Annwyl Gyfeillion,

This year, Advent is as short as it can be. Since Christmas is on a Monday, the Fourth Sunday of Advent is also Christmas Eve. This makes for a complicated pattern of services, and it can catch us out, because we all have one week less in which to send out our Christmas cards. It makes me think of the words of the Christmas carol:

For lo the days are hastening on, by prophets seen of old
When with the ever circling years shall come the time foretold
When the new heaven and earth shall own the prince of peace their King
And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.

This must be our hope in Advent, but the Advent hope is particularly poignant this year, given that the land of Jesus’ birth is the focus for such appalling violence.  Terrible things have happened by the hand of Hamas, but Israel is now creating a new generation of hate as Palestinians see their families and their homes destroyed. One important thing that we can do is to support our own beleaguered Anglican sisters and brothers, as they seek to serve all caught up in war and hatred, Christian, Muslim and Jew.

I wish urgently therefore to draw your attention to the Bishops’ Christmas Appeal, which can be found at https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/churches-urged-to-support-christmas-appeal-for-the-holy-land/

This appeal comes ultimately from our brother in Christ, Archbishop Hosam Naoum, and we should take seriously the opportunity to support our brothers and sisters in Christ closest to the epicentre of the unfolding tragedy. I heard a lovely story the other day. There is only one Roman Catholic Church in Gaza, surrounded currently by nothing but rubble. Every day, the Pope makes it his business to phone them. We cannot do this, but we can lend our support in other ways, including by contributing to the Bishops’ Christmas Appeal.

Advent and Christmas

Advent Message

Thank you for taking forward my Advent Message.  I hope that it was well received in your worship on Advent Sunday, and that your other Advent initiatives will be blessed and bear fruit.  Through the good offices of our Communications Officer and the diocesan team, I am offering you three other resources for use in this season, two of which I hope you will distribute widely, and the third of which, I hope you will encourage people to utilise.

Advent Calendar

Karen Maurice, our Communications Officer, has put together a delightful series of interviews for the Advent season.  They can be found on the diocesan website, and behind a door each day in December, a member of the Teulu Asaph can be found discussing an aspect of the meaning of Advent and Christmas for them.  As it is 4^th today, there is a little catching up to do! Please support our Comms work by visiting and recommending the site: https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/advent/advent-calendar/

Distributable Christmas Cards

Once again, we are providing a printable Christmas Card for mission areas and churches to download, with the ability to customise with local information on Christmas services which can be sent out inviting people to come to church over Christmas. The cards are available at the diocesan website: https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/advent/downloadable-christmas-card/

The printable format of the card takes up one side of A4 capable and can be folded to make one A6 card. When folded, the outside uses a picture selected from those submitted as entries for my Christmas card competition, a short proclamation of the Good News of Christmas (prepared for us by Grace Lomas), and a greeting from me, with the other side of the sheet left blank for you to duplicate your own information and greetings. Please use this resource in your Christmas outreach.

Ember Days

The Advent Ember Leaflet in Welsh and English to help us pray for ministry in the diocese on the forthcoming Ember Days, December 13^th, 15^th & 16^th.  We are fortunate indeed in St Asaph to have a lot of interest in vocations and ministry, and the widespread use of the Ember Days is an important way to support those who are discerning their ministry, and encouraging others to join them. All vocations are in God’s gift, but we can pray that God will send us good pastors and priests, and this prayer will be bear further fruit. Again, please print out this leaflet and give it a wide distribution. I am grateful to Pam Vernon and Pam Powell, who co-operate to provide this resource.

Hwyl a Helo

It was a great joy to be able to ordain Wendy Gardner to the diaconate on November 26^th at All Saints’, Newtown. Wendy has been a faithful disciple in Newtown in many different ways over the years and it is good to welcome her now to ordained ministry in the diocese and we wish her every blessing in her service among the people of Cedewain Mission Area.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Rachel Dale as the new priest in Aled Mission Area rooted in the Llandrillo yn Rhos group of Churches.  We look forward to welcoming Rachel from the Diocese of Lichfield at the end of February.  As one cleric joins Aled Mission Area, another leaves, and we congratulate Janice Brown on her forthcoming move to Aber-Morfa Mission Area where she will be rooted at St Ann’s Church in Rhyl. Janice’s licensing service will be at the end of February too, and you will find details of both services in the diary below. I am sure that you will wish to support them as they move.

We also welcome Matthew Thompson as he begins ministry as a Pastoral Chaplain in the Elwy Mission Area.

Congratulations to Ana (née Davies) and James Evans, who celebrated their Wedding Blessing last Saturday in Christ Church, Rossett. We wish the happy couple every blessing for the future.

In the Province, we saw last week the Confirmation of the election of the Venerable Dorrien Davies to be the 130^th Bishop of St Davids.  Please pray for Dorrien as he prepares for his consecration as Bishop in the Church of God on 27^th January 2024 in Bangor Cathedral.

