Feb 2016 A5 Emag FINAL

BRO FAMAU GROUP OF PARISHES

Parish Magazine February 2016

IN THIS EDITION

• The Parishes letter • Meet the ……. • Infant versus Adult Baptism

• And all the usual features

Canon Adrian to preach at Cathedral

Adrian will be preaching at the main morning Eucharist at the

Cathedral at 11.00 on Sunday 21st February.

Adrian comments, "Like most clergy I have delivered sermons in many circumstances but this will be my first time at a Cathe- dral. Honorary Canons are included in the Sunday morning preaching rota along with the Bishop, Dean, Residentiary Can- ons, guests and occasionally Readers, something John Foxlee has done. I think a Canon’s turn comes around about every eighteen months. It is a big privilege and I am grateful to our friend Revd Andy Millar for leading the two communion services here on that day. If anybody wants to come to St Asaph to be a friendly face in the congregation you would be very welcome.

LETTERS: If you wish to submit a letter for publication please use the contact details above. All letters must be accompanied by the name and address of the sender. Letters may be edited and shortened.

The magazine panel welcomes the submission of relevant articles for consideration for publication.

WORSHIP in FEBRUARY

Sunday 7th February Sunday next before Lent Cilcain 11.00 Morning Worship Gwernaffield 11.00 Morning Worship 18.00 Holy Communion (Healing Service) Llanferres 9.30 Morning Worship Nannerch 9.30 Holy Communion Rhydymwyn 9.30 Morning Worship

Wednesday 10th February ASH WEDNESDAY Holy Communion with imposition of Ashes St Mary's Cilcain 10.30 Holy Trinity, Gwernaffield 19.00

Sunday 14th February First Sunday of Lent Cilcain 8.00 Holy Communion Gwernaffield 11.00 Morning Worship 18.00 Evening Prayer Llanferres 9.30 Morning Worship Nannerch 9.30.Family Service Rhydymwyn 9.30 Holy Communion

Sunday 21st February Second Sunday of Lent Cilcain 11.00 Morning Worship Gwernaffield 11.00 Holy Communion 16.00 MESSY CHURCH in the Church Hall 18.00 Evening Prayer Llanferres 9.30 Holy Communion Nannerch 9.30 Morning Worship Rhydymwyn 9.30 Morning Worship

Sunday 28th February Third Sunday of Lent Cilcain 11.00 Holy Communion Gwernaffield 9.30 Family Praise 18.00 Evening Worship Llanferres 9.30 Morning Worship Nannerch 9.30 Morning Worship Rhydymwyn 8.00 Holy Communion

Mid week Holy Communion Tuesdays at Holy Trinity, Gwernaffield 9.30 a.m. Wednesdays at St Mary the Virgin, Cil- cain 10.30 a.m.

The Parishes Letter…. From the Revd Canon Adrian

A new project has recently been started, and recently I was privileged to meet the leaders - Chris Lawton, an experienced Church Army Captain, and Chris Smith, a young Church Army worker in his twenties. The St. Asaph Centre of Mission is a partnership between Church Army and our Diocese of St. Asaph, and based in Caia Park, Wrexham, an area with a population of around 12,000 which is recognised by the European Com- munity as an area of significant poverty and deprivation. Statistics reveal high levels of unemployment, limited social mobility, low levels of dispos- able income, a high crime rate and growing concerns about racial inte- gration and social isolation.

The project has implications for us. As well as working in Caia Park the project aims, by example, training, and other means, to support the work of the church throughout the Diocese. Specifically the Centre of Mission has these objectives….

• To link with the established Christian community and train others across the Diocese in evangelism. • To identify and form volunteers to assist in the mission of God in the community. • To establish a form of Christian community/Fresh expression of Church based in Caia Park. • To begin to resource mission and evangelism in other key areas. • To work to make the project sustainable and capable of being replicated elsewhere .

The latest figures on deployment of clergy in this diocese show that of 75 full time clergy 31 will reach the age of 65 in less than 3 years time. In the ‘clerical vacancies’ section of the latest ‘Church Times’ newspaper there are 87 advertisements for clergy in England.

Although Bishop Gregory reported recently that he was encouraged by a number of young people who had approached him about possible ordination training there are only a handful of people currently actively going through the process in this diocese – and other numbers in Wales are not huge!

