OCTOBER 2020 e h t TMONRTHLY PUBELICATIONA OF THE SPRESBYTEURIAN CHRURCH OF Y WALES Everything’s different, not everything’s new Those who have been attending need to meet the requirement to notified you of the meeting. The the General Assembly over the complete this work this year, meeting will be held using the years will recall that one of the and that we can do this, not by Zoom facility, and you will be first items on the agenda, holding a virtual Assembly, but able to join on your computer, following the opening service by holding an Annual Meeting of tablet or smartphone, or join by and welcoming delegates, is the the charity virtually, which is the phone by dialling into the AGM. This is an agenda item item referred to above. To meeting. We are sending the when we adopt the Annual realise this, the Executive invitation and papers to Financial Report, and check on Committee of the General delegates on Tuesday (28th ‘After six months of interpreting other issues relating to the Assembly Board has called an September 2020), and the Covid-19 regulations, the General Presbyterian Church of Wales Annual Meeting on the 13th of information will include details of Secretary is entitled as a charity. October 2020 at 10.00 am . If how to join the AGM. We are to a momentary flo p’ Following the decision to you are an elder or officer in also keen to remind all our adjourn the 2020 Assembly we one of our churches, the elders / ministers that you are have been advised that we Presbytery will have already members of the AGM, and if you Robinson, and after discussing wish to join but are not a the above issues, the Moderator representative then we can will take the opportunity to offer Mancott Couple Celebrate share the details with you. Send some comments on how things a word to Eleri Melhuish have been over the last six 65th Wedding Anniversary ([email protected] months. Although the terms of or 02920627465), who will be the annual Meeting mean that it All over Britain able to provide you with the will be a business-related people have had to information. As required by our meeting, we trust that the take difficult and Rules, anyone who is not a Moderator’s contribution will unwelcome representative at the AGM, can also be an opportunity to give decisions about request a copy of the papers to thanks for, and celebrate the upcoming weddings. be presented, and you can contribution of the leaders in our churches over the last six or so Guests lists have make a request by sending a note to Eleri Melhuish. months, and an opportunity to had to be slashed, In terms of the meeting encourage one another as we and whittled down agenda, as noted above, we will look forward to the winter and further as fresh be discussing ‘corporate’ issues spring. restrictions on such - adopting the Financial Report, Whether you join the meeting happy events have confirming our Trustees and or not, please pray for the work been imposed. appointing external Auditors. during this time. Pray for Undaunted, Mancott We will also recommend the churches and leaders locally, members, Ron and 2021 Ministry and Mission pray for our witness in our Kath Lammond Contribution levels, the communities, and pray that the decided to celebrate ecumenical contribution and Lord, above all, will administer their sixty-fifth 2021 grants, and the 2021 His grace in the lives of people wedding anniversary on 17th September with a lunch on their stipend / salary levels. The who are struggling to cope with own in nearby Burton, South Wirral. The following Sunday they Executive has also decided to the current situation. Although shared memories of their wedding day with the members of bring to the meeting one issue our time is taken up by internal Mancott church with which they have been associated for all relating to rules on trading as a discussions as churches and as that time. Kath recalled how their’s was one of the last weddings charity, and, of particular a Connexion, please pray that that the Revd J Howard Williams conducted before his removal interest to readers of our we will all know when this is to Bath Street, Aberystwyth in October 1955. Ron, who attended Denominational weekly, the being done at the expense of Sandycroft church (now closed) used to come to Mancott for an future of Y Goleuad from our primary responsibility of after church meeting on a Sunday at the Manse, where he met January 2021 following the being the salt and light in our Kath. Because her parents ran the local shop, the wedding was discussion of creating one society. held at 3pm, and in order for