One of my highlights was the Welcome/Croeso Course which we began on Wednesday evening with 30 people risking the fog and cold to share thoughts and make plans for how we can do small thing (and large things!) to improve the welcome that we give to everyone, new and established, in our churches. Thank you so much to those of you who came, and if you missed it, you could of course join in with the next session on Wednesday, 6.30pm Usk Church . I shall bring more cake!
I realised earlier in the week that I’ve been the Ministry Area Leader for a year now, and what a year it has been. Thank you so much to all those who have prayed, joined in, taken a few leaps of faith with me, and generally been willing to give it a go. We have had a wonderful emphasis on people and being joyful, and I am hoping to find some time in the next few weeks to see what sort of difference that might be making across our churches. This year feels like it is starting more quietly, but I am absolutely sure that God is at work amongst us and that we have a lot to look forward to and be excited by. Please do keep praying and if you have an ideas, big/small/weird/sensible, please let me know, I might just be having those same thoughts!
Finally, can I do a shameless plug for Will’s book launch and evening exploration of praying the Anglican rosary please? He wrote the book whilst on sabbatical last year and it has been for sale for a few months. He will be officially launching it next Thursday by leading us through a time of prayer, and then will be available to answer questions and have a conversation about the style of prayer and how to use the book. He will of course have copies to buy too. The Welcome Course caught me out, and I didn’t provide enough cake. I would hate to do the same with wine at this book event. So please can you let us know you are coming, either by using the QR code below, or by replying to this email.
And now, it’s time for me to stop, pick up my crochet, and forget about the outside world for a little while. You know where I am if I can help in any way, and don’t ever hold back from asking to be on my prayer list. It is a privilege to pray.
Happy New Year! I’m never sure at what point that becomes dated and a little strange to say, but given that we still have our Christmas tree up in the vicarage and all the cards are on display, it doesn’t feel too late from where I am sitting!
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, however you spent it? We had a house full, and after the church build up I was very glad to have a proper rest. I also spent some time reflecting on the year we have had and the year to come. We achieved such a lot last year, my first year as Ministry Area Leader, and I wonder what this year will look like? I am confident that we have lots to build upon, gently and carefully, and I want to hold on to the important thing in healthy church practice about doing a few things well rather than stretching ourselves too thinly. I imagine you agree?
Just a couple of dates to remind you about, as we settle back into our routines –
The Croeso, Welcome Course begins on Wednesday 15th January at 6.30pm. It will be in St. Mary’s Church Usk, in the back of the church, and everyone is invited to come along and think about how to make sure our churches are as welcoming and encouraging to newcomers as we can possibly make them. Please think about coming, the more the merrier!
Second, we are very pleased that the bishop will be with us on Sunday 2nd February at 3pm in Usk for a confirmation service. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate friends amongst us who are stepping forward in faith. Our prayers over the last year have been that we would increase in numbers and also in the depth of our faith, and this service allows us to be confident that those prayers are being answered. Please consider coming along to offer your support to friends old and new who are taking this next step in their journey with God. Let’s show them how loved they are We have so much to give thanks for.
And now it’s time to stop – is it me or do the weeks in January go more slowly?
You know where I am, and please know that you are in my prayers,
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.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Just a few days to go and excitement is mounting, My main excitements are whether I will get everything wrapped in time, whether I will be able to find time to run the hoover round before my parents arrive and notice the mess, and whether we can find the leaf that extends the table so we can fit 11 for lunch. Wish me luck!
I am also reminded that we will be saying goodbye to two members of the team –
Sarah’s last day with us will be on Christmas Day. After that she has leave to move and will no longer be available. Please direct any queries or needs for Raglan, Bryngwyn, Bettws Newydd, Llandenny, Trostrey, and Kemeys Commander to Will Ingle-Gillis.
Sarah is coming back to us for a final hoorah on Wednesday 8th January 6pm – a service followed by a bring and share in Raglan. The service will take the form of all Sarah’s favourite hymns, and some readings. It promises to be joyful and uplifting.
We are also getting ready to say goodbye to Sue as she prepares to take up her new role as chaplain in the local hospitals. I know Sue is very excited about this, and will be saying goodbye on Sunday 9th February in a special service in Goytre. There will be more details about this in the New year, we have plenty of time to give Sue a good send off. Sue and her family will continue to live in the rectory in Nantyderry for a while after Sue has finished with us, while they pursue their plan to purchase a home. However, from 9th February all queries from Goytre, Monkswood, Glascoed, Llanover, and Mamhilad should be directed to me please .We will begin conversations in the New Year about the process for advertising for a new team vicar too.
Please keep Sarah and Sue, and their families, in your prayers.
This will be the last letter from me this year. In fact my next LIFT letter will be on Thursday 9th January2025! Wow!
I hope that you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and that 2025 arrives with peace and hope for you all. Whilst there won’t be much admin or routine stuff being done between Christmas and the New Year, if you have an urgent pastoral need, please don’t hesitate to be in touch – leave a message on my answerphone and I will get back to you.
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.