Sometimes I am asked why is it necessary to make changes to the way the Church in Wales is structured, lead, and works at local level. Some people have questioned why we have our commissioned Worship Lead-

ers. Some think ‘there is no need’ for each of our five parishes to have contributed a modest 2 hours a week to fund our 10 hour parishes ad- ministrator post. I have been asked when a group of around 30 people who meet monthly to learn, pray, and praise are coming to ‘real’ church.

The church needs to be capable of dealing not just with our current situa- tion but with a future which may look very different from how things work now – in all but one respect. God’s love will remain constant! God’s love will remain constant and we need to listen to where God is leading us.

Please pray, listen, support, and rejoice at wherever, however, and whenever God leads us to whatever is needed to bring other people into an awareness of the fullness of life that is on offer! With every blessing Adrian

MESSY CHURCH

GWERNAFFIELD and RHDYMWYN

MESSY CHURCH meets on Sunday 21 st Febru- ary at 4.00 pm (to around 5.30 to 6.00) in Gwernaffield Church Hall. All are indeed welcome wherever they come from!

Messy Church is Open to All and Christ Centred and this joins 106 Registered Messy Churches in Wales, and around 2500 worldwide, who seek to welcome people to come ‘just as they are’, to take part in the discovery of what God has and is doing through Jesus Christ. Each session includes Creativity (craft ac-

tivities), Celebration (worship), and Hospitality (food and drink).

Hades. 20, Rome. Rome. 20, Hades. 19, Statue. 16, Saviour. 14, Kingship. 12, dentine.

hy. 6, Providence. 9, Tri- 9, Providence. 6, hy. Timot 5, Reaffirm. 4, Pastor. 3, Ovid. 2, Pride. 1, DOWN:

den. 23, Prophetess. Prophetess. 23, den. Trod 22, Enoch. 21, Whit. 18, Navigate. 17, Groyne.

Confetti. 13, Distil. 15, 15, Distil. 13, Confetti. 11, View. 10, Admit. 8, Raisins. 7, Prosperity. 1, ACROSS:

MEET THE ….. well, this could be an opportunity to get to know a bit more about all sorts of people involved with our churches - and perhaps a bit about how or why they come to do the things they do. So – here’s a start with some members of the Magazine Panel…..

Charlotte Jaggard – “Having grown up in Kent I moved to North Wales in 2003, to start my first job at Glan Clwyd Hospital as a Genetic Counsel- lor. Genetic Counsellors see families with a genetic condition and explain the risk of inheriting the condition or passing it on, and if tests are possible arrange these and give the results. Knowing nobody in the area I planned to look for a job in London as soon as I could. However I grew to love the area and met my husband, Gareth. We settled in Llanferres in 2008. Both our boys (age 4 and 1) have been baptised at St Berres Church, which we enjoy attending alongside Messy Church. We enjoy running and spending lots of time outside with the kids. I joined the magazine committee last year after offering to help deliver the magazines. I would not have considered putting myself forward for this but am enjoying being involved!”

John Foxlee …”My career was as an industrial chemist, first with Unilever, and then Sanoda, a small company in Mold now part of Jeyes. I became a Reader 18 years ago after studying in the diocese, but also did a degree in theology at what is now the University of Chester 12 years ago. A Reader is a lay person, and I think the main purpose is to be a bridge between the laity and the Church. As well as preaching and taking some services I am on the Mold mission area council, the Cilcain Show committee, the magazine committee, and in the diocese, serve as convenor for the St. Asaph College of Spiritual Directors. You will have to ask me about that because I’ve run out of space! “

Adrian Copping - "Most readers will know what I do on Sundays, perhaps less so the detail of my other work. Like some other clergy that includes work with their parishes magazine. I do that because I believe the magazine is one important part of the way we present ourselves in our communities, and valuable in drawing us together to work better as the people of God. Be- fore ordination my NHS career included responsibilities for communications and public relations. One hospital weekly newspaper I edited received a ‘highly commended’ award nationally and, at one time, I even lead courses on producing both hospital newsletters and parish magazines. Like the Par- ishes Magazine all that can be hard work but, as you can probably tell, I enjoy doing it!"

