Good evening friends,

It’s been a full and encouraging Holy Week this year – all our services and activities throughout Lent have been very special actually. Thank you to everyone who ensured that these things happened, it really has been a team effort in the very widest sense.

We now have Good Friday to endure – such a tough day, and then the peace of Holy Saturday before the celebrations on Sunday. (I should add that for those of you who care for our church buildings, I know that the Saturday can be incredibly busy, cleaning, preparing flowers, and getting ready for Easter Day – thank you!)

I wonder how many of you will make it up to the Blorenge (Foxhunter car park) at 5.30am on Sunday? It’s a treat if you can cope with rising early!

I won’t make this letter any longer than it needs to be, so just one more thing – there are no mid week services next week, as our clergy all take a much deserved few days of quiet. If you have an urgent pastoral need please be in touch though and we will do our best to respond. I hope your Easter is a joyous one, and that you are spending it with people whom you love.

With my love and prayers to you,

Sally xxxx

Dear God, thank you for all you do for me. 

You are full of goodness and grace towards me, 

I’m so grateful for your deep love for me. 

This Easter, may I also demonstrate your love by helping others. 

Direct me to be a blessing to all those around me, 

spreading the good news of Christ’s resurrection through my actions. Amen

Please note that Friday is usually my rest day. Emails received on Friday may not be responded to until after the weekend. Thank you for your understanding.

Good evening all,

I’m a day early this week because Will and I are taking our extra day off tomorrow – the church in Wales recently changed the day off rules for clergy, so that we have one day a week routinely, but once a month can take two days as a 48 hour extended rest period. So we are doing that tomorrow and Friday. It is our intention to go to St. Fagan’s museum tomorrow, provided this glorious weather continues, and then have a good meal out in Cardiff, before doing some shopping on Friday. We have discovered that we don’t need to go far to feel like we are having a little break – it’s all about attitude! The timing is excellent as we are both feeling rather tired, (I suspect that is a grief weariness) and we want to be at our best for the important week ahead. Holy Week is a very special time and I hope you will feel able to join us in the various things that are going on. I’ve attached a couple of posters with the information.

This week has been very full so far, and I must confess that one of the highlights was the termly school Eucharist. To have so many children singing, reading, praying, and then receiving Communion or God’s blessing, is such a joy. The children really do understand what it means to be Christian, and I know that if you were to come to the service in school you would recognise it as almost identical to what goes on in our church buildings on a Sunday. I also had the most wonderful visit to a family in which all the children (who are school age) have expressed a desire to be baptised. Their questions and insistence that they choose the readings and the hymns was both delightful and encouraging. They even want to write the prayers for the service! It occurred to me that unless these stories and activities are shared with you, we might all be left thinking that young people are not engaging with faith, or wanting to be part of church. The truth is that they are and do, it just doesn’t look the same as it did a few decades ago.

My last task this evening is to try to sort out the To Do list for next week – ensuring that I can get a balance of keeping everything on track whilst also making space to be confident that I can prepare for Easter, through Holy Week, alongside you, prayerfully and sincerely. Wish me luck with that!

I’ll be back at it on Saturday, until then, be assured of my prayers,

With love,

Sally xxxx

Ooo, I should mention – the advert to recruit our new team vicar is out this week. It is being advertised nationally. Please pray for the right person to hear God’s call. We have such a lot to offer and such a hopeful time ahead of us.

Please note that Friday is usually my rest day. Emails received on Friday may not be responded to until after the weekend. Thank you for your understanding.

Good evening friends, 

I’m exhausted! I probably shouldn’t start an email to you like that, but you know me – I tell it how it is! How are you? 

I preached recently about the British strangeness that we ask that question – how are you? – but there is only one acceptable answer. Yep, you know it – “Fine thank you”. And then we move on to talking about the weather, or what to have on the menu don’t we?! I wonder what would happen if we were honest with each other about how we really are? This would of course require honesty on both sides – we shouldn’t ask the question if we are not willing or able to listen to the answer and offer an appropriate response. It’s food for thought isn’t it?

What do I have to tell you this week? Just one thing I think – and that is that it’s not too late to think about coming to the Lent Quiet Morning that is happening on Saturday. It is in the meeting room in Usk Church from 10am to 1pm. Rev’d Helen is leading the time, and we will be reflecting on the Psalms, as part of our Lenten journey. There is no charge for the morning and there will be refreshments to sustain us. If you’ve never tried a Quiet Day before, then this is an ideal introduction – it is shorter and you will be with familiar people, I heartily recommend it. Just come along, no need to book a place.

