Annwyl Gyfeillion,

Those who endured my sermons at Pentecost last Sunday will perhaps recall that I quoted St Irenaeus. The ideas I quoted were taken from his definitive work “Against the Heretics”, but when I had read his words recently, I was struck by the powerful and beautiful images of the Holy Spirit contained within them.

This was why the Lord had promised to send the Advocate: he was to prepare us as an offering to God. Like dry flour, which cannot become one lump of dough, one loaf of bread, without moisture, we who are many could not become one in Christ Jesus without the water that comes down from heaven. And like parched ground, which yields no harvest unless it receives moisture, we who were once like a waterless tree could never have lived and borne fruit without this abundant rainfall from above. Through the baptism that liberates us from change and decay we have become one in body; through the Spirit we have become one in soul. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of God came down upon the Lord, and the Lord in turn gave this Spirit to his Church, sending the Advocate from heaven into all the world … If we are not to be scorched and made unfruitful, we need the dew of God. Since we have our accuser, we need an Advocate as well. And so the Lord in his pity for humanity, who had fallen into the hands of brigands, having himself bound up our wounds and left for our care two coins bearing the royal image, entrusted us to the Holy Spirit. Now, through the Spirit, the image and inscription of the Father and the Son have been given to us, and it is our duty to use the coin committed to our charge and make it yield a rich profit for the Lord.

I appreciate the way in which Irenaeus weaves Scripture into his writing – he is obviously saturated in the Word of God, and it shapes and flows into his words. I love the idea also that the transformative nature of the living water makes whole that which is granular, and refreshes the things that are withered. It should be an encouragement for us when our labours are hard. I find that just sitting down mindfully in the presence of God, and resting in his strength, even for a moment, can shift our perspectives. As the prophet Hosea wrote: “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 6.3).

The Hellins Lecture

This year we are delighted to welcome the Rev’d Dr. Katherine Grieb to give the Lecture entitled: “The New Testament: What’s in it for today’s Anglicans?”

The 2023 Hellins Lecture will take place on Tuesday, June 20 in the Cathedral at 1930hr. The Hellins Lecture is an endowed occasional theological lecture in memory of the late Canon E J W Hellins, D.D., featuring a distinguished keynote speaker, who is invited to educate and stimulate our thinking about our Anglican inheritance.

Professor Grieb is a member of the teaching staff at Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, where she has held the Professorship in Biblical Interpretation and New Testament, and where she is currently Director of the Centre for Anglican Communion Studies. Kathy has been involved in training and formation for many years (including some of our own clergy), and she brings a lively wit and profound knowledge of the Scriptures in her communication of New Testament studies.
Not everyone will agree with everything she says, but I can promise that everyone who makes the time to come to the lecture will not regret the time spent. We will all learn something. The lecture will be proceeded by a wine and soft drinks reception from 1900hr, and the evening will conclude by 2100hr at the latest.
Please make every effort to join us for the Lecture on June 20th.

The Petertide Ordinations

God willing, we will have eleven candidates this Summer: seven deacons to be ordained on June 24th and four priests to be ordained early next month on July 1st. Both services start 10am in the Cathedral.

Please pray for

• Emma Dale, who will serve in Alyn Mission Area,
• Ana Davies, who will serve in Alyn Mission Area,
• Gwen Dixon, who will serve in Pool Mission Area,
• Kathryn Hall, who will serve in Estuary & Mountain Mission Area,
• Hugh Richardson, who will serve at Hope Street, Wrexham,
• Cass Meurig Thomas, who will serve in Valle Crucis Mission Area, and
• Pam Hallam Wedley, who will serve in Offa Mission Area,

whom, God willing, I intend to ordain to the diaconate on June 24th.

Please also pray for

• Alyson Goldstein, serving in Denbigh Mission Area,
• Grace Lomas, serving in Aberconwy Mission Area,
• Dan Morgan, serving in Mold Mission Area, and,
• Marcus Pipe, serving in Wrexham Mission Area,

whom, God willing, I intend to ordain to the presbyterate on July 1st.

