| Diocese of MonmouthEsgobaeth Mynwy |
News Alert Level 2 moving to Alert Level 1A Practical Advice Update 7th June 2021Wales is now moving, in incremental stages, from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 1 and Welsh Government has set out the next steps of relaxing restrictions. This does mean that a wider range of activities are now permitted with greater numbers of people involved but the restrictions on how these activities are undertaken remain.Details of what Alert Level 2 means in Wales can be found at:Restrictions from 7 June 2021: frequently asked questions | GOV.WALESIn particular, attention is drawn to:Gathering with other people: restrictions from 7 June 2021 | GOV.WALESWelsh Government has introduced the concept of ‘Regulated gatherings’ and these encompass a broad range of activities that can be attended by people of any age. These include activities that were previously referred to as ‘organised activities’ and allow for larger scale events.Regulated gatherings are those organised by a business, public body or a charitable, benevolent, educational or philanthropic institution, a club or political organisation, or the national governing body of a sport or other activity.Places of worship and buildings used for community activities, such as church halls, can now be open. Of relevance to local churches, the following activities are now permitted:regulated outdoor gatherings with a maximum of 4,000 people of any age (standing) and 10,000 people of any age seated.organised indoor activities for up to 30 adults* (children under 11 and those working/volunteering at the activity do not need to be counted in the 30 limit)opening to visitors but with access carefully planned and controlled to maintain social distancingindoor supervised activities for children (NB this does not include activities such as children’s birthday parties or wider social gatherings of families and friends beyond the existing arrangements for meeting other people outlined in this guidance)wedding receptions and funeral wakes but with a limit of 30 people indoors* NB the maximum number who can attend an act of worship (including weddings and funerals) indoors is limited to the safe capacity of the building rather than to 30 people. The 30-person limit applies to all activities other than worship. Read the full update here.Licensing of Revd Nicholas Gill as Associate Priest of Upper Islwyn and Lower Islwyn Welcome to Revd Nicholas Gill who has been licensed as Associate Priest, Benefice of Lower Islwyn and the Benefice of Upper Islwyn.The service was held at St Mary’s Risca (Tuesday 8th June), where Nicholas was supported by a ‘socially distanced’ congregation including his wife and daughters.Speaking after the service, he said: “It has been a decade since I first began exploring my vocation to priestly ministry. Over the course of all those years there have been many milestones reached. I have now arrived at yet another significant point in my own journey of Christian discipleship and calling. I, Georgina and our girls, are excited to be joining God’s people in this beautiful part of God’s creation. I have no doubt that God has called me to minister both alongside, and to the people of the Islwyn ministry area. So far, we have been overwhelmed by the warm welcome and generosity that has been extended to us. It is with anticipation, joy and excitement that I will be licensed and begin this new chapter of my sacramental ministry within the diocese if Monmouth. I look forward to where God will lead us as we prayerfully and faithfully discern his will and purpose for us in the part of his kingdom.” Read more here.Licensing of Hannah Seal, CA as Lead Evangelist of the Gwent Valleys Centre of Mission Congratulations to Hannah Seal CA who has been appointed Lead Evangelist of the Gwent Valley Centre of Mission in Monmouth diocese.The service was held at St John’s, Six Bells on 10th June.Speaking after the special service, Hannah said: “Since moving to Abertillery just after Easter (in the snow) I’ve begun to find my way around without getting too lost, and I’ve begun to get to know some people in the local community. It’s a lovely and friendly place to live and it’s surrounded by beautiful countryside too. I’m excited about getting to know people better and seeing what God has in store for the communities.”Psalm 139 speaks of how God knows us intimately. When no one else notices us, God sees us and loves us inside out. I think people want to belong, want to know that they are loved and want to be seen. Often people are searching for love and hope but seek it in the wrong places. My hope is that as a Centre of Mission we will be able to help people to find that love and hope in Jesus. I hope that they will feel like they belong, that they know that they are loved by God who thinks they are amazing, and that they can come to know him for themselves. Hopefully now that restrictions have eased a little we’ll be able to have “Cuppa in the Courtyard” when the weather allows, giving people the chance to chat and to share about how they have found the last year or so. Read more here.  Treasurers MeetingOur postponed Treasurers Meeting has been rearranged for the 23rd of June at 6:30pm. Treasurers who were originally booked on have been emailed, there are a few spaces remaining so if you would like to attend please email Libby (libbymorgan-owen@churchinwales.org.uk).  