AD CLERUM - April 2024
8fed o Ebrill 2024 April 8th
ANNWYL GYFEILLION,
I have received a few Easter cards this year, and receiving cards is always a pleasure, despite the fact that I don’t personally invest in the sending of cards on a large scale outside of Christmas. What has intrigued me, however, is the fact that almost all of them have been sent using a Christmas stamp. It may be that people are just using up their Christmas stock and don’t write many letters these days– at £1.35 per letter for first class delivery from this month that is quite understandable. However, it seems to me that there is a serendipity in using a Christmas stamp. It was issued to celebrate the Incarnation, and now it is being used to send a card intended to celebrate the Resurrection.
We blithely talk about the mysteries of our faith, but we can speak of them so easily as isolated events, when in truth they are all one event – God coming amongst us, in order to seek out and save the lost. As Caroline Noel wrote in the hymn “At the name of Jesus”, Christ was “humbled for a season”, was faithful to his name (Yeshua, God saves) and “bore it up triumphant … to the central height”. Many of us will know the Anastasis icon, which shows Christ literally snatching Adam and Eve from their graves to raise them to eternal life (My own iconograph which I’ve included herewith is taken from one of the most famous of these depictions in Christ Church, Chora, in Constantinople/Istanbul.). It is this Jesus, the good shepherd, coming to seek out the lost, and bringing us safely home (Luke 15.3-6) who is at the heart of God’s own revelation of his nature and will for us all. It is the good news of Christmas, and the good news of Easter, united in one proclamation. The God who seeks us out is distinctive among the world’s religions, and that is a message for us to renew in our hearts and in our ministries as we move beyond Easter to the rest of the year. It is always God who makes the first move, and we are only called to open our hearts and our wills to his grace already at work in the world.
Patronal Festival of St Asaph
I do hope that as many as possible will join us for a special celebration of the Holy Eucharist to celebrate our diocesan patron Asaph on Saturday, May 4th, at 1100hr in the Cathedral. We will be joined by Bishop Barry Morgan, former Archbishop of Wales, as our guest preacher. I encourage the Teulu Asaph to come together for this service of thanksgiving for the inheritance of faith we have received and to pray for our ongoing service and mission in Asaph’s name.
During the Eucharist we will be celebrating various aspects of our common life together. In particular, I would like to invite those who are celebrating a significant ordination anniversary during 2024 to join me for this special celebratory Eucharist– anniversaries such as 25 years and the subsequent ‘0’ or ‘5’ anniversaries thereafter. If you have a special anniversary this year that you would like to celebrate then please contact Esgobty as soon as possible and no later than April 19th. I will be celebrating fifteen years since my consecration as a bishop, and forty years since my ordination as a priest. It will be good to have as many as possible to join me.
Archdeacon of Montgomery and Diocesan Boundaries
As you all know, Archdeacon Barry will retire in August this year. It is now time to plan for his successor, and later this month we shall be advertising for his replacement in the Church Times. I am hoping for a good field of able candidates, and if you feel called to this ministry, or if you know someone whom you believe would be an asset to this diocese to enhance our common life and ministry, then please be active in considering the advertisement, and making a response. The advertisement will be in the Church Times on 12th and 19th April, and on the diocesan and Provincial websites.
As part of preparing for the new archdeacon, the Standing Committee have approved a change in the Mission Areas for which each of the archdeacons will be responsible. At the moment, there is inevitably a large discrepancy between the number of clergy for whom each archdeacon offers oversight, and the Standing Committee has given its support to change in responsibilities.
When the new Archdeacon of Montgomery takes up their post, they will take responsibility for Maelor and Offa Mission Areas in addition to Caereinion, Cedewain, Pool, Tanat Vyrnwy, and Valle Crucis. The Archdeacon of Wrexham will assume responsibility for Estuary and Mountain Mission Area in addition to the existing Mission Areas without Maelor and Offa, although Borderlands Mission Area will be evolving into two mission areas, Deeside and Rhos a Mynydd this month. The Archdeacon of St Asaph will continue with his existing mission areas without Estuary and Mountain. The old territorial archdeaconries have little rationale these days except as facilitating the archdeacon’s ministry, and I hope that these changes will enable each archdeacon to shoulder as equitable a level of responsibility as possible.
