November’s Events
November has been a time for remembrance in the parish, beginning with the evening service for All Souls Day on Sunday October 30th when candles were lit on the altar in church to remember loved ones in our families who have passed to their eternal rest, in recent times and past years
Then on Sunday 13th November we joined with the national remembrance services over the country, as we gathered in St. Mary’s for our traditional ecumenical service with prayers readings and hymns. This year the emphasis was on the Battle of Jutland and the Battle of the Somme. The service included the most powerful recollections from those men who were at the battles, and hearing them read out, brought home the horror and suffering our brave young men went through. These readings extended the service for longer than we would have wished and as a result the congregation, headed by the cross bearer and choir, were a little late in arriving at the village War Memorial. Thanks are extended to Dave Short of the Vale Brass Band for the music and also to the Wenvoe Community Council for providing the public address system for our use on the day. This enabled the calling of the Wenvoe Roll of Honour to be heard by the crowd of people who had gathered to pay their respects to those men of Wenvoe who answered the call to fight for what they thought was right for their families and country. The collection taken in church will be donated to the work of the Royal British Legion as part of their Poppy Appeal when they aim to raise 42 million pounds to look after survivors and their families of all the conflicts since WW1 and WW2.
On a lighter note the Chattery on Thursday 10th was well supported with stalls selling used CD’s and DVD’s, a cake stall and the usual Fairtrade selection of gifts and seasonal food items for the coming Christmas Season. This is a coffee morning with a difference where friends and parishioners can meet up in friendly and congenial surroundings. The moneys raised will be added to the church general fund to support church expenses.
The financial result from the Barn Dance has enabled us to donate £460 to the Romeo Hadley Trust fund and a further £400 has been given the Gwenfo Church in Wales school for additional equipment for the new extensions to the school.
At a recent meeting of the Parochial Church Council, the condition of the Albert and Hilda Morgan grave by the entrance to the churchyard by the Yew tree was considered. There is a trust fund to maintain this grave and we receive a small income each year. In previous years volunteers have attempted to clean the white marble stone, but with the rain and the droppings off the tree, the stone has badly deteriorated in recent years.
Mossfords, the monumental stone masons have inspected the grave and their estimate to repair and reinstate, and clean the stones to the best of their ability and has been accepted in the sum of almost £2,400.
This year Christmas cards designed by the children in our Pebbles Group, with a choice of 3 different colourful drawings of the Nativity giving the details of all the Christmas Services planned are to be distributed to every house in the parish and in St Lythan’s. The community Carol Service will be on December 14th at 7 pm. In St Mary’s followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Community Centre, provided by the Wenvoe community council. All are welcome, the collection at the service will be donated to Ty Hafan Hospice for sick children at Sully.
The Welcome Packs have been updated and continue to be given to the new homeowners on the Grange development and the St. Lythan’s Park at the old HTV site. A warm welcome is extended to these new families as they settle in to their fresh surroundings you are among friends.
Once again the Toy Service combined with the all Age Worship at St Mary’s on the 27th of November was well supported and many toys were brought to be given to the Food Bank in Barry for children whose Christmas would be much the poorer without this special gift. The Big Wrap brought many decorated shoe boxes full of goodies from both our parish and Sully for distribution within the Vale
Dates for your diary in December:- Messy Church will be at the Community Centre on Saturday 3rd between 3.30 – 5.30pm it is FREE for all the family, come and enjoy arts and crafts, celebration and eating together and is high on fun and energy
Details of all the Christmas Services will be in the Christmas Cards and on posters in the village “For unto us a child is born and his name will be Jesus”
A very happy and blessed Christmas to all readers
Parry Edwards
