Category: News
Church News – January
ST. MARY’S PARISH CHURCH NEWS
Christmas has come and gone and the New Year is already three weeks old as I write this, looking back at the Christmas Services, we had almost record numbers attending the Community Carol Service, The Waiting for Jesus service, and the Midnight Communion Service saw the highest number of communicants for many years. It is thought that the Christmas Card, designed by the children in our “Pebbles” group, and delivered to all homes in the parish, brought the Christmas services to all in a way that we have not done for a number of years. Reaching out into the community is one of the prime reasons why we are here to spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus, born at Christmas to be the Light of the World and the Saviour of Mankind.
In the midst of all the celebrations this year, two families lost their loved ones and the funerals of Joan Bosley and Vera Tipples were very well attended, showing the respect and love that these two ladies were held in by their families and neighbours.
We were able to donate to various charities from the collections taken at recent services. The Remembrance Day service raised £208 for the Royal British Legion Poppy appeal. The collection for Ty Hafan was increased to £400 for the childrens hospice at Sully. An additional amount, again for Ty Hafan was taken using a sealed collection tin, amount unknown.
As you will recall, Archbishop Barry has retired during the month and we were able to send a donation of £100 towards his retirement fund. The Right Reverend Barry Morgan has
been the longest serving Bishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion and has been here in Llandaff since 1999, having been translated from Bangor where he had been their Bishop for 7 years. He has been at the helm of the Church in Wales for the last 14 years, and has arguably been Wales’ most outspoken cleric, never afraid to champion causes from Welsh devolution to the ordination of women bishops. We wish him a long and happy retirement, though sadly without his wife Hilary who died last year.
So there is now a vacancy in the Diocese. .technically, any priest of the Anglican communion who is more than 30 years old can be elected Bishop. Both men and women can be elected, and the process begins with a secret ballot under the control of the Electoral College . 47 members of the church from all over Wales will gather at Llandaff to make their decision and will be literally locked in while the world is locked out. Later the commission will meet again to elect a new Archbishop from among the other diocesan bishops, Until this decision is arrived at the present senior bishop, who the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon has the responsibility of looking after day to day running of the Church in Wales.
The current programme of work in the churchyard is coming to an end with the drainage around the transept and vestry completed and the trenches filled with aggregate to make French drains to take the water off the roofs into another soak away. The church porch is completed with work to the paving slabs and the curved ceiling repaired and repainted. Shortly the cleaning of the stained glass of the East Window will be carried out before new stainless steel window guards are to be fitted. The church gates have been removed to receive the top coat of paint, and the Kissing Gate between the church and the Old Rectory will also be refurbished. Mike, our contractor, has been a most efficient worker, meticulous in his care, and with due respect for the surroundings. We have been very fortunate in having him, and hope he will be the choice for the work we have planned for 2017.
There are in church, leaflets from a Christian Charity called TWAM CYMRU, based in Penarth who collect tools and other items, which are refurbished and sent abroad to equip craftsmen and women to earn a living in the developing world. If you wish to get rid of any tools, of any kind, contact Andrew on 029 2007 05614.
TRAIDCRAFT during the year was well supported with stalls at the various events and coffee mornings. The FOODBANK regular collections have continued, plus the special collections for Christmas goodies and there was an impressive selection of toys and gifts for the Big Wrap. Once again we thank Jude Billingham and her team of helpers for the hard work they put into organising not only the work they do for the Food Bank but also for the time and effort they put into the Christian Aid appeal every year.
During the year, at the many social events held in the church hall and elsewhere, a thank you is due to the Social Committee for all the preparation made for the serving of tea and coffee after services and the “Chattery”. They have arranged that the Lenten lunches will begin on March 8th in the Church Hall and volunteers are asked for to make the soup etc. The
Annual Fun Quiz is booked for February 4th at 7.30pm in the Community Centre, Tickets are £6 available from Carol and Sandra. Once again we thank Ian Moody for not only devising the quiz, but also acting as Quizmaster on the night
The Parish Magazine has a new name… it is called CONNECTIONS and is available for collection in church, priced 50p a copy. This month’s front cover is a lovely photograph of Snow Drops, a sure sign that Spring is on the way, and that in church, the season of Lent, followed by Easter is on the horizon, more next month on Lent services. In the meantime please submit any writings or articles or any newsworthy items for the magazine to me for inclusion as part of the Wenvoe contribution.
Parry Edwards
January Letters to the Editor
(The Editors are not responsible for opinions expressed, although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information. The editors reserve the right to protect the anonymity of anyone who wishes to contribute articles or letters for the magazine provided they are aware of the identity of any such person. )
We would like to say thank you to everyone who complimented us on our outdoor Christmas lights, and might I say there are others who put on a good display also. One of our friends asked Has the airport rung us yet! with a smile on his face. We find it a pleasure to light up the village and make Christmas an enjoyable and magical time for the children and the big children of course. we look forward to next Christmas's display which hopefully something a little bit more added.
