Category: St Mary’s Parish Church News

Lead Stolen from Vestry Roof

 

Lead Stolen from Vestry Roof – During the weekend of the 3rd – 4th March, thieves made off with the lead covering the flat roof of the church vestry. This was during a time of wet weather and was discovered at 7.30am on the Sunday morning when water was seen coming through the ceiling and running down the walls. Temporary repairs have been made, but much damage has occurred to both ceiling and walls. The church architect in consultation with CADW and our insurers have agreed to replace the missing lead with steel sheeting that is acceptable to CADW. Part of the cost of replacement and redecoration of the vestry is covered by our insurers and the balance is to be paid by the church building fund.

This is happening so often that it has become a normal occurrence and the police do not even want to attend to the crime. The damage was minimised by the prompt action of the churchwardens and Mike Tucker. They removed registers and papers and put a tarpaulin on the roof. Thank you, Mike – you were a great help.

Gwenfo School has held a non-uniform day and raised £200 towards the cost of replacing the stolen lead. This is an extremely generous gesture toward the repair, and we wish to acknowledge the gift with grateful thanks.

Donations from the community would also be gratefully received.

Lent 2019 – The penitential season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday. The previous evening on Shrove Tuesday, a Pancake Evening was held at St. John the Baptist Church Hall in Sully. There was much frivolity, with pancake tossing, eating and entertainment. Congratulations to Lynda Francis for being the best ‘pancake tosser’ of the evening.

The theme for Lent this year is ‘Count your blessings’ promoted by Christian Aid, and there are booklets in church to enable day by day prayer and reflection. Through Lent, the themes of awareness, repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, transformation, and blessing, give us the opportunity to discover more about the lives of those who are pushed to the brink of survival by climate change and precarious livelihoods.

Another activity in Lent is the weekly Lenten Lunches. Every Wednesday soup, rolls and cheese are served in the Church Hall, and donations go towards our target for Christian Aid. The house to house collections this year take place from 12th to 18th May. Please help us to raise the money so badly needed in many places throughout the world.

Chancel Floor Scheme – The plans to lower the floor of the chancel have again been under scrutiny by the Diocesan Advisory Committee and the statutory bodies. “Vicar Jon” and our architect were invited to a meeting to discuss and explain why we think this is a necessary step to take. The aim is to take away the Chancel Step to enable wheelchair users access to the part of the church they are currently excluded from. The Building Committee has met to discuss the way forward in the light of the negative comments from the members of the DAC. The decision was taken to engage archaeologists to investigate the likelihood of burials under the chancel floor before a final decision is made to allow us to proceed with the work.

During the month we received the sad news that Mrs Denise Fry, lately of Burdon’s Hill, but who formerly lived in Orchard Close, had passed away after a spell in hospital. Denise was married to Alan Fry, for many years Churchwarden and Secretary of the PCC and was very involved with many church activities. She was a member of the Mothers Union, sang in the church choir alongside Alan and was a great help in supporting him in his church work. We offer our condolences to her daughters Rhiannon and Ros and their families who will miss her in the days and weeks ahead. Her funeral was well attended with many friends and neighbours offering their support and help during this very sad time for them. ‘May she rest in peace and rise in glory’.

Holy Week and Easter Day:- See list of services on the Church Notice Board.

With Blessings to all our readers Parry Edwards

 

 

Church News for February

January and February are traditionally quiet months in the life of the church, here in Wenvoe and elsewhere, following on from the hustle and bustle of Christmas. This year we have had a mild wet Winter, and this has kept our congregations attending church services in good numbers. Weather does play a great role in our lives, and when we have nothing else to talk about, it is always the weather that we fall back on. The daffodils in the churchyard are already in bloom with primroses and crocus in abundance in our gardens and parks…this tells us that Spring is not far away, and that these days March 1st is the beginning of the meteorological season of Spring, as well as being the Feast of our Patron Saint St David.

During the month the “Chattery” on the 14th February brought a good crowd to the Church Hall when the theme was “St Valentine’s Day” celebrated with heart shaped chocolates and much more besides.

On Saturday the 16th February the Family fun Quiz was a “sell out” long before the night and a great enjoyable time was had. This was a good social occasion with “quizzers” from our sister parishes of Sully and St. Lythan’s. We are indebted to our Quiz Master, Ian Moody and his assistants for setting the challenging questions. Thanks are also due to the social committee who work hard to arrange gatherings such as these, which in turn helps to raise money for the projects we have planned to improve and so often repair the ravages of time in our lovely church building.

