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Home , Bagillt, Brynford, Church in Wales, Mostyn, Pantasaph, Ysceifiog

Diocese of Estuary and Mountain Mission Area

Priest rooted in the communities of , , and Whitford Application Pack :: September 2019 The of St Asaph

In the or Teulu Asaph, we’re

• Growing and encouraging the whole people of God • Enlivening and enriching worship • Engaging the world We’re a family of more than 7,000 regular worshippers, with 80 full time clergy, over 500 lay leaders, 216 churches and 50 schools.

We trace our history to the days of our namesake, St Asaph and his mentor, St Kentigern who it’s believed built a monastery in St Asaph in AD 560. Many of the churches across the Diocese were founded by the earliest saints in who witnessed to Christian faith in Wales and have flourished through centuries of war, upheaval, reformation and reorganisation.

Today, the Diocese of St Asaph carries forward that same Mission to share God’s love to all in 21th Century north east and mid Wales. We’re honoured to be a Christian presence in every , to walk with people on the journey of life and to offer prayers to mark together the milestones of life.

Unlocking our Potential is the focus of our response to share God’s love with people across north east and mid Wales. Unlocking our Potential is about bringing change, while remaining faithful to the life-giving message of . It’s about challenging, inspiring and equipping the whole people of God to grow in their faith.

Geographically, the Diocese follows the English/Welsh border in the east, whilst the western edge is delineated by the Conwy Valley. The northern boundary runs along the coast as far as , but only takes in part of that . The southern boundary runs from the lower end of Llyn Tegid (Lake Bala) across to Dolfor, just south of Newtown in Powys. Ecclesiastically it is bordered by the of Chester, Lichfield and Hereford on the northern and eastern sides. To the south we border and Brecon diocese and to the west, Bangor.

Large parts of the diocese are rural, but there are important and continually developing industrial and commercial areas around (one of the largest industrial parks in Europe) and Wrexham and significant developments along the two main arterial roads (A55 and A483). The coastal strip is home to traditional holiday resorts and tourism is an important industry in many parts of the diocese.

St Asaph offers:

• A welcome to all • Life enhancing opportunities for all • A commitment to nurture God’s gifts to everyone • A Christian education through our 51 Church Schools • A celebration and conservation of our very special places • A commitment to walk alongside those in need • A prayerful heart at the centre of every community

2020 Vision and the Estuary and Mountain Mission Area

Following the publication of the 2012 Review the six dioceses of the Church in Wales have been working towards the creation of Ministry Areas. In the Diocese of St Asaph, a decision was made from the beginning to call these new formations Mission Areas. It is a name that reflects the intention of becoming a more outward focused church with the desire to address and plan intentionally for growth. This is an exciting time in the life of the Diocese of St Asaph as, under the banner of 2020 Vision, we are determined to seek new vitality in our Church life through the structured participation of the whole people of God.

Estuary and Mountain Mission Area consists of the Gorsedd group of churches (6), the group of churches (3), the Flint group of churches (2), and the Holywell group of churches (3). The Mission Area was constituted in October 2016 and the last two years have been about concentrating on having workable structures and systems in place to support the mission and ministry of the Mission Area. The Mission Area Conference has agreed an exciting and challenging Growth Report (see Appendix 1) that gives a precis of our objectives over the next year.

The Gorsedd group, which numbers six churches have been working together for over two years and this has proven to be really beneficial in terms of cohesion and support. As each of the six have relatively small congregations the strength of the group identity has encouraged more optimism and less of a silo mentality. Each fifth Sunday there is a joint service to cement the identity of these six churches together.

We are now looking to make a new appointment to the Gorsedd group that will allow us build on the already established strengths and empower the church congregations to reach out to their communities in new and innovative ways. The Mission Area looks forward to warmly welcoming a priest to be ‘rooted’ in the churches at Bagillt, Gorsedd, Mostyn and Whitford. The Mission Area Leader will be ‘rooted’ in the remaining two churches at and . We are looking for a colleague who thrives on collaborative ministry and whose gifts will help to ‘unlock the potential’ of the family of churches in the Gorsedd group. The six churches are keen to find ways of working together more closely and to develop the church’s work with families and children.

