FREE TEULU ASAPH Diocese of St Asaph February/March 2014 THE JEWELS IN OUR CROWN Before becoming Bishop of St Asaph, Bishop Gregory schools, and contributes the majority of the cost. I think was a school chaplain. Here he tells us why faith schools that is a wise decision. The Wales Government recognis- are so important for educating our children in Wales. es that education is too important a matter to let one size fit all. Diversity of educational provision allows different Our Church schools were described by one of the Church models of education to be tested out against each other. in Wales Review team as “the jewel in the crown”. We are committed to a model which puts concerns for The Church in Wales is Wales’ largest provider of spiritual education, for values and ethos, in prime education after the State, a position that we’re position, and we have distinctive insights and proud to have held for centuries. There contributions to make. are 168 Church in Wales schools, edu- That’s why I support Ysgol Llanbedr in cating 21,000 children and employ- THE Ruthin, for instance – it is important ing 3000 staff. Almost a third of not to lose faith based provision these are in our Diocese. Just in this part of Denbighshire. 6.4p in the pound of parish JEWELS IN Closing Ysgol Llanbedr share is spent support- would do a huge dis- ing our schools, which service to future gen- makes the work the di- OUR erations of children, re- ocese does incredible value. moving the opportunity for Church schools are a significant CROWN English medium rural church part of our mission. education in the Ruthin area. It would also set a dangerous precedent Why do we do it? for other small rural church schools, all of Our schools offer Christian and Anglican edu- which contribute something vital to their com- cation. We’re not primarily in education to con- munities. vert, however. Although we do bear witness to our faith and we introduce our pupils to Jesus and to the So what can parishes do? value of the Bible and the Christian faith, we encourage Support this work. We may not have a Church school independent and critical thinking and other skills to en- in every parish, but your continuing help for the children hance life and contribute to human flourishing. and young people of our part of the world is essential for Our goals are not just those you might hear from some of this work to continue. Help us to invest in young people our politicians. Our Church schools do their job, helping and their future. We have to be inventive in finding ways to create a skilled workforce, an educated electorate and to involve young people in our churches; they are in our well-qualified job seekers, but fundamentally we educate schools. What could the Church do for Wales which is simply because we believe that every child in Wales is more important, than to pass on to the next generation created in God’s image, and called by God to live life to all that we value in our own: faith, optimism and service. the full. Each deserves to reach their potential and be- come the fullness of what God created them to be – and How can individuals help our that can include faith, where it is freely and intelligently schools? chosen. Our Church schools are always looking for suitable volun- teers from the local community to listen to children read, Can’t we leave it to the State? help with extra-curricular activities or introduce pupils to In the twentieth century the State picked up on a task a specialist skill like bee-keeping or needlework. that the Church had already been doing. Even two hun- There are always opportunities to get involved with things dred years ago, through bodies like the National Society, like art and gardening projects or partnership work with the Church had set a goal of establishing a school for all our local Churches. Could you volunteer in this way? the children in every parish. If you think you could help out, why not get in touch Although state schools are the vast majority, the Govern- with your local Church school to see if you can help faith ment recognises in law the benefit of having voluntary education in Wales to continue to flourish? 