Croeso: The Spring Edition

The Spring Edition

ESGOBAETH LLANDAF | DIOCESE OF LLANDAFF

Colofn yr Archddiaconiaid Yr Hybarch Mike Komor & Yr Hybarch Rod Green

Dychmygwch geisio dal llif rhaeadr mewn cwpan.

Mae hynny’n eithaf tebyg i geisio deall ystyr lawn dioddefaint, marwolaeth ac atgyfodiad Iesu – y digwyddiadau sy’n ganolbwynt i’r Wythnos Fawr a’r Pasg – yn ôl un awdur Cristnogol, Géza Vermes. Mae anferthedd ac arwyddocâd y digwyddiadau yn rhy fawr i unrhyw un eu hamgyffred yn iawn; y gorau y gallwn ei wneud yw dal ychydig ddiferion dŵr. Mae’n ffiol ni wir yn llawn.

Erbyn hyn rydyn ni wedi cyrraedd yr adeg yn y flwyddyn pan ydyn ni unwaith eto ar fin mynd i mewn i ddirgelwch dioddefaint Crist, ei groeshoeliad a’i godi o’r meirw, a thrwy ras Duw mae gennyn ni draddodiadau ac arferion yr Eglwys i’n helpu o leiaf i ddechrau deall yr hyn sydd y tu hwnt i’r amgyffred dynol.

Mae llawer o wahanol symbolau o’r Pasg yn cael eu defnyddio gan yr Eglwys, ac mae pob un yn ei ffordd ei hun yn pwyntio at wirionedd yr hyn y mae’r ŵyl yn ei olygu. Un o’r lleiaf cyffredin, ond un o’r mwyaf pwerus o bosibl, yw’r glöyn byw. Mae pawb yn

dysgu fel plentyn ysgol bod gloÿnnod byw yn dod o lindys. Mae’r newid o’r naill i’r llall yn broses ryfeddol, byddai rhai’n dweud yn broses wyrthiol, sy’n syfrdanol yn ei chymhlethdod. I ddod yn löyn byw, mae lindysyn yn ffurfio cocŵn neu grysalis, ac wedyn yn ei fwyta’i hun. Ond mae rhai grwpiau o’i gelloedd wedi goroesi, gan droi’r cawl yn llygaid, adenydd, antenau a strwythurau eraill yr oedolyn o bryfyn. Yn wir ichi, o rywbeth sy’n rhoi’r argraff o fod yn farw daw rhywbeth newydd sy’n brydferth a gogoneddus.

Dyw hi ddim yn anodd gweld pam mae hwn yn symbol mor bwerus o atgyfodiad. Er bod yna barhad rhwng corff Iesu oedd yn hongian ar y groes a’r Crist atgyfodedig a welodd ei ddisgyblion, roedd yna newid hefyd: roedd yr hyn a fu farw wedi dod yn gwbl fyw mewn ffordd nad oedd neb dynol wedi’i brofi o’r blaen. Bu farw’r hen; wele, mae’r newydd wedi dod. Aleliwia!

Mewn ystyr arall, a hynny ar raddfa o arwyddocâd llawer is, mae’n rhaid cyfaddef, mae’r esgobaeth ar fin gweld math arall o aileni, wrth inni baratoi i groesawu’n Hesgob newydd, Mary Stallard.

Archdeacons’ Column

The Venerable Mike Komor & The Venerable Rod Green

Imagine trying to catch the torrent of a waterfall in a cup.

That’s rather like trying to grasp the full meaning of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus - the events that form the focus of Holy Week and Easter – according to one Christian writer, Géza Vermes. The sheer enormity and significance of the events are too large for anyone to comprehend properly; the best we can do is to catch a few of the drops of water. Truly, our cup runneth over.

We are now at that point in the year when we are once again about to enter into the mystery of Christ’s passion, crucifixion and being raised from the dead, and through God’s grace we have the traditions, customs and practices of the Church to help us at least begin to understand that which is beyond human comprehension.

There are many different symbols of Easter used by the Church, each of which in its own way points to the truth of what the festival means. One of the least used, but perhaps among the most powerful, is that of the butterfly. Everyone learns as a schoolchild that butterflies come from caterpillars. The transition from one to the other is an extraordinary, some might say miraculous, process that is astounding in its complexity. To become a butterfly, a caterpillar forms a cocoon or a chrysalis, and then digests itself. But certain groups of its cells survive, turning the soup into eyes, wings, antennae and other structures of the adult insect. Truly, out of something that gives the impression of being dead comes something new that is both beautiful and glorious.

It’s not hard to see why this is such a powerful symbol of resurrection. While there was continuity between the body of Jesus that hung on the cross and the resurrected Christ encountered by his disciples, there was also change; what was dead had become fully alive in a way that no human before had experienced. The old had passed away; behold, the new had come. Alleluia!

In another sense, and admittedly on a scale of far lower significance, the diocese is about to witness another kind of rebirth, as we prepare to welcome our new Bishop, Mary Stallard.

Cyflwyno Esgob newydd Llandaf

Mae’r Gwir Barchedig Mary Stallard wedi’i hethol yn 73ain Esgob Llandaf. Cynhelir Gwasanaeth Croeso yr Esgob Mary am ganol dydd, ddydd Sadwrn 29 Ebrill, yn Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf, ac mae croeso i bawb.

Mae’r Esgob Mary Stallard yn dod yn wreiddiol o Birmingham, a chafodd ei magu mewn ficerdy. Roedd ei thad yn ficer a’i mam yn wyddonydd, sy’n golygu ei bod wedi’i magu ar aelwyd lle roedd anogaeth i ofyn cwestiynau am fywyd a ffydd.

