Good evening friends,

Those of you whom I have seen over the last few days will know that I am back from retreat, refreshed and energised, having spent a very very quiet week reading and praying. Thank you to the rest of the team for making sure that everything carried on smoothly. How lucky we are to have so many good people in our midst.

The Leading Your Church Into Growth team met this week to put together the details for our first session. We are really looking forward to welcoming you to the hall at Llanfair Kilgeddin for the start of these special times. In them we will explore the sorts of things that will help our local communities engage more deeply and widely with our churches. So many people rightly know that the church belongs to everyone, so let’s find ways of helping them want to be active in that sense of belonging. Our first session is on Tuesday 4^th June at 7pm. You don’t need to bring anything with you, just a willingness to join in and give it a go. If you’ve already decided to come, I’m delighted. if you are not sure it’s for you, please please come along, just to the first one. How will you know if you don’t give it a try? It would be such a shame if you heard afterwards that it was brilliant! (Which it will be!!)

One of the books I read on my retreat was called Subversive Sabbath by A .J. Swoboda. It was a bit repetitive if I’m truthful, but the gist of it was about we get it all wrong when we work hard to earn our rest time. We should instead rest, in order to then have energy for the things that need doing. In reality that may not look very different, but the way we think about rest – it is a right, not a privilege – is critical. it certainly got me thinking. I know in the past I’ve challenged some of you to think about whether you ever take time off from church? Because we all should. it’s not about taking time from God, but actually setting aside time when we actively decide not to do the work of the church, and instead allow ourselves to rest in God. The author argued that it is in our rest time that God can work in us, so we must offer that time to Him.

The part of the book that really hit home for me was the observation that God made people on the sixth day. And what was the seventh day? Well it wasn’t a day when those people were asked to get on with the tasks before them, to work, to get busy. Exactly the opposite was God’s first full day for them – they were made on the sixth day, and then were invited, or counselled, to rest on the seventh! Now however you might choose to understand the story of creation, we cannot change the narrative that the first thing we are told that God asked of the people, was that they rested. So I leave that thought with you, because it’s a biggie! 

Please let me know if you have any prayer needs, or there is anything else on your mind, and I hope and pray that you will have a good Bank Holidy weekend, how ever you choose to spend it. 

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 and Happy Ascension Day!

I’m not sure that’s quite what one should say today but it is a special day somehow largely forgotten in modern times. I’m delighted that our churches still honour this day, recognising that it was the end of Christ’s earthly ministry amongst us. In days gone by it would have been a day off school for some, specifically to go to church and recognise the feast! Mind you, that won’t surprise many of you. St. David’s Day used to be a public holiday didn’t it? I can remember that well.

It’s been a funny old week with lots going on and not much seeming to get done! Do you have weeks like that? Bits of the house are still not straight which is frustrating me, not least because the bits that are straight now need cleaning, and I’m thinking “Argh! I can’t clean I’m not straight yet!”. Perhaps this cycle will never end!

The word cycle reminds me that I’m awaiting a very exciting purchase – I took the advice of a wise woman and have bought myself a bike! Just a regular pedal bike to use for shorter, flat, journeys. You won’t see me everywhere, and certainly not on wet or windy days, but look out for me, when I return from retreat!

As I have mentioned, I will be away next week, refreshing myself with God’s love for us all, and so will have an out of office reply on my emails and phone. I won’t be responding to anything at all but the rest of the team are around so please be in touch if you need anything.

Finally, please can I ask for your prayers. We need to pray for all those who carry burdens unseen. There are so many who are unable to share what is causing them anxiety or stress or upset. So a “blind prayer” for all those struggling would be much appreciated. Thank you so much.

No LIFT or JFM next week.

With. my love and gratitude for you all. 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,

Wow! What a week! This week has been full on and fantastic! Welcome Will to our team and thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make his licensing such a joyous occasion. The service, the hospitality, the welcome, and the whole atmosphere has been remarked upon by many – a truly joyous start to his ministry. I think it was clear to the bishop that as a ministry area we are really doing well to be a group of churches that support and care for each other, and a mass of congregations who want to work together for God’s purpose. How wonderful! 

Will’s email and phone number will now appear on the pew sheet along with the rest of the team, they are  and his phone number is 07442 144331

Let me tell you a little bit about our next exciting Ministry Area initiative – Leading Your Church Into Growth. Have you heard about it yet? Please say yes, since I’ve been talking about it for weeks! I studied the last module of my Masters degree this week and in it was an interview with a man who had been praying the prayer for growth with his church for several months. Do you know what he had noticed? People were asking him about church, about God and about faith. Local people were asking questions and taking an interest. I was intrigued by this, since our churches have been praying this prayer for several months now. Is this happening in our communities? I suspect it is. But I wonder – are we noticing? Are we keeping our ears and eyes open for opportunities and signs of hope? I would be really interested to hear any stories you might like to share and I urge you to keep praying the prayer and look at your diary to see if you can join us for the first session on TUESDAY 4^th June in the hall at Llanfair Kilgeddin at 7pm. (We chose this space because it is neutral and equally inconvenient to everyone! Please ask if you would like help to get there). As we move into a new season I hope as many of you as possible will be excited and hopeful with me. We are well placed to begin to do something really inspirational, without overstretching ourselves, and I would love every single community and church to benefit. Come along to that session please. Give it a try,  and let’s see if we can help each other to make a difference. I believe we can. (If you need another copy of the prayer to be able to pray it every Sunday, please let me know).

