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From Bishop John
In recent months I have been
reflecting at a number of services
upon the commissioning of the
disciples as recorded in the four
versions of the Gospels.
Focussing on the commission
found in Chapter 28 of the Gospel
according to Matthew, I’ve
commented on each occasion, that
Matthew’s Jesus doesn’t send the
disciples down the mountain with
instructions to design and build
church buildings. The instruction
is ‘go and make disciples.’ John’s
Easter Jesus tells a confused and
frightened gathering that, as the
Father had sent him, so he sent
them.
The Incarnation, God sending of himself into the
world, began the process of, discipling children
for him, and at the holy season of Christmas, for
which Advent prepares us we celebrate, once
more, that beginning.
The church buildings in which we will celebrate
are simply our family homes – no more, no less –
and, at Christmas, they are likely to be fuller than
at most times of the year. The members of the
close family (our regular worshippers) will be
joined by
significantly increased by the presence of more
distant members. But these more
distant ones are family too, those
to whom God in Christ reaches
out and those of whom he calls
the close family to go and make
disciples.
Several retired clergy will preside
over additional services over the
Christmas period, and I take this
opportunity to thank them for
enabling these services to happen.
In all we do together at this time,
may we know ourselves to be
sent by the Father just as he sent
the Son. May the more distant members of the
family, in the welcome they receive and in the
faith which is proclaimed, be encouraged to
spend more time with us as we witness to the
much-needed truth, love and justice of the
Father’s kingdom made plain in the Word Made
Flesh.
With my prayers and thanks to you all.
+ John
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The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon
The Newsletter for Retired Clergy and their Families
No. 72 Christmas 2015
From the Editor: Chancellor Brian H. Jones
FAMILY NEWS Our congratulations and best wishes to :
Kay Warrington recently appointed as Provincial
President of the Mothers’ Union .
Pam John’s son Mark recently appointed as Senior
Chaplain in the new North Wales Prison.
Padraig and Ruth Gallagher who have moved into
their new home
We send our good wishes and prayers to:
Those who have not been well recently
including Ryland Oliver, Alan Meats, Tudor
Jones and Margaret Thomas
I am grateful to hear of any who are unwell so that
they may be included on our prayer lists
In Memoriam Janet Gower
Janet Gower the wife of the Revd. Nigel Gower, died
recently after a brief illness in Llandrindod Hospital.
Janet was a licensed Reader and met Nigel when he returned to a parish in Derbyshire after serving for
most of his ministry in Nigeria. Janet was a trained
District Nurse and later worked in St. Luke’s Hospital in London specialising in palliative care. Since
retiring to Llanbister she has served faithfully as a
Reader in the Ithon valley and has led worship regularly in small country churches where her presence
will be greatly missed. We send our sympathy to
Nigel and her three daughters. G.M.H.
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In Memoriam Geoffrey Davies
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
that period he was responsible for overseeing the
building of the church and vicarage and developing a 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 referee! He left the parish of Oystermouth to become
Vicar of Cwm in the diocese of St Asaph and was
subsequently instrumental, as secretary of the
Liturgical Commission, for the first revision of the 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 Governing Body, and his answer to members’
questions, that the revision was accepted unanimously.
After an incumbency at Ruabon he served at Liverpool, and before his retirement in 1989 as team
Rector of the Bourne Valley Parishes in Salisbury
diocese. He died at the age of 95 and his funeral was
held in the Lady Chapel of Liverpool Cathedral where for many years in retirement he had been an honorary
chaplain.
Arthur Howells
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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 Lamplighter in Bishopston of his ‘Little book for
Advent.’
Tyron O’Sullivan of Tower Colliery gave an amazing
account of the reopening of the pit by those who had
been made redundant by the National Coal Board,
with all the difficulties associated with such a commercial venture.
Richard Verge, a retired Senior Civil Servant and a prominent churchman in the diocese entitled his talk
‘Yes Minister,’ an intriguing account of the life of a
civil servant and relations with government ministers.
The December speaker is the former Swansea
University Librarian Paul Reynolds who will speak to
us on ‘George Stephenson in Llansamlet 1819’
where he apparently built the forerunner of
Stephenson’s Rocket.