Time to finish I think. I have an evening meeting left to do today, and then a gentle start tomorrow, I will worry about all those emails another day!

Please let me know how I can pray for you. And thank you for your prayers for us.

With love,

Sally xxxx

Please note that Friday is usually my rest day. Emails received on Friday may not be responded to until after the weekend. Thank you for your understanding.

Good evening all,

How are you? The brighter weather and longer daylight hours help with mood don’t you think?

What do I need to tell you this week? Kay, myself, and the diocesan office have been pulling together the advert ready to recruit the new team vicar who will live in Nantyderry. We are hoping to create something that is eye catching and a little more modern and attractive than the usual church adverts. It’s time we moved into the 21st century with such things! As well as being colourful and eye-catching in print, it will also have an informal, fly on the wall type video, to try to capture some of our energy, our joy, and our hope. We would be grateful for your prayers as this is finalised and then goes public – we need someone who is as dynamic and engaging as the other team members.

A couple of things that are in the pipeline for you to know about – 

We have received several requests to run a bible study and the team have chatted about the best way to do this – days, times, and venues are so difficult to get right for everyone. We’ve done some research and we are going to begin by running a Bible Society course called “The Bible Course” and you can find out more about it here – https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/explore-the-bible/the-bible-course

There is a new version about to be published, and that combined with other commitments, means we are going to wait until September to run this. I’m telling you now so you know we are planning, we are responding, and so that you can think about your own commitments in the autumn, should you want to make time for this. We anticipate running it online and in person (hybrid) and hope this won’t exclude people who don’t use the internet, as they have plenty of time to buddy up with someone and share a screen and a cuppa, doing the sessions together. We have secured some funding from the diocese to cover the costs. How does that sound?

The second thing to tell you is that we are going to run something specifically geared at young people who are interested in exploring questions around faith – a Youth Alpha course. This has had some success elsewhere and we already know of three young people who are keen. The eight sessions will run from the vicarage in Usk, and will involve pizza and doughnuts, as we discuss, debate, and challenge ourselves and the young people, about faith matters, and what it might mean to be Christian. The first session is on 7^th May at 4pm, and if you know anyone or are parents of young people aged between 11-16, who might be interested, please drop me a line. We will be using the new material which looks excellent!

Lots to take in there, and time for me to stop. Thank you for your prayers and support, please know that I continue to pray for you. Let me know if I can help in any way.

With love always,

Sally xxxx

Please note that Friday is usually my rest day. Emails received on Friday may not be responded to until after the weekend. Thank you for your understanding.

Good evening friends, 

How are you all this week? It’s been quite a busy week in all the right ways, for which I am very glad. I’ve nearly finalised the rota for April including a very busy and rich Holy Week. How is your Lent going? Are you managing to be joyful about the discipline you have chosen? 🙂

It’s been good to see the Lent groups start and be well attended, there is no problem in joining in late if that works for you. There are also some activities about trying to reduce our carbon footprint which we are publicising on social media, weekly. Let me know if you would like to receive these via email. The Lent lunches in Raglan have begun and there is also a Sunday Lent lunch in Usk on Sunday 23rd March. Please ask for details. I am constantly amazed and delighted with just how active and busy we are. Thank you so much and well done!

Last Saturday some of us were part of a diocesan day looking at our vision and culture, and how well we are working. It was a day of positivity as well as learning, and I and many others came away hopeful for the time ahead. I was chatting to someone today about the need for making space to look back and see how far we have come, and to reflect and give thanks to God for what is going well. It’s too easy to just look forward and worry about what needs doing! Are you good at measuring progress? Or are you more like me and just want to keep pushing on? 

Here is a link to the weekly diocesan letter which will tell you more about the conference day I have just mentioned. If you are not a regular receiver of this letter, then you can sign up for it at the bottom. It’s well worth it 🙂

https://mailchi.mp/e07f9b6532bc/upcoming-events-in-monmouth-diocese-8727012?e=140deea09f

Finally can I ask for your prayerful help please – we have Isaac’s funeral next Wednesday and although Will and I don’t intend taking a defined chunk of time off work, we will be having a very light diary week, and may not respond to emails and phone calls in as timely fashion as you might hope. Please will you pray for us, and for all our children and the wider family. It really is an impossible time for everyone. In addition, if you think I’ve dropped a ball or you are worried that something important hasn’t happened or isn’t being done, please can you let me know? I really won’t mind,. I am so grateful to the rest of the team, ordained and lay people, who are picking up extra stuff at the moment. You are a wonderful wonderful lot! 