Darllenodd Mary Ddiwinyddiaeth yng Ngholeg Selwyn, Caergrawnt ac astudiodd i fod yn athrawes yn Llundain cyn hyfforddi ar gyfer y weinidogaeth yng Ngholeg y Frenhines, Birmingham a Seminar Diwinyddol Tamil Nadu yn India.

Roedd Mary yn un o’r menywod cyntaf i gael eu hordeinio’n offeiriad yn yr Eglwys yng Nghymru ym 1997, a threuliodd ei

chyfnod yn gurad yng Nghasnewydd, cyn symud i Esgobaeth Tyddewi fel diacon-yng-ngofal a ficer Ysbyty Cynfyn, Eglwys Newydd a Llantrisant. Yn 2003, fe’i penodwyd yn Ganon Preswyl yn Eglwys Gadeiriol Llanelwy ac yn Gaplan yr Esgob, gan wasanaethu hefyd fel Cyfarwyddwr Ordinandiaid yr Esgobaeth a Chadeirydd Bwrdd Gweinidogaeth yr Esgobaeth, ac fel Ysgrifennydd Dethol y Dalaith.

Ym mis Ionawr y llynedd, penodwyd Mary yn Esgob Cynorthwyol ym Mangor a’i chysegru’n esgob ym mis Chwefror.

Mae gweinidogaeth ddarlledu sylweddol Mary wedi’i gweld yn ymddangos ar BBC Radio Cymru fel arweinydd Yr Oedfa ac yn cyfrannu at Bwrw Golwg, ar raglenni All Things Considered, Celebration, Wednesday Word a Weekend Word ar BBC Radio Wales, ac ar Radio 4 fel arweinydd The Daily Service a Sunday Worship ac fel awdur a chyflwynydd Prayer for the Day.

Mae Mary yn briod â’r Parchedig Andrew Sully, a benodwyd yn bennaeth dros dro ar Gymorth Cristnogol Cymru yn ddiweddar, ac mae ganddyn nhw ddwy ferch aeddfed. Mae ei hobïau’n cynnwys coginio, darllen a rhedeg.

Introducing the new Bishop of Llandaff

The Rt Rev’d Mary Stallard has been elected as the 73rd Bishop of Llandaff. Bishop Mary’s Service of Welcome takes place 12pm on Saturday 29th April at Llandaff Cathedral and all are welcome to attend.

Originally from Birmingham, Bishop Mary Stallard grew up in a vicarage. Her father was a vicar and her mother a scientist which meant she was raised in a home where asking questions about life and faith was encouraged.

Mary read Theology at Selwyn College, Cambridge and studied to be a teacher in London before training for ministry at Queen’s College, Birmingham and Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary in India.

Among the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church in Wales in 1997, Mary served her curacy in Newport, before moving to the Diocese of St Davids as deacon-in-charge and vicar of Ysbyty Cynfyn, Eglwys Newydd and Llantrisant. In 2003, she was appointed Canon Residentiary at St Asaph Cathedral and Bishop’s Chaplain, serving also as Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Chair

of the Diocesan Board of Ministry, and as Provincial Selection Secretary.

In January last year, Mary was appointed Assistant Bishop in Bangor and consecrated as a bishop in February.

Mary’s substantial broadcasting ministry has seen her appear on BBC Radio Cymru as a leader of Yr Oedfa and contributor to Bwrw Golwg, on BBC Radio Wales’s All Things Considered, Celebration, Wednesday Word and Weekend Word, and on Radio 4 as a leader of The Daily Service and Sunday Worship and as the author and presenter of Prayer for the Day.

Mary is married to the Revd Andrew Sully, recently appointed interim head of Christian Aid Wales, and they have two grown-up daughters. Her hobbies include cooking, reading and running.

An Easter Book of Days: Meeting The Characters of The Cross and Resurrection

by Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory K. Cameron

Bishop Gregory dives into the exploration of 25 characters and their significance in the Easter message in his new book ‘An Easter Book of Days: Meeting the characters of the cross and resurrection’.

The publication unravels history, tradition and faith through biblical characters such as Veronica, Lazarus, Martha & Mary, Barabbas and even the foal who carried Jesus in a continuation his 2021 Advent campaign.

With the help of illustrations and beautiful calligraphy by his own hand, Bishop Gregory brings the characters to life again in their historical contexts and offers reflections on their journeys as navigation for the innermost meanings of Passiontide and Easter.

The 25 biographies also include meditations and prayer as we learn from the scriptures and visit Jerusalem, the

Temple of Solomon, the cross and the empty tomb.

Bishop Gregory says, “I hope that people will find this book helpful in navigating the complexities of the Easter Story. There are more shadows around some of the characters we meet, but the light of Christ and His transforming grace are also more apparent.”

The Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, is encouraging people to use An Easter Book of Days during Lent. He feels the book provides an opportunity to reflect on the Christian message of Easter.

He said, “This delightful and profound book takes us on a journey as rich in its text as in its imagery. Tracing the characters who feature in the Easter story, Bishop Gregory draws us into the unfolding drama of the One whose death and resurrection has shaped history like no

other. As ever with stories like this, it is not only the wider impact of his life but how he touched individuals and showed them the challenge and beauty of God’s love. If you read this book well (and it deserves a close read) it will have precisely the same impact on you.”

An Easter Book of Days is published by Canterbury Press and is available on its website from £8.99 at or directly from bookshops and online shops.

OMG Theology: New Diocese Podcast

Launches with Lent

The Diocese of Llandaff is launching a new podcast. ‘OMG Theology’ will be hosted by brothers Archdeacon Rod Green and Rev’d Dr Ryan Green.

