CYLCHGRAWN MISOL MONTHLY MAGAZINE Medi/September 2016 50c/50p BRO CYFEILIOG a MAWDDWY. Rheithordy Mallwyd I stepped out of the house on Wednesday morning (17th August) as if walking into a wall of heat. It was wonderful to feel the life giving warmth of the sun. I almost wanted to turn around, go back into the house, and then come out again, just to enjoy the sensation over and over again. I could not help but compare it to a religious experience, or perhaps a metaphor for our Christian faith. Isn't our faith a little bit like the weather? We have a faith which is always part of our lives – although much of the time somewhat in the background; as we are so busy with the practicalities of living. Our faith is like the sun, controlling all our weather patterns, even though we are not always aware of it. Sometimes it is hidden behind the clouds, or it is night-time; we huddle under coats and umbrellas or warm ourselves in front of the stove. But then one day the sun shines in all its glory and fills every pore of our bodies, we feel lifted up, we feel the very presence of God, we feel elated in the Spirit. I wonder what gives you that Kingdom experience? Could this be what Jesus is describing, when he rather enigmatically compares The kingdom of God to the mustard seed. (Mark 4. 30 – 32) Something tiny, hardly noticed, often hidden, yet able to grow and become – as Jesus describes it : “the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that birds can perch in its shade.” Jesus evokes a wonderful image of protecting branches, shade and comfort; an expression indeed of the kingdom. We all experience “the faith” the “Kingdom” in different ways. That was very clear at the Fun day at the Plas the other week. Our good friend, rapping with Christian lyrics, was not to everyone's taste – some loved it, some hated it. For those who liked it, it was part of a Christian / sunshine experience! (Hey, don't try to analyse the words; deep theological analysis does not lend itself to rap lyrics!) Sometimes we have to simply “go with the experience” - provided that experience is motivated by love; then we might find ourselves surprised by the sunshine, inspired by the psalm, filled with the wonder of the mustard seed. Roland 1 The Reverend Gwynn ap Gwilym It is with sadness that we heard of the untimely passing on the 30th July of The Revd. Gwynn ap Gwilym; a son of this valley, rector of Penegoes, Darowen and Llanbrynmair from 1986, and from 1997 to 2004, rector of Mallwyd, Darowen, Llanbrynmair, Cemaes and Llanymawddwy. We offer our condolences to his wife Mari and brother Ifor. Gwynn was a man of great intellect, who could truly claim to walk in the footsteps of the great 16-17th century Welsh academic and biblical scholar Dr John Davies of Mallwyd. As well as lecturing in Aberystwyth University on Biblical studies - especially The Old Testament, we were privileged to listen to him preach from Sunday to Sunday. Church life was never dull with Gwynn around, and controversy never far away. I can still remember clearly the sermon he preached in Llanymawddwy Church many years ago at the time of some dispute with the members (can't remember what the argument was about) and we got it with both barrels! The theme 2 Samuel 11 -12; the story of King David, Bathsheba and Uriah, a story of adultery and duplicity; and then the rebuke of Nathan. - The rich man refusing to kill one of his many hundreds of lambs for the feast, insisting that the poor man kill his one and only lamb. You can guess who we were compared to in the story. Tell you what, we were talking about that sermon for weeks! Gwynn left us in 2004, his final service was to be on Sunday 27th October, but fate intervened. A terrible storm blew up on the Saturday night, trees blown down, electricity cut off, service cancelled. I wonder how Gwynne was going to address us in his final sermon? He made a point of recording the biblical reference in the Mallwyd Church register – Proverbs 29.19. “You cannot discipline (correct) a servant with words only, even though he understands, he will not respond (pay attention).” 