{"id":15125,"date":"2025-02-07T00:44:24","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T23:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=15125"},"modified":"2025-02-07T00:44:52","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T23:44:52","slug":"memories-of-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=15125","title":{"rendered":"Memories of Christmas \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Memories of Christmas <\/strong><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Etc<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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How was your Christmas of 2024? Was it spent with family and friends gathered around the table groaning with turkey and pigs in blankets, followed by lashings of Christmas Pudding. Or is it but a pleasant memory of an event which often begins with the carols on the radio heard in mid November and the stores filled with Christmas decorations from early September. The secular world starts its annual observance of the birth of Jesus months before the 25th of December, and yet by the 26th, the carols have stopped playing, the stores hope that the shelves will be empty, and what is left are subject to heavy discounting. How different is the celebration of Christmas in church,. First we have the short season of Advent to prepare for Christmas, the lighting of the Advent candles Sunday by Sunday tells us that we need patience before we get to the big day.<\/p>\n

In the church\u2019s calendar Christmas is followed by Epiphany, with the visit of the three magi, who having followed the star which lead them to the baby Jesus, with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Having been warned in a dream that Herod the king intended to kill all first born baby boys, the Holy Family left for sanctuary in Egypt and the magi returned to their distant lands. Lyndon in his sermon showed the congregation the empty stable wherein the Saviour of the World was born but now completely empty of man and beast.<\/p>\n

In Tudor times it was the custom to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas after the big day, with much feasting and jollification. Now we celebrate long before the day and are only too anxious to put away decorations, make the left over turkey into sandwiches, curries and the like. But in church St. Mary\u2019s like all churches continue to celebrate the Birth of Jesus until the feast of Candlemas on the February 2nd. By tradition it was on this day that all the candles used in church for the coming year were blessed, hence the name, and Christmas of 2024\/25 was finally laid to rest.<\/p>\n

Looking back we had a good celebration here in Wenvoe, our carol service of Nine Lessons and Carols set the scene with the true story of Christmas. The church was well attended for the services on Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning at St. Bleddians. We thank everyone who helped with decorating the churches, those who arranged the services, chose the carols and hymns, read the lessons, and generally helped to make sure that all went without a hitch. Diolch Thankyou.<\/p>\n

Now we turn our thoughts to the year 2025, and there is much to plan for but first we have the season of Lent which begins with the ASH Wednesday ceremonies on March 5th. as itemised below..<\/p>\n

Lent 2025 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Ash Wednesday<\/strong>, 5th March 10am \u2013 St Mary the Virgin, Wenvoe<\/strong>\u2013 Holy Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes 7pm \u2013- St John the Baptist, Sully <\/strong>– Holy Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes This is the day we <\/em><\/p>\n

begin our penitential season of Lent with the remembrance that we are mortal symbolized by receiving ashes on the forehead. <\/em><\/p>\n

Lenten Weekday Eucharist <\/em><\/strong>on Wednesdays at 10am, 1st and 3rd Wednesday in Wenvoe & 2nd and 4th Wednesdays in Sully. <\/em><\/p>\n

Lenten Meditation <\/em><\/strong>An opportunity to deepen our inner life \u2013 30 minutes of silence bracketed with prayers. Please note rotating locations. Come to some or all. <\/em><\/p>\n

Mondays <\/em><\/strong>4:30-5pm at St Bleiddian\u2019s Church, St Lythans \u2013 March 10, 17, 24, 31 April 7 <\/em><\/p>\n

Tuesdays <\/em><\/strong>4:30-5pm at St Mary\u2019s Church, Wenvoe. \u2013March 11, 18, 25 ;April 1 8 <\/em><\/p>\n

Wednesdays <\/em><\/strong>4:30-5pm at St John\u2019s Church, Sully. \u2013 March 6, 13, 20, 27 April 3 (Not on 10 April) <\/em><\/p>\n

The arrangements for the celebration of Easter will be in the March edition of \u201cWhat\u2019s On\u201d. <\/em><\/p>\n