They will be joined each week over the six weeks of Lent by guests from across the diocese and Church in Wales.

Together they will talk about and reflect upon some of the themes that arise as the church approaches Easter.

They will explore the theme of repentance; what does it mean anyway? Do we still do it? Is it still relevant? They’ll think about forgiveness; how do we handle failure? How can we be forgiven? They will talk about death; why do we die? What does it mean to be mortal? How do

we embrace our limits? They will also be thinking about longing and desire, betrayal and salvation and recommending a few books along the way.

Join the conversation with #OMGTheology

These conversation starters are designed to deepen your own faith and equip you to have spiritual conversations with those you meet during the season. Rod and Ryan would love you to join in the conversation on Twitter. Use the hashtag #omgtheology and post your questions and reflections and they’ll try to address them on the Podcast.

Cathedral Music Foundation: Putting Llandaff

‘On the Map’

Llandaff Cathedral is entering exciting times as they embark on building a Music Foundation to enable as many children and young people as possible to access music-making, whatever their means or background.

Alongside Director of Music, Stephen Moore, professional musician Elizabeth Atherton has been brought on board to establish a charitable foundation that will support and secure the future of the existing Music Department, whilst creating further scholarships for potential Cathedral Choristers and widening access for more people to be involved in music-making in Llandaff. They plan to take music education into local schools to reach children who might otherwise be without provision and create more opportunities for them at the cathedral through new music groups. The vision is to put Llandaff firmly on the map, both locally and

nationally, as an arts centre of the highest calibre in terms of musical output, reach and education, alongside its primary role as a historic place of worship.

Alongside setting up the foundation for its official launch in September, the cathedral started its first small-scale music education project in conjunction with Llandaff City C.I.W. and Peter Lea Primary Schools, along with students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, which culminated in a musical presentation in the cathedral on 14th March. The project is linked to the cathedral’s ‘Celebrate 10!’ festival, marking the tenth anniversary of

Holy Week & Easter 2023 at Llandaff Cathedral

Lent 5 Passion Sunday

4.00 pm The Passion set to music by Bob Chilcott

Palm Sunday

8.00 am Holy Eucharist

9.00 am All-age Eucharist beginning on the Cathedral Green with procession to the Cathedral

11.00 am Choral Eucharist

4.00 pm Choral Evensong with the Litany sung in procession

Holy Week

Holy Week devotions will be led by the Rev’d Canon Dr Ellen Loudon, Director of Social Justice & Canon Chancellor of Liverpool Cathedral. Canon Loudon will led our reflections during the 7.30 pm Eucharist Monday to Thursday and on Friday at lunchtime.

Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday

Choral Evensong at 5.30 pm

Holy Eucharist with hymns and address by Canon Dr Ellen Loudon

Maundy Thursday

its magnificent organ, and is simply called ‘Discover the Organ’, hopefully immersing upwards of 250 children in the amazing sound-world of the instrument, in many cases for the first time.

For further information about the Llandaff Cathedral Music Foundation or to be added onto the cathedral supporters’ database to be updated about future plans and events, please email: music.foundation@llandaffcathedral.org.uk or call 07928 539481.

10.00 am Chrism Mass for the Diocese

7.30 pm Eucharist of the Last Supper & Watch of the Passion, ending with sung compline at 10.00 pm

Good Friday

10.00 am Children’s Liturgy - The children’s liturgy involves the Cathedral Sunday School (which has over 100 children regularly involved) acting out the Story of Good Friday outside and inside the Cathedral.

12.00 noon Meditation on the Passion with by Canon Dr Ellen Loudon

1.15 pm Liturgy of the Day

Holy Saturday

8.30 pm The Vigil & First Eucharist of Easter

Easter Day

8.00 am Holy Eucharist

9.00 am All-age Eucharist

11.00 am Choral Eucharist

4.00 pm Choral Evensong

Margam Abbey: A New Era Celebrating 875 years of Generosity

Margam Abbey is celebrating its 875th year by putting its breath-taking story in the spotlight with 12 months of events and open invitations to spirituality, fun and heritage.

Margam Abbey founded in 1147 by the abbot William of Clairvaux and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Early Christian crosses that have been found around the grounds suggest Margam was the home of an early Celtic monastic community. The third abbot was an early Christian theologian who is said to have named sections of St. Bernard’s ‘Sermons on the Song of Songs’.

King Henry VII dissolved and sold the abbey in 1536 but significant entries of the monastery library survived. It is believed at this time, only 12 monks were living in the monastery, but the abbey eventually passed down the descendants of the owner in the female line to the Talbot family (the namesake of the town Port-Talbot).

The National Churches Trust write of the abbey “Margam was ‘the most generous of all Cistercian foundations in Wales’, offering hospitality to travellers and people in need by ensuring the abbey had food whenever there was famine locally. And there was certainly a belief that God rewarded the monks for their generosity. One-time, local people and the monks were close to starvation when suddenly the crop in a field belonging to the abbey miraculously ripened a month early, sustaining everyone until Autumn when the main crops ripened.”

Today only St Mary’s nave still stands with the other two thirds of the major Cistercian abbey in ruins, but with the backdrop crook of the hills the space is still magnificent.

The aim is to honour the space by leaning into the same strengths it’s had over the last 875 years: heritage, arts, tourism, and wellbeing.

Reverends Mark and Ruth GreenawayRobbins began their ministry at the abbey in July 2022.

With such a rich past and feel to the abbey, the clergy have been building their vision around Anglo-Catholic traditions and sacraments that also draw on their own experience of ministry during their time in Canada.

