Good evening friends,

How is your week unfolding? It’s another busy one for me, with a good balance between people and paperwork. Most of the paperwork has been to prepare for the special service on Sunday. I do hope you can come? The service is going to be a real celebration of our church life, honest too, there are some gritty bits and areas where we have work to do, but above all it will be joyful, with good hymns, prayers,  and a chance to commit ourselves again to the mission that God has for us. 

So I do hope I shall see you – Sunday 29^th June, 11am , Usk Primary School. The whole team looks forward to welcoming you.

My other piece of news is that I will not be in and around the Ministry Area from Monday 30^th June until Friday 11^th July. The bishop has invited me to attend a clergy consultation at Windsor Castle! It has required me to write a paper, read books, and plan bible studies so that I can study alongside 23 other clergy and a dozen experts, from across the country, on a number of hot topics. It’s a huge privilege and jolly hard work but I’m looking forward to it. The blurb for the conference says that I will be taking a deep dive into the topics that affect the world today and will return to parish ministry more confident and with a renewed desire to work for God’s glory in our communities. 

I will be picking up emails and responding to messages as and when I can. So please be in touch if you need to be.

And now it’s time to call it a day. I do hope I’ll see you on Sunday, and please let me know if I can pray for you.

Much love, 

Sally xxx

Father God,

May we make our homes places of relaxation,

joy, love, peace, and safety.

May we be generous and considerate,

not thinking only about ourselves,

but helping others enjoy the blessings of the summertime.

Lord God, Creator of all things,

guide our steps and strengthen our hearts during

these months of summer and vacation days.

Grant us refreshment of mind and body.

May we constantly strive to make a meaningful difference

in the lives of our loved ones and in the world around us

as we enjoy the warm days of summertime. 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,

Oh my goodness I’m hot! Tomorrow Will and I are off to London for a friend’s wedding, staying until Saturday evening, and the temperature is even hotter there. It reminds me of the service when I was ordained priest – I almost melted as I lay on the floor in the aisle during the invocation of the holy spirit. It was both profound and cooling. The joy of that moment was swiftly lost when I stood up to reveal a body shaped sweat print on the stone tiles – it looked like a murder scene outline hahaha!

This time next week I will be putting the final touches to our Annual Vestry Meeting that isn’t – as I’ve mentioned before, we are having a service of celebration, containing the business and I can promise you good hymns and meaningful prayers, followed by lunch. What’s not to like? The service is on Sunday 29^th June at 11am in Usk primary School and everyone is welcome.

This is the final call for nominations to the Ministry Area Council and Diocesan Conference, which all MUST be with me in hard copy or via email by the end of the day on Sunday 22nd June.

Please can you also tell me by Sunday 22nd if you have any diet needs for the lunch. 

In conjunction with the special service we will also have our Annual Report publication available for you to take home and enjoy. There will be plenty for every church to take a pile and share with church folk, neighbours, and interested others. Please take a few and give them away – let’s spread the good news of all that we have been doing.  

As you can imagine the last few weeks have been very desk based, but I think the time has been worth it. You’ve probably heard that on 13^th July Bishop Cherry will be licensing Hannah Robinson into the team vicar role. She will be living in the house in Nantyderry, with her husband Peter and spaniel Benson. The service is in St. Peter’s Goytre at 7.30pm, followed by nibbles and drinks. Please let Jan Millett know if you are able to help with refreshments. 

This letter is looking long enough! Time for another cool drink and then I need to have a think about what to wear for a posh event, that won’t leave me looking like a sweaty tomato 😉

You know where I am if you need me, and be assured of my prayers. Always.

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 lovely people,

Just a brief letter this week with two key things – first to remind you that I’m away from Sunday until Friday – on retreat. I take you all with me in my prayers and leave you in capable hands. If you need to be in touch with someone next week and aren’t sure who to contact, then seek out Will in the first instance – 

He will point you in the right direction! 

Second, over the next couple of weeks you may find yourself bombarded with emails and information about the Annual Vestry Meeting. I make no apology for this – it is our most important meeting of the year, fulfilling the requirements of the church and the charity commission in one fell swoop!

We will be achieving the business of the meeting in a service, so that the various agenda items will be interspersed with singing, readings, and prayers. We will follow up with a free lunch, and I urge you to come. More than that I encourage you to bring someone with you, perhaps someone on the electoral roll who doesn’t come to church very often, so they can find out what we are up to. I’ve attached the information about the service. In churches you will be able to pick up a double invitation – one to keep and one to tear off and give to someone. Keep your eyes peeled for them.

In addition to the invitations which will be in in churches over the next two Sundays, to take away and give away, you will also be receiving emails from Gemma about the nomination process to the MAC and the agenda. Happy bedtime reading 🙂

And with that I am finishing for the day – I’m off to Cardiff with Catherine this evening, and then a good night’s sleep. It’s been a long day 🙂

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.

Good evening my friends,

How is your week going? It’s been tremendously busy from my point of view with a number of big pieces of ministry area work taking steps forward. 

Local wardens have received information about changes to our Ministry Area Council which mean that all our churches now have an opportunity to have someone on the MAC and as part of our management or mission committees. All the churches will have conversations in the next couple of weeks, in anticipation of the AVM on 29^th June. Exciting times! Come back to me if you want more details. I’ve attached a visual aid for the new structure – I hope it helps!

