will have been lit up for us to see. So it only remains to wish all readers a Happy and Blessed Christmas and please take care, the virus has not gone way.
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Parry Edwards
Jon’s Notes
Dear All,
This year the Season of Advent commences on 29th November. A traditional theme for Advent is From Darkness into Light. I cannot remember a year when this theme has ever been so appropriate. For many months we have lived in times of lockdowns and isolation. The drawing in of the winter nights seems to echo the general feeling most of us have at the moment. But the message of advent is about hope, the very real hope of darkness being turned or transformed into Light. Advent is also a time of preparation, as we look forward to celebrating the Nativity of Jesus, Jesus often referred to as being the light of the world.
In the coming weeks I hope you feel a sense of the light overcoming the darkness. We may witness this with the lights on our Christmas Trees or you may have an Advent Candle that you light every night, or you may enjoy an aromatic candle with the scent of Christmas Spices. You may also be encouraged by the Advent Windows displays around the village. Thank you so much to everyone who has organised and contributed to this village activity which will be to my mind a real symbol of light and hope for the future.
As I write this letter, I do not know what the restrictions will be in our churches for worshipping at Christmas. The Church in Wales is suggesting that everyone on Christmas Eve goes outside their front door and sings Silent Night. I am still working out the full plan for the churches in Wenvoe and St Lythans but at the time of writing my intention is to do as printed here
Sunday 20th December
9.30am Said Eucharist, St Mary’s Church, Wenvoe
10.30am All Age Agape, Christingle ad Nativity Play on Facebook and YouTube
3.00pm Said Eucharist at St Bleddian’s Church, St Lythans
6.00pm Christmas Carol Service on Facebook and YouTube
Thursday 24th December
5.00pm Lighting of Advent Window in Wenvoe Church followed by short outdoor Crib Service
10.15pm Said Eucharist for Christmas Eve at Wenvoe Church
11.30pm Said Eucharist for Christmas Eve at Wenvoe Church
Friday 25th December
8.00am Said Eucharist for Christmas Day at Wenvoe Church
9.00am Said Eucharist for Christmas Day at St Lythans Church
10.30am Agape Service for Christmas Day with Carols on Facebook and YouTube
If we are able to do more than offer Said Eucharist services over Christmas then this will be detailed on posters outside the churches and on our Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/sullywenvoeandstlythans
With my thoughts and prayers to you through Advent and for the Christmas Season
Jon Ormrod
Priest in Charge of Wenvoe and St Lythans
September200 Club Draw
Colourful Harvest Display
A Colourful Harvest Display
In 1866 a visitor to Wenvoe church and churchyard commented on the “churchyard being prettily planted with flowers”. If the same visitor had visited the churchyard over the weekend of our Harvest Celebration he would have seen the churchyard cross prettily decorated with straw bales and pumpkins and apples, to celebrate the limited way in which the church kept the Harvest in 2020. The cross was decorated by Mike and Glenys and Sandra, and we extend to them our thanks for such a colourful display. The COVID restrictions, now in force, meant that all our normal activities, of decorating the church and having the children of our “Pebbles” group, give us a presentation of what harvest means to them, were for this year put on hold. However Vicar Jon had decided that he would present a harvest service on Facebook, as part of our regular virtual worship. The children from Wenvoe C in W school were filmed singing and reading “harvesty” things and it was a joy to see and to hear. During the Saturday we invited offerings of tinned and dry goods for the Food Bank in Barry and we were amazed at the response, and it needed two car loads to take the items to the Food Bank, who were so grateful for the contribution the people of Wenvoe had made yet again, when the Food Bank are in so desperate need of food for those families who are finding it hard to cope at the moment.
Well done and thanks to all who made a contribution.