Hwyl a Helo
Many of you will be aware that our Honorary Canon, the Very Revd Richard Peers has indicated his decision to retire and withdraw from ministry as Dean of Llandaff. Richard remains an Honorary Canon of this diocese, and we hope to continue to see him from time to time, even as we wish him and Jim well in their retirement in France. On Sunday it was announced that the Revd Canon Dr Jason Bray has been selected by the Bishop of Llandaff as the new Dean of Llandaff. We congratulate Jason on this move, and I am sure that he will be excellent in this new role. Jason hopes to begin his new ministry in July, and we wish him and Laura well.
I am pleased to announce that Sarah Hildreth-Osborn will be changing responsibilities in Aberconwy Mission Area, and moving from Llanrwst to Llandudno Junction and Deganwy. We wish her and Diane every blessing as they take on this new ministry.
I am also pleased to announce that Debbie Sawyer, a Reader of this diocese, is assuming responsibility as our diocesan USPG representative. Debbie has a deep sense of vocation to serve global witness and ministry, and this role will be an ideal way in which both to serve the wider church and the Teulu Asaph.
I am delighted to confirm that I will, with God’s consent, ordain two new Deacons in the Church of God at the ordination in June. Stuart Dean will be stipendiary Assistant Curate in the Mold Mission Area, and Beci Kelly will be NSM deacon in the Denbigh Mission Area. Please hold these candidates in your prayers, together with our priest candidates, Emma Dale, Ana Davies, Wendy Gardner, Kathryn Hall, Hugh Richardson, and Cass Meurig Thomas. May God richly bless them in their ministries, as we thank God for the number of continuing vocations he has given us in our common life.
You may remember that a little while ago, we were pleased to announce the engagement of Grace Lomas to Ben Jones. Grace and Ben will be getting married in the Cathedral on Saturday 31st August, and they wish to celebrate their nuptials with the Teulu Asaph. Grace writes as follows:
“We’d love to extend an invitation to the Teulu Asaph to join us in celebrating our marriage on 31st August 2024. All are welcome to the wedding service which will be held at 1pm in St Asaph Cathedral. Drinks to follow. Please do come along and raise a glass with us on our special day!”
Sadly, marriage brings new responsibilities, and Grace will be moving to Swansea and Brecon Diocese to continue her ministry, alongside her husband, shortly thereafter. We are sorry to lose her but give the gift of her ministry to the wider Church in Wales – just as we are doing with Jason! I am proud that we have been able to nurture such talents in ministries here amongst our diocesan family.
I am sorry to record the death of Noël Carter’s wife, Wendy, and of John Searl’s mother, Margaret. Our hearts and prayers go out to Noël and John, and we pray that God may be a source of solace and strength for them both at difficult times.
Diary and Events
The diary below includes all those fixed dates for events that clergy are required to attend as part of their professional commitment, together with those opportunities to build up our common life by supporting significant moments for our colleagues. Please ensure that these dates are in your diary, even where the exact format may be open to change. Where a clash comes to your attention, please raise it with Esgobty at the earliest opportunity.
Please note the new dates for the Diocesan Conference. I am sorry that these have had to change, and it may mean that we’ve created unavoidable clashes in your diaries. Please let Siân know if this is the case.
Please also note the dates of Confirmations in the diary. All candidates are welcome at any of the Confirmations, and this sacramental rite is an important occasion to welcome those who are becoming active in their discipleship. In many ways I believe that the number coming to Confirmation are the real and best indicator of growing the life of the Church.
April
14 April Confirmation, Christchurch, Prestatyn, 1000hr
In future
04 May Festal Eucharist for St Asaph, Cathedral, with admissions to the Order of St Asaph, and celebration of ordination anniversaries 1100hr
19 May Pentecost Confirmation at the Cathedral, 1530hr.
25 May Licensed Lay Ministry AGM with Licensing of Lay Ministers, Cathedral, 1200hrs
(All LLMs are expected to attend and renew their licences)
25 June The Hellins Lecture, Cathedral, 19.15hr (see below)
29 June The Petertide Ordination (Deacons and Priests), Cathedral, 1000hr
19 September Clergy Synod for all serving clergy, in person, location to be decided
17 October Diocesan Conference online session, time to be decided
19 October Diocesan Conference, in person, venue and time to be decided
13 November Mission Area Leader Training
The Hellins Lecture
We are delighted to welcome Archbishop Ian Ernest, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Personal Representative to the Holy See and Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome as our Hellins Lecturer for 2024. Archbishop Ian welcomes pilgrims and Anglicans from all over the world to Rome, and the Centre runs many courses, and other opportunities to become acquainted with the Eternal City. The archbishop will lecture on the work of the Centre, and his work as Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Holy See, and we will be using the opportunity to launch a Welsh branch of the Friends of the Anglican Centre.