FROM THE REGISTERS

Funerals

On Tuesday 8 th December at Pentre Bychan Crematorium, the late Maureen May Hill

On Wednesday 9 th December at Holy Trinity Church, Gwernaf- field, the late Frank Thomas

On Wednesday 9 th December at St. John the Evangelist, Rhy- dymwyn, the late Walter Jones

On Tuesday 22 nd December at Pentre Bychan Crematorium, the late Harold Owen

On Monday 4th January at Pentre Bychan Crematorium, the late Tom Wallace of Pantymwyn

On Monday 11th January at St Mary the Virgin, Cilcain, the late Joan Bluhm

On Monday 11 th January at Pentre Bychan Crematorium, the late John Glyn Short of Rhydymwyn

On Thursday 21st January at Holy Trinity, Gwernaffield, the late Gary Lewis.

‘Grant them O Lord, eternal rest, and let light perpetual shine upon them’

The Bible version used in our crossword is the NIV. Crosswords reproduced by kind per- mission of BRF and John Capon, originally published in ‘Three Down, Nine Across.’ by John Capon (£6.99 BRF)

Across 1 Success or wealth (Deuteronomy 4 Declare again (2 Corinthians 2:8) 28:11) (10) (8) 7 Forbidden fruit for Nazirites 5 Paul’s ‘fellow worker’, to whom (Numbers 6:3) (7) he sent two epistles (Romans 8 Concede (Job 27:5) (5) 16:21) (7) 10 Look at (Psalm 48:13) (4) 6 God’s foreseeing care and pro- 11 Much in evidence after weddings tection (Job 10:12) (10) (8) 9 Traditional form of Roman Catho- 13 Condense (Job 36:27) (6) lic Mass (10) 15 Breakwater (6) 12 ‘The Lord... has given the — of 17 Give a tan (anag.) (8) Israel to David and his descendants 18 More usually now called Pente- for ever’ (2 Chronicles 13:5) (8) cost, — Sunday (4) 14 ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and 21 After living for 365 years, it was my spirit rejoices in God my — ’ said of him that ‘he walked with (Luke 1:46–47) (7) God’ (Genesis 5:23–24) (5) 16 The central element in Nebu- 22 Trampled (Judges 9:27) (7) chadnezzar’s dream, identified and 23 For example, Miriam, Deborah interpreted by Daniel (Daniel 2:31) (Exodus 15:20; Judges 4:4) (10) (6) 19 ‘On this rock I will build my Down church, and the gates of — will not 1 Arrogance (Proverbs 8:13) (5) overcome it’ (Matthew 16:18) (5) 2 Roman poet from first century BC 20 City where Paul was under (4) house arrest for two years (Acts 3 So rapt (anag.) (6) 28:16) (4)

PRAYER DIARY

ON THESE DAYS OF THIS MONTH LET US GIVE THANKS AND PRAY FOR......

1. All jobseekers in our area

2. Retired Clergy who provide cover for absence or sickness; Nannerch PCC

3. Our elderly people who suffer from dementia, and their families.

4. All Young Christians who are prepared to take risks for their faith.

5. Those who worship in Chapels in this area

6. Bishop Gregory, his family, and for all he does to lead and support the church

7. Those preparing for marriage in the next few months and later this year

8. Gwernaffield Parochial Church Council

9. Those enjoying Pancake Parties today, that they may appre- ciate the roots of the custom.

10. ASH WEDNESDAY – for all using Lent to prepare for Easter

11. Cilcain Men’s Breakfast: Clergy of the Mold Mission Area meeting today Canon Adrian and Rev’ds Carole, Kevin and

Richard.

nd th 12. Rhydymwyn Craft Club meetings on 2 and 4 Thursdays

13. Roman Catholic worshippers from our area

14. Valentines Day – for the gift of love, and for all who are searching for love

15. Our Archdeacon, Bob Griffiths, all his work and his work

as Parish Priest of Llandegla and Bryneglwys

16. The Magazine Panel as it meets this evening

17. Those who work in the pubs and other licensed premises

18. Religious artists, sculptors, musicians, poets and writers

19. People of other faiths in this area – for mutual love and un-

derstanding.

