Good evening all,

So today is Eli’s birthday. He is the youngest of our six children and he turned 18 today – we no longer have any minors in the family. I feel very old all of a sudden – if they are all grown up then perhaps I am too? Sometimes I feel very creaky and old, and other times I feel 25 inside and wonder why I don’t look it! I’m sure you have those moments too?

Today Rev’d Sue has finalised the plans for our Advent course which we are offering in three locations, times and days. Please have a look at the attached poster and consider coming along. It promises to be enriching and encouraging. I know it seems a long way off but if you put the dates in your diary now, then you will stand a better chance of making the time, and it is a wonderful way to prepare for Christmas, alongside the other busy things that we all do.

What else can I share with you? Um. Busy as the week has been I don’t think there is anything else new so I won’t take any more of your time.

Don’t forget, my first and most important thing to do is to pray faithfully, and I am always willing to pray for specific things that you might ask. Let me know how I can pray for you this week?

With my 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 all,

So it’s been a really busy week, loads has happened, and yet I find myself wondering what to write to you about!

Every week in ministry is full and different, always with something delightful, something taxing, something sad, and something hopeful! One of the things I enjoyed this week was that for the first time in a very long time the full licensed clergy team was able to meet together. It was incredibly fast moving and busy with lots of really productive conversations and collegiate support. We moved forward with our plans for the Advent course – more about that to follow soon. We discussed running some training on how to offer a good welcome in our churches in the new year – there’s always more to learn. We hope to offer a short session on writing intercessions, perfect for anyone who might like to learn or needs a refresh, and we began considering our confirmation preparation. Would you like to be confirmed or Christened? The bishop is coming on 2^nd February and this would be the perfect opportunity!

So you can see, there is a lot to look forward to. This all in addition to the exciting developments we anticipate will come from our LYCIG work. As ever, no one can possibly do everything, and we are offering so many things so that there is something for everyone we hope. So please have a think about what might interest you but do not under any circumstances feel pressured or obliged to sign up for everything, that’s really not expected! I’m very grateful to my colleagues for their enthusiasm and willingness to be so creative and excited about our opportunities and possibilities.

Perhaps that is enough for this week. Let me leave you with a psalm of praise, which I hope will lift your sights to God, allowing you to join me in thanking him for all that he has given us.

With my love and prayers,

Sally xxxx

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

2     Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

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 lovely folk,

How are you all this week? It’s been another busy one, both professionally and personally. I’m delighted to welcome Will home – I don’t mind telling you I have missed him terribly. Professionally, we ran the final Leading Your Church Into Growth evening, and there has been the usual run of pastoral visits, school activity, meetings, and emails (Yay!)

Our harvest celebrations are midflow at the moment, and it is a delight to see our churches so beautifully decorated and welcoming. Next we pause briefly before Remembrance and then Advent and Christmas. Hot off the press I can tell you that Rev’d Sue is leading the organisation of an Advent course called O Come All Ye Faithful. It is designed by the Church in Wales and we hope to run it in several venues on different days and at different times. So keep your eyes peeled and be ready to sign up – it’s always good news when we can grow our faith and be part of something that is positive and fun, with others.

One of the things I have been wondering over this week, is how best we can use prayer to support our activities, our mission, and our pastoral needs. I get many requests week by week, asking for prayer for specific needs, and I pray faithfully. However, I rarely hear how things are progressing, and I’m not sure we are praying in a way that is making the best of our faithful people and our obvious connections. Now, it’s important to note, I don’t think this is a problem for God – he will work with everything we give him, but is there a way we can do things differently or better, that would make our prayer life an easier and a more intuitive part of our faith life? I would be interested to know if you have any sensible or not so sensible suggestions!

And may be that’s enough for this week?

Time to disconnect, so that I can eat with the family and unwind, ready for a quiet day in my pjs, knitting and trying to restore order to the practical chaos of our home!

Please be in touch if you need or would like.

With my love and prayers,

Sally xx

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 this evening?