CHANCEL FLOOR SCHEME

The decision of the Diocesan Advisory Committee to the proposed scheme to lower the chancel floor to a gradual slope, taking away the chancel step, is awaited. Watch this space.

MESSY CHURCH 2019

Messy church has become an established event in the life of the church in Wenvoe and in lots of other parishes. The dates are been announced for the programme for 2019 with four sessions throughout the year, with the first on 30th March with the theme of “Mothering Sunday”. The Wenvoe Community Centre is the place to be from 3.30 pm to 5.30pm with craft work, storytelling, singing, and a meal to round off the afternoon. Children accompanied with their parents are always made welcome at these gatherings and of course it is FREE. Adults of any

age are always encouraged to attend, often to share in the activities and to encourage the children to give of their best in the craft work. Messy Church is organised with helpers from the Vale Village Church who meet to plan the programme for the year, with sessions in June, September and November… more details nearer the time. A big THANKYOU to all who give of their time to arrange these most enjoyable afternoons.

Dates for your diary of events in March

March 1st Faith in Film at the Rectory when the film will be “Pride” with a 15 certificate

Shrove Tuesday at Sully on March 5th. With a PANCAKE EVENING in the Old School Hall in Sully at 7.00pm. Tickets are available from Carol Wyllie at £4.00 children are FREE. Bring your own drinks with plenty of pancakes of course. There will be a Pancake Tossing Competition and a Beatle Drive and a guarantee of lots of fun and laughter.

March 6th ASH WEDNESDAY see the notice board for times of services in our churches for the beginning of the solemn season of LENT.

March the 31st is MOTHERING SUNDAY, normal times of services.

With blessings to all our readers

Parry Edwards

 

 

General News Update

 

The last Sunday of the old year of 2018 was marked with a United Eucharist Service at St. Mary’s with members of the congregations of our three churches coming together to celebrate a fitting end to a year that has been good in parts. Weather wise we had the coldest season of Lent with the “beast from the East” dumping so much snow that many were unable to get to church, followed by the hottest summer for many years. Church attendance can be affected by weather conditions, be it heavy rain or gales or heat, but the church doors are always open to offer worship to the God that loves us.

Back in the Summer, when Bishop June visited the parish, she was concerned by the number of services Jon was taking each Sunday, in the three churches, and he was asked to consider cutting back on the work load he was carrying.

Jon,s response has been to arrange for a retired priest, Canon John Oeppen to take the 9.30am Eucharist at St. Mary’s on the first Sunday of the month, and a similar arrangement is also in place at St. John the Baptist Church in Sully. Our pattern of services will remain as at present, but Jon will have cut back on his work load; let us hope the Bishop will accept this arrangement.

The Building committee has received the plans for the proposed lowering of the Chancel step and floor from our new architects Sutton Davies. The recommended work includes the removal of the blue carpeting at the Altar, the Chancel and the Nave of the church. When inspected, the underlay and the carpeting were soaking wet and rotting, resulting in the historic tiling on the floors being damaged with a build-up of salts on the surface of the tiles. This can be seen on the nave tiles where there is a white layer of salt quite visible. The plan is to restore the Chancel to what the Victorian restorers had in mind, and the tiles are quite decorative and after restoration and cleaning will look more suitable for a building that has a Grade ll* listing. There are only 700 buildings in Wales with this category of heritage listing, so our church is very special in the grand scheme of historical buildings. A Faculty for the work has been submitted to the church authorities and a meeting of the committee, which decides on these matters, has met in the church and we await their decision. In the meantime, a Notice of an Application for a Faculty has been affixed to the church door for the proposed works as described above. Any person wishing to make representations regarding the proposals has 28 days in which to do so. Copies of the relevant plans and documents may be examined at St. Mary’s Church.

Jude Billingham, who looks after our Fair Trade and tradecraft products in the Parish, has reported another good trading year from all the stalls set up during the year. In total, since we first had the products on sale since 2005, we have achieved sales of £41,403.12, a great result and Jude and her team of many people over the years have to be congratulated. Long may it continue.

Our Christmas Charity in 2018 was Shelter Cymru and collections were taken at the special services over the Christmas period. This charity helps people in Wales to get expert advice when in need of housing by providing free independent expert housing advice and they campaign to overcome the barriers that prevent people having a secure home in Wales. The total amount raised came to £1,034.42 and this has been forwarded to the charity. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this wonderful amount from the congregations of St. Mary’s and St Bleddians’s churches.

Dates for your diaries in February…

Faith in Film… the next film will be “Invictus” at the Rectory on Friday 8th February.

