Category: St Mary’s Parish Church News

ST. MARY’S CHURCH NEWS – AUG 2023

JULY REPORT

A year has gone by since Lyndon and Chris made that long journey from Canada to be our Vicar here in Wenvoe as part of the Ministry Area of De Morgannwg. Now we are in the holiday month of August. Our church school has seen the senior class pupils preparing to join their new schools and we will be welcoming the youngest into the Nursery Unit. School holidays mean its holiday time for all the family, and whatever plans you have made to travel or take a staycation, may you have good weather and an enjoyable break. St. Mary’s will not be taking a holiday and will be open for worship as usual, although many of our regulars will no doubt be away, which makes even more room for visitors, who are most welcome to join our weekly worship at 9.30am on Sunday morning.
Wenvoe Village Show and Teddy Bears’ Picnic

The annual Village Show is being hosted in the Church Hall on September 9th and is being organised by Glenys and Mike Tucker and ably assisted by others. At the same time a Teddy Bears’ picnic will be held in the church grounds with a BYO picnic. Full details are on page 7.

The Harvest Festival this year will take place on September 24th at 9.30 am when the church will be decorated with many contributions for the Food Bank displayed around the church. We send many parcels each week to the Barry Food Bank to those in such great need in these days of high living costs. The demand is greater than ever with many essential items in short supply and the Food Bank has to rely on cash donations to buy in those items. Grateful thanks go to all who make a weekly contribution

A Flower Fund will be opened to purchase flowers to decorate the church and any gifts of fruit and vegetables will be most welcome. These items will be passed to a charity in Cardiff which distributes fresh vegetables etc to those who wish to provide fresh meals for their family. “Come ye thankful people come, raise the song of Harvest Home”.

Our LED Lighting System was completed just over a year ago on 12th May 2022.The benefit of switching to a LED system is now obvious with the savings we are making compared to the former Halogen fittings used in the building. During 2022 the church lighting was in constant use during the renovations and repainting the interior with a bill of £409 for the year. Since the installation for the first 6 months of 2023 our electricity bill is £136.The Ron Thomas Bequest was used to fund the installation and was a wise use of his bequest as shown by the running costs so far this year. Thankyou Ron. You were a faithful friend while you lived here and your gift will benefit St. Mary’s in the years ahead.
For those of you planning to be away on holiday, have a safe journey, an enjoyable time and a safe return.

Parry Edwards

 

CHRISTIAN AID

 

CHRISTIAN AID

What a great time we had this Christian Aid Week 2023.
The final total of £3048.46 (including Gift Aid) was a magnificent achievement and the best that has been achieved by Wenvoe so far!!!!. Everyone involved was enthusiastic and spread the information throughout the village, so that people knew what was happening and what the red flags around the church and balloons on the Church Hall represented.
The activities started with three intrepid walkers counting their steps throughout the month and gaining sponsorship for their efforts. Steve managed 411,272 Judith 331,416 and Cath 364,455 steps!
We explored the origins and current work of Christian Aid at a morning service prior to Christian Aid Week, including, the current situation in Malawi where new farming methods and the new crop of Pigeon peas have been introduced. Here villagers developed their skills, and working together within communities gained ownership of their achievements. This story was shared with Gwenfo School in their assembly. Here the children eagerly joined in volunteering to act out the strength of the Pigeon pea crops, and tasting a curry made with the peas.
Throughout the week volunteers delivered all houses with donation envelopes (delivery only). This gave information about Christian Aid, the current appeal, places where they could take donations, and an invitation to our “Cakes, Cakes, and, more Cakes”.
Our “Cakes, Cake, and more Cakes” event of complimentary Cakes and Coffee proved local people really like cake! They gave generous donations and also bought more cakes from our Take Away Cake stall. There was also an opportunity to taste Pigeon peas in a Dhal.
A Church collection was taken in St. John’s Church in Sully which added to the money raised.

