Pobl Dewi Menter Esgobaeth Tyddewi . An initiative of the Diocese of St Davids Tachwedd / November 2006 Diocesan Group told Please come to Bethlehem S Middle East politics enters a new phase, and Tony ABlair says that resolving the Palestinian issue is the key to success, a St David’s group has returned from the Holy Lands with one message ringing in their ears: “Tell the Chris- tians back home to come and support us.” The 28-strong group spent ten days travelling throughout the regions of northern and central by John Holdsworth Israel, and the West Bank occu- pied territories. Visits were also made to the Palestinian control- riencing something like a 90% led areas of Jericho and Bethle- drop in tourist income. hem, and the party was accom- The Christian population of modated for part of the time in Israel/Palestine is similar to that of occupied East Jerusalem. Wales. The vast majority of these Visits to the Lebanese and Christians are indigenous Palestin- Syrian borders showed some evi- ians who can claim a living geo- dence of the recent conflict, but the graphical link, in some cases, to the main victims that the group encoun- churches of the New Testament. tered were the Palestinians who Anglicans number around ten thou- In the town where Lazarus was raised from the dead, the local council depend upon western tourism for an sand. The last three bishops of Jeru- makes clear its feelings about the wall income. The group’s driver was just salem have been Palestinian. one example. He had been without Apart from visits to the Biblical contact and mutual understanding. ing from, the (Christian) Mayor of eration for two months and the local work for three months, with a fam- sites, pilgrims were encouraged to In fact, the group was struck by just Bethlehem, Dr Victor Batarseh. olive-wood workers have had little ily to support on minimal social see the contemporary relevance of how good community relations are Since Hammas came to power in the or no trade. His message was: “Tell security. Whole communities have the Christian Gospel in the area of in many parts of this region. Palestinian controlled areas no pub- the Christians of the West that it is been blighted in this way, and this Jesus’ initial ministry. A visit was The group was privileged to have lic sector workers have been paid. safe to come here.” He hoped that affects the Christian communities in made to a Christian hospital and to a personal meeting with, and greet- The post office has been out of op- our congregations might see Beth- particular. Near Jerusalem, the new an exciting school project in Naza- lehem as a focus for faith just as other boundary wall has added to the reth, funded largely by the Christian religions have their Mecca or Jeru- problem with towns like Bethany church overseas, which brings pu- salem, and that they might be able effectively cut off from the tourist pils of all faiths, especially Chris- to help support projects there. routes, and Bethlehem itself expe- tians, Muslims and Druze into closer The arrangements were made through a Palestinian Christian fledgling company with links to the Dyfodol Gobeithiol - staff uwch diocese. They were excellent throughout. The group had control Mentro Mewn Cenhadaeth gafodd chael digwyddiad esgobaethol over its itinerary, had a Christian y sylw pennaf unwaith eto pan mawr yn 2008. ^ guide who had real sympathy with gyfarfu staff hyn yr esgobaeth Nodwyd fod angen denu the aims of the group and was able, mewn cyfarfod preswyl ganol mis rhagor o bobl i’r weinidogaeth through Christian contacts to ac- Tachwedd. Er iddynt cael eu ordeiniedig, ond fod y sefyllfa cess things that other groups might calonogi o ddeall fod bron i bob ariannol yn ymddangos yn fwy have found difficult. plwyf wedi mynd i’r afael o ddifrif gobeithiol nag a fu. The group was led by the arch- gyda chreu cynlluniau cenhadu, Ceir rhagor o fanylion ar deacon of St Davids who said, mae’r staff yn awyddus i ddarparu dudalen 6. “This pilgrimage was an eye- pob cymorth i blwyfi. I’r perwyl This is an article about the re- opener for many people, who were hwn mae cynlluniau ar y gweill i cent residential meeting of the Di- very much affected by what they greu DVD newydd, cyflwyno ocesan Senior Staff – more infor- saw. At a time when we think and proses o gyd-rodio gyda phlwyfi a mation see page 6 talk about Bethlehem as it was 2000 years ago, it’s good to have The next edition of Pobl Dewi will be published on 18 March 2007. to think about what the Christian Articles, which should not exceed 400 words, should be sent to the lead Gospel means there now.” regional editor, Tessa Briggs, [email protected] by February 23. The web site of the company, This edition’s lead editor was Revd Nicholas Cale which all members of the