Dictionary

Words on this page

Advent

Advent means ‘coming’ and is the special four-week period leading up to Christmas. It is a time to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’s birth but also for his coming in glory at the end of time.

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Home Pobl Dewi: December 2024 Faith, finance and families

Faith, finance and families

Some familiar themes and some new ones characterised this year’s conference.

Familiar: Finance – The DBF reported plans to set another deficit budget for 2025 to the tune of £168,000. Vice-chairman Tim Llewelyn told conference only 51% of LMAs had paid ministry share contributions in full. This prompted Archdeacon Missioner Mones Farah to propose an emergency motion calling on the Representative Body to provide increased financial support to all dioceses; something, he said, they could easily afford to do. The motion was carried overwhelmingly and Standing Committee will now draft a suitable motion to be put to the next Governing Body meeting in April 2025.

New: The Year of Children & Families – Revd Sophie Whitmarsh, the Children Youth & Families Missioner, made a series of presentations to introduce the diocesan theme for 2025, which starts on Advent Sunday. The official launch will take place in the cathedral in December, heralding a series of events throughout the year across the diocese.

These – in each archdeaconry – will include Passion productions at Easter, festivals, a multi-faith, interdenominational conference, possibly even a diocesan pantomime; and all backed up with regular training sessions and resources. There will also be assistance for LMAs who wish to develop their own projects. And, of course, there will be the annual youth pilgrimage.

But Revd Sophie made it clear she could not do all this alone. “I need your help,” she said. “I need prayer – we can’t do it without prayer – I need venues and I need people (volunteers) to help make all this happen.”

There will be regular updates through a CYF newsletter and via the CYF website (www.stdavidscyf.org.uk).

Familiar (and yet New too)

In his first presidential address, Bishop Dorrien began by identifying “the elephant in the room” – Ministry Share. He referred to a culture of non-payment, defaulting and mistrust that, he said, had to change.

“If we follow this current trend,” he warned, “the diocese could well be bankrupt within five years.”

But, he added, tribulations can be overcome. “Today, together, we can inspire positive change in our diocese,” he said. “Change is inevitable, and we are not immune. Our challenge is how we embrace it and make it work for us.”

Quoting Billy Graham, the Bishop said our greatest need is for hope. “God’s hope,” he concluded, “encourages, motivates and keeps us on the right road to faith, peace and victory.”