Jude took a photo of her car showing some of the many bags handed in during Saturday
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
No Memorial Service
This year because of the COVID resrictions, there will be NO ceremony at the Village War Memorial. Vicar Jon will be using his 10.30 service on Facebook as a virtual Remembrance Day service including the two minutes silence which all can join in at home. There has been much thought about this and in agreement with the Chairman of Wenvoe Community Council this is how Wenvoe will remember its sons who died in the two world wars and the many other wars since. The theme of this year’s commemoration by the Royal British Legion is to be “Coming Home” and their appeal is to help the wounded who returned home with their lives shattered in many cases. So please Support The Poppy Appeal as you have in previous years. All charities have reported a great loss of income in these difficult days, but the “Legion” has so many dependent on their help, so buy a poppy and wear it with pride.
Letter From Jon
Letter From Jon
Dear All,
I am sure that we all listened to the announcement earlier today from Mr Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales, with heavy hearts. Whilst not unexpected none of us are looking forward to a further two weeks of lockdown and I am sure that it has been a hard decision for the Welsh Government and Mr Drakeford to make.
But I thought I would share with you a sentence from Bishop Joanna the Bishop of St David’s. Writing to clergy and congregations following the announcement she said:
It will be important for us to remember the ways we learnt to pray and worship together and to keep in touch with one another during the first lockdown and to remember that this time, it is for a brief period. Please encourage your parishioners to see this as a necessary safety measure which will help us all in the longer term.
So it is with this in mind that we embark on the next stage of lockdown remembering our responsibility of looking after ourselves and looking after one another. Consequently, the church buildings will also need to close during this time.
As a Parish our plans for November will be:
Sunday 1st November
10.30am Online Service for All Saints Day
6.00pm Online Service for All Souls
Thursday 5th November
10.00am Online Service
Sunday 8th November
10.30am Online Service for Remembrance Sunday including a reading of the Roll of Honour of those from the parish who gave their lives in war
6.00pm Online Service
Wednesday 11th, 18th, 25th Nov
10.00am Said Eucharist at St Mary’s, Wenvoe
Sunday 15th 22nd, 29th November
9.30am Said Eucharist at St Mary’s, Wenvoe
10.30am Online Service
3.00pm Said Eucharist at St Bleiddian’s, St Lythans
You can access our online services from our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/sullywenvoeandstlythans or our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMsC377ALkf8pRuVIx1mbTQ.
If you go onto our Facebook page you will also see further information of other things happening online from the church.
I realise that this is going to be a difficult time for many people, and also a time of sadness when we are unable to gather with one another and unable to gather for major commemorations such as Remembrance Sunday, but as we do honour those who paid the supreme sacrifice let us do so privately observing a two minute silence from our own homes at 11.00am on Sunday 8th November.
I look forward to the time when we will be able to gather again as a community to commemorate important services and events.
With my thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.
Jon Ormrod
Wenvoe Advent Windows
Wenvoe Advent Windows
To lighten Advent this year we are inviting you to take part in lighting up your windows.
Whilst it is possible that our preparations for Advent and Christmas this year may require a little more thought and planning than normal, a small group of people are hoping to plan Wenvoe Advent Windows that we can all enjoy safely.
The Wenvoe Advent Windows will encourage people who are perhaps going to be inside more than usual this December to wrap up warm and get out to view the windows. There will be a new one to see each night leading up to Christmas Eve when of course there will be 24 all on display. The event allows people to carry on social distancing and following Covid rules, whatever may be in place at the time.
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.
How will it work?
We need a minimum of 24 participants to decorate their windows. Participants will be allocated a date when they will light up their window for the first time and to continue lighting up each day until 24th. Every day from 1st December a new window will be lit up to go and see so that by 24th December there will be 24 windows for residents to view.
The windows can be designed and constructed from any media- lights, mobiles, cut outs etc. 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 displays should relate to Advent / Christmas and can be humorous, artistic or topical
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 and
• 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
• are 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 October 16th that you want to decorate your window by supplying your name, address, email address and any preference you have about dates; by email (judebillingham@yahoo.co.uk) by telephone, or text.
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.
200 Club – August Big Summer Draw
St. Mary’s Parish Church News – October
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