Ruth said, “We don’t have an obvious gathered community because the church is quite isolated. It’s a strange place to be - wonderful but strange. As this isn’t an easy space to grow a church, we having

been looking at the gifts and the strengths of this place. And one of them is that it has always been a great Catholic stronghold. It’s also that it has heritage. It’s not the oldest in the diocese, but it’s up there. We want to live into that, and we talk a lot about sacramental pioneering.”

‘Sacramental pioneering’, Ruth explains, is having a central focus on using the visible symbols of God for mission such as being very open and free with laying of hands, the burning of incense, oils, and anointing.

“I think it’s really powerful for people to come in. Entering the mystery of the space, especially with its wonderful smell. We’re not ashamed of declaring our faith and we must be comfortable with having the door open, including during services, and carrying on and doing our thing and just allowing people to be present.

In trying to meet the needs of people right in that moment, Ruth and Mark have what they call ‘chaplaincy time’ where they are simply in the Abbey available for anyone visiting the church. They say they are astonished by how many people just wander in whether they be dog walkers or history buffs.

“Sacramental pioneering is really all about connection. This is an open space to come and to receive Christ in that way. If I don’t come home on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon when we’ve been doing chaplaincy time here and I’m not broken but also really satisfied, I don’t feel I’ve done a good enough job. Sometimes it’s really pastorally sensitive and that’s beautiful that people feel able to talk. It is such a privilege. That’s what’s so special about being here. It’s like God’s job fulfilment.”

“Discipleship courses are next on the agenda looking at how do we feed those are walking through the door.”

Throughout the anniversary year of November 2022 – November 2023, Margam Abbey will host different events to mark its past lives. For example, the abbey when it was founded was known for its hospitality so social events will be a big part of its 2023 calendar.

There is the sense that this is a destination to come and celebrate the heritage of this amazing area and the arts.

Known for its connection to entertainment and music, visitors can also look forward to historical re-enactments, concerts by different organisations throughout the year and a harp workshop on St David’s Day. There will be competitions around photography, art for professionals and an invitation for schools to visit and share their own pictures. Margam Abbey will also be a destination of the Churches Unlocked Festival 2023 (see pages 8-9).

Ruth said, “In leaning into all those different things, it’s also highlighting what this place is becoming. It’s really special it’s the 875th anniversary year that we’ve arrived to begin and to just live into its new phase of life.”

Over the centuries, Margam Abbey has, reinvented itself in different ways, but those who know the abbey well say it always holds on to its core of renewal, faith, defence, and generosity.

“This is more about feeling and that’s always a tricky one. But people will walk in here and say ‘There is something about

this place. There’s something about this valley.’ We want to capture that,” said Ruth.

“People may want to come to light candles or just be in the space. So now we are looking at ‘What is it that we’re not offering that they want to kind of make this their home?’ I think that’s the thing we want to explore to share that special gift and make it more accessible.”

The Greenaway-Robbins’ are also reintroducing practices such as singing the proclamation of Easter, which is a mediaeval tradition. Announcing significant dates such as Ash Wednesday, Pentecost, and Ascension Sunday as ‘proclamations’ were a necessity for the community when there were no calendars. The church would be relied on to know when to sow seeds and harvest crops. In the gulley of the beautiful valley, with the aroma and mystery of the stone and hills around you, you are drawn in by the wonder of a higher power.

Margam Abbey will now also occasionally hold Benedictions - a service in which the congregation is able to sit in the presence of a consecrated Communion Host. Ruth said:

It’s prayerful adoration so we adore Jesus and that’s all we do. We just sit there and think ‘You are so amazing, so we are going to sing songs to you, we’re going to pray prayers to you, and thank you for your amazingness. We’re going to be blessed by you.’ So, let’s reintroduce that and I think we’re going to do it quite traditionally the first time and then explore the untraditional.

Churches Unlocked

We’re Back! Bigger and Better

The Churches Unlocked Festival is coming this June and for 2023 the Diocese of Llandaff has partnered up with Monmouth for more churches, more history, more fun!

Explore twenty churches in Llandaff and ten in Monmouth with the festival from 3rd June to 11th June.

Once again, the 30 participating churches are beginning to plan walks and talks around the history and heritage of their area, community events, family fun, music, arts, workshops and Welsh language events.

The Churches Unlocked Festival was not just about bricks and mortar. It was about community, stories, faith, love. It has enabled churches to grow in confidence and to rediscover and affirm their particular calling and mission.

– Churches Unlocked Volunteer

Sarah Perons, Churches Development Officer and leader of the project, said, “Churches Unlocked 2022 was very much an experiment but we were thrilled with the success of the project with over 3000 people visiting or participating in events at the 10 churches. We’re delighted to have ten churches from neighbouring Monmouth Diocese join us this year as well as another twenty from Llandaff.

“We know that people value churches. A recent opinion poll from the National Churches Trust showed that a large majority of UK adults (73%) agree that the UK’s churches, chapels and meeting houses are an important part of the UK’s heritage and history. Churches Unlocked offers visitors an opportunity to experience not just their heritage and community history but also an encounter with the living church of today.”

YFM are working with the participating to boost their youth ministry in time for the festival which launches on the last weekend of half term.

the success of the first Churches Unlocked in 2022 and having visited one of the open churches myself, it is wonderful for Monmouth Diocese to be involved this year. Our church buildings represent a massive treasure, but they are too often closed, other than for services or occasional other events.