The development of lay ministry within the six churches has evolved into a led service in each of churches every fortnight and the intervening Sunday services being taken by groups of Worship Leaders. The development has been extended successively to all six churches and the lay leaders involved are growing in confidence and ability. To support the people involved in leading the non-Eucharistic services there is a Study held weekly currently facilitated by the Mission Area Leader to give time for discussion and exploration of the readings.

Ss Mary & , Whitford St Mary and St Peter, Bagillt

St Paul’s, Gorsedd Church, Mostyn The Gorsedd Group of six churches are in Estuary and Mountain Mission Area Churches that will be in the care of our new Priest

St Mary and St Peter, Bagillt

The consecration of St Mary’s took place in July 1839 by the Rt. Rev. William Casey, of St Asaph. St Mary’s Church is a large stone-built building with a main tower and four smaller turreted towers. Inside there are eight beautiful stained-glass windows, a pipe organ and the interior was reordered in 2016 to include a disabled facility toilet and a kitchen area. Also a number of pews were removed to allow for a large flexible space at the back of the church. The church is heated by an efficient oil fired central heating system.

The church is set on a hill looking down on to the main through road that acts as the centre of the village. Surrounding the church is a large well-maintained graveyard. The congregation of St Peter’s (Welsh Church) joined with the congregation of St Mary’s in 2012 to become St Mary’s & St Peter’s.

In 2019 we celebrated 180 years since the consecration of St Mary’s in July 1839.

The village itself uniquely, has two parts – the larger is the main part where the church is sited and the smaller part is known as the Boot End. In recent years the whole village has grown and is now made up of large housing estates (both old and new) but all with character, older buildings, farms and a small light industrial area. Some of the village people have employment within the locality, but most commute many miles to their various places of business. Sadly, like so many places there is also a fairly high level of unemployment.

According to the 2011 census, the population of Bagillt is over 4000.

The village is sited close to the and there are wonderful views over the river and to the Wirral. At the present time new houses are being built in every available space. The village comprises small shops, post office, library, community centre and two primary schools. Ysgol Merilyn is in the centre of the village and Ysgol Glan Aber is at the Boot End of the village. These also feed high schools in Holywell and Flint within the Mission Area.

We have a combination of Welsh and English-speaking people in the village, some of whom have lived here all their lives. There is a strong sense of community and even people who have moved away many years ago stay in touch and support the church family.

Bagillt is a warm, friendly and welcoming village, with down-to-earth people, both born and incomers who tend to call a spade a spade!

Average attendance on Sundays is 30 and on Wednesday is 6

The services in the church are currently:- Sunday 11am 1st and 3rd : Morning Worship 2nd. Holy Eucharist 4th. Family Eucharist

Each Wednesday at 11am there is a Holy Eucharist that is available for anyone who wants to attend from the Mission Area. There is also a small choir which meets weekly to practice the music for the Sunday service and for special events.

Other Activities: 1St Tuesday of the month people meet up for a church luncheon in different restaurants in the area. Bagillt Facebook Group meets quarterly at the church. This group fundraises for the church and joins in the Christmas celebrations. Both primary schools hold Carol services in the Church. There is an annual visit from the children affected by the Chemobyl disaster – they attend a service along with the fundraisers, host families and local councilors. A buffet lunch is provided by Church members. There are regular fundraising events held in the Church.

St Paul's Church, Gorsedd

St Paul's lies at the cross roads at the centre of the village of Gorsedd which together with the adjoining village of Carmel make up the of Gorsedd.

