Category: News

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May 2022 News Update

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At long last we can report that work on the repointing of the tower and porch is now underway. The porch has already been completed and it is certainly an improvement on the previous cement mortar. This has all been removed and conservation lime mortar used for the repointing. Work on the tower will continue during the summer months for completion in the autumn, before the frosts set in.

The new lighting scheme has been installed and was trialled on the congregation on Sunday 15th May. Reactions were varied, but generally the new lighting is far superior to the old set up and is easily managed by means of a small keyboard, with pre-set combinations for us in our normal services and the occasional ones of baptism, weddings and funerals. All the light fittings are LED which will give us long life in use and are very economical. We were able to install this scheme due to the generous bequest made to St. Mary’s by the late Mr Ron Thomas, a former resident of Walston Road and a faithful worshipper at St. Mary’s.

The sound system has been checked over and closed circuit television has been installed, with a monitor screen in the transept. The unobtrusive camera is focused on the area of the nave in front of the Rood Screen and Lectern so that when sat in the transept the priest and readers can be seen. Over the years since the transept was built in 1991, people have often felt cut off from the main service as they could not see what was taking place. Now it is hoped that the TV monitor will help them be part of the service. A facility has also been built into the system allowing us to transmit recordings of our service on Facebook. However, no decision has been taken at the present moment.

During the time all this work has been taking place, we have not forgotten the need to provide toilet facilities/catering facilities in the church, and our church architect has been in discussions with the Diocesan Advisory Committee as to what form of extension they will support. We will await their decisions and will work on the advice they have to give as we attempt to bring the church building into a worshipping space fit for use in the 21st century. The question on what we do with the church hall remains on our wish list with regard to selling the site. The present kitchen/toilet facilities need updating and dampness of the building needs work to rectify it, but we continue to use it for church activities.

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CHRISTIAN AID APPEAL

This year the appeal was launched in church on May 1st when Jude Billingham, the organiser for fund raising, gave a presentation during the morning service. This was followed on Saturday May 14th with a Coffee and Cake and Book event in the church hall. This brought a lot of people together and showed Jude and her team of helpers great support for the time they had spent preparing for this event. Appeal envelopes have been delivered to the streets in Wenvoe and Sully to raise money for this most

excellent cause to help those in Africa who are not as fortunate as we are. The results of the appeal will not be known until some time in June when all the results of the various activities taking place will be collated.

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CHURCHES UNLOCKED JUNE 18th – 26th

This is a programme organised by the diocese to open 10 churches considered to be well worth visiting for their historic and artistic features. We will open St. Mary’s on Saturday 18th and Saturday 25th June between 2.00- 4.00 pm. So a date for your diaries. You will get a great welcome and a demo of our lighting system.

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H.M. THE QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE FAMILY PICNIC –

Details of Picnic

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The appointment of our new priest has been made, but the official announcement has been delayed by reason of obtaining a visa from the Home Office. We know he is married and will be bringing his wife to live in the Rectory in Wenvoe. He is joining us from Canada and his name will be released at the appropriate time. In the meantime, we hold him and his family in our prayers. We will make them very welcome and who knows, we may even fly the Canadian flag from the flagpole on the tower.

See you at the picnic and you are welcome to our Sunday service.

Parry Edwards

 

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April 2022 News Update

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Looking back over the years, the “church news” has tried to keep all the community up to date with what has been happening in the church during the seasons of the church’s year. Why do we wish to do that, for those who go to church regularly will know what is going on, what has taken place and what is planned for the times ahead of us. That is not always the case and in the 10 years or more that it has been my privilege to report of church matters, the whole community is given the choice of reading the monthly reports or not, for as has often been said on this page, the church is the church for all the community. It is the rallying point for those of faith or no faith, when occasions arise that the wider community need a place to gather to say farewell to a friend or neighbour, or when a child is brought to be baptised or a wedding to be celebrated. St Mary’s doors have always been open for those who seek to know more about Jesus Christ.

The reason we have a church here is simply because over many generations in the past 800 years, the church has been there to take care of the poor and oppressed. Somehow these earlier members of the community kept the faith alive and growing during the most difficult of times, in our country’s history. The past ten years have been fairly typical of what has been happening in the country at large. We have seen priests come and go, our congregation is often to be said to be made of very elderly worshippers, but young families bring their children to our “Pebbles “ group. When “Messy Church” starts up again, the opportunity will be there to bring young and old together, in an attempt to support family life and “family togetherness”. The “Chattery Group” is an opportunity for those to meet up and talk about all sorts of things, for hospitality in any form is part of the tradition of the church which is offered to friend or stranger alike. We have had two years of severe restrictions due to COVID, when our church was closed for a time, and then allowed to re-open under the Welsh Government rules for gatherings, and yet thanks be to God we have weathered the crisis and we can now offer a Sunday service at 9.30 am when singing is not only allowed but is encouraged. Do feel free to join us, you will be assured of a great welcome, and if you are new to the village, do come and say hello.

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The scaffolding has now been erected around the tower in readiness for the work of repointing to begin. The condition of the stone work of the tower was never great, and previous work over the years has revealed that many of the stones have been damaged by poor choice of materials and the application of cement based mortar, rather than a lime based mortar. It is thanks to the generosity of donations from local people as well as fund aiding organisations that we have been able to raise the money to carry out the repairs.

The contractors for the new interior lighting scheme hope to be on site in May to install the new and latest LED lighting units, which will completely change the way the church will be seen. This work has been made possible by the generous gift in the will of the late Ron Thomas, of Walston Rd, who with his wife, had been a worshipper at St. Mary’s for many years. His gift will greatly enhance the experience of worship in St. Mary’s as we will be able to highlight different parts of the church during the times of service, and once we get to know the different combinations of the lighting circuits, demonstrations will be possible on open days etc.

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During May we shall be celebrating the 75th anniversary of Christian Aid with a house to house collection and other fund raising activities which Jude Billingham has written about elsewhere in “What’s On” Please give as generously as you can, in these difficult financial times when we are all facing huge increases in the cost of living, but we are in a much better situation than those who rely on organisations like C.A. where their standard of living is much poorer than ours.

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The season of Lent came to an end with a glorious celebration of the Eucharist on Easter Day, when Kevin presided. The church was beautifully decorated with Lilies given in memory of loved ones and our organist Robert excelled himself with voluntaries and other pieces of music as well as the hymns, sung with much gusto. The preaching cross in the churchyard was once again decorated by Mike and Glenys Tucker, which announces to the world that there was something great happening, that Jesus has risen from the grave and is alive in the world. The Easter Garden in the porch was assembled by Brian Jones who with Sandra, his wife, arranged the supply of flowers for the church decoration. It is little acts like this that states that here is a live and active church, by no means a museum piece, also the flag flying from the tower and the bells ringing out all proclaim that here is a live breathing building with a welcoming church family awaiting to greet you all.

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The Annual Church Vestry meeting of the Joint Church Councils of St Mary’s and St. Bleddians has also taken place and the churchwardens were elected for another year of office. The arrival of our new priest has been delayed for various reasons and the successful candidate remains under wraps until the announcement is made by Bishop June, but we are promised we will not have to wait much longer than is necessary.

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St. Mary’s church is now part of the Ministry Area of De Morgannwg, all enquiries to Fr Andrew James of Dinas Powis, Tel No. 02920512555.

 

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