Elsewhere in The Newsletter Andrew Knight has
written an account of members of the group visiting
the Second Swansea University Site The January meeting will be on January 12
th the speaker is to be
confirmed.
As in previous years we have arranged a Quiet Day for the Retired Clergy in Llangasty on Monday 8
th
February which will be led by Canon Padraig
Gallagher. The day will begin at 10.30a.m and end at
3.30p.m. and the cost will be £25 which will include 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
January if you are able to come, also if you have any
dietary needs. In the past we have shared cars. B.H.J.
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Farewell to the Church Hostel, Bangor
On
a
recent visit to Bangor Brian was surprised to find the
Church Hostel closed and up for sale. As a former
resident he asked me to write a short piece on the
Hostel.
It had been in existence for over a century and had a
powerful influence on generations of ordinands from
the Province. It was originally established in 1886 by
the Bangor Clerical Education Association. In 1884
the University College of North Wales had opened
with 58 students and it was thought appropriate that
the Church should have a centre at which an able and
experienced priest would be available to encourage
vocations to the ministry and to provide support and
guidance to ordinands. An important step was taken
in the 1920s when the Warden Basil Jones provided
accommodation in the house for eight students and
also a room for use as a small chapel. (According to
Owain Jones in his book on Glyn Simon, the local
vicar took umbrage at this and expressed his wrath in
a letter to a local newspaper, which in turn drew the
wrath of the bishop on his head!!)
When Glyn Simon was appointed as Warden in 1931
he quickly supervised the building of a new wing
which could accommodate 14 students and a chapel
with seating for about one hundred. It was he who
really put the Hostel on the map for he had a great
influence over young men as he advocated a strong
brand of Anglo-Catholicism, and tried to impose a
strict spiritual discipline on the ordinands. In the
1950s the number of students increased greatly, the
Hostel had a new enlarged accommodation wing and
refurbished Common Room and Dining Room.
It was in 1952 that I came as a student to Bangor and
as a potential ordinand was pleased to be given a place
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
offices and the late night Compline. Attendance was
not compulsory but most of us were very regular. The
daily round of worship provided a great source of
spiritual nourishment and a basis of discipline and
prayer which we were able to take with us into our
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
helped to widen our outlook. In some cases friendships
were formed which lasted a lifetime. One bonus for
me, a Welsh speaker who spoke the colloquial Welsh
of the Swansea Valley was to gain an understanding of
a very different dialect of Welsh since all the Bangor
ordinands were Welsh speakers.
The connection between this diocese and the Church
Hostel was not very strong. The only ordinand from
this diocese during my time was Brian. When I was in
the diocese I only met one other priest who had been in
the Church Hostel.
When we look at the Wardens, however, we find that
this diocese provided a whole series of them, namely
Glyn Simon, J.J.A.Thomas, who both later became
Bishops of the diocese; John Charles who like J.J.A.
Thomas had been Bishop’s Messenger in the Diocese
and who subsequently became Bishop of St. Asaph.
Both T.J. Morris and Owain Jones also served in the
diocese. When we look at the list of Wardens we see
that they were a very distinguished group: three of
them became Archbishops of the Province and two
others became diocesans. Dr. Barry Morgan was the
last Warden to lecture in the Faculty of Theology.
After his time the huge growth in the size of the
University College (now the University of Bangor), the
Warden’s role was to concentrate on being Anglican
Chaplain to the University and to use the Hostel as the
Chaplaincy Centre.
Other factors relevant to the change were the
disappearance of the Faculty of Theology and a
shrinkage in the number of ordinands
It is all these changes in circumstances and in the
resources of the Church that have presumably led to
the closure of the Church Hostel. It has served
generations of clergy effectively and those of us who
were there as students look back with nostalgia and
gratitude for those years.
D. Huw Jones
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NEW BOOKS. It is always a pleasure when looking at new books, to
include books that are ‘home grown.’ In this issue of
The Newsletter there are two books in that category.
The first ‘The Workshop Within’ by George Bennett.
George Bennett’s book ‘The Workshop Within’ is a
series of meditations in verse which grew out of time
on Retreat.
Bishop John in the Foreword writes: ‘the placement of words, often commonplace ones, by a skilled poet..has
the capacity to move the human spirit and imagination
to such an extent that we can find ourselves transported into the very situation which these words
are placed to reflect.’