The week concluded with the visit of Rev. Andrew Sully who is the Interim Head for Christian Aid Cymru. He told us of a recent cyclone in Malawi since we had started our appeal. However he joined with us in ‘Hope’ for what we can achieve together when we work in partnership.
Our thanks go to all of you who gave most generously and all who helped, in whatever part you played.
Jude Billingham

 

 

ST. MARY’S CHURCH NEWS

ST. MARY’S CHURCH NEWS

 

The Penrhys Pilrimage was for those who took part a very humbling and rewarding experience. Over three days the pilgrims set out from Llandaff Cathedral and walked the Pilgrimage Way in searing heat with some of the hottest temperatures we have seen so far this year. The final stretch of the way was on the last day with steep climbs, when finally reaching the site of the shrine to The Blessed Virgin Mary, they were greeted by others who had made their way to the hill top in Rhondda Cynon Taff. After visiting the Holy Well a short form of the Eucharist was celebrated and the pilgrims duly returned to their homes, tired but blessed by the experience of the fellowship enjoyed with each other. Thank you David and Helen and Lyndon and Chris for organising the arrangements. Well done.
Lyndon and Chris have been on holiday during the month, when they returned to Canada for family reunions and many catch ups with their children and others. We look forward to seeing them refreshed and full of “ where do we go from here”. In Lyndon’s absence Services have been held by our long time friend John Oeppen who also celebrated his birthday in church on “Father’s Day” being given a lighted candle and we all sang Happy Birthday.
WENVOE OPEN GARDENS
On a sultry Saturday afternoon, 12 gardens were opened for visiting in aid of the Church Building fund from 12.00 noon to 5 .00 pm. All the gardens were different, some large some small and others in between. The one thing they all had in common was how the gardens are an extension of how we live our lives and that the garden is an extension of the home itself. There was a tremendous response and many of the gardens were visited by 80 or more during the opening time and many made use of the refreshments provided in the church grounds. Following many weeks of hot dry weather most gardens welcomed the rain in the early hours of the day, and there were many fevered checks on the weather forecasts, but the day was humid and hot but at least we did not suffer any health problems by our most welcome visitors.
The problem most gardeners have in their gardens is the presence of weeds, and how to keep them in check. We are told that a weed is simply a plant growing in the wrong place and are good for the natural world, and it so happened the next day, that we sang a hymn that contained the following words. “ but oh what tares (weeds) the evil one hath in his garden sown” which made me think that the morning rain had caused the many weeds to grow during the day. Oh well a gardener’s lot is not a happy one.
The financial result stands at a whopping £1000.00 including the amount raised by the surplus cake sales in the church porch after the morning service. A splendid result and thanks go to all who opened their gardens, made the cakes, sold the cakes and made the Tea/Coffee in the church grounds, but above all a big THANK YOU to all our visitors who
bought the tickets, gave donations for the refreshments and the sale of greeting cards, without you there would be no report to share in the success of the day. So thank you Glenys and Mike for all your work in pulling all the arrangements together and we look forward to 2025 for the next OPEN GARDENS.
During the month we were saddened to hear of the passing of two residents who had in different ways helped the church in the recent past. Trevor Case who had lived in Walston Road and worked with the Environment Group and church grounds, and Mike Flynn of Springfield Close who audited the church accounts for a number of years. We hold their families in our prayers at their loss. Well done thou good and faithful servants.
Thank you for reading the church news, We may be a small church but we have a large heart for all in the community. Contact Lyndon on Tel 029 2280 6018 (confidential phone) in times of need or fjust advice or even just to say hello.
See you in church, its FREE and you will get a good welcome

 

February Report

FEBRUARY REPORT

Dear Readers, Welcome to this month’s report on the GOOD NEWS to be given to the faithful worshippers in St. Mary’s every Sunday at 9.30am.