During the year our faithful congregation have supported a number of charities with donations of money collected when need arises. Among these are Ty Hafan, in Sully at Christmas Time, the Royal British Legion at Remembrance tide and during the year our main charity we support is Christian Aid. Jude Billingham is our contact with the Christian Aid and we thank her and her team of helpers with organizing the collecting buckets and the counting and verifying monies donated. The response to Christian Aid is community wide and we are very grateful for this and for the Gift Aid declarations which swell the donation by a further 25%. We are confident that the money given does reach the intended communities who are suffering from many causes often by climate change or natural disasters. <\/em><\/p>\n

See Jude\u2019s account of the Christmas 2024 appeal below. <\/em><\/p>\n

There will be much more to report in future editions of \u201cWhat\u2019s On\u201d and we thank the team for all the hard work and hours they put in to ensure that your copy is with you towards the end of the month. <\/em><\/p>\n

But for now, thank you for reading the church news. A welcome awaits you to join in our services. <\/em><\/p>\n

Every Blessing on you and your families <\/em><\/p>\n

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Parry<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Memories of Christmas \u00a0Etc How was your Christmas of 2024? Was it spent with family and friends gathered around the table groaning with turkey and pigs in blankets, followed by lashings of Christmas Pudding. Or is it but a pleasant memory of an event which often begins with the carols on the radio heard in mid November and the stores […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6cWjO-3VX","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8426,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=8426","url_meta":{"origin":15125,"position":0},"title":"Historical Choir Photo","author":"Alan Williams","date":"6th October 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"WENVOE LADIES CHOIR This photograph was taken by Suzanne Cook in the late 1980s early 1990s at St. David\u2019s Methodist Church, Barry. The choir gave a concert for church members of hymns and songs from the shows . Left to right top row. Ann Armstrong, Jean Williams, Maureen Hunt, Barbara\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Picture7.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Picture7.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Picture7.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Picture7.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6801,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=6801","url_meta":{"origin":15125,"position":1},"title":"John Sheen Talk","author":"Alan Williams","date":"10th December 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"It was a pleasure to welcome John Sheen for his third and final talk. This talk was entitled \u2018Christmas Crackers\u2019 and was divided into twelve separate items representing the twelve days of Christmas. We enjoyed a selection of poems, prose, a joke, a mini quiz and a very funny recipe\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Tuesday Group"","block_context":{"text":"Tuesday Group","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=43"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12561,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12561","url_meta":{"origin":15125,"position":2},"title":"Church Christmas Services","author":"Alan Williams","date":"5th December 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Sunday 11th December - Advent 3 3.00pm Carol Service at St Lythans Wednesday 14th December 7.00pm Community Carol Service at Wenvoe. Mince pies and mulled wine in Church Hall after the service. Saturday 24th December - Christmas Eve 5.00pm \u201cAll Ages Christmas Service\u201d at Wenvoe 7.00pm Christmas Eve Sung Eucharist\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Event Notices"","block_context":{"text":"Event Notices","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=237"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Xmas-services-12-22.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Xmas-services-12-22.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Xmas-services-12-22.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8646,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=8646","url_meta":{"origin":15125,"position":3},"title":"Jon’s Notes","author":"Alan Williams","date":"28th November 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Dear All, This year the Season of Advent commences on 29th November. A traditional theme for Advent is From Darkness into Light. I cannot remember a year when this theme has ever been so appropriate. For many months we have lived in times of lockdowns and isolation. The drawing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "St Mary's Parish Church News"","block_context":{"text":"St Mary's Parish Church News","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5220,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5220","url_meta":{"origin":15125,"position":4},"title":"MEMORIES OF CHRISTMAS PAST","author":"Alan Williams","date":"22nd December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I was brought up in a mining community where, following the 1926 strike until well into the Thirties, there was quite a lot of poverty. Perhaps you would like to know what Christmas was like when I was a little girl. People had very little money to spend on Christmas,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5222,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5222","url_meta":{"origin":15125,"position":5},"title":"MIDNIGHT MASS","author":"Alan Williams","date":"22nd December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 MIDNIGHT MASS Christmas Eve Service at St Mary\u2019s Church Wenvoe This will be my fifth Christmas as Priest in Charge at the Parish of Wenvoe. 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