I wonder how you all are this week? Are your plans going well? Are you getting where you want to be in your lists?
I must confess I am not, and until this morning this was making me just a little bit grumpy. But I had the great joy of being part of the Carol Service for Monmouthshire County Council, as the chaplain to the Chair of the Council today. There was something about that short service that lifted my spirits and reminded me that if we don’t approach Christmas with a degree of joy and positive anticipation then we are getting it wrong. It’s too easy to get caught up in doing stuff and the lists, and forget about the awe and wonder that we are approaching. So I’ve given myself a little talking to this afternoon, and I’m not suggesting that you need one, you’re probably far better than me at managing expectations and workload, but just in case you need to hear it –
Christmas will happen, whether we are ready or not, and as Christians we are celebrating the birth of a baby so special that we should never stop being in awe of the opportunity to remember and wonder. How wonderful and life giving our faith is, and for that I give thanks.
Now, is there anything I need to share with you this evening? Just one thing I think – I’ve received a very generous offer of meat and vegetables to create Christmas dinners for people and families who are struggling to make ends meet this year. The food will need to be cooked, and I’m not sure how large this generosity is. BUT, if you are in financial hardship or know someone else who is, then please message me in complete confidence and I’ll see what I can do. What a wonderful example this is of Christmas spirit in our communities.
And with that, I’ll bid you good night. We are putting up the tree and decorations this evening – I’m slightly anxious about that given that we have a kitten in the house! Wish me good luck!
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.
And just like that Advent has begun! The start of a new church year, and a season of expectation, hope, and rather a lot of hard work for all us church folk! I love it though, don’t you? I will never tire of singing carols and welcoming all those who find this an easier time to be part of our worship than the rest of the year. Thank you to all of you who offer a warm and inclusive welcome to those who come along – those first impressions matter so much.
There isn’t much to let you know about this week I don’t think. Is that a good thing? As we all approach this busy season it feels as though we just get on with it, without too many surprises. That said, I’m aware that this time of year can be one that evokes mixed emotions for some – grandchildren might bring us great joy as the excitement mounts, whilst others of us feel all too acutely the loss of a family member, or anxiety at a difficult time ahead. I think the trick is to be honest with ourselves about how we are feeling, and to go with it. There’s no right or wrong way to approach Christmas. It’ll come and go however we acknowledge it!
And with that, I’ll ask for your prayers and leave you alone. Please will you pray for all those who will be working over Christmas – Carers, hospital workers, those in hospitality, the emergency services, delivery drivers, those in retail, and many others. Not everyone chooses to work at this time, and juggling family expectations and employment can be hard.
I’m not around on Monday – I am having a Quiet Day with my Cell Group, but otherwise, you know where to find me if you need me.
Much 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.
Happy Thanksgiving! Before I married Will Thanksgiving wasn’t on my radar at all, obviously. But these days it has become a lovely family time – a huge meal in the evening, cooked by Will, consisting of all his home comfort foods. We love it. When I think. About why I might be celebrating – it is so simple – what do I have in my life that I wish to give thanks to God for?
Have you ever heard of the principle of a gratitude list? If you haven’t let me explain – it is the practice of writing a list of real, specific, and timely things for which you are grateful. So you can’t really put “sunshine” on it, but could say “the sun is shining today”. The things can be small or huge. It might be that as small as – “I saw a daffodil” or as large as “I loved our family celebration”. The real challenge comes in how many things you can find. If I can find 5 easily, then I push myself to find 10. If I can find 10 easily then I push for 15. The trick is to push yourself to find more than the easy number – to stretch your thinking and reflecting so that you start to notice things that you had taken for granted. It’s a great practice! Give it a try, you might find it helpful. A bit like exercise, when I least want to do it, is when I get most from the experience!
Advent is on its way – this year we have one of those occasional times when the secular Advent coincides directly with the church season. Do you have an Advent calendar? Here is a link to one designed by the diocese to be online as a way of having a prayerful preparation time, if you do nothing else, I commend this to you!
That said, it’s not too late to join one of our Advent study groups. You’d be very welcome to join in for as many of the sessions as you are able.
And with that, I’m going to sign off. Dinner smells great and I need to get into my comfy clothes and settle into a family evening. Will and I are off to Solihull tomorrow to help my parents in their new home!
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.
Snow! I must confess to being a bit of a child around the fluffy white stuff – it never stays very long but looks so beautiful while we have it. I know it can be inconvenient, but that doesn’t mean it’s not stunning, turning our landscapes into Christmas scenes. Only twice in my 58 years has it snowed on Christmas Day and both are memorable, but I don’t think I ever remember it snowing in November!
This week has been stupidly busy with diary commitments out of my control, so I’m sorry for not popping into places I usually pop to, and for not responding to messages. I’m lurching to get past Sunday which is going to be such a big and lovely day with our Celebration Service in the school at 11am, and then the cathedral evensong. After that I hope to be able to clear the admin backlog and turn my thoughts to Christmas. How is your planning going? The services and events that we do in our churches are so so important as they are often the only time we see some of those community people who aren’t ready for other worship yet. I’m really keen that we celebrate and welcome everyone over the coming season, so that they know the joy we have, as Christians.