Finally, please can I ask for your patience and prayers for the week beginning Monday 13^th May. I will be away on retreat – a much needed and longed for week since my last retreat was effectively cancelled because Libby was so seriously ill. I will be away from Monday to Friday, silently reacquainting myself with God and his love for us all. I anticipate that I will hear afresh his plans both for me personally and for us as a community of faith. The rest of the team will be around and you are in good hands. Thank you for understanding the importance of these times for the team. Do you retreat?  Would you like to? Perhaps we could have a MA retreat if there were enough people interested? Let me know.

Three diary dates – 

A service of Thanksgiving  for Nurses – Usk Tuesday 7^th May 7pm

Ascension Day services Thursday 9^th May –

Llanbadoc – 10am

Goytre – 7pm 

Everyone welcome 🙂

With my love and gratitude for God’s calling and your wonderful and energising response,

Sally xxxxx

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,

My goodness these weeks are zooming by and I don’t feel as though I’m getting much done. Oh for a few more hours in the day and a little less chaos in our home! When I’m feeling like this I know that the best thing to do is stop, take a pause, and make some space, so I’m really glad that my retreat is booked and imminent. I will be away from 13th-17^th May inclusive. No phone, no email, no diary. It will be the spiritual lift I need – we can all get bogged down in the pressures of life. How do you retreat? How do you make space?

Now then, enough wittering, I have five things to mention to you today – 

First – it’s Will’s licensing service on Tuesday 30^th at 7pm, in St. Mary’s Usk. You are all welcome to this service led by the bishop, it promises to be encouraging and uplifting and I know there will be rather lovely refreshments afterwards.

Second – another service to alert you to – at the beginning of May there is a day to honour and celebrate nurses and the profession of nursing. We will be marking this with a service in St. Mary’s Usk on Tuesday 7^th May at 7pm. We will be particularly thinking about mental wellbeing and health,  giving thanks for those who nurse, and seeking God’s comfort and care for our own wellbeing. There will be several nurses at the service and you are all welcome.

Third – my last service alert for you – Thursday 9^th May is Ascension Day. There are two services across the Ministry Area to celebrate – St. Peter’s Goytre has traditionally had a well attended and joyful service at 7pm, which we are pleased is happening this year. We have also added a 10am service in Llanbadoc for those who are not free in the evening. 

Fourth – Here’s a weird one, but also very interesting – St. Peter’s Goytre have been offered a substantial number of original pieces of art, paintings, all framed. They have been given them with permission to sell and raise funds for the church. However, where does anyone start with such a project?! Do any of you have experience of displaying, advertising, selling art work of any type please? There are people in the church willing to do the work but we just don’t know where to begin and would love to pick the brains of someone who might know what we need to do. Please let me know if you have any experience and are happy to have a brief chat. Thank you so much.

Fifth and finally – 

LYCIG!

Leading Your Church Into Growth.

I know, I’ve already told you about this, but I want to keep telling you because I’m so excited about it. Posters and invitations are on their way to you over the next week, and I would love it if you could make every effort to invite and include anyone and everyone who is involved in church with you. This isn’t just for newbies or the long term faithful, or the regulars, or the occasionals, it’s for everyone! We all have something to offer and I would like the reach to be as wide as possible.

The content of the sessions will be delivered to you as a whole Ministry Area but the details will be relevant and useful at a local church level. If you come along you will have things you can take back to your local context. This means that ifyou come along, your local church will benefit. If no one comes you won’t know what you missed. Ideally at least a couple of people, hopefully more, will come from each congregation so that each church can get maximum opportunity to use the materials and get excited about growing our churches. 

I’m torn between telling you lots and keeping it under wraps, we are investing a lot of time and energy in this series of evenings, and if it goes well the results will be easy, low cost, and exciting for us all. Please think about coming along to find out more. It really is the big picture for the local benefit, and as they say, “you have to be in it to win it.” Or something!! 

Is that enough from me?

Please pray for all the above, and keep in touch – you know where I am!

With my love and prayers,

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 my friends,

What a couple of weeks it has been! I’m glad to be getting back into some sort of routine, well as much as ministry can offer a routine (!), and writing to you is something that is a pleasure and a joy to do today. We are still surrounded by boxes, there are no pictures up yet, and I think the word chaos would be a good one to use. I’ve not found half my clothes and there isn’t enough storage for all my shoes (I know, we could have seen that one coming), but on balance we are very very glad to have moved and are already enjoying being in Usk. Thank you so much to all of you for the cards, the flowers, cake, wine, dinner, so much generosity and warmth from you. Will and I have been really overwhelmed. Thank you thank you thank you xxx

What do I need to share with you this week? 