20. Adrian as he preaches as Honorary Canon at St Asaph Ca-

thedral; Messy Church

21. All who provide coffee, tea and other refreshments in the

life of the church

22. Cilcain Parochial Church Council

23. Gwernaffield Mothers’ Union meeting this evening

24. Charity Shop workers

25. Sue Sawyer and Adrian attending the Diocesan Conference

Standing Committee/Bishop’s Council

26. Ysgol Nannerch, Headteacher Jennie Lewis, Staff, Gover-

nors and Children

27. Those who keep road links and transport routes clear during

winter weather

28. Social Workers who work in our area

29. All celebrating a special birthday this Leap Year day! Mission Area Leaders 24 hour away session with the Bishop.

AROUND THE PARISHES

CILCAIN Ysgol y Foel The Children & Staff of Ysgol Y Foel gave their Christmas concert in Church on the afternoon & evening of December the 9th. The collection from these two performances was donated to St Mary's Church which along with the collection from the carol singing in Church on the 17th of December was donated towards the Flood Appeal Fund, totalling £250.00.

Christmas Carols We had a lovely evening singing Carols & Christmas Songs accompanied by the Gwernaffield Silver Band in Church on 17th of December. There was a break for a much needed cup of tea & a mince pie and time for a chat before we continued with more singing.

Everyone agreed it was a lovely evening.

Christmas Eve Carols, Crib Making & Readings. The Church was once again packed on Christmas Eve , even the North Aisle was full. We had lots of children eager to participate in dressing the crib and bringing presents to place in front of the crib. Afterwards they all assembled on the chancel steps to sing Away in a Manger. There were also readings, limericks and Carols by the congregation. Thank you to everyone who joined us or participated in any way in this Service. It was a beautiful

Evening and we were able to send £280.00 to Save the Children.

Village Hall Committee Members along with Ladies from the Church and other organisations in the Village, organised a Cafe in the Village Hall on Saturday the 9th of January in aid of the Cumbria Flood Appeal. This raised the amazing sum of £835.00 which included various gener- ous donations from Capel Gad and other groups. Well done everyone, a marvellous effort.

Soup and Sandwiches February, Soup & Sandwiches, Tuesday 2nd in the North Aisle from 12 o clock until 1.30. Men's Breakfast in the Village Hall, Thursday the 11th, 9.00 until 11.00, please do come and join us.

LLANFERRES Church lighting we have recently upgraded the interior high level lights to L.E.D.s. There are a number of the old halogen lights available to pur- chase at £5 each - anyone interested please contact Noel the Treasurer on 810224 or [email protected].

Church decoration Once again, many thanks to all who kindly gave flowers, cash, time or skills (or all of those!) to help make our church

even more beautiful than usual for Christmas. Special gratitude to my little team of "undoers" who "de-Christmassed" the remaining arrange- ments and to the family of the late Maureen Hill who kindly donated a special floral tribute - Gay Headley

Get Well Wishes to Gwen, our organist, who has been in hospital over

Christmas. We wish her well and hope she is home soon.

RHYDYMWYN Rhydymwyn Church Bells Great news! The bells of St. John’s ring out again after many months of being without. At last our bells are now back in working order thanks to the specialists, John Taylor & Co of Loughbor- ough. Many thanks to Zen who assisted them in this task with his good head for heights! Now we all just need to get into practise with the Cam- panology!

Rhydymwyn Craft Group We are holding our craft meetings twice a month on 2 nd and 4 th Thursdays ay 2pm. We have decided for our next project to knit items for premature babies. We will then donate these to several hospitals. If you are interested in knitting, sewing or any craft- work then come and join us. Phone Sue on 01352 741921.

Nannerch and Rhydymwyn Mothers’ Union At our AGM in January we reflected on the success of our first year as a joint branch. This month we relax and enjoy fellowship and food at the Cherry Pie for our annual lunch. Branch meetings are on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 2.00 pm, either in Rhydymwyn Church or Nannerch Village Hall and we extend a warm welcome to new members. Our contacts are:- Rhydymwyn - Marion Watts - Tele: 741350. Nannerch - Kathleen Benison - Tele: 741967

NANNERCH Croeso Pawb December 11th 2015 Ysgol Nannerch was a hive of ac- tivity on Friday 11th December afternoon. Our crafts and celebration were based on 'Jesus said I am the Light of the World'. Crafts included activities on the sun, the moon, stars and various sources of light. All the children made a Christingle and proudly carried them to church. Our service in church, where many, many parents awaited us, was on the theme of the Meaning of the Christingle and how we can light up our world.. Mince pies, shortbread, tea, coffee and juice brought the session to a close. A lovely start to the Christmas celebrations. Our next session will be based on 'God's Wonderful World and caring for it'.