Next week, on Thursday we are interviewing for the team vicar role, and I would be grateful for your prayers as we discern whether the person is right for us. We are very lucky to have Stephen, Helen, and Bill holding key positions alongside Will and myself. As a result we are ticking over pretty well, which makes the appointment important, but only for the right person! 

My final nudge this week is to remind you about the stewardship workshops which Stephen has organised. These are being run by Zoe from the diocesan office and are aimed at every single one of us, so that we can think more carefully about our resources and making the best of them. There is sometimes a feeling that stewardship is the work of the church committee or the treasurers but it is actually the responsibility of all of us.

They are all in Raglan Church 6pm-8.30pm, 4th June, 18th June, and 9th July. It doesn’t have to be scary and the sessions are  certainly not going to be about beating us up – they will be positive and encouraging! 

I’ll finish now, I’m out this evening with Will and looking forward to that very much.

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,

I trust this email finds you well? 

As I sit here with a cup of tea in hand, wondering what I need to share with you this week, I’m reminded about how important the little things are – a good cup of tea in the right mug, a purring cat, time with treasured people, planting up a veg patch, sitting and enjoying the breeze and the sunshine. Add your own, they all have the potential to bring joy and peace don’t they? (Although I must confess I’ve never planted a veg patch, I’m just told that one is good!!)

There is a lot of big stuff going on for me at the moment and I am aware that this is true for many of you too. Sometimes the big stuff is too big, or perhaps too hard to find the pleasure in it? Which is why we need to look at the small stuff and make sure we make the most of it. So have a think, and find the small things in your life for which you can give thanks to God. Here is one of my favourite bible passages – 

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

And with that little ramble, it’s time for me to grab my stuff and head off to the service this evening that celebrates all those in nursing. 

Please let me know if you’re expecting to hear from me about something and I’ve not got back to you – I’m still ploughing through a backlog of emails. I’m getting there slowly!

And never be afraid to ask if I will pray – it’s a privilege to be able to, whatever the need.

With love as always,

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,

What a day! VE commemorations across the region, and a new Pope in Rome. It makes me think about peace and the world’s need for it. So much to think about. And act upon perhaps?

That said I don’t have much to chat with you about this week. I am ploughing my way through lots of paperwork and tomorrow sees the closing date for our team vicar advert. Please pray that we have the right person amongst the applicants.

While I think about it, please note that I am going to be going on retreat soon – I will be away from Sunday afternoon on 1^st June and will be back the following Friday. I’m giving you plenty of notice about this in case you are planning on having a big conversation with me and don’t know when to do it! Retreats are an essential part of ministry life. Have you ever been on one? They almost always follow the same pattern for me – days 1-3 I settle in and gently enjoy the time to pray, read and rest. Day 4 I usually get frustrated and want to come home, and then day 5 I decide I never want to come home and want to stay just where I am forever! It is my intention to be silent for the duration, and I’ve found a beautiful five day retreat book which will lead me through some creative sessions and prayers. I hope to come back refreshed and re-energised. Let’s see what God’s plan is for the time I’m preparing to offer to him.

I think it’s probably time to stop – I need to get some dinner and then get ready to go to the final part of the VE evening in Usk – it’s always a privilege to be involved in civic and community events.

Please don’t hesitate to be in touch if you need anything – chats and prayers are my usuals 🙂

With 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,

What a glorious day, I daren’t look to see what the weather will be like tomorrow – I have heaps of washing to catch up on and wouldn’t mind a moment of just sitting and relaxing in the spring warmth. We shall see! 

For those of you not aware, Will is off to America on Monday to visit his mum. She is 92 years old, widowed, and as you might imagine finding that this year has got off to a pretty grim start. He will be gone a full week and I’m sure your prayers go with him, that he can be a comfort to Pat, and can take the opportunity to be a loving son and a help to her. All Will’s usual activities are being covered so nothing to worry about in terms of the rota and the diary. Thank you to those who have stepped up to help 🙂

My final paragraphs this evening is to let you know that there will be some exciting things coming up very soon – 

Stephen has arranged with Zoe from the diocesan office to run three really helpful sessions on stewardship for us. These will be aimed at every one of us, to help us understand how to make best use of all the gifts that God has given us. The dates are 4th and 18th June and 9th July, each running from 6pm to 8.30pm. The sessions will be held in St. Cadoc’s Church. Look out for the posters and publicity and invite anyone who you think might be interested.

Sarah Rosser is being licensed as team vicar in Netherwent on Tuesday 13^th May, Magor Church 7pm. You are all invited! 

Save the date – Sunday 29^th  June we will be having a celebration service in Usk Primary School, 10am. This will be a service like you’ve never been to before because woven into the morning we will cover all the business of the Annual Vestry Meeting, prayerfully, joyfully, and hopefully! You are encouraged to invite friends and family who might be on the electoral roll but who might not be regular attenders. Let them come and see what the church is doing, how much we have to celebrate, and how grateful we are to all those who work so hard. (We will also be publishing our Annual Report, which promises to be worthy of reading! Or I’ll eat my hat!!) We will follow the service with a free lunch – just come and bring people with you!

Is that enough for this week? Sometimes I write these and think you must wonder what I’m going on about. Thank you to all those who trust that I’m working for us all, and thank you to those who are praying for the ministry area and for me. 

With my love and prayers for you,

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 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.