The first thing I must write, without any hesitation, is a huge and sincere thank you to all those involved in the bishop’s visit to the ministry area this week. She got a wonderful flavour of the diversity of our communities and was very pleased to spend meaningful time with some of you. There was a good balance of busy and reflective time in the day, and we closed the day with a wonderful celebration in St. Cybi’s Church. Those of you who came will know about the fantastic choir, and that we were lucky enough to witness the licensing of Rev’d Helen Rees as a priest to our area. Helen will be working voluntarily, and part time, and is going to be a wonderful addition to our team and work.

My thanks extend to those who worked behind the scenes, heavy lifting (sometimes literally), preparing, making changes to their personal plans, and doing all sorts of unseen, important, detailed tasks. I was a church warden for a number of years and find it hard to put down those duties sometimes, but it does mean I am fairly aware of all that you might be doing, quietly, efficiently, and often with little thanks. This is true not just yesterday but every day. So thank you. We are all essential in this plan!

When I was letting the bishop know of the plan for the day, I shared the following passage with her, and I think it might be helpful for us all to remember sometimes – 

‘Amidst the vast scene of the world’s problems and tragedies you may feel that your own ministry seems so small, so insignificant, so concerned with the trivial. What a tiny difference it can make to the world that you should run a youth club, or preach to a few people in a church, or visit families with seemingly small result. But consider: the glory of Christianity is its claim that small things really matter and that the small company, the very few, the one man, the one woman, the one child are of infinite worth to God. Consider our Lord himself. Amidst a vast world with its vast empires and vast events and tragedies, our Lord devoted himself to individual men and women, often giving hours and time to the very few or to the one man or woman.’ 

[Archbishop Michael Ramsay] 

A few dates and reminders for you – 

Saturday we have a Ministry Area walk at Cefn Ila, beginning at 10.30. Poster attached, and all welcome.

Sunday we are in Glascoed Church at 11am, with Delyth from EcoChurch coming to speak to us. We will have a picnic afterwards, so bring food and something to sit on.

I’m really worried now that I’ve forgotten something that I’m supposed to be including. If that is true, please can you let me know and I’ll send out a separate email early next week.

Finally, please can I ask you to keep in your prayers all those who are struggling with change. There’s a lot of it about and it can be stressful and include a sense of loss or bereavement. Please know that if this is true for you, you are in my prayers.

With my love,

Sally xx

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 my friends,

It’s been a week of all seasons – short sleeves, vests, open windows, and heating on! Quite a rollercoaster, don’t you think?

My week has been good and there is lots going on, which is wonderful to share.

On Monday evening the church in Usk hosted the Archdeacon’s visitation for the whole archdeaconry (five ministry areas). It was an opportunity for Archdeacon Ian to formally swear in our Ministry Area wardens, Jan Millett and Neville Crump, and for him to thank everyone who works so hard to make our churches as successful and as welcoming as they are. It was an uplifting service and the sermon was especially good, so I’ve attached it to this letter for you to read at your leisure if you were not able to attend.

Next Wednesday (25^th Sept)  is another interesting and joyful day for us, as Bishop Cherry spends time in the Ministry Area. At the end of the day she will celebrate Holy Communion in St. Cybi’s Church, Llangybi. The time for that service is 7pm. As well as it ending the bishop’s day with us, it will also be the formal start of Rev’d Helen Rees’ ministry amongst us. Helen has been helping on the Sunday rota for a while now, but will be formally licensed as an associate priest, to our Ministry Area. This is wonderful news and will enable us to make the best use of Helen’s gifts and skills, whilst allowing her to reestablish a community ministry after a time in academia. Time for us to celebrate! Please come along.

Finally, can I remind you of the special ministry area service we are having on the fifth Sunday of September – we will be in St Michael’s Glascoed, as the only service in the area that day – bring a picnic, as we will be having lunch together afterwards, and let’s hope the sun shines so that we can enjoy the outside as well as the inside. The speaker at that service is Delyth Higgins, who will be talking about Ecochurch. Please put the date in your diaries (29^th Sept. 11am).