Christmas Eve Crib Service The Church was packed for this popular service. The congregation enjoyed the traditional mix of carols and readings. This year the Christmas message, delivered with great expertise by an alien puppet delighted and entertained everyone as well as reminding them of the significance of Christmas. Thank you Adrian.

Nannerch Advent Celebration –December 4th 2015 It is becoming a tradition in Nannerch to celebrate the start of Advent with a concert. This year we tried to provide an opportunity for local artists to perform, all of whom brought something very special and unique to the evening. We are clearly very lucky to have such a wealth of musical talent in our local area. We also took the opportunity to fundraise for two chosen charities, The Alzheimer’s Society and Blind Veterans. The church was full, candles lit, Christmas tree decorated and with mulled wine and mince pies to finish, this was a truly festive and memo- rable start to the Christmas season in Nannerch. Cor Cilcain sang for the first time in Nannerch Church and performed a stunning repertoire of songs and musical pieces. We welcomed Blaise, the Pantasaph Friary resident folk group, who both performed and accompanied us in carol singing, with their very distinctive and often haunt- ingly beautiful folk music. We were fortunate to attract two young and very impressive sopranos, thirteen year old Eirwen Roberts, an ex Nan- nerch pupil, and fifteen year old Imogen Parsley from Ysceifiog. Both girls are members of youth choirs and working through their music ex- ams. They clearly have tremendous musical talent. We were so pleased that so many people came to take part and celebrate the start of the season with us and to give to our chosen charities. Thank you to all who supported us. Wardens of St Michael and All Angels, Nannerch

GWERNAFFIELD Sales Table There is a sales table at the back of the church with mar- malade, books, cards etc for sale at very reasonable prices to raise

funds for our church

Mold Food Bank Donations are very welcome and can be brought to

the back of the church.

Mothers’ Union New members are always welcome – we meet on the last Tuesday of every month at 7pm in the Church Hall. Please tele- phone Mrs Gaynor Morgan (secretary) on 01352 741515 for more infor-

mation

Church Notelets Our church notelets are now available to buy. There are two different sets with six cards in each pack at a cost of £3.00 per pack. Please consider buying some to help raise funds for our church – you will not be disappointed with them!

An Evening of Words and Music On 5 th March, we are holding an evening of “Words and Music” to celebrate our patron Saint (St David) and Wales, the Land of Song. There will be various artists, including singers, musicians and story-tellers. This takes place in the Holy Trinity Church at 7.30 and tickets cost £6.00 (to include tea/coffee, welsh cakes and bara brith). For further information, please contact Kath on 01352

740068

Coffee Morning Please come along to our coffee morning which we will be having at the Daniel Owen Centre in Mold on 24 th March. There will be a cake stall and a sales table and is from 10.00am till 12.30pm

The Bro Famau Parishes Magazine is produced by the Editorial Team: Tracy Baker, Adrian Copping, John Foxlee, Charlotte Jaggard, Kathleen Mason, Liz Thomas, Lindsay Wilding. Please contact team members individually in parishes

Articles printed in this publication may not represent the views of the church or all of its members. Final date for receiving material is 15th of each month at 12 noon. The right is reserved to edit submissions and the editorial team’s decision about the content of the magazine is final.

SUNDAY BIBLE READINGS PREVIEWED

Please use these introductions to prepare for worship. If you are a reader at home who is unable to come to church, you might like to use these pages, with your Bible, to join the congregation on a Sunday in the reading of the same passages.

Sunday 7th February - Transfiguration Sunday

Exodus 34:29-35 This reading prepares us for the gospel of the Trans- figuration, when the Lord’s appearance became glorious. Moses, we are told, was so changed by meeting God directly that his face shone with the reflected glory and he had to wear a veil.

