Pobl Dewi: September 2024
Pruning for Growth
The diocese has launched a new strategy that, over the next year, will take a root and branch look at how every church is performing.
The strategy was unveiled at an Extraordinary Diocesan Conference held on Saturday July 6th. and consists of four phases.
The first, to be completed by the end of this year, is a fact-finding exercise to establish an up-to-date snapshot of each church, based on an eight-point matrix that will identify churches that are either flourishing, growing, declining or dying.
A task force consisting of senior diocesan clergy, laity, officers and staff has been established to undertake the work, known as The Gardening Group.
The matrix covers community engagement, education, stewardship, children youth & family provision, governance, buildings, attendance and ministry. There will also be a Miscellaneous category that will cover anything that does not fall into any of these but which are deemed relevant.
Ordinations
One Priest and five new Deacons were ordained in the traditional Petertide service at St Davids Cathedral on June 29th, Bishop Dorrien’s first ordination service since his election last November.
Those ordained were: Revd Sarah Llewellyn (Bro Sancler), Nicola Davies (Roose), Liz Jones (Bro Caerfyrddin), Dr Romola Parish (Dyffryn Teifi), Luke Spencer (Daugleddau) and Sally Williams (Daugleddau).
Please pray for them as they embark on the next stage of their journey.
From the Diocese
Brush up your liturgy
The new Bilingualism Officer announces help with holding service in Welsh
Read more
Maintenance is a must...
...not a 'maybe later', says the Diocesan Surveyor
Nicola Davies explains why
Places of Sanctuary
A pilot initiative to better support anyone experiencing domestic abuse, launched a year ago, may now be extended across the Diocese.
Lynn Rees reports
O Come Let us Adore Him
The Church in Wales has produced a short Advent course for 2024
Find out more
Around the Diocese
Finding the right path
New Deacon Sally Williams on the importance of the Fellowship of Vocation in her journey to ordination
Read more
A Family Affair
St John Ambulance Cymru is a leading provider of first aid services and training in Wales. Cheryl James is a long-standing volunteer
Read more
Learners' Night
An evening for Welsh entertainment for summer school students in Aberywtwyth
Learn more
Learning on the Job
Last autumn, St Padarn’s launched the Church in Wales’ Apprenticeship in Christian Ministry, the first programme of its kind in Wales. A year on, Revd Dr Mark Griffiths, Dean at St Padarn’s, is pleased with its success.
Back to School
Four months into his new role as a Tutor in Mission, Alun Evans is relishing the move from pulpit to St Padarn’s as the new academic year beckons.
HOMELESSNESS ENDS WITH COMMUNITIES
Join Housing Justice Cymru on Sunday 6th October to mark Homelessness Sunday.
They will be sharing resources for churches including prayers, readings, hymns and educational tools so you can hold your own Homelessness Sunday service, or you can screen an online Homelessness Sunday service which will be shown on the Church of England channel that day. There will also be information on how your church can help to end homelessness in your area. After all, homelessness ends with communities.
Lions, witches & wardrobes
The annual fundraiser at St Michael’s Church, Myddfai, took a different path this year. Instead of the usual walk in the woods, this treasure trail led visitors into the magical world of Narnia, and all within the church walls. Each tableau was lovingly assembled by designer Janice Davies and Church Warden Jenny Thomas with help from both church members and the wider community.
Down by the Sea
Making a splash on Aberafan Beach are 15-year-old Millie Pottinger and her nine-year-old brother Edwin, from Ammanford. Around two dozen parishioners from Bro Aman made the journey to Aberafan beach to witness their full-immersion baptism, conducted by LMA Dean Ali Reeves.
Care of Creation
Growing Environmental Stewardship
Churches in St Davids Diocese have embarked on a remarkable journey towards caring for creation.
Tracey Jane Ashcroft reports
My Home to Your Home
Worshippers at St Ishmael’s Church in Rosemarket, Pembrokeshire, have presented Bishop Dorrien with a rather special gift.
It’s a bottle of water taken from the holy well nearby, dedicated to St Leonard of Noblac who died in 559 AD and is the patron saint of, among other things, women in labour, barrel makers, blacksmiths, prisoners, and coal miners.
It was presented at a recent meeting at Llys Esgob of the Fellowship of Vocation in accordance with the Welsh custom of bringing gifts when you visit others’ homes. My Home to your Home, My Church to your Church.
The water, in its antique bottle, now has pride of place in the Bishop’s chapel, duly blessed and placed in the font where it will be used to make the sign of the Cross after morning prayers daily by both himself and the Archbishop.
At the Cathedral
Around the World
Sounds from the Black Sea
![Sounds from the Black Sea [Georgian Community Choir]](https://stdavids.contentfiles.net/media/images/Sounds_from_the_Black_Sea.width-800.jpg)
As part of St Michael’s Church, Eglwysfach, outreach program, a concert by the K’ak’ali Community Choir was hosted at the church on 14th July. It was a great afternoon, says Alison Swanson
K’ak’ali is a local community choir which sings from the Georgian Folk Tradition and is co-led by Joan Mills and Linda Gwillim. Joan and Linda have more recently formed a new trio, Samaia, with Liz Walmsley, singing a repertoire of Georgian women’s songs. Linda and Joan also sing in the trio Bright Field with Peter Gwynne, which allows them to combine their love of Georgian songs with contemporary compositions and settings in English, using traditional modes and harmonies.
An appreciative audience filled our church for the event, with £420 being donated to Water Aid.
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