Annwyl Gyfeillion

 The ordination last Saturday reminded us that we are all called, and that we are all sent – but to do what? The old wording is that we are called to “the cure of souls”: as St Michael’s used to say “Gorau Meddyg, Meddyg Enaid.” We only have to look around us to see the faultline that runs through humanity; the selfishness, the competitiveness, even the nastiness, that wars with our better nature, to cause dis-ease in the world, and which runs through the hearts of each one of us if we are truthful. Faced with this, Christians have a message of hope – that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself” (2 Corinthians 5.19).

Our mission, for which we were called and set apart, is to bring about “the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22.2), not by being a series of charismatic and self-sufficient mini-Messiahs, but helping the whole people of God transform the world (Matthew 5.13-16) in the power, and under the guidance, of the Holy Spirit. I firmly believe that my ministry, my service, my calling, is fundamentally to empower you to empower our congregations; for us to be united in the service of the cure of souls by the preaching of the Word, and the celebration of the Sacraments, and by being the loving ambassadors of God.

As priests and deacons, we may well personally lead people to faith and to healing, but for them to live and grow in Christian discipleship needs the nurturing and galvanizing life of a community of saints, those who can build one another up in faith (1 Thessalonians 5.11). The salvation of the world, and the salvation of the Church will not therefore be brought about by a hundred clergy in this diocese driving themselves into the ground, even when assisted by a shared team of ordained and lay ministers. Nor will it be brought about by funding worth £100 million, but by the quality of the worship and service of each of our congregations.

This is the task to which God calls us. God will transform the world when we allow him to change our churches, and that begins with us, devoting ourselves, as our colleagues did last Saturday, to be channels of God’s love and grace and transforming power. That happens one service, one conversation, one unconditional act of love at a time.

I remember visiting Ely Cathedral many many years ago, and being struck by its resemblance to a nuclear power station, with its network of energy distribution passing to the parish churches, and into the homes and lives of each child of God. It was for me then a significant visualization. Although it would be unwise to claim too much for it, it is an image which at least calls on every congregation to be a beacon from which the love and welcome of God shines out.

My friends, surrendering to God’s mission is not about ramping up our anxiety to do better, and working all hours. Rather, it is to detect and uncover the rich underground streams of God’s grace at work among our people, and to open up wells from which they can draw the living water of Christ. God bless you in your ministry and in your work.

Hwyl a Helo

I am pleased to announce that Marcus Pipe has been appointed as a half-time stipendiary Priest in Charge in the Maelor Mission Area, to succeed in ministry at Bangor upon Dee when Sue Huyton retires in September. Michael Winwood in Maelor Mission Area has completed his curacy, and has now received my General Licence to support the ministry of him and his wife, Joan, in HMP Berwyn. I hope to share something more of the vitally important ministry offered in HMP Berwyn in a future Ad Clerum.

We will be sorry to lose Martin Pritchard to Army chaplaincy in September. Martin joined us from the Diocese of Bangor a few years ago, and has always been supportive of diocesan life.

I would like to offer congratulations to Pam Hallam Wedley who has become a grandmother again. Millie May Wedley was born last week. All the family are doing well.

I am sure that you will share my sadness on learning of the death last week of Chancellor Walter Williams, a cleric who had served St Asaph diocese with great distinction. We commend Walter to God’s care, and offer our condolences and prayers to his family.

Clergy Synod – Mission and Liturgy

The Clergy Synod will be held on Thursday, 19^th September, at the Catrin Finch Centre, Wrexham University. The synod is a professional obligation for all stipendiary clergy, to which all NSM clergy with my licence are also welcome to attend. Should there be any reason why clerics wish to have my permission to be absent, they should write to me at Esgobty at the earliest opportunity.

The day will be led by a team from the Standing Liturgical Advisory Committee of the Church in Wales and the Pioneer and Evangelism Network. For a few years now, they have been co-operating in a forum to explore how Liturgy and Mission fit together, and the day will be a workshop from 1000hr to 1600hr,with suitable breaks and lunch, for us to work together on effective and high standards in liturgy, which can also speak of the Gospel to casual visitors and those in the community.