2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2 When Moses was transformed by meeting God, he veiled his face until the glory faded. Paul argues that the minds of the Jews are still veiled from a true vision and understanding, while Chris- tians see the unfading glory of God fully revealed to us in Christ.

Luke 9:28-36 [ 37-43 ] The Lord’s closest friends see him transfigured upon a mountain-top in a disclosure of his true identity. In the presence of Moses and Elijah, a cloud of glory comes upon him and the voice of the holy one is heard. [ But they cannot stay away from the demanding crowds.]

Ash Wednesday ( There are no lectionary sheets for this day, but these are the readings that will be used at services.)

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 The powerful and dramatic words of Joel are a solemn call to public repentance, to realise the divine mercy and goodness. It helps set the tone of the Lenten season as a time for self-examination and spiritual renewal, in preparation for the gifts of Easter. or, Isaiah 58:1-12 The prophet denounces the hypocrisy of people who make gestures of fasting but practice injustice and deceit. Make your fast for God: he will hear you when you ask what you should do.

2 Corinthians 5:20b - 6:10 Paul calls upon the Corinthian Christians to be reconciled and reconcilers. He offers his own way of life as an example of the way of a peace-maker - to bear suffering, avoid self- aggrandisement, speak the truth in love.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Jesus contrasts those who do religious acts to gain admiration from others with those who are sincere. All our acts of piety, whether fasting or the symbolic use of ashes which gives this day its name, are empty or even hypocritical unless they express the spirit of true penitence, embodied in a life of prayer and service.

Sunday 14th February - First Sunday of Lent

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 The people of God are constantly to have in mind God’s powerful wonders in history. In worship, they are to recite his great deeds and bring him offerings.

Romans 10: 8-13 This short passage acts as a bridge between the Old Testament and gospel readings. Paul has been contrasting the historic Jewish faith with our faith in Christ. They looked to God for miraculous works, and mistakenly relied on doing good deeds to win salvation, whereas we know we are saved simply by our faith.

Luke 4:1-13 Jesus has to face the temptation to reveal the power of God within him by a show of mighty supernatural force. He rejects that for the ways of gentleness and compassion.

Sunday 21st February

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 God’s ancient covenant promise to Abram, sealed with a sacrificial offering, was that he would have more descendants than could be counted, and a vast country to call their homeland.

Philippians 3:17-4:1 Paul’s tone here is rather sharp, telling his Philip- pian converts to examine their way of life in the light of the cross, and remain faithful to their heavenly hope.

Luke 13:31-35 God promised Abraham long ago a peaceful and fruitful land for his descendants. In due time, Jerusalem became its centre and the Temple God’s dwelling-place. Jesus laments the way his people have treated their holy gift.

Sunday 28th February

Isaiah 55:1-9 We can hear these ancient prophetic words as a summons for ourselves, to put God first, to seek him and listen to him. Like Jesus in today’s gospel, Isaiah calls us to repentance, for God is great and freely forgiving.

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 This passage is a reminder of the fate of people who were determined to rebel against God. We, says Paul, should be strong to resist anything tempting us away from the life to which Christ calls us.

Luke 13:1-9 Jesus refers to some recent events in warning of the need for repentance. A parable suggests that God always allows us second and third chances to turn to a faithful life.

Infant vs Adult Baptism

On 10th January (The Baptism of Jesus) I preached on baptism. In outline I said there were arguments for both infant and adult baptism, but since reading Martin Luther’s views on the subject, I had been in favour of infant baptism. At the end of one of the services a lady said to me, ‘ I still believe in adult baptism.’ Her open honesty made it clear I had not got Luther’s points over clearly enough. I want to describe why I believe in them in as much detail as I can; it is just con- ceivable that at the end there will still be those who believe baptism should be delayed until a person is old enough to decide for him/ herself that they want it. If this is the case, or if you want to show support for infant baptism, please write or email in via your parish magazine rep. or direct to [email protected]