By the time you are reading this page, we will have been in the solemn season of Lent since Ash Wednesday on the 22nd February when the traditional ceremony of “ashing” was carried out during the Holy Eucharist service at 10.00am. Perhaps an explanation will help those who are not regular churchgoers. ASH WEDNESDAY is called because on that day Christians in church will be marked with a cross on their foreheads with ash, derived from the burning of last year’s palm crosses, with the words “Dust thou art and unto dust will you return”. It is a reminder of our origin and our mortality, and is a sign of penance for the starting of our Lenten observance. Church teaching during Lent was for us to give something up, that has changed now to doing something extra, to help your neighbour with a task if they are unable to do it themselves. To greet a perfect stranger with a smile. To go out of your way when you come across a need that needs to be addressed. The first Wednesday in Lent is also St David’s Day, Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant and David is remembered for his teaching to his followers “TO DO THE LITTLE THINGS AS YOU HAVE SEEN ME DO” that still holds good today, and echoes the message of Lent to do something extra. Following the service, there will be an opportunity for some hospitality in the Church Hall with coffee/tea and Welsh cakes. During Lent there will be a service in church each Wednesday morning at 10.00 am and all are welcome to join the faithful who will appreciate the additional service in mid week, which is normally a more quieter service than that on a Sunday morning.

The other piece of GOOD NEWS is the publication of the latest edition of “CONNECTIONS” our quarterly Ministry Area Magazine, which is full of the activities in the nine churches since Advent of last year, together with all the arrangements for observing the period of Lent, to Holy Week and the major church festival of Easter itself. Copies are available in all our churches, and are FREE but donations towards the cost of printing are always welcome, and a copy is always placed in the library at the Hub in Wenvoe, where you can read it, but why not have a copy at home to keep all the events at your fingertips. We also provide a digital copy if that is more convenient or you can forward it to a friend who has a former connection with Wenvoe.

Last month we reported how the church was facing up to the increased cost of maintaining the church as a warm comforting place during these Winter months. We are not alone with this, as many other churches are facing the same additional costs, just as we are in our own homes. That message is worth repeating again this month..

We all know only too well how our household bills have risen as a result of the war in Ukraine and the cutting off of the supplies of gas from Russia has

increased the cost of heating our homes. The church is not immune from this and the rising cost of other bills to keep the church functioning is a real worry for church officers trying to balance the books at the year end. The church survives solely on the income that comes from the offerings on the collection plate, the scheme of Giving Direct via our bank accounts, donations, fund raising and our precious reserves. Our largest outlay is the monthly payment to the PARISH SHARE to the Diocese, to cover the salary of the incumbent and other expenses in the financing of the diocesan policies, so the question we need to ask ourselves is this….When did you last review your weekly giving to the work of the church? Since COVID and the lockdowns we are seeing fewer people at our worship, yet the bills keep rising for a church that is in every sense a church for the community at large. The church door is open to all, at most times and Vicar Lyndon welcomes enquiries about donations, large or small, to help today’s generation to hand the building on to the future generations yet to be born. As a Church we have good reason to be thankful to the many generations who have gone before us. Through their good Christian stewardship and generous legacies they have provided for the mission and ministry of the Church over many centuries, the fruits of which we continue to enjoy today. So another question we can ask ourselves is Have I made provision in my will to help foster the work of the church after my days. Congregations in every church are commended to remember their spiritual home to help the work of mission and ministry by leaving a legacy which can make a vital difference in maintaining a church that can be used by the whole community when the needs arise. Thank you for reading this and if you are able to donate a gift, however small, it will be gratefully received.

Mothering Sunday on March 19th. There will be an opportunity to join with our Ministry Area of De Morgannwg to attend the service of Choral Evensong at the Cathedral. This is very appropriate to be at the mother church of the diocese on this day, and expressions of interest will be sought with a view to providing transport to and from our churches nearer the time. The morning services will be at the usual time and maybe there will be flowers to give Mums and others to mark the specialness of the day.

Thank you for reading the church news. We launched the CHRISTIAN AID appeal for the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, donations can still be made via our secure letter boxes at the Church Hall and Church Porch. There is always a welcome to join our services. The church door is not a barrier but a threshold to joining a warm loving community ready to greet you.