The Chattery meets on 14th February at 10.30 am

Annual Fun Quiz in the Community Centre on February 16th at 7.00pm with Ian Moody as Quiz Master. Tickets on sale at £6.00 from Carol or Sandra. No paid bar this year. Bring your own drinks and snacks.

Have a good month Parry Edwards

2018 Roundup

A Happy New year to all our Readers…

January is called after the Roman god Janus who was the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces, one looking to the future and one looking back to the past. This month is the time when looking back into the year that has ended, reminds us of what has happened in St. Mary’s Church and what we are hoping and looking forward to in 2019. It is a time of reflection, a time of recalling events in the year of 2018, a time of taking stock of the position we find ourselves in the life of the parish church in the community of Wenvoe.

There have been times when our church has been bursting at the seams with the nave and transept full and people standing in the tower vestry. The Remembrance Sunday service when we marked the 100 years since the signing of the Armistice in the 1st World War, was one such occasion. The services and Carol Concerts during the Christmas celebrations always bring in the crowds. We have conducted some very large funerals, with many standing in the churchyard, unable to get a seat inside the church. The Scarecrow Festival and Harvest Celebration in September, despite the bad weather, brought hundreds of visitors to the church. Our Parish Priest Jon works tirelessly in producing services that catch the mood of the seasons throughout the year, and the congregation really appreciates all that he does to enliven the message of salvation that he brings to each and everyone in the community.

He is supported in his work by the many volunteers, who give cheerfully of their time, who see to the daily running of the church. The two Churchwardens, the men and women who are on the church cleaning rota, the men who wind up the church clock, week by week, those who raise and change the flags flying on the flagpole on the tower, the ladies who arrange the flowers, the members of the Social Committee for catering and providing delicious cakes etc, at the many times during the year when hospitality is offered to visitors, and to all who donate cakes and biscuits so willingly during the year. Mention must be made of the members of the Music Group who play at the all Age Service on the 4th Sunday of the month. This informal worship is enhanced by their playing, and the hymns and songs often go with a swing and much clapping. The Chattery meets in the Church Hall on the 2nd Thursday of the month, offering a time for Tea/Coffee and a chat, with a raffle and a Tradecraft Stall. There are many regular customers but there is always room for more with a great welcome thrown in. Our 200 Club continues to grow and there are now more than 300 shareholders at £12 per share. The prizes are drawn at the Coffee/Tea in the church hall following the morning service on the 4th Sunday of the month. Dickon Oliver is pleased to welcome more shareholders as the proceeds are a major

contributor to our Building Fund, which is used to fund many of the day to day repairs to the fabric of the church building.

Mention must also be made of the two services recorded for BBC Wales in October with one broadcast on Advent Sunday and the other will be broadcast on Epiphany – Sunday the 6th January 2019.

Our churchyard is often commented upon as to how well it is being kept, thanks to Mike Tucker who keeps an eye on it, and who also works in areas not seen such as the tower, roof and gutters. Our electrics are kept in order by Neil Bainbridge, who for a number of years has replaced fittings and bulbs when necessary. All these people and many more all work together to keep the doors of St Mary’s open, to offer a welcome into God’s house that is sincere and caring for everyone’s wellbeing.

During the year our Pebbles Group, who meet in the Church Hall, join with the 9.30 am congregation and what joy and happiness they bring with them. Leaders and parents we thank you for being with us and sharing the activities they have been working on during their Sunday morning session. There is always room for more and Alyson Williams and her team are ready to welcome new children at any time. Likewise the Messy Church sessions on selected Saturday afternoons are well supported. These are run with the Vale Church and are great fun with worship, singing, craft activities and at the end a meal is shared and all of this is FREE.

So much for what has been happening, now we look forward to seeing the plans for relaying the chancel floor into a gradual gradient, to take away the chancel step, which is considered a hazard to the congregation and wheelchair users alike. We also await the revised plans for our proposed church extension on the North side of Nave; they will be different from the previous plans we were considering, but will be more user friendly. So we welcome 2019 in, knowing that the future looks bright, and that there remains much work for willing hands.

A date for your diary The Family Fun Quiz will take place on Saturday 16th February 2019 in the Community Centre, Wenvoe at 7.00pm for a 7.30 start with our quiz master Ian Moody ably assisted by his daughter Kim. Raffle and nibbles available. Tickets on sale NOW..

A Blwythyn Newydd Da. Happy New year 2019 — bring it on!