Although baptism is a sacrament that those caring for a child ask for from a priest, either the guardians or the priest bring about a change in the child’s status. It could be seen as an introduction to the family of God, like the presentation of Jesus in the Temple when he was a baby (Luke 2: 22-38) Our custom of bringing a child to be baptised early in her/ his life serves this purpose, which is why it is important for other regular churchgoers to be present, as well as family and friends. But it is not the main purpose. That is to ask for God’s grace to be given to the child, or to the adult if the person is baptised later in life. The description of Jesus’ baptism says that God’s Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove, and a voice was heard from heaven saying, ‘ You are my Son, the Be- loved; with you I am well pleased.’ (Luke 3: 21-22)

Although Jesus had presented himself for baptism, it was for the immersion in the river Jordan that John the Baptist had instituted for the repentance of sins. Christian baptism goes a step beyond in asking for God’s grace to be bestowed, as it was on Jesus. Jesus was a recipient of this grace - neither he nor John the baptiser could will it. Since this is the case, God’s grace may be bestowed upon any person being baptised, adult or child, regardless of their own will.

Those, who like most of us were baptised as babies are unlikely to remember it. Does it still have value? I believe it does, because through the memories of those we love most in our early lives, we know that we belong to God. There is an invisible tie to the Holy Spirit who will use it to bring us back to God if we stray.

If we attend services while growing up and after, there is plenty of opportunity to renew our baptismal vows, and when we are old enough of course we are making them for ourselves. As humankind we are liable to sin, and this renewal is like a new baptism each time we make it, and should bring us back to God. We could just repeat the vows written in the liturgy by rote, but to have effect we should see what Jesus has done in taking on our sin in our mind’s eye, by thinking of him on the Cross. The Crucifixion is connected to baptism because it led to Jesus rising again to new life, and we rise from baptism to new life.

When Julian of Norwich fell ill with a fever as a young woman, her family thought she was dying and sent for a priest. He placed a wooden crucifix in front of her, and she experienced visions based on Jesus on the Cross which she spent the rest of her long life exploring. She was the first woman to write a book in English, Revelations of Divine Love, one that still inspires people. The Cross enabled her to realise her great potential.

Rather than visions, it is enough if when we are asked to renew our baptismal vows, we ask ourselves, are we living up to what God has equipped us to do? We will probably answer, No, but this is not a counsel of despair. It is one of hope, because there is time to put it right. By the end of our lives we will have gone through many renewals of baptism, invisible to other people, but known to God and ourselves. If we do this from when we are very small, it will become a lifetime habit, but if you are baptised later in life, start then.

Much used to be made of the supposedly terrible judgement we will have when we stand in front of Jesus; I think he would much prefer it if we judge ourselves honestly throughout our lives so, if we have taken heed, there is less for him to do! John Foxlee

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CONTACT INFORMATION

VICAR / RECTOR

REVD CANON ADRIAN COPPING, Tel: 01352 810936 THE NEW RECTORY, RECTORY LANE, LLANFERRES CH7 5SR Email: [email protected] USUAL DAY OFF: FRIDAY

READERS MR. JOHN FOXLEE, Tafarn-y-Gelyn, 01352 810677 MRS. VALERIE SALVONI, Rhydymwyn 01352 741150

CHURCH WARDENS :-

GWERNAFFIELD

MRS CAROL BRADLEY, Treetops, Pantymwyn 01352 741444 MR. PETER DAVIES, Ardwyn, Cae Rhug Lane. , 01352 741826 MRS. MADGE NEWTON, Subwarden, 7 High Park, Gwernaffield 01352 740649

LLANFERRES MISS ANNE WOODWARD, Cysgodfa, Tafarn-y-Gelyn 01352 810270 MR ROB ARMSTRONG, The White House, Rectory Lane, Llanferres 01352 810259

CILCAIN MR. JOHN PRIOR-EGERTON , Ty Gwyn, Cilcain 01352 741042 MRS. AMANDA GRIFFITHS, Tegfa, Hendre. 01352 740872

RHYDYMWYN MRS. SUE SAWYER, Winwood, Vicarage Rd, Rhydymwyn. 01352 741921

MRS. ELIZABETH THOMAS, 5 St. John’s Park, Rhydymwyn 01352 741405

NANNERCH MRS. CATH YEARDLEY, Nannerch. 01352 741128

MRS. LINDSAY WILDING, Beck Cottage, Nannerch 01352 741289