Church News – February

 

 

ST. MARY’S PARISH CHURCH NEWS

Discussions have been going on during the month with our architect as to what form our proposed church extension is going to take. We have been talking about what we want the extra space used for, not only on Sunday mornings but its use during the week for church and non- church activities. The plan is that this extra space will be offered to any group in the village to meet, in surroundings that will have kitchen facilities and toilets available. Until we get these initial ideas on paper, and agreed, our architect will not be able to produce any preliminary sketches of what is possible within the means of our budget and available funds. The decision to sell the Church Hall still stands and the proceeds from the sale will be used to fund the extension and we intend seeking other grant aid, so that we have a well thought out design we can be proud of for the future development of our church and community.

We were represented at the eucharist service, to mark the retirement of Archbishop Barry at Llandaff Cathedral. Allen Oliver, attended with Jon, and reported that the cathedral was full but due to the wet weather that afternoon there was space available. We wish Archbishop Barry Morgan peace and joy in his retirement, and trust that he will settle into his new routine and home, to enjoy many years with his family.

The Annual Quiz Evening was a great success with a sell out of tickets well in advance of the evening. The quiz master was Ian Moody and his questions had many scratching their heads for answers. The evening raised the amazing amount of £748.46p and will be placed in the Church Building Fund to carry on the work needed around the church to cure the damp in the walls on the south side of the nave and porch. Our current programme of work continues at a slower pace that we would like, with the church gates having been removed for painting and repair. The large East window remains to be cleaned and new window guards fitted.

Traidcraft Plc… Helping us bring Fair Trade to our parish

Jude Billingham reports.. 2016 was a busy year for our team in Wenvoe. In addition to the usual stalls following the All Age Services and at the Chattery, we held stalls at the Scarecrow Festival, another following the Remembrance service. And at the joint Parish services. Sales to friends and families also help to boost our takings. During the year we sold goods worth £3166 and gave donations of Easter Eggs to the Foodbank in Barry and for distribution to the congregation on Easter Sunday. We also donated Advent calendars to the Foodbank in Advent.

Last year Traidcraft launched a “Let it grow” campaign to raise money for rural farmers and their families. This aimed to help farmers develop their skills in farming and business know how. This was highly successful raising over £550.000. In Wenvoe we donated £200 of our surplus and are planning to send another £150 later this year as the campaign enters its second year.

Looking ahead… a “Sale table” has been introduced to help clear some of the remaining Christmas stock, to make way for new items when the Spring catalogue is launched before Easter.

Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) falls on St David’s Day, March 1st this year. As usual there will be a series of Lent courses running in Wenvoe and Sully. The course in Wenvoe will be at the Rectory on every Monday afternoon in Lent from 2.pm to 3.30pm. Lent lunches in the Church hall begin on the 8th March, when soup and rolls and cheese etc will be served. Volunteers to make the soup have been arranged and a list is available in church to give some idea of numbers attending.

The next showing of Faith in Film” will be at the Rectory on Friday 3rd March, and again names on the list in church, to make sure there is enough popcorn available. The film is “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”. is a tale of a fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realise a sheik’s vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible.

Looking further ahead.. on the 30th April after the United service at Sully there will be a Ministry Area Trip to Brecon. The coach fare will be approx £10 with lunch available at the cathedral restaurant, if required, followed by an optional tour of the Cathedral and 3.30pm Choral Evensong before returning home.

 

Parry Edwards