2nd March 2020
Ad Clerum – March 2020
Ad Clerum
Mawrth 2020 March
Gweddi Grawys yr Esgobaeth 2020
Dduw tyner, ein gobaith diysgog;
fel hedyn yn syrthio i’r ddaear,
fe ddioddefaist y groes,
i farw er mwyn i ninnau brofi llawnder bywyd.
Cryfhau ein hewyllysiau i ymwrthod
â phethau di-fudd sy’n dwyn ein sylw
neu’n mynd â’n hamser,
ond yn hytrach i hoelio’n sylw arnat ti,
ffynhonnell popeth da.
Ac wrth inni ymwrthod â ni’n hunain,
gwna ni’n genhadon gobaith i’r byd o’n cwmpas,
trwy nerth dy Ysbryd. Amen.
Diocesan Lent Prayer 2020
Loving God, our unshakeable hope;
like a seed falling to the ground,
you endured the cross,
dying that we might live in fullness of life.
Strengthen our wills to resist
that which easily distracts
or we thoughtlessly consume,
and instead, look to you,
the source of all that is good.
And as we deny ourselves,
make us carriers of hope for the world around us,
by the power of your Spirit. Amen.
Annwyl Gyfeillion,
As I write this, the people of Wales appear to have been spared the worst of Storm Jorge, despite having suffered the depredations of Storms Ciara and Dennis. Together with the outbreak of Coronavirus, which has now reached Swansea, life can feel very fragile all of a sudden. For those who have been affected by the floods, in our diocese and beyond, life has become fragile, as the security and safety of home has been compromised, and things close to the heart destroyed. Then there are the financial worries – insurance, repair, house value. It can be pretty devastating.
The Church must respond at times like this by being the human face of God. As Christians, we believe that God is in the affairs of the world, working for salvation and wholeness at all times. This means that he wills for healing and hope for all touched by floods or illness, and, as Theresa of Avila famously said,
“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”
In the midst of storm and shaking of confidence, this is our mission.
Hwyl a Helo
In addition to the roll of the seven candidates for the diaconate at the Petertide Ordination announced last month, I am pleased to confirm that Jim Thompson who will serve in Pool Mission Area will be joining them.
We are sorry to be losing the ministry of Geoffrey Spencer who has decided to retire as he approaches his seventieth birthday. We have enjoyed having Geoffrey amongst us for this past year or so in his House for Duty role in Denbigh Mission Area and wish him and Cathy well in their retirement. Geoffrey’s final Sunday will be on May 2nd.
It is sad to record here the death of David Francis who passed away on Saturday 15th February in his 74th year. We hold him and his wife, Dorothy, in our prayers. David’s funeral will be held at St Oswald’s Church, Oswestry, on Thursday afternoon, 12th March at 1300hrs.
We also have to record the death of Canon David Griffiths, Wrexham who passed away on Thursday 20th February. David’s funeral will be held Tuesday 3rd March at 1330hrs at All Saints’ Church, Gresford. Clergy are asked to contact Canon Tudor Hughes in advance in order to arrange sufficient seating. Clergy are invited to robe in surplice or cotta and purple stole.
Chrism Eucharist
How quickly the year comes round! I now look forward once again to being with you all in the Cathedral on Maundy Thursday, April 9th, at 11:00 for the celebration of the Eucharist for the Blessing of the Holy Oils together with our Renewal of Commitment to diaconal, priestly and episcopal service as well as the re-commitment of all the baptised to mission.
All licensed and commissioned lay ministers and all members of our congregations are very welcome in addition to all clergy, serving and retired, and to help to make it a genuinely diocesan service. Clergy are requested as usual to robe in alb or surplice with white stole in the North Transept and then take a seat in the nave by 10:50 as guided by the stewards. Readers are also welcome to robe in surplice and scarf, while other licensed lay ministers may wear their cross, and members of the Order of St Asaph their insignia.
Lunch will follow as usual, and will be served in the South Transept. It will take the normal form of a hot main course followed by pudding. Everyone is very welcome to stay for this, however we do need to have as accurate an estimate as possible to give to the caterers, as this determines the cost. Mission Area Leaders are asked to collate the numbers of those requiring food from their area and to have submitted their numbers to Esgobty no later than Friday, March 27th.
Coronavirus
You are reminded of the guidance issued by the Church in Wales, which has already been circulated. Should matters evolve, further guidance will be reissued as appropriate.