 

 

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

 

The Armistice was remembered at the church and the Village War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday. One hundred years from the signing and coming into force of the Armistice in the Great War, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918, we remembered the young men of the village who did not return from the battlefields of Belgium and France. Remembrance Sunday dawned with heavy rain, but soon the clouds cleared and we were blessed with brilliant sunshine as we gathered from church for the Silence and Laying of Wreaths at the war memorial. There was an exceptionally large crowd of people, both in church and those waiting while the Vale Brass Band played suitable music as the procession, headed by the cross bearer and choir, followed by the Beavers and Scouts made their way for the second part of the day’s commemorations. Wreaths were laid by the Churchwarden, the Scouts, Wenvoe Community Council, and Wenvoe School. The words of “The Fallen” and “The Four Epitaphs” were read by Mr Philip Morant and the services were led by Parry Edwards, the Licenced Diocesan Reader at St. Mary’s.

The day’s commemoration also included the Royal Air Force, which had celebrated their centenary on the 1st April this year, and we remembered how people reacted to the peace and the effects on lives from the events of the previous four years. It was said that given the enormous rate of fatalities and casualties, that no family in Britain was left untouched by the conflict. Money taken at the collection in church was this year divided between the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal and the Royal Air Force Benevolent fund, and cheques for £150 each have been sent on to them.

A thank you to Ray Harris who devised the service, to Isis printers for printing it, to the Vale of Glamorgan under their Music Director Colin Thomas for playing the hymn, “Reveille” and “the Last Post”, to the Wenvoe Community Council for providing the sound system, to the Church social committee for the teas/coffees after the service, and lastly to the people of Wenvoe who turned out in such good numbers to be present, to remember the fallen, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

The Christmas Chattery on November 8th was very well attended with many from the village and friends meeting up for a coffee and chat. The morning gathering raised £287 for the church building fund.

The COMMUNITY CAROL SERVICE at St Mary’s takes place at 7.00pm on Wednesday the 19th December, followed by mulled wine and mince pies at the Community Centre, hosted by the Wenvoe Community Council. This is now a well established date in the Christmas Season with readers invited to take part from village organisations.. O COME LET US ADORE HIM.

Details of the Church Services over the Christmas period can be found elsewhere in ’What’s On”. A Christmas Card giving all the times is being distributed around the homes in the parish.

VISION 2020 is the name for the project in hand, of building an extension to St. Mary’s church. As reported in last months “What’s On” due to the sudden death of our architect Richard Dean, it was necessary to find another architect to take on the work. A recent meeting of the PCC has invited Michael Placeman of Sutton Davies Architects to take on the design of the proposed extension and also to be our own church architect. A preliminary meeting has already taken place and we await revised drawings and ideas of how we should proceed. Watch this space.

CHRISTIAN AID APPEAL with a contribution from EU. The treasurer reported on the amount we raised from the recent “Scarecrow Festival” which came to £700, This amount is increased 5 fold by the EU as their support of the work done by Christian Aid throughout the world. This amount included a donation from St. Lythan’s and Sully church sent their contribution separately.

Following the recent visit of our new architect, who was asked to examine the church floors that are covered by carpet, it was discovered that the underlay and carpets are soaking wet with condensation. They have to be taken up as the Victorian tiling underneath is being damaged, with staining and a white salt deposit growing as a result of the damp conditions. It was resolved to remove the carpeting in the New Year. The reason for the inspection was the plan to lower the Chancel Floor to a gradual slope, eliminating the Chancel Step, which is considered to be a hazard (Health and Safety and all that). The plan also includes under-floor heating, taking away the standing radiators. A Faculty for the work is being submitted to the DAC for approval.

Blessings to all readers. Have a Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year.

Parry Edwards

 

 

MIDNIGHT MASS

 

MIDNIGHT MASS

Christmas Eve Service at St Mary’s Church Wenvoe

This will be my fifth Christmas as Priest in Charge at the Parish of Wenvoe. During this time we have always celebrated the First Communion of Christmas (commonly known as Midnight Mass) with a service starting at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve. This will definitely continue to be the case this year in 2018. However, several people have mentioned to me that this service is too late for them to attend. I thought it would be interesting therefore to conduct a Straw Poll to see if people would prefer this service to be at 9.30pm in future years. A copy of the voting form is shown. If you usually attend this service, or if you would like to attend this service in the future, then you may wish to pick up a voting paper from St Mary’s Church, Wenvoe during the services on 23rd, 24th and 25th December and to return them by 30th December to the boxes provided in Church. We will then look at the results to see what would be the best timing of this service in future years.

 

With thanks and blessings for Christmas

Jon – Priest in Charge

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