Tabernacle, Whitland and Bethel, Llanddewi Velfrey Minister Revd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Grapevine is published monthly by: Cylch y Frenni Circle of Churches A Local Ministry Area comprising the parishes of Clydau, Llanglydwen, Llanfyrnach, Llanwinio and Mynachlog-ddu www.frennichurches.org.uk Ministry Team Leader: The Reverend Jonathan Copus MA 01994 438414 [email protected] Focal Ministers Clydau: Mrs Elizabeth Law 01239 698607 [email protected] Llanfyrnach: Mrs Eunice Batchelor JP 01239 831556 [email protected] Llanglydwen: Reader Mrs Maureen Henneveld 01994 419841 [email protected] Llanwinio: Mr Philip Higginson 01994 484498 [email protected] Mrs Judy Webb 01239 698405 [email protected] Mynachlog-ddu: The Reverend Jonathan Copus MA Pastoral Eucharistic Assistants The Focal Ministers Mr David Carter 01239 831103 [email protected] PCC Secretaries Clydau: Mrs Elizabeth Law Llanfyrnach: Mrs Hazel Jones 01239 831595 [email protected] Llanglydwen Mrs Susan Copus 01994 438414 [email protected] Llanwinio: Mr Philip Higginson 01994 484498 Mynachlog-ddu: Mr Alex Velky 01994 419849 [email protected] Publicity Officer Mrs Sharon Edge 01437 532 681 [email protected] Grapevine copy deadline is 23:59 hrs on the 10th of the preceding month Editor: Ms Kathie Dubben, Myrtle Hill, Gellywen, SA33 6DS [email protected] 01994 484404 £130 per full page ad £70 per half page ad £40 per quarter page ad Treasurer: Mr Keith Taylor, Brynderi Farm, Whitland, SA34 0JD [email protected] 01994 448653 Front Cover: Floral Easter display in Liverpool Roman Catholic Cathedral. Photo by Judy Webb 2 Cylch y FRENNI Circle of Churches Clydau, Llanglydwen, Llanfyrnach, Llanwinio and Mynachlog-ddu SERVICES IN APRIL 3rd Wednesday Bro Preseli 10.30 am Holy Eucharist 7th The Fifth Sunday of Lent (Purple) Llanglydwen 9.30 am Holy Eucharist Llanwinio 9.30 am Boreol Weddi Mynachlog-ddu 11.15 am Holy Eucharist Llanfyrnach 11.15 am Communion by Extension 14th The Sixth Sunday of Lent: Palm Sunday (Purple) Llanglydwen 9.30 am Morning Prayer Llanwinio 9.30 am Communion by Extension Clydau 11.15 am Communion by Extension Llanfyrnach 11.15 am Holy Eucharist Mynachlog-ddu 11.15 am Palm Sunday Liturgy 18th Maundy Thursday (White) Llanwinio 7.30 pm Holy Eucharist with Washing of Feet 19th Good Friday (Purple) Mynachlog-ddu 2.00 pm Readings and music for the Passion of Our Lord 21st Easter Day (White) Llanglydwen 9.30 am Holy Eucharist Llanwinio 9.30 am Communion by Extension Clydau 11.15 am Communion by Extension Llanfyrnach 11.15 am Holy Eucharist Mynachlog-ddu 11.15 am Communion by Extension 28th The Second Sunday of Easter (White) Llanglydwen 9.30 am Morning Prayer Llanfyrnach 11.15 am Morning Prayer 29th Mark, Evangelist 3 RUNNING THE RACE If you asked most people what the year’s biggest festival was, they’d probably answer ‘Christmas’, even in today’s multi-cultural Britain. But for Christians it’s actually Easter, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and opening to the rest of us the gate to eternal life. What actually happened? The four Gospels in the New Testament broadly agree on the outline of the story, but without CCTV footage it’s impossible to reconstruct the exact sequence of events. Post-resurrection appearances of Jesus vary from Gospel to Gospel, and some moreover bear strong suggestions that they are symbolic in nature – like the couple who didn’t recognise him until he went into their house, took the bread, said the blessing over it, broke it and gave it to them. Sound familiar? So is the whole thing a reconstruction based on wishful thinking? Unlikely. Remember, a bunch of fairly humble folk, thoroughly dispirited after the leader they thought was about to become their national champion had instead been executed as a terrorist, suddenly do a complete about-face and start a movement which is still changing the world 2,000 years later. Saint Paul certainly had no doubts about the central position of the resurrection of Jesus to Christianity: Christ has been raised from the dead, he states baldly in his first letter to the Christians in Corinth. He confirms this with Jesus’s brother, James, and the ever-prominent Saint Peter, during a 15-day summit in Jerusalem to make sure he’s on-message. But if you read more of his writings, it soon becomes clear that the big issue for Paul isn’t a one-off miracle but the ability of ordinary people to access a new lease of life on a continuing basis, because of the victory Jesus accomplished over humankind’s ultimate enemy, death itself. 