And that I think is that! I hope to see some of you in the cathedral on Sunday, 4pm when I will be able to show off my new red buttons. If you need me or have something to share, you know where I am, likewise, if there is anything specific I can pray about for you, please let me know.

With my 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,

How is your week progressing? I really am struggling to get through my emails – I’m really sorry if you have been patiently waiting for a reply. Be patient no longer and send me a little nag, if you are waiting for something that is time critical! 

This weekend is a big one locally with the Usk Show taking place on Saturday. It is a wonderful gathering of all that is to be celebrated across about rural Monmouthshire, from livestock, to traditional crafts, food, and entertainment. You can buy a ticket on the day if you are not sure, and there is plenty of parking plus a really efficient park and ride service from local areas. Come along! Near the show ring you will find the chaplaincy tent, although I must confess to preferring to wander the whole showground bumping into old friends and new ones. So many wonderful conversations to be had, and so much to enjoy. Perhaps I’ll see you there?

In just over two weeks’ time our Sunday service will be a Ministry Area service, and there will be only one service across all our churches. We have chosen to have this service in St. Micahel’s Church in Glascoed as that weekend (29^th September) is the feast of St, Michael and All Angels. Our theme will be Ecochurch, and again the location is an excellent one as this church has some very rare orchids in its churchyard which has led to some very careful management during the flowering season. We will be having a guest speaker at this service, Delyth Higgins, who lead the Rocha Ecochruch scheme. All our churches now have at least one award so I invite you to come and celebrate all that we are doing as stewards of God’s planet, whilst learning about new things we might consider. 

After the service you are invited to stay for a picnic, so do bring along your munch and something to sit on. 

Sunday 29^th Sept. 11am!

Finally, please can I ask for your prayers for our Ministry Area Council? Will be meeting on Tuesday 17^th Sept. In the afternoon and the responsibility of being a trustee is not to be taken lightly. At our last meeting we took the decision that all the minutes should be in the public domain so look out for them ,in about a fortnight. The MAC is the body with legal oversight for all that we do. Let us pray for generous decisions and good stewardship of all that we have.

Thank you for all your kindnesses and how generously you work within our churches, this really is a team effort and I’m very grateful for every one of you. You know where I am if you need me.

With much 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,

It’s a late one today – it’s been a long and busy day! I hit the ground after my holiday on Tuesday and haven’t stopped. Ministry is wonderful and I am glad to be back, although it was hard to leave Will. He will be back with us on 1^st October and sends you his love.

My holiday was wonderful  – with a pattern of eating, walking, resting, swimming, and sleeping. What more could I ask for? Perhaps a little glass of something? There was that too!

I’ve come home and realise that life goes on and I’m watching and praying for many of you who are in challenging times. Because of this, I ask that you hold each other in your prayers over the coming weeks – there are people carrying private burdens, for which prayer would be a comfort and offer strength. 

I had a lovely conversation with someone just today about how we all like to give and offer help but how poor we can be at accepting and receiving it when we need it ourselves. Please bear that in mind – when we receive kindness from others, we give them the opportunity to be thankful givers, so our graciousness in receipt makes us givers too. We all take turns in giving and receiving, how amazing is the human race that we can be both? So thank you to those of us who are supporting and giving, and well done to those of us who are gracious receivers. We are both!

I think there are quite a few things I should be sharing, but I’ll restrict it to just one this evening, and I’ll email you separately next week about other news and events.

Please can I flag up to you the most extraordinary art installations that are appearing in some of our local churches. It is called “Vessel” and you can find out more about it here – 

Vessel: a breath-taking art trail via ancient Welsh churches – Friends of Friendless Churches Art + Christianity, in collaboration with Friends of Friendless Churches, are hosting ‘Vessel’, a ground-breaking exhibition from 8 August to 31 October 2024.friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk

You’ll see that many of the local Friends of Friendless churches are being used and I highly commend this opportunity to visit. It can feel like a sort of pilgrimage. Why not give it a go and tell me what you think?

A few more emails to write tonight and then bed – jet lag is real! 

With my love and prayers, you know how to reach me if you need to.

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.