“As we increasingly focus on being outward looking in mission, we also have an opportunity to extend an invitation for people to come and look around our buildings, and to become inspired by the history as well as the generations that have worshipped in those buildings before us. But it’s also an opportunity to show how we our telling the Christian story today and our buildings are important tools in doing that. I have no doubt that Churches Unlocked will be a success for those taking part from Monmouth Diocese and we look forward to it growing in years to come.”

Feedback from the Churches Unlocked Festival 2022 said:

“The location was wonderful, providing an opportunity to visit an ancient church that might have not otherwise. The parishioners were marvelously welcoming.”

“The bell ringing demonstration was beautiful and the talk on the history of the church and cemetery was fascinating.”

“[The festival was] an opportunity to see a church I would not have visited otherwise. An interesting event placing the Psalms of Edmund Prys in their historical context.”

“The parishioners were absolutely lovely and so welcomingcakes were amazing! There was so much interesting information about the church and its history, particularly the organ.”

“The children had a wonderful time exploring the church. Thank you”

Archdeacon of Monmouth, Ian Rees, said, “Having heard about Read church profiles, book events and read stories via the Churches Unlocked website: www.churchesunlocked.org

A Taste of What’s to Come…

St Gwynno Church, Llanwonno – Llandaff Diocese

St

Gwynno Dr Who Image - Credit: Scott Frankton

High on a hilltop, at a junction of mountain roads in the forest between the Rhondda Fach and Cynon Valleys and with a spectacular view lies the ancient church of St Gwynno. Fragments of early sculpture incorporated in the walls suggest a church may have existed on the site as far back as the 6th century. The present-day church contains a fine collection of Victorian stained glass as well as some interesting 18th/19th century wall monuments and a fragment of Early Christian sculpture. The church is also of interest to Doctor Who fans as it was the setting of the series 5 episode ‘Cold Blood’ with actor Matt Smith.

This summer during the Churches Unlocked Festival, St Gwynno will host a flower show where local people will bring their themed flower displays for the community, walkers and festival goers to enjoy. A traditional evensong will be held in the stunning setting and a local historian will share their expertise. The hilltop will also be transformed into an escape room adventure for schools in the area.

St Mary’s Church, Rogiet – Monmouth Diocese

“St Mary’s, Rogiet is a small friendly church on the Gwent Levels in South Monmouthshire in a beautiful setting alongside Manor House farm and buildings,” said Fay Baxter, Churchwarden.

“There has been a church on this site since Norman times. We still have our Norman font dating from the 12th century alongside some wonderful 20th century-stained glass windows from Celtic Studios. During the 19th century the Great Western Railway was built running just to the south of the village and our connection to Severn Tunnel Junction was created. In 1903 St Mary’s was extended to accommodate the railway families. We are part of a warm welcoming community, and we hope you will join us for the Churches Unlocked Festival.”

St Mary’s festival events include an evening of ‘Tales of the Junction’, with stories about a railway community. Children are invited to join a wildlife, nature count and bug hunt in the graveyard as part of Caring for God’s Acre week. There will be open days to view baptism and burial registers and history of the church as well as an evening of beautiful singing with Serenata Ladies Choir.

The Church of the Resurrection, Ely – Llandaff Diocese

Built in the 1930s to accommodate the rapidly expanding population on the new Ely housing estate in west Cardiff the design takes inspiration from the ancient churches in Ravenna, Italy.

The red brick exterior conceals a vast and surprisingly light interior. The acoustic is excellent and provides an ideal venue for concerts throughout the year. Enthusiasts for 20th century art and architecture will find a stunning stained-glass windows by Francis Spear and other artists, as well as Stations of the Cross by internationally renowned ceramic artist Michael Flynn. The church is listed Grade II as a rare example of an unusual historical style that retains its character.

Vicar of the church, Canon Jan Gould, said, “Our church has stood strong and proud at the heart of the community in Ely, Cardiff since 1934. It truly is a gleaming jewel in West Cardiff with its beautiful artwork, its fascinating history, and its impressive architecture. Most people, on visiting The Res for the first time, are blown away by its beauty when they step inside - we hope you will be too! So do come and pay us a visit. We look forward to welcoming you.”

Ukraine Appeal: Be the Hope, Be a Host

The Diocese of Llandaff is calling out for homeowners in South Wales to consider inviting people who are fleeing Ukraine and in need of safety, to live with them. Six matches and placements have already occurred through the diocese’s network but there are many more people who need a sanctuary from the chaos and horror of war in their country.

7.8 million Ukrainians have been displaced since February 2022 when the war started. However, this number is increasing. To meet this demand, USPUK and Citizens UK have collaborated to create the ‘Communities for Ukraine’ programme and are in touch with thousands of Ukrainians waiting in refugee centres in Warsaw and in Ukraine, who are currently facing an uncertain future.

Can you open your home to a Ukrainian fleeing war?

If so, please register your interest on the ‘Communities for Ukraine’ pages on the USPUK or Citizens UK websites. You may think you cannot offer a lot, but what you can offer is safety and hope.

Anna and her daughters, from Kyiv, were matched with a family in Tenby in the Diocese of St David’s. Anna said, “We are just a perfect match for them. Since the day we arrived, they have taken care of us as if we are part of the family. We have dinner together, go shopping and on excursions, spend a lot of time together. I also volunteer with them at the local centre for Ukrainians.

“I am very grateful to the entire USPUK organisation for our ‘new life’ in such a terrible time for us. It is impossible to express all the gratitude we feel for our new family and for all the British people who continue to support and help Ukrainians.”

Dominic Pascoe is an Army Reserve Major serving with the 3rd Battalion in the Royal Welsh, currently based in Cardiff. He at the War and Ethics Sixth Form Conference in Llandaff Cathedral, “It’s inside our fabric as human beings, whether you be Christian or any other religion, to care for people who are oppressed and try to make their lives better.