My final thing to share with you tonight is a link to Bishop. Cherry’s address from the Diocesan Conference which was last Saturday.
The bishop speaks candidly about her ministry, how she began and what she sees for the future. It was so uplifting to hear her speak honestly, generously, and hopefully. I commend it to you. You may like to print it off to share with those who might be in the churches over the coming weeks.
And with that, I need to stop – I’m weary and looking forward to a quiet day tomorrow, salvaging the mess that the house has become, spending time with Will, and then a good night’s sleep before Saturday and the preparations for Sunday! I am really looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday.
I’ve a couple of really important dates to share and a prayer request, so I’ll get straight on with it!
Dates –
Sunday 24th November 11am Usk Primary School
This is our Celebration Service, as we give thanks for all that we have learnt this year as part of the Leading Your Church into Growth sessions. Even if you didn’t take part I strongly encourage you to come to this special service – it promises to have something for everyone. There will be plenty of hymns to sing, some beautiful prayers, and an opportunity for us all to think about our future church communities. We will of course be having a bring and share lunch afterwards. So please come along. The lunch is very much an example of faith in action – will we drown in sausage rolls and carrot cake? Or will we offer a balanced table? Come and find out, bringing whatever you are able to offer to the lunch!
Wednesday 8th January 2025 6pm Raglan Church
This will be a special service to say thank you and goodbye to Sarah Rosser, as she moves to take up her new role in Netherwent Ministry Area. Sarah is a much loved member of our team and we will say goodbye to her as a celebration and thank you for her time amongst us and the joy we have expereienced being with her in ministry. Sarah has picked her seven favourite hymns for aSongs of Praise and these will be interspersed with readings and special prayers to send Sarah and Glyn on their way. It wouldn’t be a celebration without a party, and we will adjourn to the hall next to the church afterwards for, yes, you’ve guessed, a bring and share! We will be observing the one in November and deciding if we can trust ourselves to provide enough variety for this one for Sarah!!
I do hope you will be able t come along to both these services.
Last but not least before I let Will take me out for dinner – prayer. Across our community there are many people doing their very best to be positive, optimisitc, and hopeful, amidst huge challenges and many difficulties. I observe our communities to be helpful, generous places, but I don’t think that stops people sometimes feeling very lonely. Please will you join me this week in praying for all those who are struggling quetly, without burdening others, or sharing. Thank you so much.
Heavenly Father,
You alone know what each of us is carrying,
We ask you to protect, to comfort,
and to be a tangible preence to all those in need.
May each one of us, and those we know, sense your love,
believe in your power, and may you strentghen us in all that we do.
In the name if your loving son who came to heal the world,
Amen.
With my love to you all, please don’t hesitate to be in touch if I can help,
Sally xxxxxx
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.
How is your week unfolding? Mine has been a mix between the simple and the extraordinarily complicated! All good stuff, but I feel like I’ve lurched from things I can do with my eyes shut, to others that have required me to learn fast and think hard. Ministry is so wonderfully diverse and thoroughly rewarding. If it’s not too corny, I give thanks in my prayers every day that I’m in the right place – where I think I’m meant to be. God has been very good to me.
A couple of things I need to share with you this week –
I’ve been alerted to a request from a Ukrainian family for sponsorship to come to the Wales for their safety. The family consist of a mum and her two small children. If you know of anyone who might be interested or willing, please can you let me know. It’s sometimes too easy to forget that families are still living in immense danger in Ukraine, but I am aware that there are many Ukrainian people living locally and who have made reasonably happy lives for themselves here. I am also under no illusion that they would prefer to be back in their own homes in a safe and peaceful country. My prayers continue for all those trapped or displaced by all the war situations in our world. How terrible that is.
My other notice for you is at the other end of the spectrum – I would like to remind you of the special service we are havin on Sunday 24th November. It is at 11am and will be the only service in the Ministry Area that day.
This service is to celebrate the Leading Your Church Into Growth events that we have been running, and is intended to round off those events, and share with everyone what is coming next. It really doesn’t matter if you didn’t make the events, we would love to have everyone at the service – it will be lively, positive, inclusive, and enriching. Something for everyone!
The service will be in the school hall of Usk Primary School and you are invited to bring a contribution to the bring and share lunch, and then stay for a shared lunch together. Please please come along. If it’s not your thing, I’m not sure how you know that – we’ve never done this before. Come along – you might be pleasantly surprised and excited by what goes on. (Parking in the school car park is limited so please park elsewhere and leave those spaces for people with restricted mobility if possible.)
And gosh, just like that I can see that the length of this email is quite enough!
I hope I’ll see you at the Big Breakfast in the Memorial Hall in Usk on Saturday – 8am-11am,
and/or the patronal festival and remembrance evensong in Llangybi on Saturday afternoon 5pm.
Both events are a perfect way to spend a cold November Saturday.
With my 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.