Every Blessing and Peace

Parry Edward

 

January Report

JANUARY REPORT

Welcome to this month’s report on the activities and events that have taken place in our churches during January. The first Sunday of the year just happened to be New Year’s Day, and the congregation in St. Mary’s were offered a musical treat following the service when Rob Lloyd our organist played J.S. Bach’s “New Year Chorale”. What an uplifting piece of music, composed to celebrate the arrival of a new year. To watch Rob’s hands, co-ordinating with his feet on the pedal board, was simply amazing and the resulting sounds were wonderful to hear and appreciate, resulting in a round of applause from all present.

The Feast of the Epiphany was kept to commemorate the visit of the three Magi, or Wise Men, to present their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to the infant Jesus. The crib will remain until the feast of Candlemas, which brings the Christmas season to an end for this year.

The Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday February 22nd, with a Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes at 10.00am at St. Mary’s and also at St. John the Baptist in Sully at 7.00pm. It is during this service that the congregation are marked with a cross on their forehead with the words “from dust you came and to dust you will return”. It is a reminder that we are mortal and that our lives will end at a time chosen by Almighty God. During Lent we shall be discussing the words written in the Catechism, as a reminder to us all of our preparation for Confirmation, and the promises made so many years ago. Lyndon’s sermons will echo this theme and there will be an opportunity to discuss points raised after the service, should any of the congregation wish to stay behind. Lent can be used in many ways as not only an opportunity to give something up, but also take on aspects of our faith which we may not have given much thought to since the heady days of our own confirmation by the Bishop.

An evening informal Eucharist and discussion group will be meeting in Sully on Wednesdays at 7.00pm. Look out for details in the church newsletter.

On Mothering Sunday on March 19th there will be an opportunity to join with our Ministry Area of De Morgannwg to attend the service of Choral Evensong at the Cathedral. This is very appropriate to be at the mother church of the diocese on this day. Expressions of interest will be sought with a view to providing transport to and from our churches nearer the time. The morning services will be at the usual time and maybe there will be flowers, to give Mums and others, to mark the specialness of the day.

We all know only too well how our household bills have risen as a result of the war in Ukraine and the cutting off of the supplies of gas from Russia has increased the cost of heating our homes. The church is not immune from this and the rising cost of other bills to keep the church functioning is a real worry for church officers, trying to balance the books at the year end. The church survives solely on the income that comes from the offerings on the collection plate, the scheme of Giving Direct via our bank accounts, donations, fund raising and our precious reserves. Our largest outlay is the monthly payment to the PARISH SHARE to the Diocese, to cover the salary of the incumbent and other expenses in the financing of the diocesan policies. So the question we need to ask ourselves is this….When did you last review your weekly giving to the work of the church? Since COVID and the lockdowns we are seeing fewer people at our worship, yet the bills keep rising for a church that is in every sense a church for the community at large. The church door is open to all, at most times and Vicar Lyndon welcomes enquiries about donations, large or small, to help today’s generation to hand the building on to the future generations yet to be born. As a Church we have good reason to be thankful to the many generations who have gone before us. Through their good Christian stewardship and generous legacies they have provided for the mission and ministry of the Church over many centuries, the fruits of which we continue to enjoy today. So another question we can ask ourselves is Have I made provision in my will to help foster the work of the church after my days? Congregations in every church are commended to remember their spiritual home to help the work of mission and ministry by leaving a Legacy which can make a vital difference in maintaining a church that can be used by the whole community when the needs arise.

Looking ahead, the arrangements for Holy Week and Easter will be announced in next month’s What’s On. Following that we will have the celebrations for King Charles III’s coronation. In June we hope to run the OPEN GARDENS in WENVOE scheme which was so successful a few years ago prior to COVID. This will be a good fund raiser for church funds organised by Glenys and Mike Tucker.

Thank you as usual for reading the church news. There is always a welcome to join our services. The church door is not a barrier, it is the means of joining a warm loving community ready to greet you.

With every Blessing

Parry Edwards

 

Parish News – 2022 Review

2022 REVIEW

On behalf of Vicar Lyndon and the Wardens Carol and Sandra and the congregation we wish all readers of “What’s On” a very Happy New Year.