Diary and Events                                    

The diary below includes all known dates for events that all clergy are required to attend as part of their professional commitment, together with opportunities to build up our common life by supporting significant moments for our colleagues.  I must admit some bemusement when clergy communicate to me that they didn’t know a date, or a change of location, when we work hard to ensure that this listing is as up to date and forward looking as possible.  Please ensure that these dates are in your diary, even where the exact format may be open to change.

December

6                          St Nicholas Day Confirmation, in St Asaph Parish Church, 1900hr including the licensing of Matthew Thompson as LLM Pastoral Chaplain for St Kentigern’s Hospice.

13, 15 & 16        Advent Ember Days

Dates for 2024

30 January         Clergy Synod, to be held online.

08 February       Mission Area Leader Training

19 February       The Licensing of Janice Brown, St Ann’s Church, Rhyl, 1900hr

25 February       The Licensing of Rachel Dale, St George’s Church, Rhos-on-Sea, 1500hr.

28 March          Chrism Eucharist, Cathedral, 1100hr

25 May               Licensed Lay Ministry AGM with Licensing of Lay Ministers, Cathedral, 1200hrs (at which all LLMs are expected to attend)

29 June             Petertide Ordination (Deacons and Priests), Cathedral, 1000hr

19 September   Clergy Synod for all serving clergy, in person, location to be decided.

12 October       Diocesan Conference

13 November    Mission Area Leader Training

Other Notes and Queries

Apprenticeships

At Synod, you were given important information about this new opportunity to work with St Padarn’s, the diocese and Welsh Government to sponsor a young person to obtain a year’s work experience and Christian ministry qualification, which will run in the first instance between September 2024 and August 2025.  Further copies of this material can be obtained from Pam Powell as Director of Ministry.  As a scoping exercise, we need to find out how many apprenticeships we could sponsor next year, and so it is important that all those interested return the “Expression of Interest” forms that we distributed as soon as possible.  So far, there have been no expressions of interest, so please consider what might be possible.

Dementia Prayers

Sally Harper and the Diocesan Spirituality Group have put together a delightful booklet of simple prayers which can be used by those with dementia, or by those ministering to them.  Copies of the booklet are available from stasaphspirituality@cinw.org.uk

Energy Footprint Tool

Access to the EFT will stop at the end of December.  This tool on the website has been underused as we seek to reach the Church in Wales Carbon Neutral Target.  You will need some data from the 2022 energy bills to complete the application.  Passwords for churches were sent to the clergy earlier in the year.  Ryan Marsh and Ceri Jones at the Diocesan Offices can be contacted to supply this information once again if you have misplaced the email.  In future, entering the data will be required just once a year.

Faculties

It has become apparent that there is a misconception about what is termed ‘like for like’ work to churches and churchyards.  Almost all work to the fabric of a building requires permission although not all work requires a full faculty.  Please make sure permissions are applied for via the Online Faculty System (OFS). Any church officer as well as the priest-in-charge can register for the online faculty scheme. The Diocesan Churches Inspector, Ryan Marsh can also be consulted about how to approach a new project.  Ceri Jones administers the faculty system in the dioceses and can be contacted about registration, and to advise on what type of faculty may be needed and what documentation will be required.

Please do not assume that ‘like for like’ work does not need a Faculty.  Carrying out work using the wrong method or materials can result in the need for it to be re-done professionally and with the correct materials and can sometimes cause more damage than good.  Please use the classification document which is available, before proceeding to carry out any work and make sure that the correct permission is in place.

Lent Prayer Cards

Orders are now invited from each mission area for the Lent 2024 Prayer Card. Michael at Esgobty (michaelbalkwill@cinw.org.uk) looks forward to receiving one order per mission area no later than Friday, January 12^th please.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

Our diocesan Mothers’ Union has joined with the worldwide MU movement and 6000 other organisations in 185 countries in focusing on gender-based violence with The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.  These began on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and continues through until International Human Rights Day on 10 December.  Gender based violence is one of the most widespread violations of human rights and it can affect anyone at any time and it takes many forms. It can be part of a damaging cultural norm or hidden behind closed doors; it can be very difficult to ask for help. I do encourage all churches to keep this important issue in mind and even nowto find ways to support the 16 Days whether or not they have a MU branch locally.  Further information and resources can be found here:  Domestic Abuse Campaigning Resources | Mothers’ Union (mothersunion.org)

Esgobty Christmas Closure

My office at Esgobty will be closing at midday on Wednesday, December 20^th and will reopen on January 2^nd next year.  During the Christmas closure, any matters of emergency should be directed to Archdeacon Andy (Christmas week) Archdeacon Barry (New Year week) who will be available to deal with any issues during this time.

I wish you a happy and blessed Advent, and pray that your ministry to proclaim to your communities the good news of Jesus in this holy season will bear fruit – and that, in due course, you will have a joyful and blessed Christmas with your nearest and dearest.  God bless you,