Thank you
Bernard and Carol Grange Ave.
I would like to express my thanks to all those kind friends and neighbours who have sent me and my family sympathy cards on the death of my wife, Vera. Many contained heart warming messages, thank you all. Vera will be much missed.
Cliff Tipples
December Letters to the Editor
2016 Christmas Fair
I would like, through your page, to thank everyone who attended the Christmas Craft Fair on 27 th November in the Village Hall which was organised by Maria (Style A'Head hair salon owner) and myself. We had an amazing response, both from visitors and crafters and were so glad that it was such a success and so well attended by the village and beyond.
I would like to extend my enormous gratitude to my husband, family and friends for all of their help in setting up and helping the day go smoothly. There really would not have been a fair without them. Special thanks also go to Paul, Sue and Paige who served the refreshments so efficiently and enthusiastically. Thanks go too to the members of the Village Hall Committee who decorated the hall so beautifully which made it look really festive when all 30 tables were in place and groaning with crafts.
There will be two more Wenvoe Craft fairs in the village in 2017 organised by myself and my husband Mike – the first will be in May and the second will be another Christmas fair in Late November. Watch out for more information in the What's On in 2017.
Glenys Tucker,
Grange Avenue
2016 Round Up
ST. MARY’S PARISH CHURCH NEWS
A Happy New Year to all our readers… a Blwythin Newedd Dda..
The season of Advent in the church has been marked with the traditional lighting of the Advent candles each Sunday. The first Sunday marked the Patriarchs thinking of Abraham the father of the Nation of Israel. Then on the second Sunday we remembered the Prophets of old, hearing of Isaiah in the Old Testament, on the third Sunday we heard of John Baptist the last of the prophets as he prepared the way for the coming Messiah. On the fourth Sunday our prayer was for Mary and Joseph when the candle for Love was lit and finally on Christmas Eve the white central candle will be lit for the Birth of the long awaited Saviour, Jesus the Light of the Light. Advent is a special time of waiting and preparation for the greatest event in the Christian Calendar. The hymns we sing reflect the solemn nature of our worship and week by week we gradually relax as we draw nearer to Christmas day itself, for on the Sunday before Christmas our ”Pebbles” children performed their Nativity play at the 9.30 am service. This always brings the Mums and Dads, the Aunties and Uncles and even the Grandparents to see their little ones make their debut on the stage, and all are always welcome, with coffee and tea in Church Hall after the service. Well done to our “Pebbles” leaders and helpers in coaching the “Pebblettes” in their speaking roles, now greatly helped with our new sound system so we can hear them clearly in all parts of the church.
The Community Carol Service on Wednesday evening the 14th December, brought the different organisations in the village together, with Readings and Hymns based on the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. The collection taken during the service was donated to the work of Ty Hafan, the children hospice at Sully. The evening was rounded off with mince pies and mulled wine in the Community Centre, kindly provided by the Wenvoe Community Council. Mention must be made of the superb decorated Christmas tree outside the community Centre, larger than last year, a mobile crane was needed to erect it in place. Well done, Diolch am fawr.
A session of “Messy Church” with the theme of The Nativity, was held in the Community centre on Saturday afternoon the 3rd of December. The activities included making things that told the story of how Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem long ago including a large collage of last year’s Christmas cards for display in the church. This is a combined act of worship and time based around arts, crafts, celebration and eating together, arranged with St Mary’s and The Vale Church, and is well appreciated with the families who attend with their children. Look out for the dates of the next sessions in 2017.
This year we have given a Christmas Card to every house in the parish, the cover designed by children from “Pebbles” giving all the times of the Services over Christmas, and of course extending a warm welcome to all at this special time of the year. To the homes with young children, it is a time of excitement and expectation, to the older generation it is a time of reflection of events in the past, but to all it is the ending of one year and the wondering of what 2017 will bring into our lives.
The work in the Churchyard continues, at a slower pace than we would have liked, but if a job is worth doing is must be well done, and Mike our contractor is very methodical and careful in his work. The drainage to take away the rainwater from the roofs has been a particular problem for him. With old drainage pipes being uncovered, not knowing where they drain to, realising that we have a stream running into the trench around the Transept which means another “soak away” has to be dug. Work in any churchyard raises all kinds of problems and situations which cannot be foreseen at the time until you put a spade into the ground, however the day will come when the work will be finished on the North side of the church, before we commence on the South side of the nave
The church finances can cover the costs of the current work and the St. Mary’s 200 Club has given the Building Fund the proceeds of the year, after the prize money has been allocated. A surplus of £1,750 has been deposited which is a wonderful result, and thanks go to all who are shareholders in the 200 Club and of course there is room for many more. Contact Dickon Oliver for an application form and continue to help us keep the church building fit for future generations. (see page 5).