Revd Jeremy Harris, Magor Ministry Area Leader, has featured in video for Monmouthshire County Council about being a carer. Being a carer can be hugely rewarding, but it can also have an impact on all aspects of your life. If this applies to you, you can access information on getting more support as a carer here. Save a Life Cymru Ever watched a film or incident and described it as a heart-stopping moment? Well for more than 6,000 people a year their heart literally does that-stops! And sadly, many people will die without some simple and easy-to- learn interventions. The Church is Wales is supporting the Save a Life Cymru’s Touch Someone’s Life campaign to encourage people to learn the basics of resuscitation so they can help in an emergency. Funded by the Welsh Government this campaign aims to increase the survival rate, following a cardiac arrest in the community, from the current rate of less than five percent. Revd Gilly Hubbard, team vicar in Caldicot, is encouraging people from across our diocese to take part. She says: “As someone who was a registered nurse for 31 years, and as also as someone having attended A&E twice in recent weeks due to heart issues (although, thankfully, not due to cardiac arrest), I know how important it is for effective CPR to take place as quickly as possible. “I would urge as many churches as possible in the Diocese of Monmouth to promote both the training video and to encourage their congregations and communities to get involved further. “The Diocese of Monmouth have a church presence in most of our communities and we are ideally situated to both promote the initiative and, more importantly, to take the practical steps to learn how to do effective CPR. Most people do not realise that keeping the heart pumping until someone arrives with a defibrillator can mean the difference between life and death. “One day it may be me or you who needs this vital intervention!” As a first step, we’re asking people to watch a training video on: https://gov.wales/save-a-life-cymru. Please show it in your churches and display the link on your church websites. There are other actions to take too, such as installing a public access defibrillator at their church or community hall and holding a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillator training session, once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. Making others aware of the resources is also important and people are invited to share the campaign on their websites and social media. Find out more at Twitter @savealifecymru and Facebook @achubbywydcymru and join in with hashtag #TouchSomeonesLife For more information see the Church in Wales website: https://www.churchinwales.org.uk/en/news-and-events/church-joins-save-life-campaign/Churches invited to go yellow for St John  Churches are being invited to mark St John’s Day by paying tribute to first aid volunteers.They are invited to join other major landmarks in Wales by lighting up in yellow on St John’s Day, June 24, to show appreciation for the work of St John Ambulance Cymru during the pandemic. St John the Baptist is the patron saint of St John Ambulance and yellow is the charity’s brand colour. St John Ambulance Cymru Chief Executive Officer, Helen Smith says, “Across the pandemic, our staff and volunteers have given thousands of hours of their time and expertise. They have played a pivotal role in supporting the NHS in Wales, providing care at field hospitals, transporting patients on ambulances, and delivering prescription medication to people shielding from the coronavirus. “Our work continues in communities across Wales where our efforts are now focussing on supporting of the nation’s vaccination programme, ensuring no one goes without the care they need.” The Revd David Morris, Dean of the Priory for Wales of St John Ambulance Cymru, says, “St John Ambulance Cymru has enjoyed a very close friendship with the Church in Wales for more than100 years and the Order of St John has deep Christian roots. As we celebrate the birth of St John the Baptist on June 24, I encourage our cathedrals and churches to join in the national light up in yellow to express our admiration and gratitude for the thousands of hours of service the staff and volunteers of St John Ambulance Cymru have given to Welsh communities during the Coronavirus pandemic.” The National Library of Wales, Wales Millennium Centre and University of Wales Trinity St David are among the landmarks acknowledging the light up. For more information see www.sjacymru.org.ukCoed-y-Paen Scarecrows     Fr. Graham Opperman and Revd Sally Ingle-Gillis had a lovely afternoon last Sunday with the people of Coed-y-Paen judging their scarecrow competition. Well done to everyone, especially the winners ‘Captain Tom’ and ‘Dr Xand’ and thank you to the Carpenter’s Arms for the generous prize. Money was raised for Covax and for church.Annual Returns – deadline passedThank-you to everyone who has submitted their annual finance return and a copy of the independently examined accounts (including balance sheet). Treasurers/clergy have been contacted for churches with things outstanding, if there are any problems or you need any assistance please let Libby know asap (07508 801511, libbymorgan-owen@cinw.org.uk)Help Needed!St Padarns are putting together a booklet about Readers Ministry and are looking for photos of Readers to include. If you have any please contact Angharad.Gaylard@stpadarns.ac.ukTraining/Events   If you would like to attend a session please book your place asap to avoid the sessions being cancelled.Email safeguardingtraining@stpadarns.ac.uk to book.World Refugee Day: Churches are invited to commemorate the lost lives of refugeesThe Conference of European Churches (CEC) together with the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) is inviting churches to commemorate the lives of thousands of migrants and refugees, who lost their lives in the Mediterranean, seeking safety on their way to Europe.CEC and CCME are encouraging churches to hold online commemoration services, prayers or vigils around World Refugee Day on 20 June 2021, in line with the COVID-19 measures.CCME has published resource