We are looking forward to welcoming Professor Katherine Grieb from Virginia Theological Seminary, USA, as retreat conductor and ordination preacher for the deacons, and Canon Dr. Mark Clavier, Canon Theologian & Bishop’s Chaplain in Swansea & Brecon, offering a similar ministry for the priests a week later.

Support for our new brothers and sisters in Holy Orders is so very important. I therefore ask all clergy and licensed lay ministers to make every effort to be present at at least one of the services to share in the joy of welcoming newly ordained deacons and priests into the Teulu Asaph.

As usual, car parking will be available at Ysgol Glan Clwyd on Upper Denbigh Road to supplement parking at the Cathedral’s car park off Upper Denbigh Road. A limited amount of disabled parking places will be available near the cathedral on the north side, accessed off the High Street. It is advisable to make a reservation request to the cathedral office: hello@stasaphcathedral.wales / 01745 582245. Please come prepared to robe in alb or surplice with white stole.  At the priests’ ordination, robed priests will be invited to extend their hands, or place them in such a way as to support the laying on of hands.

The Autumn Clergy Synods: 20th and 21st September

The Autumn Clergy Synods will be held by archdeaconry this year, and the Bishop’s Staff have recently decided that we will hold these synods in person. These dates should already be in your diaries, and further information of location and content will be forthcoming. I am profoundly conscious of the pressures we face in a busy post-Covid world, so we will be looking therefore at the question of “Caring for ourselves, and caring for one another.” The change of date for the Montgomery Synod has already been announced.

• Wednesday, 20th September, Montgomery Clergy Synod, 1000hr-1230hr
• Wednesday, 20th September, St Asaph Clergy Synod, 1400hr-1630hr
• Thursday, 21st September, Wrexham Clergy Synod, 1000hr-1230hr

Diary and Events

This diary below includes dates for events that all clergy are warmly encouraged to attend, or required to attend as part of their professional commitment. Please ensure that these dates are in your diary, even where the exact format may be open to change.
Events like the Chrism Eucharist and Ordinations are not listed as professional requirements, because I don’t believe in making worship mandatory. However, I very much hope that our natural loyalty to support one another and our common life make these services a major priority in our diaries.

June & July
8 June Recommitment of the Bryn a Môr Mission Area Shared Ministry Team, including the licensing of Adrian Johnson as Assistant Curate, Llanasa Church, 1900hr.

20 June The Hellins Lecture, Cathedral, 1930hr.

24 June Ordination of Deacons, Cathedral, 1000hr.

28, 30 June & 1 July Petertide Ember Days

1 July Ordination of Priests, Cathedral, 1000hr

4 July Licensing of George Bearwood at St Ethelwold’s, Shotton, 1900hr

15 July Licensing of Lay Ministers, Cathedral, 1000hrs

16 July Evensong with the Installation of Canons and Commissioning of Mrs Olwen Lintern-Smyth as Diocesan Secretary, Cathedral, 1530hr

18 July Licensing of Chris Lawton at Emmanuel Church, Bistre, 1900hr.

20 July Licensing of Jeanette Wilkes at Christ Church, Pontblyddyn, 1900hr

Later in 2023

20 & 21 Septr Archdeaconry Clergy Synods (as set out above)

27 & 30 Septr Michaelmas Ember Days

12 October Diocesan Conference business meeting on Zoom 1900-2100hrs

14 October Diocesan Conference worship & addresses, Cathedral, 1400-1600hr

21 November MAL training day (Please note this date is currently provisional)

6 December St Nicholastide Confirmation, Cathedral, 1900hr

13, 15 & 16 Dec Advent Ember Days

Dates for 2024

30 January Clergy Synod

28 March Chrism Eucharist, Cathedral, 11.00hr

29 June Ordination of Deacons and Priests, Cathedral, 10.00hr

19 September Clergy Synod

12 October Diocesan Conference

Hwyl a Helo

I am pleased to announce the appointment of the Revd George Bearwood as a full-time member of the Borderlands Shared Ministry Team, rooted in Shotton and Garden City, and of the Revd Jeanette Wilkes as a member of the Mold Shared Ministry Team rooted in communities of Pontblyddyn, Treuddyn & New Brighton.
We are also delighted to welcome the Revd Diana Greenfield as a Priest-in-Charge in the Dyffryn Clwyd Shared Ministry Team. Diana is currently Pioneer Minister for Glastonbury & Street in the Diocese of Bath and Wells and will be joining the Dyffryn Clwyd Team in the autumn, where she will have a particular responsibility for developing pilgrimage and spirituality.

