Annwyl Gyfeillion,

You are God’s chosen, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the great acts of him who called you out of darkness into his own most marvellous light. (1 Peter 2.9)

What is the Church for?  As 2024 calls us into another year of worship, activity and mission, we might ask at the most basic level just what the purpose of this diocese and all that we do is. Fundamentally, the Church – and the diocese is the local Church to which we all belong – is a response to God’s invitation. This invitation is both personal and corporate.

The personal invitation is to become part of the Church, the gathered people of God. We do this by being spiritually united in Christ – as the apostle puts it, becoming part of God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood and holy nation. Signing up doesn’t require any examinations or entry qualifications, it is merely surrendering to God’s grace: “O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee,” a conversion of the heart to put God first. Its outward sign is Baptism, the inward grace is the action of God, and the regeneration of our spiritual life by the work of the Holy Spirit. Our expression of desire, this opening of the heart to God’s grace is therefore a response to God’s outstretched arms in Christ crucified, where God takes on himself all the pain, hurt and sin of the world. He calls us out of darkness into his own most marvellous light. “Growing Faith” as one of our diocesan foci is all about learning how to answer this call ourselves, and helping others to hear the invitation as well. As Jesus said: “Come to me all you who are weary or heavy-laden, I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11.28).

The corporate invitation is to share in God’s mission in Christ. It is “As the Father sent me, so I send you.” (John 20.21), and just in case we may have forgotten: “the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound” (Isaiah 61.1, quoted by Jesus about himself in Luke 4.18)

Very simply, this is our purpose – to respond to God’s two invitations, to live into them ourselves, and to invite others to discover blessing in doing the same. Congregations are called to become living respondents, priests called to extend God’s invitation and to model an authentic reply, diocesan office team members are called to implement and support implementation of the hallmarks of mission.  We all have a part to play.

My prayer is that in 2024 this will be a joyful task for all of us. The first of our diocesan foci is to “Grow Faith”, and we need to deepen our understanding both of the God who calls and the God who equips. Let this be our particular focus for this year – encouraged and refreshed (I hope) by our Year of Jubilee, let us stir ourselves to grow our own faith and encourage the faith of others in responding to God’s invitations.

Hwyl a Helo

I am pleased to announce that Paulette Gower has accepted my invitation to take over from Roy Turner as Mission Area Leader of Pool. Roy relinquished the post at the end of last year when he moved away from the diocese. I’d like to thank Roy for his ministry, and welcome Paulette to this role.

We also welcome Jane Finn to the MAL role in Denbigh as she takes on this responsibility in an acting capacity for the time being.

Congratulations to Lynette and David Norman, who celebrated their Golden Wedding recently. We wish them both every blessing for the future.

Please continue to pray for Dorrien Davies as he prepares for his consecration as Bishop of St David’s on 27 January 2024 in Bangor Cathedral.

Diary and Events                                    

The diary below includes all those fixed dates for events that all 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. 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.

30 January         Clergy Synod, to be held online.

08 February       Mission Area Leader Training (all day, details to follow)

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.

03 March            The Licensing of Andrea de Vaal Horciu, Holywell t.b.c.

28 March          Chrism Eucharist, Cathedral, 1100hr

04 May               Festal Eucharist for St Asaph, Cathedral

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

Clergy Synod

We shall be meeting on line on 30 January. The theme for the day will be “What Anglican Priesthood means today”, and we currently have a number of speakers, including Giles Fraser and Miranda Threfall-Holmes, to give presentations to us as well as Bible Study, reflection and group discussion. As usual attendance is a professional obligation for stipendiary and non-stipendiary priests, and anyone who wishes to be absent should seek permission directly from me as Bishop.

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 only a few expressions of interest, so please consider what might be possible.

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

Please take immediate action if your Mission Area has not yet submitted numbers for the Lent 2024 Prayer Card. The focus of the prayer is on “Growing Faith” and has been written for us by Archdeacon Andy Grimwood. Michael at Esgobty looks forward to receiving one order per mission area no later than Friday 12 January please.

Order of St Asaph

It is now the time of year to invite the submission of applications for Order of St Asaph awards in 2024. The ceremony will take place during the Diocesan Festival Eucharist for St. Asaph at the Cathedral on Saturday 4 May. The Order of St. Asaph seeks to recognise and honour the outstanding contribution of lay persons at diocesan level, particularly at an appropriate point on the completion of service in a particular way or in a particular role which serves our diocesan life.

A nomination form is here which should be returned completed with as much information as possible about a candidate’s contribution to the diocese. All members of the Teulu Asaph, whether clerical or lay, are encouraged to make nominations, which can also be submitted through any diocesan council or committee. Nominations forms for consideration by the OSA advisory committee should be submitted to Esgobty by Friday 1 March.

Understandably there are those who have offered sterling service to the Church within the local church or mission area context, and there has been some representation for the remit of the Order to widened from just diocesan service. This was considered by Standing Committee recently, but the decision was made to retain the status quo for the time being. I continue to be happy to provide a suitable certificate for local presentation by a church or mission area.  Please contact Michael at Esgobty in the first instance with appropriate details for me to consider.

Plygain

Bydd croeso cynnes yn aros amdanoch i ymuno yn hwyl gwasanaeth Y Plygain yn y Gadeirlan ar nos Wener 26ain o Ionawr am 7 o’r gloch. Nad oes patrwm i’r gwasanaeth ac yn agored i unrhyw un cyfrannu trwy ganu carolau, neu ddarllen o’r Ysgrythur neu gerdd dymhorol, neu chwarae cerddoriaeth. Wedi’r gwasanaeth, bydd swper ar gael os dymunwch. Ymunwch â ni yn yr hen draddodiad Cymreig hwn sydd wedi ei drefnu trwy Grŵp Ysbrydolrwydd yr Esgobaeth.

A warm welcome awaits you to the annual Plygain service in the Cathedral on Friday evening 26 January at 1900hrs. The informal nature of the service allows contributors to sing carols, or read from the Scriptures or seasonal poetry, or provide musical entertainment in an ad hoc fashion. Supper will be available for anyone wishing to stay on once the service has concluded. Please join us in the old Welsh traditional gathering which has been organised by the Diocesan Spirituality Group.

Preparing for Lent: A One Day Retreat

Prepare for Lent with a preached retreat which is being led for us by Sister Gemma Simmonds CJ, Canon of St Asaph Cathedral. It’s being held on Saturday 10 February 2024, 10.30am to 4pm at St Beuno’s Retreat Centre, near Tremeirchion. The cost for the day for each participant is £20, and this will include coffee and tea throughout the day, although you should bring your own packed lunch. Book your place through stasaphspirituality@cinw.org.uk or by calling 01745 582245

I approach 2024 with optimism, but not careless of the challenges that we face. In particular, I am concerned for your health and well-being. We must take seriously our responsibility to look after ourselves. Feed on those things which give you passion, energy and joy; take care to vary work with re-creation. You are all very precious to our common life.