George has achieved this in his book. The workshop
is the carpenter’s workshop in Nazareth, with the
young Jesus active in the day to day activity of the workshop, fulfilling the carpentry needs of the
community. From those day to day situations we are
transported into the saving ministry of the same Jesus.
I quote from the poem ‘Workshop’
‘the living wood He stacks :matured with care
The harvest of the forest is transformed
For Nazareth’s humble needs
and
‘I sweep the floor
Upon the bench I see the evening light flood in
The sunlight forms a Cross
Another Tree: an idea yet to come’
Occasionally poems are illustrated by George in simple drawings in pastel shades, but each adding to
the overall effect of the book. I was enthralled reading
it. In his Introduction George writes ‘I hope the poems will be helpful to others who want to look afresh at the
life and work of Jesus of Nazareth and have their own
spiritual life renewed.’ A piece of writing to which one will return time and time again for those quiet
moments of reflection.
(The book is available from Chancellor George
Bennett at Newton Vicarage priced at £4.50)
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A History of Penybont – Geraint Hughes.
Our second ‘homegrown’ publication is Geraint
Hughes’ fascinating history of Penybont a small
settlement on the banks of the Ithon in Radnorshire, going back to the Celtic tribes that occupied the area
when the Romans arrived probably around A.D. 50.
Geraint traces the history of the community from that
point through to the present day, focussing on various aspect of life in the community, reflected in the
chapter headings.
For 250 years Cefnllys Castle dominated the
community. The Marcher Lords established the Penybont Fair, the earliest dated 1297, they were
markets for local produce and later opportunities for
employment. Llandegley Wells was a spa with healing
properties in the water. This is followed by chapters of Roads and Early Transport, Penybont Bridge, the
Village Inn: The Severn Arms, Penybont Hall and
Penybont Court, Penybont Bank, the Local Post Office, the Station, Agricultural Shows and Races, the
Football Club, the Young Farmers, the treatment of
illness, the Llandegley Church School and Llandegley
Church.
In the chapter on Llandegley Church Geraint lists
incumbents from 1401 to 2003, when it was an
independent parish and after its grouping with
Llanbadarn.. Included in the list are Ken Brunsdon, Elwyn Griffiths, Roy Luther Thomas, Geraint himself,
David Wilkinson and Nigel Hall, all of whom were
later members of the Cathedral Chapter and continued
their ministry in other parts of the Diocese.
A fascinating read of the life and times of a small
country area and those who lived, worked and
worshipped there over the centuries. (Available from
Amazon at £6.51 or the Kindle edition £1.99)
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‘MY JOURNEY SO FAR’ – Andrew White
I was privileged in 1995, together with my namesake
in Brecon, to go on an Anglo/Israeli Association sponsored pilgrimage to the Holy Land led by Andrew
White, and to have experienced the faith and courage
of this man.
The blurb that accompanies the book describes
Andrew White as : ‘something of a legend: a man of great charm and energy, whose personal suffering has
not deflected him from his important ministry of
reconciliation.
Andrew grew up in London, the son of strongly
religious parents: by the age of five he could repeat the five points of Calvinism. As a child and young man he
was frequently ill, but his considerable intelligence
meant that his studies did not suffer. He set his heart
on becoming an anaesthetist, an ambition he achieved, only to be redirected by God to Anglican ministry.
Since ordination he has had a considerable role in the work of reconciliation, both between Christian and
Jew and between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim. Often in
danger, and always in pain from multiple sclerosis, he
has nevertheless been able to mediate between opposing extremes. A man of God, he is trusted by
those who trust very few.’
I have just read it, a most amazing read. (Available on Amazon at £10.49. Kindle edition £4.79)
Brian Jones
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A SECOND SITE FOR SWANSEA UNIVERSITY
It was a grey afternoon when about a dozen of the
retired clergy group met the Rev. Nigel John (Chaplain) and a University guide to tour the new site
on Jersey Marine. As we parked near the entrance we
were told that the site encourages the use of public transport. There are frequent buses to and from the
city centre, and the flat route may encourage cyclists
(otherwise depressed by Swansea geography!)
The
emphasis on engineering was seen as we reached the first buildings and caught a glimpse of the wave tank.