I am pleased to share the news that Wendy Gardner will be ordained Deacon in November to serve in the Cedewain Shared Ministry Team.

After a brief time with us in St Asaph, Chris Spencer is leaving us in the summer. He has been appointed to a parish in the Diocese of Portsmouth and we wish Chris and the family well as they move closer to relatives. We are also sorry to record the resignation of Ben Lines who will be leaving Aberconwy MA at the end of July. Both Chris and Ben brought huge passion for the Gospel and Church to us in their brief times with us, and we pray for God’s blessing on them and their families as they move into the future.

We congratulate Rex and Alison Matthias on the addition of a grandson, Macsen, to the family, and pray for God’s blessing on them all.

I was very sorry to learn of the death of Mair Jones in early May. Mair was a strong supporter of all things Welsh, and a dedicated servant of the Lord, and keen participant in all the life and events of the Teulu Asaph. May she rest in peace and rise in glory. Her funeral will be held at Christ Church, Bryn y Maen, on Friday 2nd June at 11.30am and on to the Crematorium in Colwyn Bay at 12.30pm.

Notes and Queries

Bishop’s Engagement Notifications and draft Orders of Service I am conscious that we are all often working flat out, and planning ahead is never easy. It would be much appreciated, however, if those organizing services and events to which I have been invited can return completed engagement notifications and, where, appropriate, draft orders of service in good time ahead of the event and certainly no later than a fortnight before. The early return of this information is important so that I have a full briefing for my visits and can factor in time for preparation amidst a host of other diary commitments.

Diocesan Conference, 12th and 14th October

A fresh approach is being developed for the 2023 Diocesan Conference in October. The business elements of the conference will be split from the inspirational/keynote speaker. Please save the following two dates and more information will follow:

• Thursday 12 October: 7pm – 9pm: This will be an online meeting (via Zoom) to conduct the business of the diocesan conference. It will include items such as the budget, accounts and any amendments to the diocesan constitution.
• Saturday 14 October: 2pm – 4pm at the Cathedral. This will include worship, keynote addresses and speakers and will conclude with refreshments. Among the speakers this year will be the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd Andrew John, who will be speaking about the commitment of the Church in Wales to support evangelism.

The conference pages of the website at https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/diocesan-conference/ will be updated with further information in due course.

Eco-Fest 2023 – come and meet the Church in Wales’ Climate Champion

Churches across the diocese are invited to send representatives to this year’s Eco-Fest on Saturday 10 June at St Mary’s Church in Chirk. The event aims to showcase some of the ways churches can take the next step on their eco-journey as well as offering family-friendly activities and entertainment. The Church in Wales’ Climate Champion, Dr Julia Edwards, will be coming to Eco-Fest and will be talking about the new Energy Footprint Tool.

The Church in Wales has a target of net zero carbon by 2030. The Energy Footprint Tool is one of the tools that we have developed to monitor our progress. Using the energy use data of our church building(s), the Energy Footprint Tool calculates the amount of carbon (“the carbon footprint”) each building has produced over the previous calendar year. The calculation helps us to understand where we are starting from and how much progress we are making each year. The tool is easy-to-use, available to all Church in Wales churches, and will assist us in reducing our impact on the climate. You will have the opportunity to ask questions of Julia at Eco-Fest.
Please encourage people to come along – bring your family and friends. You can find out more at https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/eco-fest/

Ember Days

The June Ember Days prayer material is here in Welsh and English. It is intended to guide your prayer, and the prayer of your congregations as we prepare for the ordinations, and give information about other ordinands and vocations. We thank God for such a rich response to God’s vocation in our diocese, but it is vitally important that we support those preparing for ministry, and especially our colleagues who will be ordained or licensed in the Summer.

May the Holy Spirit grant you refreshment and joy, and the blessing of God fill your hearts and guide you,