The parish was created from parts of Whitford and Ysceifiog in 1853 when the church was built in somewhat unusual circumstances. Louisa, great grand-daughter of Thomas Pennant of Downing Hall married Rudolph the son of the 7th Earl of Denbigh and as a gesture of thanks-giving they endowed the building of an Anglican Church in the nearby village of . However, during a visit to Rome they converted to Roman Catholicism and thus the church when completed would be to serve that faith. The ensuing conflict stoked, not least by the then , resulted in a national appeal to build an Anglican church in the vicinity. The appeal raised some £10,806, enough to build two churches one at Gorsedd and the other at Brynford.

The church remains much as it was in the Victorian era, except, perhaps for the east window – 'Christ in Majesty' installed in 1991 followed a little later by windows depicting 'the shipwreck of Paul' and 'Suffer little children....' In addition to the pipe organ there is a public address system incorporating a twin deck c.d. player and an induction loop for the hearing impaired. An exterior lighting system is installed to illuminate the church on dark evenings.

The normal attendance on Sunday is between 10 and 15 adult

The Church Hall

Adjacent to the Church is the Church Hall, the former school. It consists of a large meeting room a committee room, kitchen and toilets. It is home to the Carmel Guides, Brownies and Rainbows and is also used by the Church Ladies Guild, Ladies Keep Fit group, Irish Dancing classes, Model Flying Club and a local pop music group. The Ladies Guild meet on the first Wednesday in the month in the Church Hall.

The Guild is very active and has around 25 members and is open to all. The meetings involve speakers on a wide variety of subjects, and, of course, the annual outing in June and Christmas lunch.

Exciting and ambitious plans have been agreed for the sale of the Church Hall and the reordering of the church to allow for all the current activities to transfer to the church building.

Due to the groups using the church hall currently the community attendance at special services is high particularly Remembrance Day.

Primary schools Ysgol Bro Carmel and Ysgol y Llan at Whitford (Church School)

The Finance Group

The financial affairs of the Church are managed by a small group of experienced people who meet on a monthly basis to update the records and to discuss matters of particular importance in the financial management of the Church.

Christ Church, Mostyn

Mostyn is a small village on the estuary of the River Dee, near Holywell and with good transport links to Chester and Llandudno with the A55 being easily accessible. Mostyn is a semi- rural / light industrial area and although it is socio-economically deprived it is a vibrant community with a primary school, Community Centre and shops with a small sub- post office, Village Hall and a skate park.

The community used to be centred around, “The Squares”, a name given to the then main housing centre. The houses were old, made from stone, the School house remains today. New homes were built and the community relocated to the current estate, “The Squares” were demolished to make way for a business centre. It is a semi-rural/light industrial area and although socio-economically deprived it is a passionate community proud of its nationality roots and culture. There is a well-attended Community Centre and energetic, committed community council. It has a small, typical 60’s style shopping parade including a small sub-post office, and Village Hall.

The parish of Mostyn was created in 1844 and the church, which was designed by Ambrose Poynter was consecrated on the 12th August 1845. The Church is Grade II listed with many interesting features noted on the full CADW report. It is in good condition although in need of some repair work noted on the recent Quinquennial report (March 2019), and provided for in the financial budget / forecast

The graveyard has no room, and, is closed, except for internment in an existing grave. Space and provision for the ‘Internment of ashes’ along with inscription headstone are available and used. There has been a suggestion to clear consecrated ground within the churchyard boundary for extending the graveyard. However, this will require significant funds that are presently unavailable, therefore this issue is ‘on hold’ until a creative solution can be found.

The organ is original, maintained and kept in wonderful condition. In 1980 it was converted into electric operation. The church grounds are well maintained and in very good order. All work to maintain Church grounds are carried out entirely by the congregational members themselves. The Church Bells are operational and can be rung as a “call to service”.

Christ Church has a monthly bilingual service held in English and Cymun Bendigaid (Welsh Holy Eucharist) on the fourth Sunday of the month. There is a service held every Sunday. The mid month services are held by a Lay Minister / Worship leader. Festival services, such as Harvest, are held in both Welsh and English, often attended by people outside the Parish.