Looking back into 2022 we knew that the year was going to be a difficult one. The advertisement for a new priest was in the press and on-line and we were trying to build up the congregation after the lockdowns in the COVID pandemic. The good news is that we survived. We welcomed Vicar Lyndon and his wife Chris into our community and we continue to spread the Good News, bringing the love of Jesus to all in the Ministry Area of De Morgannwg.

There have been a number of changes within the church. We were formed into a Ministry Area, called De Morgannwg, which brought nine churches together; how this will work is still being worked out. Bishop June has retired and the Electoral College will shortly be meeting to elect her successor. They have a new Dean at Llandaff Cathedral, our old Area Deanery of Penarth and Barry has been combined with that of the East Vale Group of churches, and we will now be in the Archdeaconry of Margam with a new Archdeacon to work alongside. So 2023 is full of possibilities for growth in fellowship and growth in each congregation getting to know each for the better. Where there is a fifth Sunday in the month, St.Mary’s, St Bleddians and St. John’s will hold a combined Eucharist service at 10.00 am and the first of these will be hosted by St. John’s in Sully on January 29th.

The Season of Advent has been well attended, with the lighting of the Advent Candles, Sunday by Sunday to mark the progression towards Christmas. The Toy Sunday brought a huge range of toys for donation to the Barry Food Bank, together with lots of Christmas Goodies alongside the gifts of more basic items requested by the Food Bank as they try to relieve the many difficulties families are facing during this winter.

The Advent Light up Your windows has been another great success for the variety of themes chosen to bring light into our streets during these dark cold nights. Congratulations to the organisers and thanks go to those who have created some amazing displays, especially the Wenvoe Primary School for their illuminated gazebo and star plus the School Choir singing in the cold frosty air. The last “window” on Christmas Eve in the churchyard was followed by a short service in a warm church with yet more carols and readings enjoyed by children, their mums and dads and grandparents alike.

Our Christmas programme of Carol Services began on Sunday afternoon the 11th December at St. Bleddian’s church which despite the cold freezing weather, was a warm friendly event, so appreciated by those who came and the mulled wine and mince pies were very welcome following the service. The Community Carol Service at St. Mary’s on

Wednesday evening 14th December in candlelight and lower levels of our LED lighting system, brought the representatives of organisations in the village together for the Nine Lessons and Carols followed by mulled wine and mince pies courtesy of the Wenvoe Community Council. A collection was taken during the service for Ty Hafan, the children’s hospice at Sully which came to £425.25, a wonderful response for a very worthy cause. The First Eucharist of Christmas was celebrated at St. Mary’s at 7.00 pm with Vicar Lyndon presiding, and was well attended in candlelight and using one of the settings on our LED lighting system.

During December there has been a renewed interest in the Ancient Yew tree in the churchyard. It really is ancient in the number of years it has been growing and leaning towards the side of the road. Whilst it is difficult to assess the age by the normal methods used to age trees, the tree is thought to be in the range of 700-800 years old and, among the many treasures we have, this is our only living treasure, and could well pre-date the building of the first stone church. The first mention we have of the tree, is of a survey carried out in 1833 when it is recorded that it was leaning towards the road but surrounded by a low stone wall. It is a healthy tree bearing its red berries year by year and well deserves the respect which countless generations over the years have given it.

Looking ahead into 2023, the main event will be the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the 6th May and St. Mary’s will play its part in the village celebrations on that Bank Holiday weekend. No plans being made at the moment, but watch this space.

The Chattery will be meeting on January 12th at 10.30 am in the Church Hall with coffee/tea, posh biscuits and a FREE raffle. A warm place to enjoy each other’s company and catch up on news for a modest £2.00. All welcome.

Looking back at our Remembrance Sunday service, the collection taken in church came to £353.57 which was donated to the work of the Royal British Legion for the relief of suffering for our armed services as a result of war injuries.

With every good wish for the year ahead from everyone at St. Mary’s

Parry Edwards

 

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