Diary
The following engagements are intended for either office holders as indicated or for the support of all clergy. Please record the following particularly in your 2020 diaries as professional commitments: the Clergy Synods, Chrism Eucharist, the Service to mark the Centenary of Disestablishment, Ordinations and the Diocesan Conference.
01 March 15:30 Licensing of Huw Bryant as Mission Area Leader of Dyffryn Clwyd (St. Garmon’s, Llanarmon yn Iâl)
12 March Mission Area Leader Training Day, Llyndir Hall, Rossett
17 March Licensing of Dorothi Evans as Associate Priest in Valle Crucis Mission Area (Esgobty)
29 March 15:00 Licensing of Heather Shotton as Assistant Curate in Offa Mission Area (St Mary’s, Ruabon)
09 April 11:00 Chrism Eucharist & lunch (Cathedral)
11 April 19:00 Easter Vigil and Confirmation (Cathedral)
26 April 15:30 Licensing of Rebecca Sparey-Taylor as a Priest in Denbigh Mission Area & Pauline Walker as Mission Area Leader (Corpus Christi, Tremeirchion)
02 May 11:00 Patronal Festival of St Asaph (Cathedral) including Admissions to Order of St Asaph and Anniversaries of Ordination.
31 May 15.30 Pentecost Confirmation (Cathedral)
07 June 15:30 Diocesan Service to Mark the Centenary of Disestablishment (Cathedral)
27 June 10:00 Ordination of Priests (Cathedral)
04 July 10:00 Ordination of Deacons (Cathedral)
Later in 2020
23 / 24 September Clergy Synods for each Archdeaconry (see note earlier)
10 October Diocesan Conference (Glyndŵr University)
19 November Mission Area Leader Training Day, Llyndir Hall, Rossett
09 December 18:30 Advent Confirmation (Cathedral)
2021
20-23 September Clergy Residential School at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire.
Easter Card
Karen Maurice, our Communications Officer, and I have been working on a project to produce a diocesan Easter Card. The idea will be to provide everyone through the website with a two sided A4 sheet which can be printed out, and folded twice to create an A6 card, which can be duplicated and distributed. The front of the card will have a “Happy Easter” theme, with a short welcome to our churches from me, a brief statement of Easter faith and a prayer inside, leaving the back of the card blank for churches to be able to add their own services. Opening out the card will reveal some information about the life and mission of our diocese. I hope that you will find it useful. Downloadable versions of the card in Welsh and English can be found at: https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/easter/
Ordination Anniversaries Eucharist
As well as the Order of St Asaph, the Patronal Eucharist in the Cathedral on May 2nd will focus our thanksgiving for those who are celebrating a significant ordination anniversary this year. So if you have a special anniversary this year, such as 20 or 25 years or the subsequent ‘0’ or ‘5’ anniversaries and would like to come with family, friends, parishioners and supporters to celebrate a significant year of ministry then please contact Esgobty so that we can include you in the worship.
Notes & Queries
Services to mark the Centenary of the Disestablishment of the Church in Wales
As well as the Diocesan service to be held in the Cathedral on June 7th at 15:30 to which all are welcome, individual churches / mission areas are invited to hold their own special service on the following Sunday, June 14th. Liturgical resources will be available soon.
Church in Wales Centenary Appeal
As we mark one hundred years of a disestablished Church in Wales in 2020, please don’t forget to give the Church in Wales Centenary Appeal serious consideration in your mission areas. Details were circulated with the December ad clerum and can also be accessed here.
Lent Prayer
A reminder to pray the diocesan Lent Prayer throughout Lent – at every opportunity, and in every service – but also to join me in saying it, whenever possible, at 6pm or as close as possible every evening.
The Real Easter Egg
2020 is the tenth anniversary of The Real Easter Egg. Out of the 80 million Easter eggs sold in this part of the world every year, The Real Easter Egg is the only one which has an Easter story book in the box, is made of Fairtrade chocolate and supports charitable projects. Please do consider supporting this important Christian initiative.
After what seems like a month of strong winds and rain, let us hope that Lent, the season of springtime for the world and in the soul, will bring better weather, and a sense of well-being in God’s creation. I am sure that you will have planned a busy Lent – may God bless you richly in all that you do on behalf of the Kingdom.
In Christ,