Church members average age is 63 – ( oldest 86 youngest 42 ). 93% of members have been born and bred in Mostyn, family roots and ties go back generations. They are passionate and proud of their heritage. There was a Mission Area youth group called the “JoY (Journey of Youth) Group which has its club room in the church. This group is due to be reformed in September due to the need for new leaders and a new vision.

The average attendance on Sunday is 11 adults.

The church has a 5-year financial plan that includes using its investment capital to meet its current financial obligations.

Church of St Mary and St Beuno, Whitford

The church of St Mary and St Beuno is situated in the heart of Whitford village, overlooking the Dee estuary in a conservation area. The church is believed to have been founded by St Beuno in the 7thC. After the Norman Conquest, the church was rededicated, like many others in Wales, to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Whitford is one of the ancient parishes of . The earliest recorded mention of the church is in ‘The Domesday Book’ in 1086 as Widford with ‘land for one plough which priest and six vileins hold, with a church’.

It is thought that in the C13th the church suffered damage as a result of the battles, during Edward I conquest of Wales. Records show that the church received £13 shillings for damage and the loss of . The history of the church from C16 onwards is entwined with that of the Mostyn family, probably the oldest landholding institution in North Wales apart from the Crown.

The north aisle dates from around the 15 or 16th C and is the oldest part of the church and known as ‘the Mostyn aisle’. Until 1690 members of the Mostyn family were usually buried in this aisle and commemorated by carved slabs in the floor and memorials on the wall. Sir Roger Mostyn who had fought in the Civil War celebrated the restoration of the monarchy and his knighthood by commissioning three bells which are still in use today. The font is dated 1649 and the altar is thought to be Jacobean. The bells were recast when the tower was rebuilt in 1843.

The South aisle contains many memorials to the Pennant family and is reputed to be where Thomas Pennant is buried. The memorial to Thomas Pennant, C18 naturalist, antiquary and traveller is near the organ. In the graveyard there is a tomb and plaque in memory of Moses Griffiths artist and illustrator to Thomas Pennant.

The nave was rebuilt and the south aisle added in 1846 with the support of descendants of Thomas Pennant and the Mostyn Family. The East window with the crucifixion at its centre was installed in 1874 in memory of the Cope Family of Saithaelwyd Hall, Carmel. The church remains much as it was apart from the installation of a stained Glass window in memory of Mr Paton Watson Church Warden in the 1970’s. The organ was installed early in the C20.

The main entrance to the church is the lych-gate on the Southside which has a room over the steps. The original purpose is not clear but may have been used to distribute alms or for the payment of tithes. The lych-gate on the East Side is known as Porth Sir Roger with a beam in the wall dated 1667. It is thought built that Sir Roger Mostyn provided funds to build the original gate. The gate was refurbished in the 1950’s.

Services On the first Sunday of each month a Family Eucharist is held; second and fourth Sundays Morning Prayer; and third Sunday is Holy EuchariSt

Whitford Stones , Ancient Artefacts and Sacred Doorways A precious collection of inscribed slabs and a sarcophagus, some of which date from the C11 are held in the church. The sundial dating from C17 and incised cross were found in the churchyard with the Sarcophagus and Nobili stone brought to the church by the Pennant family. The smaller stones which include a Bronze Age whetstone were donated by Canon Ellis Davies, a respected antiquarian and author who is buried in the churchyard. He was appointed vicar of Whitford in 1913 and remained until his retirement in 1951.

Whitford Church is now part of the ‘Scared Doorways Project’, is a church and chapel tourism initiative which aims to help these historic buildings become more sustainable through tourism. The visitor displays have recently been completed with St Mary and St Beuno’s part of the cluster group of the seven churches and chapels in Flintshire. The project has received funding from the and is a joint project I nvolving Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy. The church has strong links with the Mostyn family and Mostyn has family members buried there. The Mostyn family also help with fundraising.

Maintenance Following the recent Quinquennial inspection there is some minor work to be completed. The church was re-roofed in the 1950’s. The church is maintained by volunteers particularly the churchyard. There are plans (both a simple and a complex version) for the upgrading of the church but they are awaiting progressing until there is a new priest.