Well the work to replace the roof on Bettws Newydd Church has begun and sadly the initial findings are showing that the work will be a little more involved than was first hoped. In order for this to be as easy and safe as possible we have made the decision that Sunday worship will not happen in the church building in the village for a while and Clare has arranged for services to be at their usual time and the usual dates but in the village hall instead. I’m really glad that it has been possible to continue to worship in the village and although we have planned for this to happen until the end of July, ask for your patience as the team works on the plans and the work progresses for this essential project. 

My second thing to share is that plans are progressing for our Leading Your Church Into Growth (LYCIG) project which is due to start at the beginning of June. This will consist of six sessions which are fun and engaging, allowing us to be excited as a whole ministry area whilst also looking at the local and what works for each of our communities too. For this to be successful it would be wonderful, perhaps essential, for all of our churches to be part of the evenings. Please can you begin to chat amongst yourselves about how to help each other to be part of this. It is important to say that this isn’t just for the well-established, long serving church members, but also for those who are new to church and those who attend infrequently. We all have insights, talents, and something to offer and the more who take part then the more exciting this will be. many hands make light work I am told, and I don’t want anyone to stay away because they are worried they will be asked to do something they don’t have time for or don’t feel equipped for. Come along – see what it’s all about, and let’s see where God leads us! The first session is 7pm , Thursday 4^th June. Flyers, invitations, and more information to follow over the next week or two. Please invite the world and his wife, or husband – really truly – everyone is invited!

So with all that in mind, my prayer request this week is for our LYCIG project – that it will capture the imagination of many, and be fruitful, encouraging, and above all, positive for our churches. please join me in this prayer.

With my love and thanks for all that you do, and for who you are. How lucky I am to be able to minister in such a wonderful Ministry Area.

Sally xxx

God of Mission 

Who alone brings growth to your Church, 

Send your Holy Spirit to give 

Vision to our planning, 

Wisdom to our actions, 

Joy to our worship,

And power to our witness. 

Help our church to grow in numbers, 

In spiritual commitment to you, 

And in service to our local community, 

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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,

Well it has begun – we have entered the Triduum – a wonderful word for the three days that make up Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Day. I was explaining to some folk earlier today how we risk viewing this as three separate days, and several separate services, but that doesn’t do it full justice – the Maundy Thursday service is the beginning of one long liturgy that stretches through until Easter Morning, with its ups and downs, its hard and its marvellous moments. We haven’t got one this year, but this time also might include an Easter vigil that is traditionally on Saturday evening. There is one in the cathedral if you are interested (8pm) which is a beautiful service, I recommend it.

We have our Easter sunrise service at sunrise on Sunday (6.15 start) I believe there is a little confusion about the start time but it doesn’t seem to matter how clear I am, other messages leak out! I’m not complaining, I’m laughing – all will be well. The only thing that could go disastrously wrong is if you were thinking of coming and you don’t alter your clocks – they go forward one hour on Saturday night! so please don’t forget otherwise you will arrive just in time for a cup of coffee before the drive back home! This sunrise service is very special and I hope to see as many of you there as possible. If you’ve never tried it, then come along – we meet in the carpark at the top of the Blorenge.

I must confess the next couple of weeks are feeling like a mixed blessing – clergy are traditionally instructed by the bishop to take six days off after Easter – doing no work until the following Sunday, which is great, except that we are moving house. Suddenly that week is going to be extremely busy! The movers arrive on Monday 8^th April and we will be in the new vicarage on Thursday 11^th. I will endeavour to get my study sorted as a matter of priority but please bear with me if I’m a little bit chaotic for a couple of weeks. Normal service will be resumed as soon as I can find it in one of the zillion boxes I anticipate unpacking!

Lastly can I let you know that today the local wardens of all the churches received a large and I hope comprehensive survey about the communications that happen in each and every one of our churches. I am hoping to capture the detail as well as the big picture, because I suspect there is a lot happening that I don’t know about, and there are things that we could help with and make easier across the Ministry Area. I worry that sometimes things slip through the net and I really do want all our churches and communities to thrive – one of the essential ways to make this happen is if everyone knows what is going on! It is not the warden’s task to fill the questionnaire alone, I would like as many people as possible to have sight of it, so that we get the most comprehensive picture. If you have anything you would like to say or any other kind of contribution to make, please ask your local warden for sight of the document and feel free to add your bit. There are no right or wrong answers and I certainly don’t want anything missed out or censored 🙂 

oo, not lastly, because this is lastly – there will be no Just Five Minutes and no LIFT until the week beginning 15^th April. I will keep an eye on urgent matters during the week of the move so please don’t hesitate to be in touch if there are urgent pastoral needs. Emails that are about other stuff may take a little while to get back to, let me know if something becomes urgent and I seem to have missed it. 

It’s a little premature, but if I don’t see you on Sunday, may I wish you a blessed and bountiful Easter, my prayers are with you, and I look forward to what is coming next in our church lives (Leading your Church Into Growth, for those of you who don’t mind a spoiler! Google it, and get excited!)

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.