 Liturgy and Language – Being a Bilingual Church

 The Bench of Bishops have recently discussed how we can more adequately express our identity as a bilingual Church. We have therefore adopted this joint advice, as a starter to our thinking:

The Church in Wales is explicitly committed to being a bilingual Church. Within each ministry or mission area of the Church in Wales there will be Welsh and English speakers, as well as those who speak other languages. For the sake of our mission in Christ’s name it is important that we recognise and celebrate this diversity and the heritage of both our main languages in our worship.

Given that the Lord’s Prayer is a central part of our inheritance of prayers, and is often the text which is most familiar for our worshippers, in English and in Welsh, we believe that this element, at the very least, is a place where our bilingual inheritance can be emphasised.

Therefore we ask that the Lord’s Prayer in our liturgies is always introduced using words which invite the use of English and Welsh (or other languages) such as “As our Saviour Jesus Christ has taught us, each of us in English, or in Welsh, or in our preferred language…”

Inviting worshippers to pray in the language of their choice in this way proclaims the value of our linguistic diversity within the Body of Christ and stands as a sign of our desire under God to be faithful to our double inheritance as the Church in Wales.

NOTE

When saying the Lord’s Prayer in two or more languages, it is important that the congregation listen actively to one another and time themselves accordingly to stay roughly in harmony.

By and large, the English and Welsh versions do stay in time with one another, although there is one point where the Welsh is longer than the English, and another where the English is longer than the Welsh. At these points, it is suitable to insert a pause to allow both languages to keep the rhythm, and to start the next phrase together.

Gwneler dy ewyllys megis yn y nef felly ar y ddaear hefyd

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven (pause)

A maddau i ni ein dyledion, fel y maddeuwn ninnau ein dyledwyr (saib)

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

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 dates which are a professional requirement 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 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.

September

01 September    The Installation of Gerwyn Capon as Archdeacon of Montgomery during Choral         Evensong, Cathedral, 1530hr.

14 September    Licensing of Petra Goodband as Associate Priest in the Wrexham Mission Area, and for the new Hub Church in St Giles’ at 1530hr, in St Giles’ Church.

19 September   Clergy Synod for all serving clergy, in person, Catrin Finch Centre, Wrexham University campus

22 September    Wrexham MA Confirmation Service, St Giles’, 1500hrs

30 September    Licensing of Marcus Pipe as Priest in Charge in the Maelor Mission Area at 1900hr in St Dunawd’s, Bangor-on-Dee

Later in the year

17 October         Diocesan Conference online evening session, time to be decided

19 October       Diocesan Conference, in person, all day meeting at Llanfyllin High School

13 November  Mission Area Leader Training

Notes and Queries

The General Election

I hope that you have all encouraged your people to pray and to take their democratic responsibility with great seriousness. Britain faces a new chapter in its life whatever the result, and it will be important to pray through the whole process of the election and the formation of a new government. The Church in Wales is offering this prayer for use in our churches and by members of our congregation:

Lord God, you are the Sovereign of all Creation, and to you all nations and peoples are accountable. Bless the United Kingdom as we begin a new chapter in our common life, and give your wisdom and guidance to the new government being formed in Westminster.  May we in Wales know ever more good government and sober political judgement, so that we may live in justice, peace and prosperity. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, Amen.

May God bless our national life in Wales and in the United Kingdom, and give his needful gifts of grace to all who are standing for Parliament in the forthcoming election.

Reader Ministry and Funerals

The Bench of Bishops has approved a restatement of the protocols that apply to any funeral ministry undertaken by Readers. A copy of these protocols is here for your information and guidance.

I think it was Rowan Williams that once compared prayer to spiritual sunbathing. May the sunlight of God’s grace shine upon you, and may you luxuriate in his love.