Links with the Community Ysgol Y Llan Ysgol Y Llan is a Church in Wales Primary School opposite the church with a role of 100+. There are five foundation governors nominated by the Mission Area Conference on the governing Boy of the school. On the first Sunday of each month a Family Eucharist is held and the children and their families are encouraged to attend.

The children from Ysgol Y LLan attend a weekly assembly in the church and the church community is encouraged by its involvement with the school. There is also Messy Church held once a month in the school led by lay members of the church Thomas Pennant Society There are close links with the Thomas Pennant Society which holds regular meetings in the church. The Society in conjunction with the PCC have held very successful Pennant Festivals in 2009 and 2011. In 2015 there will be a celebration of the silver anniversary of the formation of the Thomas Pennant Society with a number of events including a concert.

Whitford Young Farmers Whitford is a farmimg community with many of the congregation employed in the agricultural industry. The group have strong links with the church although only occasionally hold meetings in the church.

The normal attendance on Sundays varies depending on the type of service. The Family Eucharist held on the first Sunday has an attendance between 15 and 20 adults with young families. The Sunday Eucharist held on the third Sunday is attended by 7 adults but the Morning Prayer services are only attended by 2 people.

Churches that will be in the care of the Mission Area Leader

St Michael’s Church, Brynford

Brynford Parish is set some 230 metres above sea level and about 15 miles from Chester and Wrexham. The nearest Town is Holywell some 2 miles distance. The A55 is easily accessible. The village of Brynford has a very pleasant semi- rural outlook and it has a golf course within its boundaries ( Holywell Golf Course).

The Church is located prominently at the centre of the village and is a Grade 11 Listed building constructed in 1853. The Church is illuminated at night as a beacon of serenity and is clearly visible when entering the Village.

An Anniversary Gift Collection and Commemorative Service is held each year with an invited Guest Preacher. The Parish has retired clergy who assist with services, weddings and funerals

The Church is in good repair and receives regular maintenance and has recently undergone a reordering scheme. This included plumbing and electrical upgrades. A programme of refurbishment was completed in December 2012 to construct a social amenity space at the rear of the Church. The area has a kitchen, store-room/flower preparation area and toilet facilities. Tables and comfortable chairs make this a very welcoming space to use for church and community activities including for refreshments after services.

The attendance on Sunday is between 15 and 25 adults

The PCC has a sub-group to manage and encourage use of the community social area at the rear of Church for outreach and mission to bring the Church closer to local people and make it a hub of welcome, safety and social enjoyment to foster social integration and combat loneliness and isolation. There is a monthly over 55 club that meets and a monthly Bereavement Café is planned to begin in the Autumn. Our aim for the future year is to encourage a wider use of the social facility.

St Michael’s has a branch of the Mother’s Union which meets in Church regularly.

The Churchyard

St Michael’s has a traditional churchyard surrounding the building and there is a connecting “new” section: both are well maintained.

Schools and Institutions

Brynford has a combined Infants/Primary School where children attend until the age of 11. The School supports the Church by using it for special events – i.e. Christmas Service.

St Mary’s Church, Ysceifiog

The village of Ysceifiog is about 20 miles from Chester and Wrexham. The A55 is easily accessible. It is in a rural area of outstanding natural beauty and borders and . The congregation is bilingual.

St Mary’s is a Grade II listed building and is thought to be one of the oldest churches in Flintshire. Reputedly St Deiniol, 1st founded it in 15th Century.

The present Church was built between1835-39 and was capable of seating 232 people. The style of the Church is Early English with five stained glass windows. Important ancient artefacts still remain in the Church. The oldest piece of church plate is a chalice known and inscribed as the ‘Cuppe of Ysceifiog’, dated 1633. This is still in regular use.

Behind the main door of the Church, beneath the tower, there is a full-length effigy of a priest vested in chasuble and stole, his head resting on a cushion. The canopy above is of fourteenth century origin. Other memorials and relics from the old church were erected on the wall of the tower in 1962.