The other work going on the churchyard is the repair of the “Morgan” grave by the churchyard gate. Messrs Mossfords have removed the white marble stonework to their workshops and have relaid the foundations in readiness for the headstone/white cross to be sited. The cost for this is taken from the trust fund set up by the family some years ago to maintain the grave, and will not need any additional work for some years to come.
Looking back over the year, 2016 has been a very busy year in the life of the church, and 2017 will be full of opportunities to spread the Gospel out into the parish. Work on the preparations and ideas for our extension on the North side will be formulated and examined by many statuary organisations, and it is a project worth doing for the future of the church in Wenvoe. Some time in the year the St Mary’s Building Fund will be relaunched to raise our contribution to the work, and grants will be applied for from Charitable bodies who have funds for this purpose.
Just a reminder… Jon our Priest in Charge, known to many as Vicar Jon, is always available twice a month in St. Mary’s Church on Monday afternoons, as part of the “Open Door” scheme, running in Wenvoe and Sully. He is available for any discussion or problem or suggestion you have, and wish to chat with him. No appointment needed, just turn up.
Once again A Happy and Prosperous New Year to all readers of “What’s On” in Wenvoe from the congregations at St Mary’s and St Lythan’s.
Parry Edwards
More Musings of A Political Teenager
PLAY HARD, WORK HARD
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Being a teenager is hard
I’m only a few years into my teenage life and already, I can see it’s becoming, increasingly, a tougher challenge to face as the days pass by. It’s hard enough being a teenager, puberty knocking down your door and having certain restrictions; throwing in some exams makes life that much worse – and that much harder.
Teenagers have the hard job of revising, and trying to keep social. Universities these days decide that we need to have the right qualifications, by staying indoors with no human interaction to study, and spending every waking minute on studies; whilst we must also make sure that we have things to put on our resumee, like extra-curricular activities we shouldn’t have enough time for. Telling me to ‘take some time off every now again’ is easier said than done, because according to everyone else, and educational boards, I ought to be a robot. But that’s not what they want either. Still with me?
The expectations put upon us make the heavy load harder to bear. You’re set a target each term – if you have a bad target, you’re expected to be able to get better; if you have a more-than-achievable target, ‘the teacher thinks you can achieve it’ and so you must. But there’s never the question of do you think you can achieve it? It’s always a given, and so help you if you fall short.
Being a teenager (and a young one like myself), has its restrictions. Work experience? You must be at least 18, don’t you know the rules?! It’s infuriating. There’s the aspect of politics too. You are unable to vote at 16, but can legally have a child. What is the difference between deciding our political future – it is our, isn’t it? – and caring for a child? I would presume the latter is harder. You’re legally unable to earn minimum wage at a job until age 16, and unfortunately, there’s still the unlikely chance that you might not have time to have a job at 16.
The ‘grunt’ is one my mother in particular likes to overplay. It’s the mimicking that parents do when they shout at you and you, annoyed, shout back ‘OKAY!’ and they continue to use it as a soundtrack to your life, and mentions the ‘teenage phase’ to possibly anyone they see. Nope. I am not someone who continuously has their headphones in (actually, I do that. I like my music.). I’m a teenager. Who’s continuously tired of working so hard from such a young age for exams and work that I could be doing when I’m older and more capable.
Being a teenager is hard. . . . . . .
Christmas Draw
Christmas Draw Results
The Village Hall Management Committee would like to thank everyone who kindly donated prizes to this raffle and also to the people who support us by buying and selling of the tickets. All money raised through the raffle contributes to the on-going insurance, maintenance and daily running costs of the Hall which is primarily for the use of the villagers.
We thank you all and wish you Good Health and a Happy and Prosperous New Year
If you have not provided an address or telephone number to claim your prize please ring Gail Adams on 07968 865550 to arrange collection
December Winners
Fun Quiz
Our New Ward Officer
I am the new ward officer, I have been a PCSO with SWP for the past 4.5yrs working in Barry but have now moved across to the Vale.
I have recently returned from maternity leave after having a gorgeous little boy and now work part-time.Due to this I work alongside my colleague Sarah Johnson who covers when I am not on duty. We look forward to working together as both are new to the Vale Neighbourhood Police Team.
Community engagement plays a big part of our role and something I enjoy very much, I am a people person at heart.
I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and a fantastic new year, I look to start 2017 by booking my diary up very quickly so if you have any events or groups you would like myself to attend please drop me an email.
Samantha.Jones2@south-wales.pnn.police.uk
If you see me passing please stop and say Hi!
PCSO 55439 Sam JONES
Llantwit Major Police Station