materials on its website, which can be used for worship or intercessions during a service. Read more here.Calling ConversationsFind out more about our past and upcoming sessions here: https://monmouth.churchinwales.org.uk/en/prayer_and_spirituality/vocations/calling-conversations/ Including the next session on the 29th of June on Ordained Ministry  Young Christian Climate Network – Relay to COP26 Has volunteers week inspired you to want to volunteer? Why not get involved in YCCN’s Relay to COP26…This November, world leaders are meeting in Glasgow for important climate negotiations. YCCN believe it’s time to make decisions which protect people not bank balances, to decide that no country will go into debt tackling climate change. It’s a decade-defining opportunity to make a stand. They are organising a relay from the G7 summit in Cornwall in June to COP26 in Glasgow. The route passes though our Diocese from the 8th – 11th of July stopping in Newport, Magor and Chepstow and you can take part. Would you like to sign up to walk part of the route? Are you more experienced and could sign up to be a Lead Walker? Could you provide on-call support for walkers on the day? You can find out more about the roles and sign up here. Training and support will be provided by YCCN. Or maybe you’d like to be involved in the local events happening in the Diocese, look out for more information coming soon about these or contact Libby (libbymorgan-owen@churchinwales.org.uk) Climate change is one of the most significant obstacles of our time. We hope you will join us in stepping forward to help safeguard God’s gift of creation. Please encourage your friends and family to take part too. Every voice matters.Tintern Abbey and the Wye Valley Walking in the spirit of pilgrimage Saturday July 10th 2021  Gather at historic Tintern Abbey before setting out in the spirit of pilgrimage to explore this lovely part of the Wye Valley with Journeying, a non-profit-seeking Christian organisation.For more details visit the website: https://www.journeying.co.uk/day-walks2  Srebrenica Memorial WeekSrebrenica Memorial Week will be taking place 4th – 11th July. Communities across the UK will commemorate the 26th anniversary of the genocide, where over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys lost their lives. Remembering Srebrenica is a charity dedicated to creating a safe society for all. They express that the lesson learned from the genocide in Srebrenica is no society is invulnerable to prejudice and intolerance. We must all remain vigilant against these forces, and take positive action to build stronger, more resilient communities. If you would like to commemorate Srebrenica during the memorial week, Remembering Srebrenica offers the following suggestions: Holding a virtual Sunday service on either the 4th or 11th of July. Template programmes are available on their website.Posting our “Statement of Commemoration” on your website or social media to show your solidarity with the survivors of the Bosnian genocide.Lighting a candle in remembrance of the victims of genocide.Connecting with other faith groups to organise an interfaith event online or in-person, for reflection or prayers. A range of resources to support acts of commemoration, including a statement to mark the anniversary, speeches, interfaith prayers which can be found here.Services and Resources Join a Trinity 2 Service from the Cathedral on Sunday at 10:30am here. DAC Guidance Notes Churches can be complex buildings to look after, and it can be a challenge to know where to begin with maintaining them while protecting the historic fabric of the church. Monmouth DAC has now produced a series of Guidance Notes for a variety of areas from drainage to advertising regulations. These notes are aimed to guide you and your church in the right direction with preparing both the faculty paperwork and physical building work involved.For more information, please see link below or contact: JonathanPerons@churchinwales.org.uk DAC Guidance NotesListening People training for those who work with young people  Do you work with children and young people? Do you feel as though you would benefit from some training in how to support them? At a Loss ListeningPeople training and resources provide tools for teachers, youth workers, counsellors and anyone who works with young people to safely and confidently enable them to engage around the difficult topic of loss. View the resources here.The next online training is on Thursday 17th June at 7pm. Book your place here. If you would like to discuss bespoke training for a group of people, please contact Pete English pete@ataloss.orgOur Schools  Using some of the resources available from Christian Aid, the Church in Wales has produced a new project. This one is called Ffrindiau’r Byd and blends Religious Education with the Eco aspect of the curriculum. Resources for this project are available through our Diocesan website:Resources – Monmouth Diocese (churchinwales.org.uk) The project can be run at any time of the year. Creationtide may be an ideal occasion. Climate Emergency CompetitionFollowing the Church in Wales calling a Climate Emergency the Education Teams thought it important to ask the views of the children and young people in our schools about these matters. Therefore, they are asking: If they could say something to the people in charge, the leaders of our governments and communities about looking after our planet, what would they say? Find out more about the competition here.  Refugee Week – NEXT WEEK!Our Education Team have put together some resources for Refugee Week, you can find them here. For a downloadable and printable version of this email please click here. You can find the one-stop-shop for all you need to know and this week’s updates here. |
 |