2 Strong words to pick from the whole of the Bible, to leave as a legacy after 18 years work. Was Gwynn expressing frustration at his own failure, as he might have seen it, to change peoples' lives by his words and teaching? Or was he saying that words were not enough and that, he, Gwynn, was not a good enough example in his personal life for others to feel able to follow, in a life of Christ? Either way, I think Gwynn would have been too hard on himself. Or was Gwynn going to castigate us as being too cold, to hard hearted to respond to the Christian message? Maybe, but that would have been very hard on us! Perhaps Gwynn, on that dramatic day, was going to focus on a key word “servant,” “You cannot disciple a servant with words only.” In order to avoid the difficult conclusions above, perhaps we have to stop thinking of ourselves as servants, victims or passive ciphers, but take our lives in our own hands, become our own masters, embrace the love of God and stop expecting others to turn the tap on for us? The Christian transformation has to come from within. We shall never know what was on Gwynn's mind, perhaps he was referring to himself as the “servant,” pointing out to us that, all our words of criticism were simply hypocritical. Undeb y Mamau / Mothers' Union The 2016 / 2017 session will be restarting on Thursday September 15th with a Holy Eucharist Service in Church at 2pm followed by the AGM in the Mezzanine Hall. New Members very welcome. 3 Fun in the rain on Thursday 11th August. Next year the sun will shine 4 5 MACHYNLLETH, LLANWRIN, PENEGOES & CORRIS GWASANAETHU’R SUL/SUNDAY SERVICES. Medi 4 September Pentecost 16 8.00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Machynlleth) 9.30 a.m. Cymun Bendigaid/Holy Eucharist (Corris) 9.30 a.m. Cymun Bendigaid/Holy Eucharist (Llanwrin) 11.00 a.m. Cymun Bendigaid/Holy Eucharist (Machynlleth) Medi 11 September Pentecost 17 9.30a.m. Morning Worship (Corris) 9.30a.m. Boreol Weddi (Penegoes) 11.00 a.m. Cymun Bendigaid/Holy Eucharist (Machynlleth) Medi 18 September Pentecost 18 8.00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Machynlleth) 9.30 a.m. Cymun Bendigaid/Holy Eucharist (Llanwrin) 11.00 a.m. Cymun Bendigaid/Holy Eucharist (Machynlleth) Medi 25 September Pentecost 19 9.30 a.m. Cymun Bendigaid/Holy Eucharist (Corris) 9.30 a.m. Y Cymun Bendigaid (Machynlleth) 11.00 a.m. Y Cymun Bendigaid (Penegoes) 11.00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Machynlleth) Hydre 2 October Pentecost 20 9.30 a.m. Y Cymun Bendigaid /Holy Eucharist (Machynlleth) 9.30 a.m. Y Cymun Bendigaid/Holy Eucharist (Corris). 2.00 p.m. Bilingual Service of Thanksgiving Wednesday 10.00a.m. Holy Eucharist (Machynlleth) 6 CEMAES, DAROWEN, MALLWYD & LLANBRYNMAIR GWASANAETHU’R SUL/SUNDAY SERVICES. Medi 4 September Pentecost 16 09.45 a.m. Cemaes RPB (E) ….......... Darowen 11.15 a.m. Mallwyd RPB (E) ….......... Llanbrynmair Medi 11 September Pentecost 17 Ymweliad yr Esgob Eglwys Llanfachreth Bishop's Visitation Llanfachreth Church (3 miles outside Dolgellau) 15.00pm. Medi 18 September Pentecost 18 09.45.a.m. Cemaes RPB (E) ….......... Darowen 11.15 a.m. Mallwyd Diolchgarwch / Harvest Festival ….......... Llanbrynmair Medi 25 September Pentecost 19 09.45.a.m. Cemaes PW (E) 14.00.y.p. Darowen RPB (E) 11.15.a.m. Mallwyd PW (E) 11.00.a.m. Llanbrynmair RPB (E) Hydref 2 October Pentecost 20 Ail-cysegru Eglwys Pedr Sant Machynlleth Re-dedication of St Peter's Church Machynlleth. 14.00 p.m. Church Open day 14.00 – 17.00 p.m. Medi 24 September Cyngerdd Cor Llanwnog Concert Eglwys y Llan Church Llanbrynmair 7pm. Tocynnau £5 Tickets Medi 26 September Synod Machynlleth Synod 2pm Bishop's Ministry Fund, 6pm Open Synod Agored. 7 Dyddiadur / Diary Medi 8 September Whist Drive Ystafell yr Eglwys Cemaes. Medi 10 – 11 September Ffair Grefft / Craft Fair Ystafell yr Eglwys Cemaes. Medi 11 September Ymweliad yr Esgob / Bishop's Visitation. 15.00pm Eglwys Llanfachreth Church. Trwyddedu Wardeiniad / Licencing of Wardens. Croeso i bawb/ All welcome. Diwrnod Agored Open Day Eglwys Tydecho Sant St Tydecho's Church Mallwyd Dydd Sadwrn Saturday Mis Medi 17 September 2-5pm Gardd agored Open garden Cerddoriaeth byw Live music Te a cacen Lluniau Tea and cake Photo Display Straeon Mynediad am ddim Storytelling Free entry Dydd Sul Sunday Mis Medi 18 September Diolchgarwch Harvest Thanksgiving Service 11:15am 8 Côr Llanwnog Choir Ymuno â ni am noson o Gerddoriaeth. Join us for an evening of Music. Eglwys y Llan Churcg Llanbrynmair. Mis Medi 25 September 7pm. Tocynnau/Tickets £5 - Linda Davies (01650 521533) Neu wrth y drws ar y noson, or at the door on the night. Sponsored Organ Playing Eglwys St Pedr/St Peter’s Church Machynlleth I godi arian tuag at Ardal Weinidogaeth Bro Cyfeiliog a Mawddwy To raise funds for Bro Cyfeiliog a Mawddwy Ministry Area Dydd Mercher Medi 21ain Wednesday September 21st rhwng 11 o’r gloch a 3 o’r gloch between 11 am & 3pm/ Dewch i gefnogi’r organyddion Come and support the organists Ffurflenni noddi ar gael Sponsor forms available ym mhob eglwys in each church 9 More pictures from Fun Day LADIES FELLOWSHIP A.G.M Tuesday 13th September @ 2 p.m.