“We live in this global village. It is critical for Ukraine on just a practical level that those generations are saved because they are women and children. They are the next generations. They are the future of Ukraine. The future of our global village without those generations, where will we be? We have to think beyond today or tomorrow.”

Rev’d Dr Ryan Green spoke at the Llandaff Cathedral Sixth Form Conference on the Ethics of War in February. He said, “At the heart of Christian faith is the call to show God’s hospitality. But it’s not just about what we can give. In that encounter with someone who is from another place we can learn truth about ourselves about our world and learn how to be good neighbours to each other. That is so important in a world that’s painful and difficult. Giving doesn’t have

to come out of our limited compassion and limited resources, but we can plug into God’s care and love for His world, which comes out of his eternity.”

We understand there are lots of reasons why you may not be able to host a family. We then humbly ask you to join us in this prayer:

Dear Lord,

We raise up to you all involved in the Ukraine conflict. May your guiding hand lead them to safety. Soften the hearts of all who seek to further this conflict. Through the grace of your Holy Spirit may their eyes be opened to the pain, suffering and harm war causes. Unite us through your spirit and help us to confess our faith through our actions to those in need, and our voice to those in power. In the name of your son, our saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen

The life and work of a Chaplain

Chaplaincy is often the unseen ministry, quietly and sensitively bringing God crisis and the lives of vulnerable people or people at the most vulnerable times of their lives.

We spoke to a university chaplain, LGBT+ chaplain and prison chaplain. Here they give us special insights into their daily work.

Rev’d Belinda Huxtable-Goy (left) is a chaplain for Cardiff University. She said:

As university chaplains we are in a privileged position, sent by our Church seen as the face of the Church, not employed by the University but present in the community this means we can connect with people in a unique way. This includes dog walks, lunches, and services. Everyday there are opportunities to speak and meet people. Chaplaincy is very much about being present, being seen and being known.

The beauty of chaplaincy is that you are at the service of the other in its truest sense. You have to embrace vulnerability. You can’t change the situation, but you can embrace all that a person offers, listening deeply and drawing upon God’s spirit in that moment.

As a chaplain you sit in the gap in between, on the periphery or margin but also in the midst of ordinary everyday life. We engage daily with people most of whom profess to have no faith, may not be necessarily looking for us but we are looking out for them.

Being a chaplain encourages creativity and calls for flexibility, it can be challenging but it’s so rewarding to be with people in the messiness of life and to bring hope in a sometimes-dark world.

Gareth tells a story demonstrating how important chaplaincy is to an individual and their journey:

“Will I be safe?”. That was the first question Grant (not his real name) asked me when I phoned him after he’d submitted an online-referral form for the LGBTQ+ Chaplaincy. Is that something you ask yourself before heading off to church on a Sunday morning?

Grant had found faith during COVID. He’d never attended church before, but now he wanted to give it a go. “I want to belong”, he said, but he was afraid that it would not be safe to do so. And “If I do go, would it be better to pretend I don’t have a partner?”.

Grant apologised multiple times for his questions, worried that I might find them rude and disrespectful. I assured him that the LGBTQ+ Chaplaincy exists to find you a safe and dignified place in the Diocese of Llandaff. A place where you will be loved and welcomed, and your partner with you.

This is a new ministry in the Diocese of Llandaff – one of radical welcome and deep pastoral kindness. The Chaplains work professionally and carefully to help those who make contact with us know that they are deeply loved and welcome and that they will be safe (we will make sure of that).

The chaplain for Cardiff HM prison is the Rev’d Nick Sandford:

Prisons exist to keep society safe both by keeping people in Custody and preparing them to lead law abiding lives in the community. As Chaplains we believe that Faith has a role to play in this. Everybody who comes into prison has a right to practice their faith and it is our responsibility to ensure that this is carried out. We run weekly services or meditation groups as well as faith classes so that men can learn about their faith.

Research shows that if you give somebody hope that they can change their lives it can give them the motivation to change. But we all need support and faith communities can offer the support that men need when they leave prison. Those who feel connected to others in a (non-criminal) community are more likely to stay away from crime.

The Gospels tell us that forgiveness is open to all and none of us is written off by God no matter how often we offend and we try to put this into practice with the men that we meet every day. The best joy in our work is when the men leave us and don’t come back.

Rev’d Gareth Rayner-Williams (right) is the lead chaplain of the diocesan LGBTQI+ chaplaincy group.

Helping schools ‘Flourish’

In 2022, the diocese, led by the Young Faith Matters team, made a partnership with the Flourish Project to train clergy and lay volunteers to run the mental wellbeing project in schools in their area.

Developed by the Christian charity The Proton Foundation, the project exists to help young people develop healthy self-esteem and improve their mental and emotional wellbeing by equipping them with techniques to encourage positive thoughts and coping with negative.

Rev’d Charlotte Rushton, Ministry Area Lead of Pontypridd, is running the programme with 11–12-year-olds at Hawthorne Comprehensive High School.

Hawthorne is one of the most socially deprived areas in South Wales according to the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation. Because of Flourish, Rev’d Charlotte has seen the effects living in a deprived area has on the hopes and expectations of school age children. Rev’d Charlotte said,

of the wonderful things they’ve learned is that the fears they have are the same as everybody else’s fears as well as your hopes and dreams and aspirations. They all want better lives.