There is a clear industrial link, with industrial
sponsorship and commercial partnership as a focus. Of
course the Swansea Tidal Lagoon, if built, will be just on the seaward side of the whole area, providing a long
perimeter walk, and perhaps some sporting
opportunities as well as research ones. The engineering emphasis does not mean an absolute
wasteland however. The Site of Special Scientific
Interest on a section of sand dune, a preserved feature, was pointed out beyond the turf-roofed building to
encourage young visitors in exploring the
environment.
Walking through another building, passing the coffee
shop sheltered under the clear roof over a central ‘avenue’ we were impressed by the size and varied
facilities on both sides. At the far end we emerged to
visit the library – yes they do still have books in a
modern university! – as well as computer workstation, spaces for small group work , some very comfortable
seating and lots of natural light. (Thank goodness the
fashion for endless strip lighting, flickering in the
winter gloom has passed.)
Further west the Business School again had a covered
central area, with rooms on either side, and this time a
feature staircase. We looked out at three eating places,
and the bank and general store shortly to open. There are already students living on site, in blocks named for
Welsh historical figures, and there will be more, with
presumably also many living in Swansea East and
Centre and commuting by bus.
It is an impressive and in many ways beautiful set of
buildings, drawing on a number of styles less likely to
age than some of the buildings on the other site. They
will no doubt draw students from around the world. Joe Griffin pointed out the good accessibility - no
steps, lifts available, so easy for the less mobile. But
the buildings also say something of a change in
direction of Higher Education. Technical skills, commercial application, the drive for profitability are
prioritized, and these students will be marketable as
employees with ability. Will they also be educated, - truly human beings, able to understand and judge
wisely the ethical and social effects, as well as the
financial payback, of lucrative technology? Perhaps
only time will tell.
Andrew Knight.
The Theology Public
Lectures The
Theology Public Lectures arranged by the Revd.
Nigel John, the University Chaplain attract large
audiences on a monthly basis. This is an
opportunity to hear distinguished theologians, and
a number of clergy both active and retired are
regular listeners. I print below the list of lectures
for the next term. -Ed
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Who is This Man? Many of you will remember the film ‘Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ who at one point
in the film have to ride hard to escape a sheriff’s
posse. They have ridden where no known scout
could follow their trail and still the posse comes
on. They ask the question ‘Who are those guys?’
I have the same problem but in a better sort of
way. As each Quinquennial Inspection document
comes in I read it and summarise the contents for
the Churches and Pastoral Committee. In many of
the Gower Churches reports, the same name keeps
cropping up, the Revd J D Davies. Who is this
man?
Cheriton Church
The reason why his name keeps appearing is that
he was something of a wood carver and from the
descriptions in the Reports he was quite gifted.
The reports provide limited information, he was
appointed curate in Cheriton in 1860 and
subsequently rector. At his own expense of £1200
he commissioned the restoration of Cheriton
Church between 1874 and 1875. Mr Davies was a
pioneering High Churchman concerned with
achieving the proper setting for ritual and he
introduced into Cheriton a Surplice choir.
What was perhaps even more remarkable about
the man was that he was a gifted woodcarver. In
Cheriton church he was responsible for the altar
frontal, the communion rails, roof bosses and the
choir stalls. These are done in a repetitious,
elaborate, shallow relief style.
Llanmadoc church altar.
In the Quinquennial Report for Oxwich it says that
the teak altar table was carved and presented to
the church by the Revd J D Davies Rector of
Llanmadoc and Cheriton in the 1890s. The report
for Llanmadoc describes his having carved an oak
altar its frontal having paintings representing the
evangelists and another altar frontal ‘perhaps
intended for an altar frontal elsewhere, hangs on
the chancel wall.’ A further altar which he carved
is to be found in Llanrhidian church.
While researching this article I was surprised to
find that there was another priest on Gower some
years later who was also into woodwork, the Revd
Ben Evans made the altar table in St David’s
Church Llanyrnewydd (Gwernffrwd) in the
1940s.
The last mention of Revd J D Davies, he was
buried to the south west of the south door and
since his death the gravestone has been renewed.
Paul Baker.