group To contact us by post please address correspondence to: are happy to recommend, is The Editor, Pobl Dewi, St Davids Diocesan Office, Abergwili, Group Leader John Holdsworth is greeted by the www.inhisteps.com Carmarthen SA31 2JG Mayor of Bethlehem The Church & The Planet see page 5 Am ddim Free 2 Pobl Dewi, November 2006 glad however to have been able to PR Supremo to Move be present at the press conference Y LlanLlanY - Dechrau Newydd? to announce +Rowan’s appoint- IÔN BRYNACH, the Church in ment to the post of ABC in late July AE Mainc Esgobion yr Eglwys yng Nghymru wedi rhoi hwb o’r SWales’ first professionally (and witness a little piece of history) M newydd i unig newyddiadur taleithiol papur yr Eglwys yng qualified Communication Director, and also to have been able to assist Nghymru - Y Llan. Wedi cyfnod o rai misoedd pan fu’r cyhoeddiad dan y is leaving his post to take up a new him and Jane during that truly trau- chwyddwydr ac yn cael ei ystyried gan grup o bobl a enwebwyd gan yr appointment with the BBC. Siôn, matic year for them all. I served esgobion eu hunain, swm a sylwedd y trafod oedd y dylai Y Llan aros ar ei whose name reflects a family Rowan therefore for the entire pe- wedd uniaith bresennol, o leiaf am y ddwy flynedd nesaf. history in North Pembrokeshire, has riod he was Archbishop of Wales Fel yr esbonia’r Esgob Carl Cooper – “Penderfynwyd dros flwyddyn yn been in post for seven years. Dur- and was with him at St Paul’s Ca- ôl fod angen ystyried o ddifrif pa un ai dyma’r ffordd orau o ddefnyddio ing that time he has helped develop thedral for the confirmation of his adnoddau prin talaith yr Eglwys yng Nghymru er budd amcanion yr a culture of communication at election on 2nd December 2002 Eglwys yng Nghymru, sef cenhadaeth a gweinidogaeth Crist yng Cathedral Road, and throughout the when legally he became Archbishop Nghymru?” province. of Canterbury. It was a great learn- Gyda phenderfyniad yr Hybarch Digon tebyg oedd casgliadau’r ail Siôn believes that comparisons ing experience for me in PR terms with Bernard Ingham and Alistair Meurig Llwyd i gamu i lawr o grup hwn hefyd, yn eu cyfarfod too – the first global story I had to swydd y golygydd ddechrau’r ddechrau mis Medi – roeddent o’r Campbell are misplaced, and cer- handle – with between 40 and 50 tainly does not accept that for the flwyddyn hon - wedi cyfnod farn fod angen cyhoeddiad taleithiol media calls most days from all parts eithriadol lwyddiannus wrth y llyw papur ar yr Eglwys yng Nghymru. Church to have a communication Siôn with Amig, his third of the globe.” director is a sell out to a society that - penderfynodd yr Esgob Carl Ym mis Hydref ystyriodd child, born on 3rd October Since 2003 he has been a mem- Cooper, sydd â chyfrifoldeb dros Mainc Esgobion yr Eglwys yng contains more spin than substance. ber of the re-formed communica- He says, “It’s nonsense to suggest oruchwylio materion yn ymwneud â Nghymru rhai o argymhellion y tions team for the diocese, and has chyfathrebu, fod y cyfle wedi dod i ddau gyfarfod a dod i’r casgliad eu that the spin has taken the place of Wales the first port of call when they been an influential part of the group substance as a result of the Church want a comment about the the is- edrych o’r newydd ar y bod yn awyddus, o leiaf am y ddwy responsible for, among other things, newyddiadur sydd a’i wreiddiau yn flynedd nesaf, i weld Y Llan yn getting more PR exposure. Commu- sues of the day.” Pobl Dewi, and the new diocesan nication is about mission and if Siôn has served the Church ymestyn yn ôl i ddechrau’r ganrif aros yn gyhoeddiad taleithiol web-site. Communiucations Chair ddiwethaf. Cymraeg yn unig. Fodd bynnag, we’re not serious about keeping the through a very interesting period of John Holdsworth said:”Of course rumour of God alive, then how can its history. He says: “Certainly I’r perwyl hwn gwahoddwyd maent yr un mor awyddus i sicrhau we wish Siôn well, though we shall criw o bobl o bob rhan o Gymru, fod Y Llan yn parhau i adlewyrchu we claim to be serious about our though the annus mirabilis was miss him. He has the rare talent of faith. The press and media can be 2002 – when, from the second nad oeddent cyn hyn wedi cael talaith yr Eglwys yng Nghymru yn being both theologically literate and cyswllt ffurfiol â’r Llan ond a oedd ei chyfanrwydd a’i hamrywiaeth, our allies or our enemies in this en- Arrchbishop George Carey an- an astute communicator.” It is deavour and my goal throughout the nounced his retirement, the specu- ag arbenigedd a phrofiad ym maes ac yn awyddus hefyd i sicrhau fod hoped that he will have a continu- cyfathrebu, i ymgynnull i drafod y pwyslais Meurig Llwyd ar yr past 7 years has been to make them lation about his successor meant the ing role with the team.