Llangynhafal church celebrated with special volunteer nomination

Members of a church in the Vale of Clwyd have been shortlisted for a special award celebrating the work of volunteers.

The congregation of St Cynhafal’s in Llangynhafal, near Ruthin in the Dyffryn Clwyd Mission Area, has made it to the last eight nominees chosen from hundreds of churches across the UK for a Marsh Church and Community Church Heroes Award.

Members of the congregation at the small rural church volunteer as telephone coordinators for the Farming Community Network and run a monthly social soup club.  They regularly organise pilgrimage walks between neighbouring churches and welcome walkers visiting the local area.

Mair Ansell, one of the church wardens at St Cynhafal’s said: “It’s an honour to be shortlisted for this award which reflects the work which so many people connected with rural churches undertake to support their local community.

“We had no idea we were even in the running for this award, so it’s very exciting that the work of so many local people will be recognised.”

The award is organised by the National Churches Trust in partnership with the Marsh Christian Trust and all shortlisted nominees will be celebrated at a digital event called Local Treasures: Church and Community Heroes on Friday 11 December.  Everyone will receive certificates showing the achievement of being nominated and a publicity pack. Four church communities, one in each of the countries of the UK, will win a prize of £1,000 each from the Marsh Christian Trust.

Alison Pollard, Head of Development at the National Churches Trust said of all the short listed nominees: “Your church community was chosen because of the very important role you have in your local community – some have done a huge amount during this very difficult year and others have a long term vision that really makes a difference to their community – and others have both.”

The Vicar of St Cynhafal, Father Huw Bryant said: “The church congregation work really hard to support their local community.  This nomination is a wonderful recognition of the importance of rural churches within a community.”

The church is believed to be the only one dedicated to St Cynhafal, and is over 600 years old, although the site is known to have been used for religion since the 7th century.  Plans are underway to fit a toilet and kitchen inside the church. On Saturday (12 December) the church will welcome a travelling nativity. Lights will guide visitors to the nativity scene and there will be an opportunity for quiet reflection and a prayer before being offered socially-distanced refreshments. The nativity will be open from 4pm – 6pm.

Earlier this year, the National Churches Trust published the House of Good report which puts an economic and social value of church buildings to the UK. It found that when you invest £10 in church buildings, this creates a return of at least £37.40 and this is the most conservative cost benefit analysis.

St Cynhafal’s is in the Dyffryn Clwyd Mission Area, a collection of 13 churches based in Ruthin and its surrounding villages. It is part of the Diocese of St Asaph, one of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales, which this year marked its 100^th anniversary since disestablished from the Church of England in 1920. The Church in Wales is an autonomous Province in the worldwide Anglican Communion.