2 Denbighshire County Council votes new facilities. Archdeacon Shirley cut the ribbon at the to cut faith school provision entrance to the school – one of her last official engage- Despite strong backing from Bishop Gregory and the Dio- ments before retirement. Councillor Raymond Bartley cese of St Asaph, Denbighshire County Council have de- then unveiled a plaque to the crowds watching on. cided to move towards closing Ysgol Llanbedr in Ruthin. It took 3 years of hard work by all involved before the At a Cabinet Meeting in January the Council voted to pupils at Ysgol Dyffryn Iâl finally moved in to their new press ahead with a Statutory Notice to close the Church school at the end of August. Despite that, the campaign to save the school continues. Local Councillor Huw Wil- liams has called the decision in for further scrutiny by the Local Authority so there is still a chance to object. Both the Bishop and the Diocese were disappointed with the Council’s decision. In a letter sent to Council- lors ahead of the Cabinet Meeting, Bishop Gregory said: “In Llanbedr we have a community who have responded positively to the challenge set by this consultation. I believe that the community and the school family have school building in October. It replaces the previous split overwhelmingly demonstrat- site school buildings in Llandegla and Bryneglwys. ed their support and need Head Teacher Teleri Llwyd-Jones, said: for a faith school in Llanbedr. “Seeing the children settling in to their new school build- The numbers of children ing has made all the hard work worth it. I would like to who have applied for nurs- thank all involved in creating the new school and I look ery admission in September forward to watching our pupils thrive in it.” 2014 is 13 (compared to an Delivering the project involved collaboration between admission number of 11) so Denbighshire County Council, the Diocese of St Asaph, this is now an oversubscribed the School and Governors, the Llandegla Memorial Hall school.” Trust, Llandegla Community Council and local residents. A campaign to save Ysgol Llanbedr has been taken to some of the farthest flung corners of the globe. A “Hands off our School” poster has been photographed at Down- ing Street (pictured), the Houses of Parliament, Lambeth Palace and even further afield in America and Egypt. Revd Philip Chew also worked on a song with the pupils of the school which has been seen more than 1000 times on YouTube. A statutory notice of closure will be published in due course and people unhappy with the decision will again be able to voice their objections. Joy at new building for school in Llandegla Archdeacon Shirley added: “I am delighted with this new Bishop Gregory has blessed the new school building at faith school and more importantly the children are de- Ysgol Dyffryn Iâl in Llandegla after a service at the Parish lighted with it too. It’s good that the Diocese of St Asaph Church to officially open it. and Denbighshire County Council can work closely to- Pupils from the faith school gathered at St Tecla’s just be- gether for the good of the education of children in our fore Christmas before a procession down the road to the local community.” 3 Gofynnodd Esgob Gregory i’r Bishop Gregory asked retiring Archddiacon sydd newydd ymd- Archdeacon Shirley Griffiths to deol, Shirley Griffiths, i ysgrifennu write our Insight, with a reflection ein Mewnwelediad, gan fyfyrio ar on her calling and ministry. ei galwad a’i gweinidogaeth. Wrth edrych yn ôl ar dros 40 mlynedd o weinidogaeth yn Looking back on over 40 years of ministry in the Church yr Eglwys, dechreuais feddwl pa bryd oeddwn i wedi syn- I wondered when did I first have a sense of calling? Was hwyro’r alwad am y tro cyntaf? Ai pan glywais bregeth ar it on hearing a sermon on Psalm 139 preached in Llys- Salm 139 yn Llysfaen gan y Canon Raymond Byles y dig- faen by Canon Raymond Byles? Was it taking part as a wyddodd hynny? Ynteu ai pan gymerais ran fel arweiny- leader at diocesan youth camps? Well – yes and no! My dd mewn gwersylloedd ieuenctid esgobaethol? Wel - ie a sense of calling was not a sudden realisation of God’s will na! Nid sylweddoliad sydyn o ewyllys Duw ar fy nghyfer for me, but more a gradually growing awareness of God oedd fy synnwyr o alwad, ond rhywbeth yn nes at ymwy- at work in my life, an awareness which began as a child byddiaeth gynyddol a graddol o Dduw attending church in Trelawnyd and as a ar waith yn fy mywyd - ymwybyddiaeth pupil at Trelawnyd VP School. a ddechreuodd fel plentyn pan oeddwn Never underestimate the influence that yn mynd i’r eglwys yn Nhrelawnyd ac attending a church school can have on a fel disgybl yn Ysgol Eglwys Trelawnyd. child’s journey of faith. Peidiwch byth â thanbrisio’r dylanwad y Never underestimate the importance gall mynd i ysgol eglwys ei gael ar daith of a close relationship between church, ffydd plentyn. Peidiwch byth â thanbrisio school and clergy.