close family (our regular worshippers) will be joined by The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon The Newsletter for Retired Clergy and their Families No. 72 Christmas 2015 significantly increased by the presence of more From the Editor: Chancellor Brian H. Jones From Bishop John In recent months I have been reflecting at a number of services upon the commissioning of the distant members. But these more disciples as recorded in the four distant ones are family too, those versions of the Gospels. to whom God in Christ reaches Focussing on the commission out and those of whom he calls found in Chapter 28 of the Gospel the close family to go and make according to Matthew, I’ve disciples. commented on each occasion, that Several retired clergy will preside Matthew’s Jesus doesn’t send the over additional services over the disciples down the mountain with Christmas period, and I take this instructions to design and build opportunity to thank them for church buildings. The instruction enabling these services to happen. is ‘go and make disciples.’ John’s In all we do together at this time, Easter Jesus tells a confused and may we know ourselves to be frightened gathering that, as the sent by the Father just as he sent Father had sent him, so he sent the Son. May the more distant members of the them. family, in the welcome they receive and in the The Incarnation, God sending of himself into the faith which is proclaimed, be encouraged to world, began the process of, discipling children spend more time with us as we witness to the for him, and at the holy season of Christmas, for much-needed truth, love and justice of the which Advent prepares us we celebrate, once Father’s kingdom made plain in the Word Made more, that beginning. Flesh. The church buildings in which we will celebrate With my prayers and thanks to you all. are simply our family homes – no more, no less – and, at Christmas, they are likely to be fuller than + John at most times of the year. The members of the + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + CANON GEOFFREY DAVIES, the first curate-in- charge of Holy Cross, West Cross, died at the beginning of September. Although he was only at Holy Cross (then part of the parish of Oystermouth) for four years, during FAMILY NEWS Our congratulations and best wishes to : that period he was responsible for overseeing the Kay Warrington recently appointed as Provincial building of the church and vicarage and developing a President of the Mothers’ Union . congregation, which had begun at Belle Vue House, into a strong church community. He was a very popular parish priest and also a qualified soccer Pam John’s son Mark recently appointed as Senior referee! He left the parish of Oystermouth to become Chaplain in the new North Wales Prison. Vicar of Cwm in the diocese of St Asaph and was subsequently instrumental, as secretary of the Padraig and Ruth Gallagher who have moved into Liturgical Commission, for the first revision of the their new home Eucharist in the Church in Wales (The Blue Book). This was a remarkable achievement and it was largely due to his charming and persuasive speech at the We send our good wishes and prayers to: Governing Body, and his answer to members’ Those who have not been well recently questions, that the revision was accepted unanimously. After an incumbency at Ruabon he served at including Ryland Oliver, Alan Meats, Tudor Liverpool, and before his retirement in 1989 as team Jones and Margaret Thomas Rector of the Bourne Valley Parishes in Salisbury I am grateful to hear of any who are unwell so that diocese. He died at the age of 95 and his funeral was they may be included on our prayer lists held in the Lady Chapel of Liverpool Cathedral where for many years in retirement he had been an honorary In Memoriam Janet Gower chaplain. Arthur Howells + + + + + + + + + + + + + The Retireds’ Group. The group meets once a month at the Eastmoor Resource Centre and this term we have had excellent speakers. Ivor Rees a member of the group reviewed his new publication ‘Clapham Dissenters’ and continuing on the theme of books many of us were able to be at the signing by Arthur Howells at the Janet Gower the wife of the Revd. Nigel Gower, died Lamplighter in Bishopston of his ‘Little book for recently after a brief illness in Llandrindod Hospital. Advent.’ Janet was a licensed Reader and met Nigel when he returned to a parish in Derbyshire after serving for Tyron O’Sullivan of Tower Colliery gave an amazing most of his ministry in Nigeria. Janet was a trained account of the reopening of the pit by those who had District Nurse and later worked in St. Luke’s Hospital been made redundant by the National Coal Board, in London specialising in palliative care. Since with all the difficulties associated with such a retiring to Llanbister she has served faithfully as a commercial venture. Reader in the Ithon valley and has led worship regularly in small country churches where her presence Richard Verge, a retired Senior Civil Servant and a will be greatly missed. We send our sympathy to prominent churchman in the diocese entitled his talk ‘Yes Minister,’ an intriguing account of the life of a Nigel and her three daughters. G.M.H. civil servant and relations with government ministers. ++ + + + + + + + + + + + + + The December speaker is the former Swansea University Librarian Paul Reynolds who will speak to In Memoriam Geoffrey Davies us on ‘George Stephenson in Llansamlet 1819’ where he apparently built the forerunner of a letter to a local newspaper, which in turn drew the Stephenson’s Rocket. wrath of the bishop on his head!!) Elsewhere in The Newsletter Andrew Knight has When Glyn Simon was appointed as Warden in 1931 written an account of members of the group visiting he quickly supervised the building of a new wing the Second Swansea University Site The January which could accommodate 14 students and a chapel meeting will be on January 12th the speaker is to be with seating for about one hundred. It was he who confirmed. really put the Hostel on the map for he had a great influence over young men as he advocated a strong As in previous years we have arranged a Quiet Day for brand of Anglo-Catholicism, and tried to impose a the Retired Clergy in Llangasty on Monday 8th strict spiritual discipline on the ordinands. In the February which will be led by Canon Padraig 1950s the number of students increased greatly, the Gallagher. The day will begin at 10.30a.m and end at Hostel had a new enlarged accommodation wing and 3.30p.m. and the cost will be £25 which will include refurbished Common Room and Dining Room. coffee and lunch. I hope a number of us will be able to be there would you please let me know by the end of It was in 1952 that I came as a student to Bangor and January if you are able to come, also if you have any as a potential ordinand was pleased to be given a place dietary needs. In the past we have shared cars. B.H.J. in the Hostel. At that time there were about twenty students in residence including a dozen or so + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ordinands, mainly from the northern dioceses. For the ordinands the chapel was a central place in their lives, with a daily eucharist, the recital of the Farewell to the Church offices and the late night Compline. Attendance was not compulsory but most of us were very regular. The Hostel, Bangor daily round of worship provided a great source of spiritual nourishment and a basis of discipline and On prayer which we were able to take with us into our a future ministries. The Sunday Eucharists were well attended with students from outside the Hostel, from St. Mary’s College and members of staff and their families. Tom Morris the Warden was a very effective preacher and favoured a succinct style – one of his sermons was timed at two minutes!! In a small community such as ours we learnt the importance of getting on with people even with different ideas from our own. In my last two years a group of overseas students joined us which further recent visit to Bangor Brian was surprised to find the helped to widen our outlook. In some cases friendships Church Hostel closed and up for sale. As a former were formed which lasted a lifetime. One bonus for resident he asked me to write a short piece on the me, a Welsh speaker who spoke the colloquial Welsh Hostel. of the Swansea Valley was to gain an understanding of It had been in existence for over a century and had a a very different dialect of Welsh since all the Bangor powerful influence on generations of ordinands from ordinands were Welsh speakers. the Province. It was originally established in 1886 by The connection between this diocese and the Church the Bangor Clerical Education Association. In 1884 Hostel was not very strong. The only ordinand from the University College of North Wales had opened this diocese during my time was Brian. When I was in with 58 students and it was thought appropriate that the diocese I only met one other priest who had been in the Church should have a centre at which an able and the Church Hostel. experienced priest would be available to encourage vocations to the ministry and to provide support and When we look at the Wardens, however, we find that guidance to ordinands.