“This is a really tough, tough place to grow up. Younger people need hope. So, I want to bring the hope by taking time out of the day to prepare

all of this for them. Because if the school has identified your worth something and if they go away knowing that they are worth more than what they thought they were, hopefully, they will have hope to achieve more because they deserve it.”

The group of ten 11–12-year-old girls Rev’d Charlotte is currently working with have all come from difficult backgrounds with unusual family situations and were selected based on the fact that they were finding it difficult to pay attention in school and had high truancy rates. Rev’d Charlotte said she sees the fact that they have turned up every week as a win. The self-esteem work with the girls, which includes identifying negative thoughts (demonstrated with visual cues such as a good apple and a rotten apple), is having a profound effect on the behaviour of the girls in class.

Rev’d Charlotte said, “By session seven, we had quite a profound experience. One girl had been so withdrawn in school, that the teachers have never had a conversation with her long enough to recognise she has a speech impediment. Now the school is going to get her the support that she needs. God has worked in a miracle in that child’s life.”

The Flourish Project uses games and visual storytelling to open up introspective conversations in a fun but safe environment. At the beginning and end of the course, the participants fill in forms which are used to indicate selfesteem, happiness, and mental health at these two different points in time.

“One of my girls said, ‘When I’m feeling sad, I remember Charlotte and all the stuff she said about me and then I’ll feel better.’ So hopefully when they hit these times in their lives where they are challenged and self-confidence can be knocked, they will remember somebody said, ‘You are awesome. You are smart

and clever, and you’ve got this.’ I’m hoping these are the tools they will always fall back on.”

There has been a huge transformation in whole cohort which both Charlotte and the teachers at Hawthorne have seen in each of the girls in school.

“The space feels like feels like holy ground. It is the Holy Spirit, just in a form that they don’t recognise and it doesn’t stop in the classroom. For the girls it is going through all aspects of life. And for me, it’s coming back to church and saying to everybody, ‘Thank you for praying this week.’ It is so amazing love to share with the church what their prayers have enabled. So hopefully the whole of the church will be intermingling with the joy of this mission.

“I’ve intentionally not used the faith module with the course. However, I do where my dog collar. There have been conversations which have caught me off guard. As relationships grow stronger and they become more confident, they’ll ask more questions, which I’m always happy to answer.

“It’s going to be a long process. So, I don’t want to say at the end of these eight weeks, ‘Come to church’, because I don’t think that is going to be the link that they need. So, the plan is that I become a safe space for all those children.

“As we form more relationships, as we have more cohorts, I’m hoping that in two years’ time, the school would be open to having a religious message there but at the

One

moment it is based wholly on relationships and giving them a safe space. If they feel like they got a safe space with me then they can start to see any of the churches in the ministry area as a safe space too. Jesus will do his work in his own time.”

Diocesan Head of Education, Beccie Morteo, said, “Wellbeing and mental health is an increasing concern for many of us working with children and young people. The Flourish programme, which is rooted in Christian values and supported by high quality training and resources, offers schools and churches an opportunity to be part of a solution. Working together to support children’s wellbeing will undoubtedly help to develop strong, positive relationships between schools, Churches and the wider community.”

The Young Faith Matters team organise the Flourish Project training for teachers, school staff, lay volunteers and clergy. Six schools (including 1 community) were trained in February 2023. YFM lead Simon Evans said, “As a YFM Team, we have seen that mental health is a significant problem for young people and have seen how the Flourish Project is an amazing resource to serve local schools but also equip churches with the tools to help support young people’s wellbeing. Therefore, the Diocese has committed to training twenty clergy/lay people in the first year of this agreement across two training cohorts, with the hope that this partnership can increase in the years to come.”

Headteacher of Pendoylan Church in Wales Primary School, Emma Harris, said at a Flourish training course:

“The Flourish Project equips young people to flourish into everything they can be. And the training over the last two days has been truly inspirational in equipping me with the skills and confidence to run this amazing project. I am excited to be part of the programme and walk with young children in developing their wellbeing and self-esteem through weekly challenges and creative activities.”

Rev’d Angela Copper, Lead Children’s Officer, is running the programme in Cowbridge in Llansannor & Llanharry CinW Primary School and St David’s CinW Primary School. She said, “What I find going into schools is that lots of children

have missed out on social interaction because of COVID.

“Primary school is a foundation of their self-esteem and communication with other children. We are finding that there are groups of children that haven’t got confidence to put hands up in class. With year 6 children, it is good to have some strategies in place that would help them go from one of our small church schools into a bigger comprehensive and grow into the person God wants them to be. It’s a great project for the diocese to be doing and it’s been taken up very well by the schools.”

Beccie Morteo, Diocesan Head of Education, and Emma Harris.

Flat Holm – “A Walk Through Time” Prayer,

pilgrimage and worship in the tradition of the Celtic saints

Join a series of unique pilgrimages in 2023 to the island of Flat Holm in the Bristol Channel. Embedded in the Christian Celtic tradition of our land, the South Cardiff Ministry Area pilgrimages will have a special care for the natural world, and explore how we can discover God’s presence and serve him in the familiar and every day, as we rejoice in the saints of our land.

Flat Holm sits alongside its sister island, Steep Holm, in the Bristol Channel. It lies within the ancient parish of Cardiff St Mary the Virgin and is the southernmost point of Wales. It is rich in wildlife, steeped in history and religious significance.

Join the Easter pilgrimage

Like the saints before us, you too are able to take an Island retreat as we make pilgrimage to Flat Holm. On the pilgrimage you will walk where Saint Cadoc walked, pray where he prayed and, perhaps, gain a fresh perspective on our life with God, as we seek to have our faith strengthened and renewed.

