The Diocese of Llandaff Bywoliaeth Laleston a Merthyr Mawr gyda Pen-y-Fai The Benefice of Laleston and Merthyr Mawr with Pen-y-Fai Annual Report (for the year ending 31st December 2019) 1 Bywoliaeth Laleston a Merthyr Mawr gyda Pen-y-Fai The Benefice of Laleston and Merthyr Mawr with Pen-y-Fai Annual Report for the year ending 31st December 2019 Lent 2019 – and as part of the Diocesan Lenten observances, Bishop June and our three Diocesan Archdeacons announced that 2020 – the 100th anniversary of the formation of The Church in Wales – would also be designated as a “Year of Pilgrimage”. Of course the very nature of a Pilgrimage is that it is a journey into the unknown. Pilgrimage may start with some fixed destination in mind, but how the traveller reaches that destination is anything but fixed…. and as such, a Pilgrimage becomes a journey that can take the traveller along many different, unexpected and unanticipated routes. In many ways, Pilgrimage is all about making oneself vulnerable and open to new experiences and new journeys, being receptive to the path less travelled and rendering oneself dependent on the kindness of others. 2 As such (and as the Scallop shell symbol of pilgrim routes symbolises), there will be many roads that lead to a single end- point, but Pilgrimages themselves are widely considered to be more about the journey than the destination. As I write in early February, even though the Year of Pilgrimage has begun, I think it would be fair to say that (both in our Benefice and across the Diocese) we have still yet to truly identify how it is that we can authentically engage with this initiative so that it won’t just be seen as some kind of elaborate – but largely stereotypical - means by which to celebrate our 100th birthday. In order to do so, we will need to allow our “Year of Pilgrimage” to take us down paths that – perhaps even now – we cannot foresee, but paths that will take us beyond our comfort zones and out into the world; paths that will force us to set aside for a while our usual concerns about buildings and policies, paths that will bring us face-to-face with our fears (and with other people) and require us to think about how we engage with our communities in revitalised, new or different ways, on revitalised, new or different levels, through new and different means …. and to make visible (again) the face of Christ in the parts of the world where we live, work and spend our leisure time. It is of course a big “ask” of any community or organisation, let alone one that is already busy and active and embroiled in the minutiae of day-to-day “life”, and anything other than a cursory glance through the pages of this Annual Report for 2019, will show beyond any doubt, that our own Benefice (and each of the three churches that make up our worshipping community), certainly lives up to those “busy” and “active” labels. It is said that we show our nature and where our priorities lie by virtue of the things to which we give our attention …. so perhaps, then, the question that presents itself to us as we journey deeper into this Year of Pilgrimage, is whether or not the things with which we are busy and active – the things to which we give our energies - are indicative of our nature (and where we place our priorities) and do they point, or lead, us towards things of the Gospel that matter deeply to us as 21st century followers of Jesus , and as pilgrims on a journey of faith? …. As I’ve already mentioned, we are an incredibly busy and active Benefice – and I am especially grateful that it falls largely to the church wardens, the treasurers and the various representatives of the groups associated with our churches, to recount in more detail how 2019 has unfolded for each individual church. What follows (across the next 30 pages or so) are detailed accounts of the life of our various churches – enough to take your breath away really, but also (hopefully) testament to a group of churches that are growing together whilst maintaining their individual identities and doing so across a wide spectrum of the threads that make for life. 3 I am grateful to all of the contributors to this Report, not just for the reports they have provided, but for the phenomenal amounts of work, time effort and energy that they invest into leading all of these differing elements of church life through the year. “Church” does not simply happen, and neither do any of the things that go into the making of it, so from wardens, treasurers, secretaries and PCC/Church Council members, all the way through to organists, musicians, those who look after our buildings and churchyards, website and Facebook managers, Sunday school leaders, baptism, wedding and funeral helpers, group leaders, committee members, charity campaign co-ordinators, linen washers, eucharistic ministers, choristers, bell- ringers, supplies orderers, readers, tea and coffee makers, event organisers…, the list is huge (and there are a significant number of you who fulfil more than one of those roles)….. but to all of you - and to any whose role has escaped me in this moment – I would just like to say a heartfelt and very big “thank you”, because our worship and our witness, and our efforts to be the body of Christ in this part of Bridgend – would be all the poorer without you. I must – however - pay particular tribute and thanks to the Benefice Leadership Team composed of the wardens (Delyth Parry, Olga Woolfenden, Chris Stone, Lesley Davies and Sue Bennett) plus Penny Williams and Arwyn Morgan who have put a huge amount of work into the year. No-one should underestimate the work and commitment required from your Church Wardens (something which extends to far more than what is observed on a Sunday) … but should you ever want to know about what being a Warden is all about, then we have pulled together a “job description” - as it were – essential reading for any who may be interested in standing for election in our Vestry Meetings. Just let me know and I’ll send you a copy. Additional thanks are also due from me to those who have helped deliver services throughout the year. This help has come principally from our readers Penny and Arwyn, and from some enormously loved and valued retired clergy in Rev’d Mike Lewis, Rev’d Stephen Pare, Rev’d Pauline Williams, Rev’d Canon David Lewis, Rev’d Anthony (Tony) Turner and Rev’d Canon Edward Evans: without their help the Sunday worship pattern would be very very different indeed. Other worship leaders have made no less a contribution and so my thanks also go to Jenny Morgan and Delyth Parry, to Lesley Davies, Mary Lewis and to Olga Woolfenden. Without the diligence and willingness to step-into-the-breach of all of them, our worship patterns would look very different, and our worship would be so much less varied and nourishing. Special mention also needs to be made by way of thanking Mary Lewis who in 2019 stepped down from her role as Warden at St Teilo’s – although I suspect Mary hasn’t completely “stepped down”, she’s just had a little more time to put her energies into some other things for which we’re incredibly grateful. Additional and huge thanks go to Ann Butler who stepped down as Branch Leader of the Laleston Mother’s Union – our huge thanks to Ann for all of her work with MU including (but by no means only) her wonderful guiding of the Branch through its 90th birthday celebrations in 2018. 4 2019 has been a busy and active year. It’s a year where necessity meant that the Benefice not only did a dizzying array of things, but a year when the Benefice became a little more empowered, where significant results were achieved in the development of projects, where worship continued to grow and where – for the first time in a few years – we managed to make retreat and to do it with a difference! It has been a truly busy and productive year, one for which you should all take great credit. It has given us much food for reflection, and it has also helped to build that springboard from which we can launch ourselves into the tasks that we know lie before us, and also onto the paths unknown that lie in wait and beckon us to walk their way. I trust that 2020 may give us chance to engage with both but that this time of report, review – and celebration - may also be that time to reflect, fall quiet for a while, say thank you for all we’ve been given and to breathe again before pushing on. So thank you for the journey through 2019 and welcome to the Pilgrimage that is – and will be – 2020. I wonder what we found from 2019 that matters deeply to us… and I wonder what journeys still lie waiting for, beckoning, us …and what lies upon those paths, waiting to be discovered? Happy Travelling !! Diolch yn fawr iawn I chi gyd, Yours in Christ Anthony Beer February 2020 5 1. Description of the Benefice. The Benefice of Laleston & Merthyr Mawr with Pen-y-Fai is situated in Bridgend in the County Borough of Bridgend. It is in the Deanery of Bridgend and the Diocese of Llandaff.