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Icon of Our Lady who
brings down walls
Many years ago I visited an exhibition in London
sponsored by Esso. Icons which had never left
their countries before were collected from Greece,
Russian and Eastern European countries of the
then Soviet Union. It was a wonderful experience,
which I shall never forget, and gave me a lifelong
love of, and respect for, this art form. Some years
ago I enjoyed another national exhibition, this
time of Textile Art in Alexandra Palace, where I
met an extremely talented lady, a very gifted
needlewoman, who was working a surround to a
painted icon, using gold and richly coloured
threads. I was inspired to have a go myself,
knowing that I would be nothing like as good, but
would be an expression of faith, and a step along
my spiritual journey.
The icon I have chosen in my work is entitled
‘Icon of Our Lady Who Brings Down Walls’ and
is a modern work painted in the traditional style
by Ian Knowles, Director of the Bethlehem Icon
Centre, and painted in 2012 on the Israeli
separation wall (more information on the centre at
www. bethlehemiconcentre.org) my intention is to
use the finished panel as a reminder to send an
‘arrow prayer’ for peace in the Middle East every
time I pass it at the top of the stairs at home.
Now to the panel itself. The background colour is
gold, as this is common to most icons. Part of the
gold is gold silk dupion, scraps of which I had in
my store, after making an altar frontal for a church
in Cheltenham. The more colourful sections of
the background are mono printed handmade
paper, using acrylic paints in reds and yellows.
This printing process merges the colours into one
another, producing a cloud like effect, rather than
a solid
block
of
colour.
To reflect the historic context of icons I included
three elements in the design. The first is a
suggestion of Russian ecclesiastical architecture,
which I was able to produce three times using a
stamping technique. Secondly there are two
traditional crosses , each a representative of its
own Christian tradition – the Greek cross with
arms of equal length, and the Russian cross with
its sloping footrest. Thirdly, the rectangular area
at the base of the panel is representative of the
iconostasis – the wall of painting, jewels and rich
texture which separates the nave from the
sanctuary in an Orthodox church. Here I have
made little roundels and diamond shapes of
painted clay and used richly coloured Indian Art
Silk threads.
The ‘stone’ framing the icon is a reference to the
Israeli West Bank barrier, the focus of so much
animosity and strife in the Middle East. I have
tried to show that a solid wall can be breached,
contacts can be made, and separations can be
healed . I chose an arc as a frame since arches
have long been symbols of earthly triumph, and
can be seen as expressing the power of prayer
ultimately to triumph over earthly strife and bring
peace.
Carolyn Burbery.
Our contributors.
I am so grateful to all our contributors for their
contributions to The Newsletter. Each contribution
reflects a variety of interests in which people are
engaged. Bishop John leading us into new and
exciting ministries, Huw Jones recollecting
student days for both of us in the Church Hostel.
Alongside are those amongst us who are able to
write and share particular areas of interest –
George Bennett in poetry that reflects his
experience of retreats over the years, and Geraint
Hughes with a fascinating look at Penybont, the
part of Radnorshire where he now lives and
where, early in his ministry he was the parish
priest. Paul Baker through access to Quinquennial
Inspections found a talented wood carver of
yesteryear, active in the parishes of Cheriton,
Llanmadoc and Llangennith. Carolyn Burbery
opened up the world of tapestry and icons
focussing on the contemporary icon of Our Lady
Who Brings Down Walls, drawing on works of
art from the Israel/Palestine situation.
In addition to written contributions to The
Newsletter I am grateful too to those who print
and distribute it both by post and now also on line.
I look forward to many more contributions that
reflect the interests and gifts of retired clergy and
their families.
Similarly the group in Swansea is dependent upon
people who are prepared to give of their time and
gifts as speakers on a monthly basis. This opens
up to us areas of activity both past and present that
might be unfamiliar to us or which remind us of
subjects which we may have forgotten!! We are
grateful to all of them past and in the future.
Wishing you all the Joy and Peace of Christmas
Brian
Printed and published at the Diocesan Centre
Cathedral Close, Brecon Powys LD3 9DP (01874 623716
Editor Chancellor Brian H. Jones
125, Homegower House, St. Helen’s Road,
Swansea SA1 4DW Tel. 01792 923642
E mail b.h.jones@outlook.com
Please send suggestions comments, corrections
and any items of news about the Retired
Clergy by March 1st, for the Easter issue.
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