the couple to catch the train to denominational weekly paper. London for their honeymoon, the service, reception and The AGM will be chaired by the Revd Meirion Morris (General speeches were all concluded by 6.30pm. Moderator of the General Secretary, Presbyterian Church Assembly, the Revd Marcus of Wales) meeting Christian people in words, “Christ is risen – He is Denmark, an event which risen indeed” uttered on Easter changed his faith. He then morning 1982? settled in Wales. This book is an The answers to these and New Books inspirational, true story. other questions can be found ‘It was books that made me feel that perhaps within the book. I wasn’t alone’ (William Herondale) Jonathan David (Crescent Jenny hopes that reflecting on Christian Centre, Newtown) the breadth of Trefeca’s contributions within the Church As more and more places become subject to local and nation will be helpful to Coronavirus restrictions, we highlight four books those of the General Assembly A Trefeca Diary of the Presbyterian Church of written or published during lockdown that have been (1973 –1984) Wales involved in making drawn to our attention. by Jenny Garrard decisions for Trefeca’s future role. You will have heard about the In her introduction Jenny ‘Trefeca Letters ’, a fruitful says, “this is an offering of ‘Faith in the Desert’ (22). Commenting on Psalm115, source for those researching the thanksgiving to God, and to the by Professor David Gill David says, Shielding is one of history of Howell Harris, and the Presbyterian Church of Wales 83 pages the words emerging in the for all I gained from that present crisis, but it is good to experience”. All proceeds will go remember that the Lord is not to Trefeca, as a way of helping only our help but our shield. their loss of earnings this year. We may feel alone and isolated, Copies will be available to but our Lord remembers us in purchase in Trefeca, or by post our different situations, and he from Revd Jenny Garrard, 18 promises to bless those who Hafren Terrace, Llanidloes SY18 fear him ‘both the small and the 6AT (01686 413354) great.’ and our response is one Email: [email protected] of praise: ‘Teulu’ which he founded in The cost is £5 + £1.40 postage. But we will bless the lord from Trefeca. Recently ‘ A Trefeca this time forth and forevermore. Diary (1973 – 1974) has been Trefor Lewi s Praise the Lord! published by the Revd Jenny (Chairma n, Trefeca Department) No need to wait for Lent to Garrard. Within nine chapters benefit from these psalms and she describes the developments reflections—they are for now in the old college since she first Madagascar Memories and every day. went there as Administrative 1973 –1995 Assistant in 1973, the post by C Eleri Edwards Many years ago we used to sing Eleanor Jenkins (Elder and becoming Assistant Warden 151 pages a chorus that began, church secretary at Bethesda, within a year. When Jenny ‘My Lord knows the way through Burry Green) arrived in Trefeca from Eye, the wilderness, Suffolk, the Revd John Tudor All I have to do is follow . .’ had been the Warden for seven It sounds so easy but I Years. The Tudors were believed it then, and still do. The Captain followed by The Revd Arthur However it’s only in the last few Commanded Me, Meirion Roberts in 1975 and weeks that I’ve given any ‘Full Speed Ahead’. then in 1983 by Mr Ronwy Rogers 1983. Reference is thought to what that wilderness This is my true story might really be like: dry, sandy made to the valuable assistance of the three wives, Nerys, but mostly vast areas of barren Christian autobiography published Morfudd and Dorothy. rocks and mountains. In his via Amazon, September 2020): book, David Gill compares our 220 pages, When Jenny left Trefeca she time in Corona virus lockdown ISBN: 979 868166 940 1 had “a mix of diaries, memories to a desert, through which we Printed copies: £ 12.95 plus p&p , and memorabilia” collected over are all travelling. In his own Kindle: £8.00 (with many of the eleven years, and these are words: These reflections on the photographs in colour) incorporated in this book which Psalms were written during Lent includes eight pages of 2020. We made our ascent This is a true story based on photographs. Jenny says, “They ‘When I was ordained in 1999 in through the Judean desert from real life events. The story were some of the busiest, Glyn Ceiriog, apart from the Jericho to Jerusalem during a reveals that Nisam from Sri- happiest, most formative years support of faithful friends from time of self-isolation imposed by Lanka, born in a small Buddhist of my life”.