4 ‘Dead’ people coming back to life is a more common event in these days of advanced medical care, with even Jesus’s former record-breaking 36 hours apparently being trumped by one case of 7-day cortical inactivity. That’s not to belittle the glorious resurrection of Our Lord; but it is worth pointing out that the bulk of the New Testament letters – and the later New Testament Gospels – concentrate on the present and the future, rather than on the past. In fact, it’s fair to say that the emphasis is more on the Resurrection Life than on one, momentous day. So if we’re to be faithful to the Easter message, perhaps we, too, should focus less on the empty tomb and more on the vibrant, ‘new age’ life that springs out of it. Our Christian forefathers took their cue from the resurrection of Jesus to revolutionise the thinking of the known world for good. They have passed the baton on to us. Please, let’s not drop it. GIVING NOTICE Llanwinio Church has a brand new notice board – just like Clydau’s, in fact, unsurprising since they came from the same supplier. Once it’s populated with vibrant posters, there’ll be no excuse for not being fully in the information loop. WHERE HAVE ALL THE TREES GONE? The short answer is ‘firewood’. The trees on the eastern boundary of Mynachlog-ddu churchyard had been condemned by an expert as diseased, and there being no objection from the Pembrokeshire National Park Authority and by archidiaconal permission they were felled. Encouragingly, it was a self- financing operation, as the money gained from the logs will pay for the felling. Meanwhile, the tree surgeon has kindly been paid by Richard Law, who with Elizabeth and friends put in a prodigious amount of work clearing up the inevitable mess and leaving the churchyard looking pristine. You’ll 5 be pleased to hear that no electricity or phone cables were hurt during the making of this epic venture. FUNDRAISING? IT’S EASY Did you know you can raise funds for your church without lifting a finger? Well, perhaps just one finger – the one that clicks your mouse. If you buy anything online from a wide variety of retailers – including Amazon, eBay, M&S, John Lewis and Viking – they will give a small but significant donation to Cylch y Frenni Circle of Churches, providing you have registered with (and approach their websites through) www.easyfundraising.org.uk. The total we have received from this source in the last three years is £208.45. The great thing is that it comes out of the retailer’s till, not your pocket: you don’t pay a penny more. So please, join the growing band of lazy fundraisers. Register with www.easyfundraising.org.uk, choose Frenni Churches as your favourite charity, and boost our funds without further effort. Easy. FLIPPIN’ GOOD The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Party in Crymych Market Hall was a huge success again. The pancakes were delicious. The fillings ranged from chicken curry and ratatouille to chocolate sauce and maple syrup with squirty cream. The raffle was the best ever for quantity and quality of prizes. And the races – well the races were good-natured but keenly fought by competitors aged 8 to 80. Hearty thanks are due to everyone who helped make the evening such a success, taking money at the door, selling raffle tickets, setting out tables and chairs (and putting them away again), making and serving drinks under Betty’s guiding hand, mending a recalcitrant mixer that decided to sulk at the critical moment (David Jones) – and, of course, to our faithful fryers, led by Jan Newbury. And congratulations to Jonathan on wearing a shirt which would have made 6 emergency lighting in a power cut unnecessary. It was especially good to see Brownies and Guides turn out in such numbers and add a youthful zest to the proceedings. The total raised on the door was £197 with £50 more from the raffle, plus a further kind donation of £5, making a total of £252 before deducting expenses. Same again next year, anyone? FOUR WAY SPLIT After the Pancake Party was over, a four-way electrical adapter was left in the hall, and apparently it doesn’t belong there. Any claimants, please? LLANWINIO W.I. The March meeting of Llanwinio WI was a St. David’s Day celebration held at Trelech, by kind invitation of Trelech WI, where members enjoyed a lovely tea and were entertained by children from Ysgol Hafodwenog. 7 On the 22nd of March the annual Group Meeting of the Rebecca Group took place at Llanwinio Community Hall. The speaker was Mr Stephen Mansel Davies who is the present High Sheriff of Dyfed. He wore his ceremonial costume and carried his ceremonial sword, and told us about his duties whilst in office. An excellent tea was provided by members of Llanwinio WI and the entertainment was a television programme quiz which gave rise to much fun and laughter.