The 2024 Hellins Lecture will take place on Tuesday, 25 June in the Cathedral at 1915hr. Before the Lecture there will be a celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the Cathedral at 1800hr for those who would like to attend, and the Lecture itself will be preceded by light refreshments served in the South Transept from 18.45hr. Please make every effort to join us by securing the date in your diaries now. The evening will also be an opportunity for the Church in Wales to affirm formally its support for the work of the Anglican Centre in Rome, and it would be excellent to see a good crowd.
Notes and Queries
Beunydd gyda Duw : Daily with God
I am delighted to be able to draw your attention to what I believe is a very helpful and convenient new publication from the Church in Wales – a daily prayer manual called Beunydd gyda Duw : Daily with God. Fully bilingual, this small volume provides an introduction to daily prayer, and includes short forms of morning, evening and night prayer, together with many prayers central to the Christian tradition. It includes some of the pastoral services recently authorized by the Bench of Bishops, and is intended to assist all Christian disciples in their endeavour to establish a pattern of daily prayer. It will also slip into a bag or case and can be used to travel. At £12.99 it can make a great present for young Christians, confirmation candidates and marrying couples. It can be ordered at https://www.ylolfa.com/products/9781800995703/beunydd-gyda-duw-llawlyfr-gweddi-ddyddiol-daily-with-god-a-daily-prayer-manual
Diocesan Offering 2024 and 2025
We look forward to presenting our Diocesan Offering to Blood Bikes Wales at the Diocesan Conference later this year and details of how to send your donations to the right place have already gone out to clergy, MALs, MA administrators, MA treasurers and secretaries. May I urge you to now consider nominations for the 2025 Offering and to get your suggestions in before the closing date of 15th April. Forms and further information are available on the diocesan website at Diocesan Offering – Diocese St. Asaph (dioceseofstsasph.org.uk)
Governing Body Elections
The closing date for nominations for membership of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales is 31 May 2024. All forms etc are on the website here Diocesan Elections – Diocese St. Asaph (dioceseofstsasph.org.uk) . If you would like to consider serving the Church in Wales and this diocese in this way, then please consult our website. Elections are for a three-year term, and there are two forty-eight hour meetings a year in April and September. All expenses are paid.
One Body One Faith: All Wales Memorial Service
Many of you will recall the powerful sessions we had with One Body One Faith as part of the September 2021 Clergy Synod, which helped us to look at being a more inclusive church, and how to accommodate different understandings of teaching on human sexuality, while being a welcoming and safe Church. It’s good to be working with One Body: One Faith again as arrangements are made to host a national memorial service for the loss of, or harm towards LGBT+ lives, following rejection and harm that may have been caused by Church communities. This service will be held at Llandaff Cathedral on Sunday 26th May at 1730hrs. Bishop Mary and myself will be leading the service and it would be great to see representation from this diocese at that service if any of you can attend.
More information here: https://onebodyonefaith.org.uk/news/memorial-cardiff/.
Permission to Officiate
It is crucial that retired clerics recognize the fact that when they withdraw from public ministry, and surrender Permission to Officiate, this means that they are not eligible for “one-off” Permissions to Officiate on an occasional basis. Clergy without PTO are still welcome to assist another licensed cleric at occasional offices and elsewhere but otherwise require a permanent triennial Permission to Officiate, with the attending DBS checks and Safeguarding Training. Where PTO is not held, permission cannot be given to requests to preside or officiate at single services, no matter how close the connection, as the necessary safeguarding checks will have lapsed.
Safeguarding Sunday
Safeguarding Sunday this year takes place on Sunday 17th November. This is an opportunity to raise safeguarding awareness within our churches, demonstrating our commitment to being a Safe Church, fostering an environment where everyone can worship and participate in the life of the church in safety. The Christian safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight coordinates this campaign, and provides digital church resource packs that can provide you with everything you need to plan and run your service. These are available when you register with them at https://thirtyoneeight.org/get-involved/safeguarding-sunday/
The Church in Wales is committed to provide a safe, happy, and supportive environment of mission and ministry in which all God’s people can grow and develop in their Christian commitment.
Find out more about our policy and training: https://www.churchinwales.org.uk/en/clergy-and-members/safeguarding/
I was moved to be able to share with virtually all of you in our Chrism Eucharist on Maundy Thursday, and I hope that your own Easter celebrations went well. As we welcome the Risen Christ afresh into our lives, may God bless you with renewed vigour and passion in your ministry.
