Meithrin Gobaith Growing Hope www.stdavidsdiocese.org.uk www.facebook.com/pobl.dewi http://twitter.com/PoblDewi Mawrth / March 2015 The importance of the X N 7th May we’ll be voting providing access to information Ofor a Government whose five- With only 60 days to go until the General Election, Jenny Kimber about the various parties and candi- year term will take us to 2020. highlights ways in which we might vote more effectively dates standing, rather than blatant That, by coincidence, is the cente- electioneering. nary year for the Church in Wales the political process”. That won’t researched) questions. But if you is called a non-selective hustings. The easiest way to do this is to and many would argue that, just as necessarily entail us standing for decide to have a go, you will need This means that your event must invite all the relevant candidates church members, with 2020 Vision, parliament but it does seem to knock to ensure that your event is what simply be for the purpose of in the area or all political parties are “taking a fresh look at our on the head the notion that Chris- campaigning in the election, and structure and ministry to see how tians shouldn’t meddle in politics. allow all those attending an equal we can best serve Wales in the 21st In their recent book ‘On Rock or opportunity to participate. Century and make the most of our Sand’ The Archbishops of Canter- It doesn’t matter if the candi- rich resources” – so, too, we need bury and York emphasised the need dates don’t all turn up – but they to think carefully about the way for the Church to be a body which must all be invited. we’ll be voting in May. can stand back and be a voice for Remember that time is of the Yes we can feel sceptical – the powerless, the weak and the essence. You need to get cracking disillusioned even – about our dispossessed. What then are the now. politicians, but that is no excuse implications of all this for each one Bear in mind that there are for apathy according to Archbishop of us as we prepare to cast our vote? plenty of reasons not to hold a Justin Welby who feels strongly Why not turn to the hustings? hustings but equally there are that “politics is far too important It is fairly straightforward to organ- powerful scriptural reasons why to be left to politicians”. He says ise hustings in your own area. Get you should at least give it a go. that “Christians must be actively together all the other churches in And there’s lots of help avail- concerned with the pursuit of the your area, find a date, time and able on the following websites. common good and the flourishing venue and then invite your local www.electoralcommission.org.uk of all in our society – be it local, parliamentary candidates to come http://ctbielections.org.uk/ national, or global. The most prac- along, lay out their stalls and be tical way of doing this is through prepared to answer your (well- www.engaGE15.org.uk Bro Dyfri Local Ministry Area The parishes of North Eastern Carmarthenshire have enjoyed St Mary’s Church Drama Group in Burry Port took to the stage in the town’s memorial hall on Tuesday working together since they became the Deanery of Llandovery and Wednesday, 2nd and 3rd December. Church members, including the children of the Sunday in 2012. Becoming the Local Ministry Area of Bro Dyfri on Club, starred in the Christmas pantomime, Dick Wittington. The turnout was excellent with a full 20 January was the natural next step house on the Wednesday night FOCUS ON CHAPLAINCIES – Pages 10 - 13 Am ddim Free 2 Pobl Dewi, March 2015 Ministry Share: a guide We all know that the parish pays Ministry Share, but what is it for, how is it calculated and how is it shared? Peter Campbell, Chair of the Diocesan Board of Finance, provides a detailed explanation UT simply, it is the finan- distributed? Often those two ques- the biggest single item in the budget: Pcial cost of spreading the tions are treated as one and doing 82% in 2015, £4,206,664. That Gospel and maintaining minis- this can cause confusion, for exam- includes clergy stipends, pensions, try in our diocese, shared among ple, when the diocesan budget goes housing, expenses and training and all the parishes of St Davids. It is down and a parish’s share goes up. amounts to about £46,000 for each a commitment of our faith, rather In fact they are two totally separate full-time paid cleric. than a tax or imposition, which questions. The diocese has other expenses finds its beginnings in the earli- The first question: the funds too. Quinquennial inspections of est days of the church and a very required. The funds required for the churches, grants, youth teams, similar financial pool of funds is pool are calculated each year in the property costs, safeguarding and described in Acts. diocesan budget. The Bishop and administration bring the total So, how is this pool of funds senior staff have to calculate the amount expected to be required for including public meetings in every benefice or united parish is deter- calculated and how is the cost number of clergy required and this is 2015 to £5,144,704. deanery and the result was that the mined by their internal governance, Having arrived at the amount cost is shared on the basis of three and not centrally, so the percentage required, the diocese has to look at years average Sunday attendance. fluctuation may vary within those the income it can expect from other The figures are returned each year groups. sources. In 2015 the Representa- by the wardens and incumbent and One important point to bear in tive Body of the Church in Wales it is vital to get them right. mind about any set of statistics is will give a grant of £1,159,226 and The total of average Sunday that they should only be used for income also comes from invest- attendance for the last three years the purpose for which they were ments, charitable activities and, for was 5,658 per Sunday. So if a parish collected. So average Sunday atten- the first time, from the use of Mrs had an average Sunday attendance dance figures for a parish are used Hazel Jones-Olszewski’s legacy. of 25 then that parish’s share would to calculate the Ministry Share the The total of other income for 2015 be 25/5658 of £3,402,691 which is parish pays from its total income is expected to be £1,742,013. £15,034. which includes fund raising events The difference is the amount There are safeguards that pre- and so on, as well as individual that the parishes pay as their Minis- vent a parish, rectorial benefice or contributions from parishioners. try Share: £3,402,691. united parish having a rise or fall It follows that the statistics are not The second question: the cost in their contribution of more than an indication of what an individ- distribution. Over the years every 15% to allow for times of change ual should pay and should not be diocese has struggled with finding or unusual fluctuations in attend- regarded in that way. Love guided a fair way to distribute the costs. In ance. However, the distribution of the contributions in Acts and no set this diocese we held a consultation the contribution within a rectorial of statistics should change that! the exhibition will be invisible. It us to tick. We’ve raised 90% of will be sitting in cyberspace. the funds we need and finding the The man from HLF said yes! Heritage, community and digi- remainder shouldn’t be that diffi- tal technology – three of the most cult. Now watch this space. Pam Hunt, Chair of the Heritage Llangwm Group, reveals how Heritage Lottery important boxes that HLF likes was persuaded to support an unusual church renovation project T’S taken two years and three would think it was just one of those the De la Roches weren’t Norman, Imonths. But on 12 Decem- dull Victorian churches. But St they were descended from a Flem- ber 2014, the man from Heritage Jerome’s holds a hidden secret. For ish noble called Godbert. Could Art & Spirituality Retreat Day Lottery called me to say “Yes!” a start it’s not Victorian although in this be the key to the funding we It all started in 2012 when our 1830, and again in 1879, the Victo- needed? The PCC appointed a team at Tŷ’r Pererin quinquennial revealed the urgent rians made a pretty good job of to explore this. Named the Herit- necessity to undertake £150,000 stripping any vestige of medieval age Llangwm Group, we had the Brenda Howell enjoys a day of fellowship and inspiration worth of repairs to St Jerome’s identity in the name of progress. necessary expertise to pull together Church in Llangwm. The PCC Yes, that’s right, medieval. It was an application comprising not just scratched its communal head. How actually built sometime around the renovation works, but also could we find that sort of money? 1200 by the De la Roche family, a the provision of a toilet, a kitchen Moreover, how could we find it dynasty that also built Roch Castle, facility and a sustainable heat- urgently? funded Pill Priory and a number of ing system.