Annwyl Gyfeillion

Yesterday I took part in an Epiphany Service of Encouragement organised by Canon Quentin Bellamy in Aberconwy Mission Area. It was explicitly planned to lift our spirits and to celebrate the fact that we are called to be God’s people, and to shine forth in the world as his chosen ones.

Our world is in a difficult place, although not perhaps as bad as at other times, but problems abound both at home and abroad. Christians, however, must say that the long battle against darkness has been decisively defeated in the light of the birth of Bethlehem, and that this should be a cause of good cheer. Immanuel, the name given by the angel to Jesus, means “God is with us” – I like to paraphrase it as “God is on our side!”

One of the favourite photos in my album is from one of my son’s childhood. He was taking part in the school’s sports day, and my wife caught a photo of us just when my son was expressing his shyness and unwillingness to run in the race before him. He is cuddling up to me, looking slightly worried, and I am encouraging him to go forth and to run carefree and energetically – winning did not matter, the freedom of running would be a prize in itself.

We have cause to run joyfully through life. It will be bumpy, and it can be very hard – but the Father shouts for us from the sidelines, and the Son runs with us in the difficult parts of the course, while the Spirit urges us onwards towards the finish line.

As we all know, Epiphany means revelation, and you and I are called to reveal our faith to the world by grasping the joy that God in our lives means for us, and allow him to pour into our hearts through times of stillness, prayer and sacrament.

May God grant you a little revelation of his gifts of peace and joy as we celebrate the Epiphany season.

Hwyl a Helo

Ordinations to the Diaconate

God willing, these are the candidates I intend to ordain to the sacred diaconate in the cathedral on Sunday 28 June, at 1500hr this year:

• Rob Dawson (to serve in the Offa Mission Area)
• Cheryl Hesketh (to serve in the Aled Mission Area)
• Elin Douglas-Jones (to serve in the Elwy Mission Area)
• Vicki Stait (to serve in the Wrexham Mission Area)
• Paul Tipney-Hicks (to serve in the Aber-Morfa Mission Area)
• Reuben Zwiggelaar (to serve in the Aber-Morfa Mission Area)

Ordinations to the Priesthood

God willing, I intend to ordain these deacons to the sacred ministry of priesthood in the Cathedral on Saturday 27 June, at 1000hr:

• David Dobbs (to continue to serve in the Estuary and Mountain Mission Area)
• Jampa King (to continue to serve in the Dyffryn Clwyd Mission Area)
• Sharon Morgan (to continue to serve in Hope Street)
• Ian Williams (to continue to serve in the Estuary and Mountain Mission Area)
• Glyn Wise (to continue to serve in Aled Mission Area)

Please hold all these ordinands in your prayers. The next six months will go very quickly for them, and, like every ordinand, they need our prayerful and friendly support. Note as well please that the ordinations are following a new pattern this Summer with the ordination of priests on the Saturday morning, and the ordination of deacons on Sunday afternoon. I would welcome the support of all the clergy at both ordinations if at all possible.

I am delighted to welcome Phil Chew back to the diocese. Phil will re-join us in March from the Diocese of Blackburn and will minister as a Priest-in-charge in Estuary and Mountain Mission area, rooted in the communities of Holywell, Greenfield and Gorsedd.

It is good to announce that the Revd Jules Harris was successful in her application for the post of Mission Hub Leader at Penrhyn Bay in Aberconwy Mission Area and we look forward to welcoming her after Easter. Jules currently serves as a priest and area dean in North Devon, in the Diocese of Exeter.

I am pleased that Gary Anderton, currently Assistant Curate in the Offa Mission Area, is to take on a new role as Pioneer Missioner in the mission area, rooted in the northern churches of the Mission Area. Gary has been a welcome presence amongst us, and it is good to welcome him to this new role.

Richard Hainsworth will succeed Anne Hooper as the Mission Area Leader of Estuary and Mountain in February of this year. Anne has served with dedication and care, and Richard will be a worthy successor as the Mission Area establishes a new ministry team with Phil Chew amongst them this year.

I am sorry to record the death of Glenis Matthias, mother of Rex, and husband of the late Ron Matthias, former priest of this diocese: Glenis died after a long spell of ill health shortly before Christmas. We commend her to our gracious Saviour, and hold Rex and his family in our prayers.

Diary and Events                            

Installation of Canons

The Service of Collation and Installation of new Canons will take place on Sunday 25 January, 2026, the Feast Day of the Conversion of St Paul, at 1530hr in the Cathedral in the context of Evensong. Everyone is invited to come and support our new canons at this event.

Chrism Eucharist: Important Change

I have made the difficult decision to bring the Chrism Eucharist forward a week this year to the Thursday of Passion week. I know that this is a decision that will disappoint many, as it breaks what has been a long run of stability in the organisation of our Holy Week services. Circumstances require a change this year, and it seemed easiest to move the whole event a week earlier than usual in order to keep as much the same as possible, and not to disturb other elements of Holy Week services.

This means that the Chrism Eucharist will be held in the Cathedral at 1100hr on Thursday 26 March. Other than this new date, all other arrangements concerning participation and lunch will follow as usual. I apologise if this disrupts the plans of anyone, and hope that you will all be able to attend and bring your people with you.

Please read the whole of the diary below carefully. The diary is updated every month to include 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.

It is very important that each of you makes a note of these dates. Please ensure that the dates which are a professional requirement are in your diary, even where the exact format may be open to change. Where a clash with your own plans comes to your attention, please raise it with Esgobty at the earliest opportunity. I am still occasionally getting excuses late in the day from clergy who don’t seem to have planned ahead, or even to have read this monthly diary, and I am much more amenable when approached early to discuss any potential clashes.

Dates in 2026

25 Jan               Collation and Installation of Canons, 1530hr in the Cathedral.

12 Febr             IME Book Day for those in their first three years of ordained ministry (details to follow)

26 Febr             Spring Clergy Synod 1000hr – 1600hr (St David’s Hotel, Ewloe)

26 March          Chrism Eucharist, Cathedral, 1100hr (Please note the change of date)

Later in the year

16 May             LLM Day, Cathedral

27 June             Ordination of Priests, 1000hr in the Cathedral

28 June             Ordination of Deacons,1500hr in the Cathedral

17^t Sept             Autumn Clergy Synod 1000hr – 1600hr (St David’s Hotel, Ewloe)

8 Octr                Diocesan Conference (online business meeting)

10 Octr             Diocesan Conference, in person in the Cathedral

Notes and Queries

Lent Prayer Cards

A final reminder that orders are now invited from each mission area for the Lent 2026 Prayer Card which features a prayer composed to reflect the third element of our diocesan mission “Demonstrating Love”.  Michael at Esgobty looks forward to receiving one collated order per mission area no later than this coming Friday 9 January.

With my thanks for all that you do. May the God revealed in Christ at Christmas and in Epiphany sustain you in the coming year, granting you joy in your endeavours and blessing in your ministry,