With my love, and gratitude, please be in touch if you need anything, really, I mean it,

Sally xxxx

Please note that Friday is usually my rest day. Emails received on Friday may not be responded to until after the weekend. Thank you for your understanding.

Good evening all,

Lent is upon us! Are you marking the season in any way? I must confess that I had a few good intentions and here we are one day in and I’ve already not sustained my efforts! I read somewhere that it is about progress not perfection so perhaps I will try again tomorrow and see if I can do a little better. The important thing is to try and understand why we do the things we do, rather than measure the success – easy to say, not so easy if you are as competitive as I am!!

What news do I have for you this week? Well, perhaps I should alert you to the fifth Sunday service that is happening this month, which happens to fall on Mothering Sunday I really am very pleased indeed that Bishop Cherry is with us that day and we will be holding the service in St. Matthew’s Church, Monkswood. She hasn’t been to this pretty little church and it is a wonderful opportunity for us to gather and worship together, led by our bishop. Parking at the church is extremely restricted but I know you are a resourceful lot. Please can you try to car share as much as possible. There is parking in the closed down pub about 100yds along the road, and a little bit of parking in the residential side street that is along the road too. If you have a problems with transport please let me know. I will probably cycle there, but I know that’s not an option for everyone 🙂 

If you are at a loose end on Saturday may I suggest that a trip to St. Mary’s Church in Usk might be worthwhile? They are having a day exploring the history of the church which is interactive and suitable for all ages. There are costumes, refreshments (medieval style!) guides, and lots of activities and artefacts. I even believe that a piece of treasure was found in the safe that is on display after many many years. Pop along, if you have time, you won’t be disappointed.

Lastly, please accept our continued thanks for the love and prayers you are surrounding us with. We are praying for all of you too, so please don’t hesitate to ask for specific prayers – keep in touch , as clergy we pray well and want to support, even as we are being supported.

And now, time to close. Not quite a day off tomorrow as there are Lenten Stations of the Cross in St. Mary’s Usk (3pm). Come along if you fancy it!

With love as always,

Sally xxxx

Please note that Friday is usually my rest day. Emails received on Friday may not be responded to until after the weekend. Thank you for your understanding.

Good afternoon Friends,

How is your week going? We are at that stage in the seasons when both the snowdrops and the daffodils are in bloom together – it really is a lovely sight. Every year I forget about the snowdrops until I see them, and it’s as though it is the first time, every year, when they pop up – so beautiful! I wonder why I get caught by surprise year on year on year?

 A couple of reminders for you – we have a bilingual service in Usk at 10.30 on St. David’s Day to celebrate our patron saint – do come along, no Welsh is necessary, but some might be enjoyed 🙂

Then on Wednesday next week we begin Lent. Our Lent course kicks off and we have services for Ash Wednesday. I’ve attached details for both these things. Doing something for Lent  is encouraged, nothing is compulsory, and everyone is welcome. Please be in touch if you would like to know more.

And with that, I’m going to sign off. A quiet meal with Will this evening and then we are going to go to the museum in Cardiff tomorrow to see the Strike exhibition. A much needed change of scene and distraction from everything.

Thank you for your continued prayers and kindness, 

You know where I am, please be in touch if you need me,

love Sally xxx

Please note that Friday is usually my rest day. Emails received on Friday may not be responded to until after the weekend. Thank you for your understanding.

Good evening friends,

We continue to be deeply grateful for all your love and prayers, thank you all. Will and I are gently picking up the work that feels manageable and over the next couple of weeks I will be out and about more, so please be in touch if you need anything. Helen, Bill and Stephen continue to be very busy and willing, and I won’t hesitate to seek their input on anything that you are in touch with – the team is pulling together wonderfully, another thing to be immensely grateful for. 

In other news just an early alert to Lent – I know, it’s coming soon! Helen has been working with the team to organise our Lent course, I’ve attached the poster for you, to get the details. Every group is offering the same material so if your diary is busy, you can mix and match where you go from week to week. In an effort to add some quality to our Eco church statuses, we are also inviting you all to take part in a carbon fast. Details will follow nearer the time. Plenty to do, please join in as and when you are able.

I’m not sure I have anything else for this week’s letter, but please know that you are all in my prayers – my prayer life is more important than ever, and praying for you all, our churches, communities, and futures, is so important. Please let me know if I can pray for anything specific.

With love and thanks,

Sally xxxx

Please note that Friday is usually my rest day. Emails received on Friday may not be responded to until after the weekend. Thank you for your understanding.