For more information, additional resources and to join the journey across the Bristol Channel for just £55, go to southcardiffministryarea.co.uk/flat-holm

Friday April 14th – ‘A New Creation: an Easter Pilgrimage’

Taking place during Easter Week, this pilgrimage celebrates the Resurrection of Christ as the beginning of a new creation and, in the midst of the beauty of Flat Holm, we seek to receive a new appreciation of God’s world, and our place within it.

Welsh Saints from Welsh Churches

A Book By Martin Crampin

‘Welsh Saints from Welsh Churches’ is an exquisite composition over 500 images of depictions of saints, most of which have never been seen before in print from over 250 churches. Through appreciating the individual makers’ work, Crampin tells the stories of forty-four male and female saints through the striking photography of stain glass, sculptures and murals of scenes from folklore.

Crampin says in Chapter 1, “The imagery of saints from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries expresses the importance of Welsh saints to the churches and the people of Wales. These images are a testament to the nineteenthand twentieth-century concept of the ‘Age of Saints’ and the belief that Wales was home to a discernibly different form of Celtic Christianity.”

Crampin has done extensive research from sources across Wales and many centuries to paint a picture of each saint who has shaped Welsh faith.

In an interview he said “The idea of the book is to make this wonderful visual culture available to people and help people realise that it’s there. You find

images of saints on book covers everyday but there is nothing about the makers, nothing about the history of the medium, so that’s what I wanted to do. It’s a book about saints but it’s a book about art in our churches as well.”

Welsh Saints with Scenes from the Life of St Elfan, Robert Newbery 1905, Church of St Elvan, Aberdare, north transept window.

St Iltud Teaching St Padarn, St Teilo, St Cadog and St David at Llantwit, Robert Newbery 1912, Church of St Catherine, Pontypridd, north aisle window.

St Cadog, William Clarke perhaps c.1901, Church of St Catwg, Pentyrch, pulpit.

REWILDING YOUR CHURCHYARD

Churches on the Case

St Matthew’s, Bro Noddfa Newydd Ministry Area

We want the area to be what it wants to be.

Committing to rewilding areas can be a fine line between the churchyard looking messy and wanting those new flowers to grow and prosper. It is important to be especially mindful of areas with new graves which should be more well-kept to be sensitive to the bereaved.

Vicar of St Matthew’s, Rev’d Stephen Bodycombe said, “We have left areas that look quite natural in a wilder state anyway. I think the key is in any churchyard is to be sensitive to both the nature flourishing and the practical use of an active churchyard. The rewilding areas of the churchyard attract lots of pollinating bees and so on so it is definitely benefitting from being left. It is part of our attempt to look after God’s creation and have it as it’s meant to be.”

St Augustine’s, Penarth Ministry Area

We see it as a part of our ongoing stewardship of our little bit of God’s world.

The churchyard at St Augustine’s, Penarth, has been a hive of activity for rewilding and encouraging wildlife by not just the congregation, but also the wider community.

rigged with nesting boxes, speakers to encourage swifts and designated places where reptiles, snakes and slow-worms can hide.

Priest of St Augustine’s Fr Mark Jones said, “It has been a wonderful way of engaging with the community. The congregation at St Augustine’s wasn’t able to do it all on its own so it was a wonderful thing to be able to get other people involved. We have made a lot of connections with it and people have come to church because of it. We’ve had local primary schools visiting, bird and bat evenings, picnics and church events carried out in the churchyard.”

St. Ilan’s Church, Caerphilly

It’s just really trying to do our little bit to help with global warming.

Caerphilly and Aber Valley Ministry Area hold ‘A Rocha UK’, ‘Green Flag’ and ‘RHS In Bloom’ awards and statuses. They have done this by providing flourishing habitats for wildlife like the wildflower areas in St Ilan’s grounds. They also use their wild churchyard areas for conservation research and teaching experiences, bringing in a butterfly preservation expert and a native bugs and plant specialist to give talks. Local schools and children are invited to learn about and enjoy the blossoming nature in the churchyards.

Rev’d Pauline Smith said, “I think churches are untapped resources and natural habitats. And we can put little things in place like bird boxes, we’ve got lots of hedgehogs and different animals that come and thrive really in our church.”

TOP 5 TIPS

1. Know your surroundings.

Do some research on the plants and wildlife that thrive in your area. Plant native wildflowers, trees and shrubs that are suited to your area. Is your churchyard coastal and exposed to sea air? Wooded? Moorland? Urban?

2. Create wildlife habitats.

What animals might you need to accommodate for? Do some research and put up bird and bat boxes, bug and reptile houses and hedgehog holes accordingly. This can be a good way of involving local groups, schools and children.

3. Let it grow!

Have some areas of long grass and let mosses and lichen grow. Keep track of what is growing and harvest wildflower seeds to spread.

4. Keep the churchyard safe and functional.

For advice and resources on rewilding your churchyard go to: www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk

Over 50 people from congregation and community contribute to the maintenance of the rewilding churchyard and are coordinated by Penarth’s local nature conservancy group. The churchyard is Churches across Wales can now register to participate in Churches Count on Nature, an annual scheme where people visit churchyards and record the plant and animal species they encounter. The biodiversity survey, supported by environmental charities A Rocha UK and Caring for God’s Acre, as well as the Church in Wales and the Church of England, will take place from June 3-11 2023, in line with the Churches Unlocked Festival.

Be aware of the most used areas of your churchyard and new graves. Watch out for brambles on pathways, poison ivy, fungi etc. that may be hazardous to users.

5. Make it a team effort.

Are there local gardening or conservation groups who you can collaborate with? Be resourceful with local expertise and enthusiasm.