The earliest Parish Registers in existence date from 1662 – the previous ones having been burnt.

Sunday and Weekday Services

Sunday Services in Church St Mary’s Month 1st 8.00am 11.00am & Sunday School

2nd/4th 11.00am 3rd 11.00am & Sunday school

5th Joint Service at 10.30am

The Fifth Sunday Joint Service has encouraged closer relationship with all the churches of the Parish. Annually we take part in raising funds for Christian Aid. Our Village Carol Singing in Ysceifiog raises money for children’s charities. Sunday School is a regular supporter of various charities i.e. Water Aid, Smile Train, St Kentigern’s & Hope House.

Parish Organisations

Ysceifiog, St Mary’s runs a Sunday school on the first and third Sundays in the month during term- time at 11.00am and afterwards join the morning service for Communion /Blessing. The Sunday

School is run by dedicated Sunday School teachers.

e 4

As a legacy of the Ysceifiog Arts Festival 2013, a Community Choir rehearses and performs in g a

Church. P A monthly group meets in the Village Hall called Friday Friends. It is organized by lay members of the congregation and is highly successful in tackling loneliness and bringing the village community together. There is an alternative service delivered once a month at Ysceifiog for the whole Mission Area. This also has been highly successful with the highest numbers of attendees being 50.

The Churchyard

St Mary’s Ysceifiog Churchyard Cross is said to date from the fifteenth century. The marks on the base are believed to have been made by archers sharpening their arrows on it. The oldest grave, located near the present door is dated 1611.

The Bells

The four church bells from the old building have been re-hung in 2008 for stationary chiming and are now frequently heard across the village and surrounding countryside. There is a rota of bell ringers enabling them to be rung at each Service and Weddings and funerals by request.

Church/Village Hall

Ysceifiog Village Hall is situated within a short walking distance of the Church. It is used regularly by both the Church, including Sunday School, and the local community. It is available for hire.

There is no school in the village, the nearest school is Lixwm County Primary, which is in the process of being federated with the Church in Wales School at Caerwy . The Vicarage St Mary’s Court, Whitford Road, Whitford, Holywell, CH8 9AG

The Vicarage is built from attractive stone and is a well -presented family home with extensive accommodation over two floors. Pleasant views can be enjoyed from both aspects of the property, with views towards the Dee Estuary to the front of the property and rolling countryside to the rear.

The Vicarage comprises Reception hall, Kitchen/breakfast room, Dining room, Drawing room, Study, Utility room, Cloakroom, 5 Bedrooms (2 en suite), Family bathroom, Double garage and landscaped gardens

St Mary’s Court is a select development nestled on the edge of the desirable conservation village of Whitford and the Vicarage is superbly situated for commuting to the major centres of the North West and North Wales coast

Whitford is characterised by deep wooded valleys and rolling countryside with much of the surrounding area owned by the Mostyn Estate. Schooling is well provided for at the highly regarded primary school, Ysgol Bro Carmel, and Holywell High School. Comprehensive amenities are available in nearby and Mold. Local recreational facilities include good walks, fisheries, golf courses and the North Wales coastline.

IN SUMMARY:

We are praying for a priest who will:

• be a cleric of prayer whose spiritual life is a personal priority

• have a passion for mission and a love of the disenfranchised • be an effective leader, with strong personal motivation and drive • be an inspiring preacher, teacher and spiritual director • have secure liturgical understanding, and commitment to developing occasional alternative services to complement the Eucharist • be ready to play a key role in the local community • have an empathy for the Welsh culture and a sensitivity towards the language

We very much hope you have enjoyed reading about our church life and the many opportunities that lie on the horizon.

If you feel God calling you to become our priest, we would like to encourage you to apply. Find us on our Website or Facebook page.

Further details, or for an informal conversation please contact:

Andy Grimwood, the Archdeacon of St Asaph

01352 720478 or [email protected]

We look forward to meeting you.